Page 623 - The ROV Manual - A User Guide for Remotely Operated Vehicles 2nd edition

22.1 Standard operating procedures 623
22.1.6.5.2 Oil spills
ROV systems are effective as a quick responder to oil spills. The technique for inspecting the oil spill location is to get below the oil sheen without obstructing the domes, seals, and lights. For oil spills, the following are suggested guidelines:
• Find a location upstream of the oil slick to deploy the vehicle. If there is no current flow, place a deployment vessel (tubular object such as a garbage can or pipe), evacuate all oil from the tube, and deploy the vehicle through the clear area.
• Locate the source of the spill.
• Upon completion of the mission, recover the vehicle, clean with solvent, and perform scheduled
maintenance.
22.1.6.5.3 Potable water tank inspections
Small ROV systems do quite well in the low-flow, quiet environment of a potable water tank. The following steps are suggested when performing a potable water tank inspection:
• Determine the length of tether needed to perform the inspection of the potable water tank.
• Thoroughly clean all components of the vehicle with decontaminate in accordance with the
American Water Works Association (or other controlling authority) from the quarantine point
on the tether to the vehicle.
• Obtain some type of container (a clean cardboard box, clean barrel, or other large container)
large enough to hold the tether and the vehicle after cleaning. This will form the quarantine area
for all insertion/extraction operations.
• Upon completion of the mission, perform scheduled maintenance with consideration that the
potable water tank could contain chlorine (or other chemicals) affecting the seals and O-rings of the vehicle. Signs of chemical damage to O-rings and seals may include whitening, flaking, and drying of wetted areas.
22.1.7 Postdive procedures 22.1.7.1 Postdive checklist
A postdive inspection should be carried out after every dive:
• Visually inspect the vehicle following each dive to ensure no mechanical damage has occurred.
• Check the propellers for any fouling.
• Visually check through the ports to ensure that no water has entered the camera, thruster, or
electronics housings.
• Inspect the tether for cuts, nicks, or kinks in the outer shell.
• Rinse the vehicle and tether in freshwater if it has been operated in salt water.
• Check all vehicle functions again before power-down.
• Store the tether and vehicle properly for the next use. Refer to specific manufacturer’s
instructions for system storing procedures.