EP0753455A1

EP0753455A1 - Construction of vessels with industrially prefabricated tubular floats

Info

Publication number: EP0753455A1
Application number: EP96600006A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Georgios Teleionis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-07-12
Filing date: 1996-07-12
Publication date: 1997-01-15
Also published as: GR1002440B

Abstract

First of all the invention sets up new principles for the naval architecture, since it replaces the hull of vessels with properly formed floats and builds up the grounds for the manufacturing of shipbuilding constructions, incorporating new hydrodynamic and aerodynamic advantages.

It succeeds reduction of shipbuilding costs and use of vessels, industrialization of their manufacturing, many hydroaerodynamical operational and structural advantages, more safety , light and aesthtical constructions, based on the cheap and easy production of the industrial tubular (1) and mainly to the plastic tubes of P.V.C. and polyethylene.

It is also extended to the construction of plastic tubular containers, tanks and pressure chambers and to the construction of plastic tubular vessels.

Description

First of all the invention sets up new principles for the naval architecture, since it replaces the hull of vessels with properly formed floats and builds up the grounds for the manufacturing of shipbuilding constructions, incorporating new hydrodynamic and aerodynamic advantages.
The construction of floating means in general starts with the procedures of injection or coating of the building material iii moulds, of the same size with the vessel or with procedures of preformation of the framework and afterwards its coating.
This construction method is time consuming, expensive and is not indicated for the industrialization of production and does not allow the disassembly, amendments or interventions on the initial construction.
Vessels built according to this way, beyond their very high initial cost (almost prohibiting for many) have also a very high cost in use and maintenance, which is up to the shape of their hull.
Concretely , in low and medium sailing speeds , where the hydrodynamic design has a greater importance, most of the vessels demonstrate a much higher resistance, since they cause a higher water displacement in order to pass through, due to the great width of their hull, causing very large waves (that is they deomstrate very high losses)
In high speeds, where the aerodynamic design is of high importance, in the usual high-speed vessels, the shape of their hull creates an aerodynamic weight, leading thus to the increase of the immersion of the vessel or resistance to the water and collision with the waves.
Also the transport and storing of such vessels out of the water creates important difficulties, since those vessels can not be released (volume, weight) and since special support constructions are required.
Finally it results , that their construction and use as well is cery costly for most of the vessels.
The use of tubular floats in the construction of vessels gives us the opportunity to solve all that problems and to advance further the technique.
In details the float (plastic or metallic for small or great vessels respectively) will consist of a longitudinal tubular with cyclical or another, much proper cross-section, produced like the plastic or the metallic tubes, that is by industrialized procedures.
At the edges of the tubular either the respective nose and tail will be welded (like for example the assembly of P.V.C. tubes with plugs, angles, branches, etc. drawing 1) or a thermal processing, proper formation and welding, will be applied (e.g. for polyethylene tubes).
With the proper valve , air under pressure can enter the float, in order to increase its mechanical strength (saving of material and weight) and for the control of tightness. With the suitable shutters inside the tubular (figure 3) separate pressure chambers are created for safety reasons in case of collision.
For a reinforced safety, but in order to be able to increase and reduce their length, the floats will be manufactured by standardized closed compartments with pressurised air, which will be assemblied together (figure 4).
At this point we must add that with the shape we give to the internal shutters of the floats, we created a sphenoid assembly zone, which allows the easy penetration of the welding fluid, optical control, avoidance of welding vacuums, ability of additional welding coats and sphenoid tightening during the charge of welding.
With this method we could expand to constructions of containers, tanks, and mainly of low cost pressure chambers with the standardized tubular cross sections and the respective shutters, which could be assemblied even by users.
Indicative we mention for the issue of strength of plastic floats that respective plastic commercial tubes are manufactured for pressures of 6, 10,12.5 and 16 bar and in diameters up to 90 cm.
In addition with the entrance of water in the compartments of the float, we can adjust the lifting power, that is its immersion, sothat the float is just floating on water and thus it is possible, from very low speeds to have a submarine sailing of floats, just below the surface of water.
In this way we minimalize the losses in low and medium speeds on the one and on the other hand the vessels remain unaffected by the waves, during their sailing and when still-standing.
Figure 5 demonstrates how it is possible to have simple and at the same time a self-balanced and even a self-distributing charge of water and air in all compartments of that floats only by two entrances-exits (water and air) and without affecting the independence of the compartments.
Replacing now the hull of the vessels with longitudinal tubular floats all the above mentioned construction, hydrodynamic, aerodynamic and operational problems are solved, since the geometry of the shape of the hull, which creates such problems, is corrected.
Figures of page 2 demonstrate indicative some forms which could get the vessels with the use of floats.

* The production of floats can be directly standardized and is easy (standardization of a series of diameters with the repsective shutters and the respective edges or formations)
* Floats have a low cost, a perfect hydroaerodynamical shape, an even surface, great strength and security (optional), excellent aesthetic and are unsinkable.
* The use of such floats releases technically the construction of most of vessels, which gives us the possibility for quick easy, cheap, secure, light, dismanileable, interventionable, changeable and readjusting constructions, without nevertheless hindering the weight and stability of the construction.
* The floats give us the possibility for a variety of forms, shapes and sizes of vessels and allow anybody to design, to manufacture or order his own vessel.
* The behaviour of the float is hydrodynamically and aerodynamically excellent, a fact which means:
- Better stability, that is less and more regular oscillations of the vessel, since the float passes even through the waves or not oscillations at all, since the float could be an underwater one.
  A greater economy is succeeded in fuels, weight and in the required power of engines, as well as higher sailing speeds, since the hydroaerodynamical resistances are minimalised.
- Especially in high speed vessels, with the proper formation of the upper part of the vessel we can now have an aerodynamical lifting power and lifting of the vessel from the water (flight)
* In addition we must mention
- The ability for placing the engines, fuels and other accessories of the vessel in the floats
- The ability of absorbtion of vibrations in quick speed vessels from suspensions between the floats and the vessel
- The ability for a parallel and in series connection of many floats (construction of platforms, floating bridges, etc.)

Also another important simplification of shipbuilding could be gained in the construction of light closed tubular quick speed vessels of missile or rocket form (designs of page 3)
Such vessels, since it is not possible to manufacture them in total with industrialized procedures (a possibility which results from their geometry), could have a low cost with many advantages, aerodynamical, practical, operational, offering security, economy, high speeds and easy transfers in sea, in combination with a lifestyle and high aesthetics.
Summarizing we could say that the introduction of the industrial tubular in sea applications opens new horizons for the application and composition of the new technology, marking the beginning of a new era, the dawn of which could be already seen.

Claims

Floats which are destined for the support of vessels and floating constructions, which are constructed by industrially standardized production of tubulars and accessories (edges) and which have the characteristic that their interior is euqipped with proper shutters, which create separate closed pressure chambers, where we can introduce air under pressure or water.
Standardized edges (nose or tail) of a respetive tubular, which form hydrodynamical edges of floats and are characterized by the fact that they correspond to standardized series of plastic P.V.C. and polyethylene tubes of the market.
Internal shutters of tubes consisting of a cylindrical and continouus semispheric approximate surface, which are welded at the internal part of the tubes and are characterized by the fact that they correspond, concerning their dimensions to the standardized series of plastic P.V.C. or polyethylene tubes of the market.
Tubular containers, tanks and pressure tanks, characterized by the fact that they are coming from the welding of certain tubes, edges and shutters mentioned in claims 2 and 3.
Method of construction of main body of light tubular passenger vessels (sea, land or air) from assembly of industrial plastic tubular and respective edges with the characteristic that the tubular comes from the standardized series of plastic P.V.C. and polyethylene tubes of the market.
Method of processing of edges of plastic tubes with thermal processing and welding in order to have hydrodynamical or aerodynamical shaped noses and tails, which is characterized by the fact that it is applied to the standardized series of plastic P.V.C and polyethylene tubes of the market.
Floats which are destined for support of vessels and floating constructions, consisting of similar assemblied parts (chambers) with air under pressure, nose and tail, forming externally a uniform cylindrical surface with hydrodynamic edges and have the characteristic that the cylindrical part of chambers is coming from the standardized series of P.V.C. and polyethylene tubes of the market.