GB2128154A - Reducing resistance to the advance of a nautical vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosure concerns various arrangements for reducing resistance to the advance of a nautical vessel through water. An element 1 external to the hull of the vessel has flotation capacity for supporting at least part of the weight of the vessel. The external element may have external projections 2 so that upon rotating, the external element moves the vessel. Alternatively, a plurality of the external elements are supported on a hub or a belt for themselves being moved by their support through the water, thereby for moving the vessel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Reducing resistance to the advance of a nautical vessel The present invention relates to an arrangement for reducing resistance to the movement of a nautical vessel. The object of the present invention is to create a nautical vessel which moves at higher speeds with greater efficiency, and with a consequent saving in energy, due to elimination or reduction of the resistance to advance of the vessel through the water, which would be caused by friction, the formulation of waves, viscosity, etc.

According to the invention, there is provided an arrangement for eliminating resistance to the advance of a nautical vessel through water, including: a vessel a hull; and an external element connected with the vessel, the external element being movable with respect to the hull and having floation capacity for supporting the weight of the vessel in water, so as at least partially to eliminate the submerging of the hull of the vessel in the water, the external element being movable with respect to the vessel for movement of the external element through the water.

The invention thus proposes the use of elements which are external to the vessel, movable with respect to the vessel and associated with its structure. These external elements have sufficient flotation capacityto themselves support the weight of the vessel in the water, permitting complete or almost complete elimination of the submerged surface of the hull, which has been traditionally used as the flotation surface for supporting a nautical vessel.

The movable external elements may consist of rotatable floats or floats that are displaceable along a closed, and preferably circular, path. The essence of the invention therefore resides in replacing the traditional supporting hull surface of a vessel with a movable flotation system, which can adopt the configuration of a wheel, turbine, propeller, or the like.

This movable flotation system may also serve as a drive system at the same time as it supports the entire vessel. If the flotation system is not itself a drive system, it will not rotate. The vessel will then have an independent traditional propulsion system.

The invention renders a nautical vessel equipment to a land vehicle. It replaces the frictional effect of the hull on the water by an approximately rolling effect, which is provided by the movable external flotation elements.

With the invention, the hull of the vessel will be reduced practically to a stabilizing keel.

Due to the increase in efficiency obtained by an arrangement embodying the invention, if engines of very high speed of revolution are used, propeller propulsion systems can be employed, which are separate from the floats. These systems can act directly on the air without requiring large reductions, as is required in present ships of large tonnage.

In land vehicles, there are generally no significant losses due to slipping of the wheels over the ground.

Practically all of the useful energy being applied to the wheel drives the vehicle, except in cases of loose, sandy or argillaceous earth.

In the water, actuation of a vessel can be considered to be like impelling a water jet, by means of a propeller, turbine, or the like, with the corresponding reaction of the vessel in the opposite direction. In the event that there is no water on which the said jet of water acts and against which the vessel advances, which is equivalent to designing the vessel and the jet of water separately, the mechanical impulse is identical with the amount of movement, since, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If the mass of the vessel is made equal to the mass of the water impelled, the two will move with the same velocity and power in opposite directions. But, half the energy applied will be lost, and this half will be lost regardless of the proporton between the weight of the vessel and the weight of the water impelled.If at this time a wall is set up, against which the jet of water strikes, all of the energy applied would be utilized, and therefore twice as much energy would be used as with a free jet, if there are no points of support. If this wall is replaced by water, then as the water is displaced by the jet, there will be not as much output as with the wall, but output with free fall will be much greater.

In nautical vessels with paddles, the bigger the paddles are, the smaller is the slippage effect.

Another advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that, from the standpoint of industrialization, a substantial improvement is obtained by permitting the use of means known design but which make it possible to obtain a clear advantage and benefit for the purpose pursued.

An approximate exemplary design of a vessel is described below from which the advantages of the invention can be noted. The meanings of the symbols are as follows: EHP = effective power or towing power for navigating art a given speed HP = indicated power of the engine (the power measured on the cylinders thereof) TrHP = losses in power of the engine and of the transmission to the propeller PrHP = losses in power of the driving unit (propeller) RfHP = power necessary to overcome the frictional resistance Rf RWHP = power necessary to overcome the resistance due to formation of waves Rw RVHP = power necessary to overcome the resistance due to viscosity Rv RaHP = power necessary to overcome the resistance due to frontal impact of air Ra RXHP = power necessary to overcome the resistance in vertical direction which acts on the blade.

Approximate values of the different resistances which act of the hull of the vessel as a function of its speed are set forth below.

Low Speed Medium Speed High Speed Rf 70%Rf 45%Rt 25%Rt Rw 23%Rt 45%Rt 60%Rt Rv 5%Rt 5%Rt 5%Rt Ra 2%Rt 5%Rt 10%Rt In nautical vessels, HP = TrHP + EHP, and as EHP = RfHP + RWHP + RVHP + RaHP; EHP corresponds approximately to 50% of IHP, so we have lHP = TrHP + PrHP + RfHP + RWHP + RVHP + RaHP in which RrHP and PrHP correspond approximately to 20% and 30% of HP respectively.

By eliminating the resistance (Rf + R2w + Rv) with the system of the invention, the total resistance is made n times less. Therefore, the necessary or indicated power will be IHP/n.

In its turn, upon elimination of the propeller, the propulsion term PrHP disappears, which is equal to 30% of IHP. But, add in its place the losses in the new system of propulsion RXHP (by displacement of the water vertically). The value of this is reduced to approximately 10% of lHP in losses in tank-type float systems and in systems of blades which act by striking on the water vertically with the section of minumum resistance, thereby obtaining an increase in the efficiency.

The formula with the new system is thus: lHP = TrHP + RXHP + RaHP. The occasional resistances due to wind, condition of the sea, etc., have not been taken into account.

An example of the reduction of the indicated power IHP, it being 100 hp for a vessel of average speed is: lHP = TrHP + PrHP + RfHP + RWHP + RVHP + RaHP 100 = 20 + 30 + 22.5 + 22.5 + 2.5 + 2.5 hp With the new system Rt + Ra and EHP = RaHP = 2.5hp.

With normal propulsion, for instance by propeller, applied to this new system EHP 50% EHP IHP EHP 5 =shop you would have HP = TrHP + PrHP + RaHP 5 = 1 + 1.5 + 2.5 + 2.5 hp With the new system of propulsion in which the losses are 10% instead of the 30% of the propeller PxHP =10%of5=0.5 giving as result: lHP = TrHP + PXHP + RaHP 4 = 1 + 0.5 + 2.5 hp The total resistance to advance of a surface in the water is R = 1/2 m.S.v2, where m = mass d = density.If we write 1/2m K1 29 K1 we have R = K1.S.V2 which causes this constant to be affected also by the profile of the vessel by which K is reduced and therefore also the total resistance.

Resistance to advance of the vessel in the water: R = K.S.V2.

The greatest frictional resistance Rf of the vessel at low speed is Rf = Kf.d.S,.V1.825, where Sc = molded surface of the hull of the vessel Kf = 0.1422 for vessels of 100 meters in lenth and decreases 0.00003 for every 10 meters by which the length increases.

The resistance Rw due to formation of waves is greatest at high speed

D = displacement E = length The constant Kw is 0.065 in slow vessels of full form, and is 0.005 in fast vessels of very thin form.

In orderthatthe invention may be readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view which shows one embodiment of a movable external element applicable to a marine vessel to form an arrangement embodying the present invention; Figures 2, 3, 4, 7, 8,9 and 13 are perspective views of variant other embodiments of movable external elements; Figures Sand 6 are a plan view and cross section respectively of one possible embodiment based on movable elements as shown in Figure 4; Figures 10, 11 and 12 represent other possible forms of application of the movable elements shown in the preceding Figures; and Figure 14 is a front elevation of the movable elements shown in Figure 13.

A movable external element for a vessel may consist, in its most elementary configuration, of a cylindrical float which rotates around its axis, whereby the resistances to friction along the vertical axis of the vessel are eliminated. In Figure 1, a cylindrical float 1 is provided with radial fins 2. Despite the fact that the fins increase the resistance along the vertical axis of the vehicle, the fins reduce the resistance to advance of the vessel, as well as reducing slippage as compared with a smooth cylindrical configuration.

In Figure 2, the external elements are formed of floats 3, which are in the form of float fins or blades. These are fastened to the outer ends of radial arms 4, which are rigidly fastened to a central hub 5, around whose axis the entire unit turns. The floating vessel carries one or more of these rotary wheels, and they are suitably arranged in parallel pairs on a common shaft by which they are attached to the structure of the vessel.

Figure 3 shows a wheel formed, as in the case of Figure 2, of a central hub 5 and radial arms 4, on the ends of which are pivotally connected floats 5, which can rotate around their points of articulation 7 to the respective arms 4. The floats are preferably provided with a counterweight or with ballast 8 in order to obtain at each moment the ideal position in order that its surface of horizontal action on the water is the maximum.

Figure 4 shows an endless screw propeller with flotation capacity which operates submerged completely in water and turns around its shaft. It extends at its end portions 9 to support the structure of the floating vessel. As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6, two parallel propellers may be provided, arranged in corresponding housings, which are attached to the ends 9 of the shafts of the propellers.

In Figure 7, the movable elements are formed of two large floats 10 with parallel axes and connected by arms 11. The flaots 10 act as rollers. The floats may be provided with radial blades 12. In Figure 8, the floats are formed of transverse bodies or boxes 13 fastened to an endless belt 14 mounted on cylindrical bodies 15 whose shafts 16 are connected to the structure of the floating vessel.

In Figure 9, a series of floats 17 are fastened to an endless belt 18, which is mounted on cylindrical bodies or drums 19 to whose shafts 20 the structure of the floating vessel is connected, as in the preceding case. The floats 17 have a sawtooth configuration with respect to the endless belt 18so as to produce the maximum effect when they move within the water.

Figure 10 diagrammatically shows a floating vessel 21, to which the system of the invention has been applied, particularly the embodiment shown in Figures 8 or 9.

Figure 11 shows a structure 22, like a vessel, mounted on floating movable elements of a construction similar to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 12 shows a vessel which is mounted on floating elements of the type shown in Figures 13 and 14. In this case, the movable elements comprise floats 23 of suitable shape which are mounted within two rings 24 with different respective axes of rotation. With this system there is obtained a suitable entrance and actuation of the floats 23 during their displacement through the water. This is due to the fact that the floats, in the manner of a paddle, act in all cases vertically upon rotation, fastened by the two rings with separate axes of rotation.

As can be understood, in accordance with the characteristics of the vessel, whether it be of high or low velocity the arrangement and configuration of the floats may vary.

The system of the invention has the following advantages: It reduces or eliminates the resistance to advance of a vessel.

As it has a higher power output, it is more economical.

Higher speeds are obtained, since a vessel embodying the invention is not as heavy as a nautical vessel of traditional construction.

The vessel is more difficult to sink.

In the case of a sailing vessel, the latter is more useful than in existing traditionally constructed boats.

The vessel may serve to transport all types of cargo.

The loss by rolling of the vessel is not affected.

The vessel can be provided with better damping than present-day vessels.

The construction of a vessel embodying the invention permits better manoeuverability.

The invention eliminates resistance to advance of the vessel, whereby the thrust required will be less and the power lost by slippage is reduced. This in its turn results in a further decrease in the thrust necessary.

As can easily be understood, both the materials, dimensions, shape and in general all accessories or secondary items can be changed without thereby altering, changing or modifying the essence of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. An arrangement for eliminating resistance to the advance of a nautical vessel through water, including: a vessel having a hull; and an external element connected with the vessel, the external element being movable with respect to the hull and having flotation capacity for supporting the weight of the vessel in water, so as at least partially to eliminate the submerging of the hull of the vessel in the water, the external element being movable with respect to the vessel for movement of the external element through the water.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the external element is movable over a closed path at least part of which is through the water.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein the path is circular.

4. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the external element comprises a plurality of outward projections which intercept the water and move through the water, and the projections are oriented so that the water resists their movement through it.

5. An arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein the external element supports the projections for rotation of the projections around an axis that is generally parallel to the water surface.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 6, wherein the external element is at least approximately cylindrical in shape and has a periphery, the projections being on the periphery of the external element and projecting radially wherein the external element is oriented with the axis thereof generally parallel to the water surface.

7. An arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the external element is helicoidal in shape and has an end with a cylindrical extension along the axis of the external element, the external element being connected to the vessel at the cylindrical extension.

8. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein there are a plurality of the external elements.

9. An arrangement according to Claim 8, wherein there is a shaft connected to the vessel and defining thereon a central hub, and a plurality of the external elements are supported around the hub with all of the external elements being generally in a common vertical plane.

10. An arrangement according to Claim 9, further comprising a respective arm connecting each of the external elements with the hub, and each external element is rotatably connected with the respective arm at a generally horizontal axis, each external element being provided with a counterweight for driving the external element being provided with a counterweight for driving the external element to a constant position despite rotation of the hub.

11. An arrangement according to Claim 8, including a pair of support rolls supported one behind the other on the vessel for rotation with respect to the hull of the vessel, and an endless hand passing over and rotating around the rolls, the movable external elements being secured on the band for moving therewith.

12. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, including drive means for driving the external element or elements.

13. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the external element or elements is or are freely displaceable with respect to the vessel.

14. Arrangements for eliminating resistance to the advance of a nautical vessel through water, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.