US2003154897A1PendingUtilityA1

Waterjet propulsor for air lubricated ships

39
Priority: Feb 21, 2001Filed: Jan 30, 2003Published: Aug 21, 2003
Est. expiryFeb 21, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Donald E. Burg
B63B 1/38Y02T70/10B63B 1/12B63H 11/08B63B 39/06
39
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Claims

Abstract

Presented is an improved waterjet propulsors that has application to air lubricated ships since it solves problems related to air ingestion into the waterjet inlets. This is done by disposing the waterjet inlets into side members of the ship disposed either side of the ship's artificially pressurized air layer(s). The waterjet inlets are best located, at least in their majority, lower than and aft of the ship's artificially pressurized air layer(s) and the side members of the ship are, in their preferred embodiment, extended aft of and, at least in their majority, below and aft portion of the artificially pressurized air layer. The improved waterjet propulsor can see improvements in its efficiency by absorption of ship boundary layer water. Further, air fences can be employed to restrict air from entering the waterjet inlets from either the ship's air layer(s) or water surfaces external to the ship.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . In improved waterjet propulsors for a ship with an artificially pressurized supporting gas layer disposed in its underside, the improvement comprising: 
 said artificially pressurized supporting gas layer disposed aft of a bow and between gas restraining side members of the ship and, when the ship is moving forward in a calm sea, said artificially pressurized supporting gas layer rising going from forward to aft, said gas restraining side members of the ship include waterjet inlets for the improved waterjet propulsors, and said waterjet inlets, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the ship, are disposed, at least in their majority, lower than the pressurized gas layer.    
     
     
         2 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet inlets, at least in their majority, are disposed aft of the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         3 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the gas restraining side members of the ship extend aft of the artificially pressurized gas layer and include the improved waterjet propulsors.  
     
     
         4 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors are oriented, at least in their majority, away from the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         5 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein there are air fences disposed between the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors and a sea surface external to the ship.  
     
     
         6 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein there are air fences disposed between the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors and a waterline of the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         7 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet inlets take in boundary layer water of the ship.  
     
     
         8 . In improved waterjet propulsors for a ship with an artificially pressurized supporting gas layer disposed in its underside, the improvement comprising: 
 said artificially pressurized supporting gas layer disposed aft of a bow and between gas restraining side members of the ship and, when the ship is moving forward in a calm sea, said artificially pressurized supporting gas layer rising going from forward to aft, said gas restraining side members of the ship include waterjet inlets for the improved waterjet propulsors, and the gas restraining side members of the ship extend aft of the artificially pressurized gas layer and include the improved waterjet propulsors.    
     
     
         9 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 8  wherein the waterjet inlets, at least in their majority, are disposed aft of the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         10 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 8  wherein said waterjet inlets, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the ship, are disposed, at least in their majority, lower than the pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         11 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 8  wherein the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors are oriented, at least in their majority, away from the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         12 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 8  wherein there are air fences disposed between the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors and a sea surface external to the ship.  
     
     
         13 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 8  wherein there are air fences disposed between the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors and a waterline of the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         14 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 8  wherein the waterjet inlets take in boundary layer water of the ship.  
     
     
         15 . In improved waterjet propulsors for a ship with an artificially pressurized supporting gas layer disposed in its underside, the improvement comprising: 
 said artificially pressurized supporting gas layer disposed aft of a bow and between gas restraining side members of the ship and, when the ship is moving forward in a calm sea, said artificially pressurized supporting gas layer rising going from forward to aft, said gas restraining side members of the ship include waterjet inlets for the improved waterjet propulsors, and the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors are oriented, at least in their majority, away from the artificially pressurized gas layer.    
     
     
         16 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 15  wherein the waterjet inlets, at least in their majority, are disposed aft of the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         17 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 15  wherein the gas restraining side members of the ship extend aft of the artificially pressurized gas layer and include the improved waterjet propulsors.  
     
     
         18 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 15  wherein said waterjet inlets, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the ship, are disposed, at least in their majority, lower than the pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         19 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 15  wherein there are air fences disposed between the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors and a sea surface external to the ship.  
     
     
         20 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 15  wherein there are air fences disposed between the waterjet inlets of the improved waterjet propulsors and a waterline of the artificially pressurized gas layer.  
     
     
         21 . The improved waterjet propulsors of  claim 15  wherein the waterjet inlets take in boundary layer water of the ship.

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