Subsurface Vortex Assisted Distributed Propulsion Active Hull

Abstract

High velocity subsurface craft, apparatus or method positively affecting propulsion and limiting drag by the use of a rotating body with selected Surface Treatment. The Active Hull Platform provides Apparent Flows that allow for shorter more dispersed blade arrays and boundary layer management that impacts vorticity on skin surfaces by controlling the angular momentum of the vortices formed. By converting drag forces into thrust, vortices need not be avoided and an even non pulsating distributed thrust is the result.

1 . A submersible Craft, apparatus or method that utilizes boundary layer conditions and distributed propulsion comprising:
 (1) the Active Hull Platform.   
     
     
         2 . A submersible Craft, apparatus or method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (1) an Active Hull; and 
 (2) managed Apparent Flow by rotational and fore-aft velocity sensors and velocity control systems; and 
 (3) means of sealing, expanding, controlling or limiting the flow of fluids in Area ( 2 ) to control fluid properties and fluid dynamics including mass flows, boundary layer, and shear layer conditions in Area ( 2 ); and 
 (4) Surface Treatment in Area ( 1 ) or Area ( 1 ) and Area ( 2 ). 
 
     
     
         3 . An underwater Craft or apparatus that utilizes boundary layer conditions and distributed propulsion comprising:
 (1) an Active Hull; and   (2) managed Apparent Flow in Area ( 1 ) and Area ( 2 ); and   (3) Surface Treatment in Area ( 1 ) or Area ( 1 ) and Area ( 2 ).   
     
     
         4 . A submersible Craft or apparatus that utilizes boundary layer conditions and distributed propulsion comprising:
 (1) an Active Hull; and   (2) means of power and power conveyance to all systems including rotation of the Active Hull and traditional propulsion when applicable such as propellers or screws for the Fixed Hull within; and   (3) means to provide anti-torque for the inner Fixed Hull to stabilize rotational moments; and   (4) mechanical and/or electromagnetic means for support and bearing including radial and thrust bearing to limit noise and friction between the Active Hull and Fixed Hull; and   (5) velocity sensors and control systems to measure and control rotational velocities for the Active Hull and fore-aft velocities for the Fixed Hull and Craft and maintain some ratio of the two; and   (6) means of balancing the Active Hull either during fabrication or during operation or both to allow smooth running and less bearing pressures; and   (7) means of controlling ballast to regulate buoyancy including maintaining neutral buoyancy either during fabrication or during operation or both for the Active Hull and Fixed Hull within; and   (8) means of sealing, expanding, controlling or limiting the flow of fluids in Area ( 2 ); and   (9) at least one of the following:
 a. traditional means of accelerating and directing mass flows into and out of Area ( 2 ) such as turbine fins, fixed and/or variable blades, and nozzles; 
 b. traditional means of propelling, guidance, ballasting, and/or stabilizing the Fixed Hull within allowing the Active Hull to become inoperable, disengaged from power, or jettisoned and still maintain a functioning Craft; 
 c. traditional means of propelling, guidance and/or stabilizing the Active Hull that are used in conjunction with Surface Treatment in Area ( 1 ); 
 d. Surface Treatment in Area ( 1 ); 
 e. a means of controlling fluid properties and additives in Area ( 2 ); 
 f. Surface Treatments in Area ( 2 ). 
   
     
     
         5 . A submersible Craft or apparatus of  claim 4  wherein:
 (1) the Active Hull partially covers an internal Fixed Hull that is a Pressure Hull; and 
 (2) means of power such as nuclear power to generate electrical energy and rotate the Active Hull and traditional means of thrust such as propellers in the Fixed Hull when applicable; and 
 (3) power conveyance or torque on the Active Hull is done traditionally by mechanical means or accomplished by electromagnetic means making the Active Hull a large rotor and the Fixed Hull a stator or utilizing both mechanical and electromechanical means to rotate the Active Hull; and 
 (4) computer aided balancing by controlling chambers in the Active Hull that can be filled or purged with surrounding fluid during operation to correct for imbalance; and 
 (5) computer aided ballast system in the Active Hull coordinating the chambers of the ballast system with the balancing system to maintain a neutral buoyancy within the Active Hull or such buoyancy as needed; and 
 (6) fluid is allowed to enter and equalize pressure with minimal through flow in Area ( 2 ) making the Active Hull a Light Hull and affecting fluid dynamics in the Area ( 2 ); and 
 (7) traditional means of propelling, guidance, ballasting, and stabilizing the Fixed Hull within allowing the Active Hull to become inoperable or jettisoned and still maintain a functioning Craft; and 
 (8) Surface Treatments Fixed or Variable on the external Skin surfaces of the Active Hull in Area ( 1 ) including at least one of the following:
 (a) Vortex Generators that allow for the creation of non random specific vortices within the boundary layer that delivers at least some energy in the forward direction to result in a distributed thrust; 
 (b) vortex enhancers which absorb or extract energy delivered from vortices to the skin within the boundary layer such as cilia or hair like projections, structures such as shelves or geometric shapes or the like that vortices can react with and transfer momentum; 
 (c) vortex protection to maintain the momentum of vortices moving in an advantageous direction and position such as corrugations, cells or the like within the boundary layer; 
 (d) Fixed and/or Variable Blades or other elements that interact with bulk flow; 
 and 
 
 (9) Area ( 2 ) Surface Treatments Fixed or Variable and fluid additives including at least one of the following:
 (a) Vortex Generators that allow for the creation of vortices within the boundary layer that delivers at least some energy in the forward direction to result in a distributed thrust; 
 (b) vortex enhancers which absorb or extract energy such as cilia hair like projections, rough surface or structures within or on the skin within the boundary layer such as shelves or geometric shapes or the like that vortices can react with or against and exert or transfer momentum; 
 (c) vortex protection to keep the momentum moving in an advantageous direction such as corrugations, cells or the like; 
 (d) surface roughness, cilia or methods to increase friction between the fluid in Area ( 2 ) and the inside surfaces of the Active Hull to facilitate and accelerate the rotation of fluid in Area ( 2 ); 
 (e) Fixed and/or Variable Blades or other protuberances that can take advantage of the rotational flows in Area ( 2 ); 
 (f) fluids, fluid additives and methods of controlling properties in Area ( 2 ) such as low shear fluids and/or rheological fluids to positively affect such things as drag, sound attenuation, magnetic flux, and viscosity. 
 
 
     
     
         6 . A submersible Craft or apparatus of  claim 4  wherein:
 (1) fluid is allowed to enter and exit in an appreciable manner in Area ( 2 ); and 
 (2) Surface Treatment Fixed and/or Variable in Area ( 2 ) on the external surface of the Fixed Hull being turbine fins or short blades with pitch to increase mass flow and add thrust to the Craft; and 
 (3) nozzles to direct and improve thrust from the increased mass flows for guidance or propulsion or both; and 
 (4) Surface Treatment in Area ( 2 ) on the internal surface of the Active Hull allowing increased friction on the surface such as a roughed surface; and 
 (5) Surface Treatments Fixed or Variable on the external Skin surfaces of the Active Hull in Area ( 1 ) including at least one of the following:
 (a) Vortex Generators that allow for the creation of non random specific vortices within the boundary layer that delivers at least some energy in the forward direction to result in a distributed thrust; 
 (b) vortex enhancers which absorb or extract energy delivered from vortices to the skin within the boundary layer such as cilia or hair like projections, structures such as shelves or geometric shapes or the like that vortices can react with and transfer momentum; 
 (c) vortex protection to maintain the momentum of vortices moving in an advantageous direction and position such as corrugations, cells or the like within the boundary layer; 
 (d) Fixed and/or Variable Blades or other elements that interact with bulk flow. 
 
 
     
     
         7 . A submersible Craft or apparatus of  claim 4  wherein:
 (1) fluid is not allowed to enter Area ( 2 ) utilizing seals such as face seals, bearing seals and shaft seals making Area ( 2 ) dry and the Active Hull a Pressure Hull; and 
 (2) sound attenuation added to Area ( 2 ); and 
 (3) Surface Treatments Fixed or Variable on the external Skin surfaces of the Active Hull in Area ( 1 ) including at least one of the following:
 (a) Vortex Generators that allow for the creation of non random specific vortices within the boundary layer that delivers at least some energy in the forward direction to result in a distributed thrust; 
 (b) vortex enhancers which absorb or extract energy delivered from vortices to the skin within the boundary layer such as cilia or hair like projections, structures such as shelves or geometric shapes or the like that vortices can react with and transfer momentum; 
 (c) vortex protection to maintain the momentum of vortices moving in an advantageous direction and position such as corrugations, cells or the like within the boundary layer; 
 (d) Fixed and/or Variable Blades or other elements that interact with bulk flow. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . A submersible Craft or apparatus of  claim 1  or  claim 3  or  claim 5  wherein:
 (1) stabilizing, propulsion, ballast and anti-torque on the inner Fixed Hull is by traditional means allowing the Active Hull to become inoperable or jettisoned and still maintain a functioning Craft; and 
 (2) additional anti-torque supported by a side thruster in the sail; and 
 (3) the Surface Treatments in Area ( 1 ) are low drag Vortex Generators and cilia; and 
 (4) Surface Treatments in Area ( 2 ) are Fixed and/or Variable Blades on the Fixed Hull and a roughed surface on the inside surface of the Active Hull; and 
 (5) Area ( 2 ) additives to increase magnetic flux. 
 
     
     
         9 . A submersible Craft or apparatus of  claim 1  or  claim 3  or  claim 5  wherein:
 (1) two or more pair of counter rotating Active Hulls are used; and 
 (2) traditional propulsion is introduced from the Fixed Hull; and 
 (3) side thruster in the sail with and stabilizers in the Fixed Hull to provide anti-torque; and 
 (3) Surface Treatments in Area ( 1 ) are low drag Vortex Generators and Fixed and/or Variable Blades along with a cilia; and 
 (4) the Surface Treatments in Area ( 2 ) are Fixed and/or Variable Blades on the Fixed Hull and a roughed surface on the inside surface of the Active Hull; and 
 (5) Area ( 2 ) additives to decrease friction and increase magnetic flux. 
 
     
     
         10 . A submersible apparatus of  claim 1  or  claim 3  or  claim 5  wherein:
 (1) One or more apparatus are placed below the surface for the purpose of propelling a ship on or above the surface.