An auxiliary icebreaking system for a polar icebreaker

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of polar icebreaker research and development, and particularly relates to an auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for a polar icebreaker. The auxiliary icebreaking system comprises a water supply pipeline, a negative pressure pipeline and a gas-water mixture generating device. A plurality of gas-water mixture generating devices are linearly arranged along the side of the polar icebreaker. During the sailing process of the polar icebreaker, the plurality of gas-water mixture generating devices are started alternately. The bubbles contained in the gas-water mixture generate cavitation effect in seawater due to the influence of the internal and external water pressure difference. After a short expansion, the bubbles rapidly present an asymmetric collapse phenomenon, and release a large amount of pulsating energy and heat in time, so that the ice layer in the nearby area is instantaneously broken. In actual operation, the bubbles are generated from the seawater boiling stage due to the negative pressure effect, and only the continuous supply of negative pressure gas is needed to maintain the boiling state of the seawater, so the energy consumption is extremely small; and during the seawater pumping stage and the negative pressure gas passing and bubble generating stage, the inner cavity of the tank body always remains in a non-high pressure state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of polar icebreaker research and development technology, and in particular to an auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of human society, activities in polar and ice-covered regions are attracting increasing attention. Polar icebreakers play an irreplaceable and vital role in Arctic navigation, polar resource development, and polar scientific research.

[0003] Previously, polar icebreakers primarily employed two methods for icebreaking: physical-mechanical icebreaking and chemical-explosive icebreaking. Physical-mechanical icebreaking involves the icebreaker using its own weight to crush the ice beneath its bow and push the ice fragments to the sides, thus clearing the waterway. Chemical-explosive icebreaking involves projecting large quantities of explosives onto or beneath the ice in the icefield where the icebreaker is intended to navigate, using the explosive impact to instantly shatter the ice. While both methods effectively clear waterways for polar icebreakers, they present several significant challenges. Specifically, physical-mechanical icebreaking requires extremely high structural strength during construction, as the bow of the icebreaker is subjected to frequent and prolonged impacts from thick ice. This increases manufacturing costs and weight, resulting in a somewhat cumbersome appearance. Furthermore, the bow is highly susceptible to damage from high-frequency, high-load impacts during later operational phases. Furthermore, to ensure sufficient impact energy and thus improve icebreaking efficiency and effectiveness, polar icebreakers require greater thrust to maintain a stable icebreaking state over extended periods. This significantly increases navigation costs and substantially raises the demands on the propulsion system. Moreover, their icebreaking capabilities are relatively limited, especially when encountering thick ice layers. Extremely low-speed vessels are often powerless, resorting to repeated ramming tactics to break the ice, resulting in extremely low efficiency and limiting speed. As for chemical explosion icebreaking, the financial and material costs of purchasing and deploying explosives are very high, and there are safety hazards, such as unexploded ordnance, and the enormous impact of the explosion could damage the polar icebreaker itself and its crew.

[0004] At the dawn of the new millennium, auxiliary icebreaking technologies such as bubble-assisted icebreaking systems were applied to polar icebreakers. For example, Chinese authorized invention patent CN112197172B discloses a multi-bubble icebreaking device, including a gas storage chamber. The gas inlet of the gas storage chamber is connected to an air compressor via a high-pressure pipe, and the gas outlet of the gas storage chamber is connected to a constant-pressure gas tank via a constant-pressure output solenoid valve. A row of jet nozzles is provided on one side of the constant-pressure gas tank, and each jet nozzle is connected to its corresponding pressure-supplying solenoid valve via a connecting hose. The pressure-supplying solenoid valve is sequentially connected to a digital one-way valve and a trigger solenoid valve via a pressure-releasing pipe. The digital one-way valve is equipped with a digital pressure transmitter. The trigger solenoid valve has a high-pressure bubble nozzle at its top. The constant-pressure output solenoid valve, pressure-supplying solenoid valve, digital one-way valve, and trigger solenoid valve are all uniformly controlled by the control module of the icebreaking carrier, initially closing all solenoid valves. This invention, through the cooperation of two high-pressure containers—the gas storage chamber and the constant-pressure gas tank—can release high-pressure bubbles efficiently and quickly replenish high-pressure gas in preparation for the next icebreaking operation. For example, Chinese authorized invention patent CN112173021B discloses a pulsating bubble ice-breaking device, including a high-pressure gas storage chamber, a sealed piston body, a gas chamber isolation ring, and a positioning connecting rod; the upper end of the high-pressure gas storage chamber is provided with a baffle plate, and air jets are provided around the upper part of the high-pressure gas storage chamber; the lower end of the high-pressure gas storage chamber is sequentially connected to a positioning plate, a base connecting flange, and a base; the positioning plate has a hollow structure, and the gas inside the base connecting flange can flow to the internal space of the high-pressure gas storage chamber through the hollow structure on the positioning plate; the sealed piston body is located inside the high-pressure gas storage chamber, and vent holes controlled by one-way valves are opened around the bottom of the sealed piston body; a clamping positioning plate is provided inside the sealed piston body; the clamping positioning plate has a hollow structure, and the gas below the sealed piston body can flow to the top of the sealed piston body through the hollow structure on the clamping positioning plate; the... The top surface of the sealed piston body is connected to the blocking disc via a compression spring; the gas chamber isolation ring is located inside the base connecting flange, and a high-pressure oil seal is installed on the outer ring section of the top surface of the gas chamber isolation ring. A vent hole is opened on the side of the gas chamber isolation ring; inside the base connecting flange, the upper and lower gas parts on the top surface of the gas chamber isolation ring cannot communicate with each other; the lower part of the positioning rod is fixedly connected to the top surface of the gas chamber isolation ring, and the upper end of the positioning rod passes through the positioning plate and the clamping positioning plate in sequence. The top end of the positioning rod is fastened to the clamping positioning plate by a lock nut. The contact part between the positioning plate and the positioning rod only restricts the rotation of the positioning rod around the axial direction; an electromagnet is installed on the base; the upper part of the base connecting flange is provided with a first air inlet pipe, a first pressure transmitter, and a first exhaust valve, and the lower part of the base connecting flange is provided with a second air inlet pipe, a second pressure transmitter, and a second exhaust valve.When the electromagnet and positioning linkage are tightly engaged under electromagnetic action, the second air inlet pipe, the second pressure transmitter, and the second exhaust valve are located below the top surface of the air chamber isolation ring, while the first air inlet pipe, the first pressure transmitter, and the first exhaust valve are located above the top surface of the air chamber isolation ring. The sealing piston body blocks all the jet ports at the top of the high-pressure air storage chamber, preventing the gas inside the high-pressure air storage chamber from flowing to the outside. The principle of the generated high-pressure pulsating bubbles is that the device generates high-pressure pulsating bubbles, which can carry enormous energy. Under the action of the internal and external water pressure difference, the high-pressure pulsating bubbles generate bubbles in the water with an internal pressure higher than the water pressure. These bubbles will over-expand under the action of the internal and external pressure difference and then contract and collapse, generating a series of continuous phenomena such as water jets and shock waves, impacting and breaking the ice layer, thereby increasing the icebreaking efficiency of the icebreaker. In practical applications, the above-mentioned bubble icebreaking devices can continuously generate bubbles and effectively impact the ice layer. However, the following problems urgently need to be addressed: 1) The design structure of the bubble icebreaking device is complex, the overall implementation cost is high, and it requires various auxiliary equipment to maintain normal operation, thus increasing the spatial design difficulty of polar icebreakers and resulting in high maintenance costs; the bubble generation process consumes a large amount of energy, which needs to be continuously supplied, ultimately leading to high bubble generation costs; 2) Due to the long-term exposure to ultra-high pressure, the safety of the gas storage chamber and high-pressure gas storage chamber is difficult to guarantee effectively; 3) In actual operation, high-pressure air needs to enter the seawater below the ice layer through the nozzle or high-pressure air gun nozzle, and then generate a large number of bubbles under the action of pressure difference. Therefore, the bubble generation process is complicated, the route is long, and it is difficult to achieve precise control throughout the entire process; 4) Since the bubbles are generated in the water outside the hull, their final generation form and distribution density are greatly affected by the marine environment and the characteristics of the seawater itself, making it difficult to control the quality of bubble generation, which ultimately affects the actual icebreaking effect. Therefore, this provides a new research direction for our research group. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, in view of the aforementioned existing problems and defects, the research group of this invention collected relevant data, conducted multiple evaluations and considerations, and carried out continuous experiments and modifications by the research group members, which ultimately led to the emergence of this auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention relates to an auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers, used in conjunction with the polar icebreaker. The system includes a water supply pipeline, a negative pressure pipeline, and a gas-water mixture generator. Multiple gas-water mixture generators are arranged linearly along the side of the polar icebreaker. During the polar icebreaker's navigation, these multiple gas-water mixture generators are activated alternately to continuously spray a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles under the ice layer on the side of the polar icebreaker. The gas-water mixture generator includes a guide pipe, a tank, a nozzle, a first external transition section, a second external transition section, and a pumping section. The inlet end of the guide pipe is connected to the water supply pipeline via the first external transition section, and its outlet end is connected to the nozzle via the pumping section. The tank is traversed by the guide pipe, and its interior is always isolated from the outside atmosphere in non-operating mode. Multiple through holes are provided on the side wall of the guide pipe. All through holes are located within the inner cavity of the tank, through which seawater supplied by the water supply pipeline is guided into the tank. The tank is connected to the negative pressure pipeline via a second external transition section. In operation, firstly, the water supply pipeline and the first external transition section cooperate to guide seawater into the tank through the through holes until the seawater in the tank reaches a set height. Subsequently, the water supply pipeline stops supplying water, and simultaneously, the negative pressure pipeline and the second external transition section cooperate to continuously inject negative pressure gas into the inner cavity of the tank until the seawater boils due to the negative pressure, producing a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles. Then, the pumping unit is activated, and under pressure, the gas-water mixture rich in bubbles is guided through the through holes into the guide pipe and sprayed out through the nozzle.

[0007] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the first external transition section includes a first external pipe, a first electric valve, and a first pressure gauge. The first external pipe is connected to both the guide pipe and the water supply pipe. The first electric valve is used to control the continuity between the water supply pipe and the guide pipe, and it is used in conjunction with the first external pipe. The first pressure gauge is used to monitor the water supply pressure of the water supply pipe in real time, and it is also used in conjunction with the first external pipe and connected in series with the first electric valve.

[0008] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the second external transition section includes a second external connecting pipe, a second electric valve, and a second pressure gauge. The second external connecting pipe is connected to both the tank and the negative pressure pipeline. The second electric valve is used to control the continuity between the negative pressure pipeline and the tank, and it is used in conjunction with the second external connecting pipe. The second pressure gauge is used to monitor the gas supply pressure of the negative pressure pipeline in real time, and it is also used in conjunction with the second external connecting pipe and connected in series with the second electric valve.

[0009] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the second external transition part also includes a two-way connector. The two-way connector is assembled on the top of the tank body and is provided with a first diversion port and a second diversion port that are respectively connected to the inner cavity of the tank body and the second external pipe.

[0010] Of course, as another modified design of the above technical solution, the second external transition part may also include a tee connector. The tee connector is assembled on the top of the tank body and is also provided with a third diversion port, a fourth diversion port, and a fifth diversion port that are respectively connected to the inner cavity of the tank body, the second external pipe, and the pumping part.

[0011] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, assuming the inner diameter of the guide tube is D and the diameter of the through hole is R, then D≥5cm and 1.8mm≤R≤3mm.

[0012] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the pumping unit includes a hose, a third electric valve, and a pipeline pump. The hose directly connects to the guide pipe. Both the pipeline pump and the third electric valve are paired with the hose to cooperate in pumping a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles from the inner cavity of the tank to the nozzle. The third electric valve, located directly upstream of the pipeline pump, controls the continuity between the guide pipe and the hose.

[0013] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the pumping unit also includes a bubble maintaining unit. The bubble maintaining unit consists of multiple high-frequency vibrators arranged linearly along the length of the hose, fixed to the outer wall of the hose, and having different excitation directions.

[0014] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the nozzle includes a housing and a jet pattern adjustment unit. The jet pattern adjustment unit is used to regulate the shape of the air-water mixture flowing through the housing, and it is assembled in the inner cavity of the housing.

[0015] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the jet pattern adjustment unit includes a rectifier. The rectifier is fitted inside the cavity of the housing, and a jet channel is provided inside for the free flow of the air-water mixture. Multiple spiral protrusions with the same direction of rotation are formed on the inner wall of the jet channel. When the air-water mixture passes through the jet channel at high speed, the spiral protrusions spontaneously generate a rotational torque due to the impact force, and the rectifier is able to continuously perform circumferential rotation at high speed around its own central axis under its action.

[0016] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the jet pattern adjustment unit includes a bearing support. The bearing support serves as a mounting transition between the rectifier and the housing, and is composed of at least two needle roller bearings linearly and evenly distributed along the length of the rectifier.

[0017] During the voyage of polar icebreakers, multiple gas-water mixture generators cooperate and activate alternately to continuously inject a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles under the ice layer on the sides of the icebreaker. The bubbles in the gas-water mixture undergo cavitation under the influence of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the seawater. After a brief expansion, the bubbles rapidly collapse asymmetrically, generating microjets that release a large amount of pulsating energy and heat, causing the ice layer in the vicinity to break up instantaneously. The relatively low bubble pressure also facilitates their rapid annihilation. In the initial stage of bubble annihilation, the bubble walls break up supersonically, and the resulting shock waves act on nearby bubbles, causing them to split into smaller bubbles, further enhancing the cavitation effect.

[0018] For a single gas-water mixture generator, the generation of the gas-water mixture includes the following stages: 1) In the initial state, the flow paths between the tank and the water supply pipeline, negative pressure pipeline, and nozzle are all disconnected; 2) After entering the working state, firstly, the flow path between the tank and the water supply pipeline is opened to pump a certain amount of seawater into the inner cavity of the tank until the liquid level meets the design requirements (the most basic condition is that the through hole is completely submerged by seawater, and the limit liquid level height should not exceed 2 / 3 of the total height of the inner cavity of the tank); 3) The flow path between the water supply pipeline and the tank is cut off, and only the flow path between the tank and the negative pressure pipeline is opened; 4) Negative pressure gas is continuously injected into the inner cavity of the tank through the negative pressure pipeline until... The seawater inside the tank cavity is in a boiling state (when the pressure inside the tank cavity is lower than the saturated vapor pressure, the seawater inside will boil), and the number of bubbles mixed in the seawater increases sharply; 5) Cut off the flow path between the negative pressure pipeline and the tank, while keeping the flow path between the water supply pipeline and the tank open, and opening the flow path between the tank and the nozzle; 6) The pumping unit is started, and the large amount of gas-water mixture rich in bubbles in the tank cavity, which is kept in a negative pressure state, can flow back to the guide pipe through the through hole, and under the combined strong pressure, it is sprayed through the nozzle to the area directly below the ice layer in the vicinity of the side of the polar icebreaker; 7) Repeat the above stages 1-6, and the gas-water mixture rich in bubbles can be generated intermittently over a long period of time and sprayed out through the nozzle.

[0019] In practical applications, the auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers has achieved at least the following beneficial technical effects, specifically:

[0020] 1) The design structure of this auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers is relatively simple. In actual operation, it only needs to alternately pump seawater and negative pressure air into the inner cavity of the tank. No other additional equipment is required, which makes it easy to install with polar icebreakers, thereby helping to reduce the overall implementation cost.

[0021] 2) Bubbles are generated during the stage when seawater boils due to negative pressure. This is fundamentally different from the conventional method of forming bubbles by the fusion and exchange of gas and water. Therefore, in the process of bubble generation, it is only necessary to ensure a continuous supply of negative pressure gas to maintain the boiling state of seawater, and the energy required is minimal.

[0022] 3) During the seawater pumping stage and the negative pressure gas introduction and bubble generation stage, the inner cavity of the tank is always kept in a non-high pressure state, thereby effectively ensuring its operational safety.

[0023] 4) Through the application of the above technical solution, bubbles are generated during the boiling stage of seawater in the tank, rather than the fusion and convergence of high-pressure gas and seawater under the ice layer in the traditional technical solution. In this way, on the one hand, the generation path of bubbles is greatly shortened, which is conducive to precise control of the entire generation process; on the other hand, the bubbles are formed in a relatively closed environment (inside the tank cavity), and their quantity, size and distribution density are only affected by the negative pressure value of the pumped negative pressure air, which is conducive to generating a high-quality gas-water mixture, and ultimately ensuring that the actual ice-breaking effect meets the expected design requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers in this invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the gas-water mixture generating device in the first embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The front view.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the gas-water mixture generator in the second embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle structure in the third embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system of the present invention applicable to polar icebreakers.

[0030] Figure 6This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the fourth embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers in this invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the gas-water mixture generator in the fourth embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers of the present invention.

[0032] 1-Water supply pipeline; 2-Negative pressure pipeline; 3-Gas-water mixture generator; 31-Guide pipe; 311-Through hole; 32-Tank body; 33-Nozzle; 331-Shell; 332-Jet pattern adjustment unit; 3321-Rectifier; 33211-Jet channel; 332111-Spiral rib; 3322-Bearing support; 33221-Needle roller bearing; 34-First external transition part; 341-First external pipe; 342-First electric valve; 343-First pressure gauge; 35-Second external transition part; 351-Second external pipe; 352-Second electric valve; 353-Second pressure gauge; 354-Two-way connector; 355-Three-way connector; 36-Pumping part; 361-Hose; 362-Third electric valve; 363-Pipeline pump; 364-Bubble maintaining unit; 3641-High frequency vibrator. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0034] In practical applications, auxiliary icebreaking systems must be used in conjunction with polar icebreakers. During the polar icebreaker's voyage, the auxiliary icebreaking system remains operational, continuously delivering a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles to the ice layer near the ship's sides. The annihilation of these bubbles releases a large amount of heat and impact energy, causing the ice layer to break instantly. This reduces the polar icebreaker's drag, increases its speed, and helps conserve energy.

[0035] The contents disclosed in this invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. Figure 1 A perspective view of the first embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers of the present invention is shown, indicating that...

[0036] It mainly consists of several parts, including a water supply pipeline 1, a negative pressure pipeline 2, and a gas-water mixture generator 3. Multiple gas-water mixture generators 3 are arranged linearly along the sides of the polar icebreaker. During the polar icebreaker's voyage, multiple gas-water mixture generators 3 are activated alternately to continuously spray a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles under the ice layer on the sides of the polar icebreaker.

[0037] Figure 2 , Figure 3 The diagram shows a schematic of the gas-water mixture generator in the first embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers of the present invention. It is shown that the generator mainly consists of a guide pipe 31, a tank 32, a nozzle 33, a first external transition section 34, a second external transition section 35, and a pumping section 36. The inlet end of the guide pipe 31 is connected to the water supply pipeline 1 via the first external transition section 34, and its outlet end is connected to the nozzle 33 via the pumping section 36. The tank 32 is traversed by the guide pipe 31, and its interior is always isolated from the outside atmosphere in non-operating mode. Multiple through holes 311 are provided on the side wall of the guide pipe 31. When the guide pipe 31 is installed relative to the tank 32, the through holes 311 are all located within the interior of the tank 32, and the seawater supplied by the water supply pipeline 1 is guided through them into the tank 32. The tank 32 is connected to the negative pressure pipeline 2 via the second external transition section 35. In operation, firstly, the water supply pipeline 1 and the first external transition section 34 cooperate to pump seawater into the guide pipe 31, and guide it to the tank 32 through multiple through holes 311 until the seawater in the tank 32 reaches a set height. Then, the water supply pipeline 1 stops supplying water. At the same time, the negative pressure pipeline 2 and the second external transition section 35 cooperate to continuously fill the inner cavity of the tank 32 with negative pressure gas until the seawater boils due to the negative pressure, producing a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles. Then, the pumping unit 36 ​​is activated, and under pressure, the gas-water mixture rich in bubbles is guided back to the guide pipe 31 through the through holes 311 and finally sprayed out through the nozzle 33.

[0038] Furthermore, after long-term experimental verification, assuming the inner diameter of the guide pipe 31 is D and the aperture of the through hole 311 is R, then when D≥5cm and 1.8mm≤R≤3mm, under the premise of ensuring that seawater can flow freely and quickly between the inner cavity of the tank 32 and the inner cavity of the guide pipe 31 through the through hole 311, the final generated gas-water mixture has a good forming morphology (the parameters such as the number of bubbles per unit volume, the outer diameter of the bubbles, and the uniformity of distribution all meet the expected design requirements).

[0039] The working principle of the auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers is roughly as follows: During the navigation of the polar icebreaker, multiple gas-water mixture generators 3 cooperate and are activated alternately to continuously spray a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles under the ice layer on the side of the polar icebreaker. The bubbles contained in the gas-water mixture undergo cavitation under the influence of the internal and external water pressure difference in the seawater. After a brief expansion, the bubbles rapidly exhibit an asymmetrical collapse, generating microjets that release a large amount of pulsating energy and heat, causing the ice layer in the vicinity to break instantly. Furthermore, the relatively low bubble pressure also facilitates their rapid annihilation. In the initial stage of bubble annihilation, the bubble walls break at supersonic speeds, and the resulting shock waves act on nearby bubbles, causing them to split into smaller bubbles, further enhancing the cavitation effect.

[0040] Specifically, for a single gas-water mixture generator 3, the generation of a gas-water mixture involves the following stages: 1) In the initial state, the flow paths between the tank 32 and the water supply pipeline 1, the negative pressure pipeline 2, and the nozzle 33 are all disconnected; 2) After entering the working state, firstly, the flow path between the water supply pipeline 1 and the tank 32 is opened to pump a certain amount of seawater into the inner cavity of the tank 32 until the liquid level meets the design requirements (the most basic condition is that the through hole 311 is completely submerged by seawater, and the limit liquid level should not exceed 2 / 3 of the total height of the inner cavity of the tank 32); 3) The flow path between the water supply pipeline 1 and the tank 32 is cut off, and only the flow path between the tank 32 and the negative pressure pipeline 2 is opened; 4) Negative pressure gas is continuously injected into the inner cavity of the tank 32 through the negative pressure pipeline 2 until... The seawater inside the tank 32 is in a boiling state (the seawater will boil when the pressure inside the tank 32 is lower than the saturated vapor pressure), and the number of bubbles mixed in the seawater increases sharply; 5) the flow path between the negative pressure pipeline 2 and the tank 32 is cut off, the flow path between the water supply pipeline 1 and the tank 32 remains disconnected, and the flow path between the tank 32 and the nozzle 33 is opened; 6) the pumping unit 36 ​​is started, and the large amount of gas-water mixture rich in bubbles in the tank 32, which is in a negative pressure state, can flow back to the guide pipe 31 through the through hole 311, and under the combined strong pressure, it is sprayed through the nozzle 33 directly below the ice layer in the adjacent area of ​​the side of the polar icebreaker; 7) repeat the above stages 1-6, and the gas-water mixture rich in bubbles can be generated intermittently over a long period of time and sprayed out through the nozzle 33.

[0041] It is important to note that to stabilize the seawater within the cavity of tank 32 in a negative pressure boiling state, thereby facilitating the generation of abundant bubbles, the negative pressure value of the pumped-in negative pressure gas must be limited. Furthermore, the negative pressure value of the pre-pumped negative pressure gas, which maintains the seawater in a critical boiling state, varies depending on the density, salinity, and temperature of the seawater pumped into tank 32. Therefore, depending on the actual navigation environment of the ultra-low-pressure icebreaker, the negative pressure value of the pre-pumped negative pressure air within the cavity of tank 32 needs to be adjusted in real time.

[0042] In practical applications, the auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers has achieved at least the following beneficial technical effects, specifically:

[0043] 1) The design structure of this auxiliary icebreaking system applicable to polar icebreakers is relatively simple. In actual operation, it is only necessary to alternately pump seawater and negative pressure air into the inner cavity of the tank 32. No other additional equipment is required, which makes it easy to install with polar icebreakers and thus helps to reduce the overall implementation cost.

[0044] 2) Bubbles are generated during the stage when seawater boils due to negative pressure. This is fundamentally different from the conventional method of forming bubbles by the fusion and exchange of gas and water. Therefore, in the process of bubble generation, it is only necessary to ensure a continuous supply of negative pressure gas to maintain the boiling state of seawater, and the energy required is minimal.

[0045] 3) During the seawater pumping stage and the negative pressure gas introduction and bubble generation stage, the inner cavity of tank 32 is always kept in a non-high pressure state, thereby effectively ensuring its operational safety.

[0046] Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the bubbles are generated during the boiling stage of seawater in tank 32, rather than through the fusion and convergence of high-pressure gas and seawater under the ice layer as in traditional technologies. This significantly shortens the bubble generation path, facilitating precise control over the entire generation process. Moreover, the bubbles form in a relatively enclosed environment (within the cavity of tank 32), and their quantity, size, and distribution density are only affected by the negative pressure of the pumped air. This promotes the generation of a high-quality gas-water mixture, ultimately ensuring that the actual ice-breaking effect meets the intended design requirements.

[0047] As a preferred design, such as Figure 2 , 3As shown, the first external transition section 34 includes a first external pipe 341, a first electric valve 342, and a first pressure gauge 343. The first external pipe 341 is connected to both the guide pipe 31 and the water supply line 1. The first electric valve 342 is used to control the continuity between the water supply line 1 and the guide pipe 31, and it is used in conjunction with the first external pipe 341. The first pressure gauge 343 is used to monitor the water supply pressure of the water supply line 1 in real time, and it is also used in conjunction with the first external pipe 341 and connected in series with the first electric valve 342. The second external transition section 35 includes a second external pipe 351, a second electric valve 352, a second pressure gauge 353, and a two-way connector 354. The second external pipe 351 is connected to both the tank 32 and the negative pressure line 2. The second electric valve 352 is used to control the continuity between the negative pressure line 2 and the tank 32, and it is used in conjunction with the second external pipe 351. The second pressure gauge 353 is used to monitor the air supply pressure of the negative pressure pipeline 2 in real time. It is also used in conjunction with the second external pipe 351 and is connected in series with the second electric valve 352. The two-way connector 354 is mounted on the top of the tank 32 and is provided with a first diversion port and a second diversion port that are respectively connected to the inner cavity of the tank 32 and the second external pipe 351. The pumping unit 36 ​​includes a hose 361, a third electric valve 362, and a pipeline pump 363. The hose 361 directly connects to the guide pipe 31. The pipeline pump 363 and the third electric valve 362 are both used in conjunction with the hose 361 to pump the gas-water mixture rich in a large number of air bubbles from the inner cavity of the tank 32 to the nozzle 33. The third electric valve 362 is used to control the continuity between the guide pipe 31 and the hose 361, and it is located directly upstream of the pipeline pump 363.In actual operation, for a single gas-water mixture generator 3, specifically in a particular application scenario, initially, the first electric valve 342, the second electric valve 352, and the third electric valve 362 are all kept closed to ensure that the flow paths between the tank 32 and the water supply pipeline 1, the negative pressure pipeline 2, and the nozzle 33 are all disconnected. After officially entering the working state, the first electric valve 342 is first opened, and a large amount of seawater directly drawn from the ocean is pumped into the inner cavity of the tank 32 through the first external connector 341. Then, the first electric valve 342 is closed, and the second electric valve 352 is opened, cutting off the flow path between the water supply pipeline 1 and the tank 32, leaving only the flow path between the tank 32 and the negative pressure pipeline 2 open. Subsequently, the flow... Negative pressure gas is continuously injected into the inner cavity of tank 32 through negative pressure pipeline 2 until the seawater in the inner cavity of tank 32 boils. As the boiling process continues, the number of air bubbles mixed in the seawater increases dramatically. Then, the second electric valve 352 is closed and the third electric valve 362 is opened to cut off the flow path between negative pressure pipeline 2 and tank 32. The flow path between water supply pipeline 1 and tank 32 remains disconnected, while the flow path between tank 32 and nozzle 33 is opened. Then, pumping unit 36 ​​is activated, and the large amount of air-water mixture rich in air bubbles in the inner cavity of tank 32 flows back to guide pipe 31 through through hole 311, and is sprayed under strong pressure through nozzle 33 directly below the ice layer in the vicinity of the side of the polar icebreaker. Thus, one work cycle is completed.

[0048] In practical applications, the above embodiment still has the following shortcomings: During the process of the gas-water mixture being sprayed through the two-fluid gas-water mixing nozzle, a large number of bubbles contained within it are prematurely annihilated due to factors such as excessively long transport path and pump pressure fluctuations, or multiple adjacent bubbles undergo a dramatic increase in size due to mutual fusion. Therefore, Figure 4A schematic diagram of the gas-water mixture generating device in a second embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers of the present invention is shown. It is clear that the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the pumping unit 36 ​​is equipped with a bubble maintaining unit 364. The bubble maintaining unit 364 consists of multiple high-frequency vibrators 3641 arranged linearly along the length of the hose 361, fixed to the outer wall of the hose 361, and with different excitation directions. During the process of conveying the gas-water mixture through the hose 361, the high-frequency vibrator 3641 continuously inputs excitation waves (the excitation frequency is controlled at 10-20 Hz, and the maximum acceleration is not less than 200 m / s²). The bubbles become more active due to the energy input, and thanks to the continuous energy input, the bubbles are constantly excited and split, which is conducive to forming a bubble cloud composed of small-sized bubbles. This also helps to ensure that the gas-water mixture remains in a "turbulent" state during the flow of the gas-water mixture in the hose 361. The bubbles in each area can move rapidly along their radial direction, thereby effectively eliminating the problem of relatively low bubble distribution density in the area near the pipe wall. This helps to improve the uniformity of bubble distribution in the gas-water mixture. In this way, the adverse effects caused by insufficient or unstable pumping pressure due to factors such as excessively long conveying path and pumping pressure fluctuations are effectively eliminated.

[0049] After long-term experimental verification, in the implementation of Implementation 2, selecting a commercially available two-fluid air-water mixing nozzle 33 can achieve good spraying effect and obtain better dispersion and atomization effects. However, the following problems were also found: Because the nozzle 33 needs to be placed in seawater below the ice layer at all times, there is a large pressure difference at its outlet, and the air-water mixture is in a "turbulent" state when it is sprayed out. The combination of these two factors will inevitably cause a large number of bubbles to be annihilated near the nozzle 33 immediately after being sprayed out. On the one hand, this will inevitably reduce the actual ice breaking effect. The reason is that, according to the design, the bubbles are required to rise a certain distance after entering the seawater until they are annihilated near the ice layer. In this case, the impact energy received by the ice layer is the greatest, which is conducive to the ice breaking. On the other hand, the lifespan of the nozzle 33 is greatly shortened due to the long-term impact energy and heat energy. Therefore, the structure of nozzle 33 needs to be optimized to better meet the stringent requirements of the air-water mixing process. Figure 5A schematic diagram of the nozzle structure in a third embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers of the present invention is shown. It is clear that the difference from the second embodiment described above lies in the addition of a jet pattern adjustment unit 332 inside the nozzle 33. The main structure of the nozzle is a housing 331. The jet pattern adjustment unit 332 is assembled within the inner cavity of the housing 331. The jet pattern adjustment unit is used to optimize the jet pattern of the air-water mixture flowing through the housing. The jet pattern adjustment unit 332 mainly consists of a rectifier 3321 and a bearing support 3322. The rectifier 3321 is fitted into the inner cavity of the housing 331 and can freely perform circumferential rotation. The bearing support 3322 serves as the mounting transition between the rectifier 3321 and the housing 331, and is composed of at least two needle roller bearings 33221 linearly and evenly distributed along the length of the rectifier 3321. A jetting channel 33211 for the free flow of the air-water mixture is provided within the rectifier 3321. Multiple spiral protrusions 332111 with the same direction of rotation are formed on the inner wall of the jetting channel 33211. When the air-water mixture passes through the jetting channel at high speed, the spiral protrusions 332111 spontaneously generate a rotational torque due to the impact force. Under this action, the rectifier 3321 continuously performs high-speed circumferential rotation around its own central axis, and the air-water mixture forms a vortex (the air-water mixture simultaneously possesses linear velocity and circumferential swirling velocity). Its final jetting pattern is effectively regulated, ensuring that the air-water mixture maintains good directionality at the moment of jetting. This allows the bubbles to float a certain distance after being ejected due to the impact kinetic energy, thus approaching the ice layer as closely as possible.

[0050] Figure 6 , Figure 7 The diagram shows a fourth embodiment of the auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to the present invention. It is clear that the difference between this embodiment and the first, second, and third embodiments is that the tank 32 is connected to both the second external transition section 35 and the pumping section 36 via a three-way connector 355. Specifically, the three-way connector 355 is mounted on the top of the tank 32 and is equipped with a third, fourth, and fifth branch port respectively connected to the inner cavity of the tank 32, the second external pipe 351, and the hose 361. Thus, while ensuring that the basic design requirements of negative pressure air being pumped into the inner cavity of the tank 32 via the negative pressure pipeline 2 and the gas-water mixture being pumped out of the inner cavity of the tank 32 via the hose 361 are met, this design further simplifies the design structure of the gas-water mixture generator 3, making it more compact and reducing its overall manufacturing cost.

[0051] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An auxiliary icebreaking system suitable for polar icebreakers, used in conjunction with polar icebreakers, characterized in that, This includes water supply pipelines, negative pressure pipelines, and a gas-water mixture generator; The number of the gas-water mixture generating devices is set to multiple and arranged linearly along the side of the polar icebreaker; during the navigation of the polar icebreaker, the multiple gas-water mixture generating devices are activated alternately to continuously spray a gas-water mixture rich in bubbles under the ice layer on the side of the polar icebreaker. The gas-water mixture generating device includes a guide pipe, a tank, a nozzle, a first external transition section, a second external transition section, and a pumping section; The inlet end of the guide pipe is connected to the water supply pipeline via the first external transition section, and its outlet end is connected to the nozzle via the pumping section. The tank body is passed through the guide pipe, and its inner cavity is always isolated from the outside atmosphere when not in operation. Multiple through holes are provided on the side wall of the guide pipe; all through holes are located in the inner cavity of the tank and guide the seawater transported by the water supply pipeline into the tank; the tank is connected to the negative pressure pipeline by the second external transition part; in the working state, firstly, the water supply pipeline and the first external transition part cooperate to guide the seawater into the tank through the through holes until the seawater in the tank reaches a set height value. Then, the water supply pipeline stops supplying water, and at the same time, the negative pressure pipeline and the second external transition part cooperate to continuously fill the inner cavity of the tank with negative pressure gas until the seawater boils due to the negative pressure and produces a gas-water mixture rich in a large number of bubbles. Then, the pumping unit is started, and under the action of pressure, the gas-water mixture rich in a large number of bubbles is guided into the guide pipe through the through holes and sprayed out through the nozzle. The pumping unit also includes a bubble maintaining unit; the bubble maintaining unit consists of multiple high-frequency vibrators arranged linearly along the length of the hose and fixed to the outside of the hose, and each vibrating in a different direction. The nozzle includes a housing and a jet pattern adjustment unit; the jet pattern adjustment unit is used to regulate the shape of the gas-water mixture flowing through the housing, and it is assembled in the inner cavity of the housing. The jet pattern adjustment unit includes a rectifier; the rectifier is fitted inside the cavity of the housing, and has an injection channel for the free flow of the air-water mixture; multiple spiral protrusions with the same direction of rotation are formed on the inner wall of the injection channel; when the air-water mixture passes through the injection channel at high speed, the spiral protrusions spontaneously generate a rotational torque due to the impact force, and the rectifier can continuously perform circumferential rotation at high speed around its own central axis under its action.

2. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first external transition section includes a first external pipe, a first electric valve, and a first pressure gauge; the first external pipe is simultaneously connected to the guide pipe and the water supply pipe; the first electric valve is used to control the continuity between the water supply pipe and the guide pipe, and is used in conjunction with the first external pipe. The first pressure gauge is used to monitor the water supply pressure of the water supply pipeline in real time. It is also used in conjunction with the first external pipe and is connected in series with the first electric valve.

3. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second external transition section includes a second external pipe, a second electric valve, and a second pressure gauge; the second external pipe is connected to both the tank and the negative pressure pipeline; the second electric valve is used to control the continuity between the negative pressure pipeline and the tank, and is used in conjunction with the second external pipe; the second pressure gauge is used to monitor the gas supply pressure of the negative pressure pipeline in real time, and is also used in conjunction with the second external pipe and connected in series with the second electric valve.

4. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second external transition section also includes a two-way connector; the two-way connector is assembled on the top of the tank body and is provided with a first diversion port and a second diversion port respectively connected to the inner cavity of the tank body and the second external pipe.

5. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second external transition section also includes a three-way connector; the three-way connector is assembled on the top of the tank body and is provided with a third diversion port, a fourth diversion port, and a fifth diversion port that are respectively connected to the inner cavity of the tank body, the second external pipe, and the pumping section.

6. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 1, characterized in that, Assuming the inner diameter of the guide tube is D and the diameter of the through hole is R, then D ≥ 5cm, and 1.8mm ≤ R ≤ 3mm.

7. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pumping unit includes a hose, a third electric valve, and a pipeline pump; the hose is directly connected to the guide pipe; the pipeline pump and the third electric valve are both matched with the hose and cooperate to pump the gas-water mixture rich in a large number of bubbles from the inner cavity of the tank to the nozzle; the third electric valve is used to control the continuity between the guide pipe and the hose, and it is located directly upstream of the pipeline pump.

8. The auxiliary icebreaking system for polar icebreakers according to claim 1, characterized in that, The jet pattern adjustment unit includes a bearing support; the bearing support serves as an installation transition between the rectifier and the housing, and is composed of at least two needle roller bearings linearly and evenly distributed along the length of the rectifier.

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