Propulsion and drainage integrated device and underwater vehicle

Abstract

The present application relates to underwater vehicle technology field, provide a kind of propulsion and drainage integration device and underwater vehicle, propulsion and drainage integration device includes: propeller and cooling component;Propeller is used to drive fluid to flow towards its back, so that fluid propels propeller to move;Cooling component has heat exchange unit and cooling unit, heat exchange unit is connected with cooling unit, heat exchange unit is located at the back of propeller.The propulsion and drainage integration device and underwater vehicle of the present application, fluid is driven to flow by propeller, realizes the process of propulsion;Heat exchange unit is located at the back of propeller, so that fluid flows through heat exchange unit and carries out heat exchange, realizes the cooling of heat source, without separately setting up drainage pump drainage;And fluid first flows through propeller, then flows through heat exchange unit, so that the fluid flow field of the region where propeller is located is not disturbed by heat exchange unit, avoid the noise of propeller to further expand, effectively solve the problem that the noise of underwater vehicle in prior art is larger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater vehicle technology, and in particular to an integrated propulsion and diversion device and an underwater vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The ocean holds abundant resources and is a key area of ​​focus for scientific research, commercial exploitation, and national defense. In recent years, with increased efforts in ocean development, underwater vehicles have developed rapidly and are widely used in marine environmental monitoring, seabed geological exploration, underwater scientific research, marine resource extraction, underwater signal acquisition and transmission, and fisheries activities. Underwater vehicles require the transmission and reception of numerous communication and detection signals, and their detection and communication capabilities are largely limited by their own noise levels. Lower self-noise results in longer communication and detection ranges; therefore, quieter operation is a crucial direction for the development of underwater vehicles. Propulsion noise is one of the main noise sources for underwater vehicles, while pump vibration and flow-induced vibration related to seawater cooling are also significant noise sources.

[0003] In current underwater vehicle designs, the thruster is located at the very end, and the seawater cooler is in front of the thruster. The upstream seawater flows turbulently after passing through the seawater cooler and then enters the stern thruster, interfering with the thruster's flow field and further worsening the thruster's noise, thus limiting the reduction of underwater vehicle noise. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an integrated propulsion and diversion device and an underwater vehicle to solve the problem of excessive noise in existing underwater vehicles.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an integrated propulsion and diversion device, comprising: a propeller and a cooling assembly;

[0006] The thruster is used to drive fluid to flow backward, thereby causing the fluid to propel the thruster.

[0007] The cooling assembly has a heat exchange unit and a cooling unit, the heat exchange unit is connected to the cooling unit, and the heat exchange unit is located behind the thruster.

[0008] According to the integrated propulsion and diversion device provided by the present invention, the integrated propulsion and diversion device further includes a diversion component, the inside of which has a cavity, and openings communicating with the cavity are provided on opposite sides of the diversion component. The propeller and the heat exchange unit are both disposed in the cavity, and the propeller drives the fluid to pass through the two openings in sequence.

[0009] According to the integrated propulsion and diversion device provided by the present invention, the cooling assembly further includes a circulation pump and a circulation pipe. The heat exchange unit has a first chamber inside, and the cooling unit has a second chamber inside. The circulation pump is connected to the first chamber and the second chamber respectively through the circulation pipe. The first chamber, the second chamber and the circulation pipe are all filled with a heat-conducting liquid. The circulation pump is used to drive the heat-conducting liquid to circulate between the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0010] According to the integrated propulsion and diversion device provided by the present invention, the heat exchange unit includes a heat-conducting container and a heat sink, the heat-conducting container has a first chamber inside, and the heat sink is disposed on the outer surface of the heat-conducting container.

[0011] According to the integrated propulsion and diversion device provided by the present invention, the number of heat sinks is multiple, and the multiple heat sinks are arranged in a ring around the heat-conducting container, and the heat sinks are all arranged along the fluid flow direction.

[0012] According to the integrated propulsion and diversion device provided by the present invention, the heat-conducting container has a streamlined shape on the side near the propeller.

[0013] In the integrated propulsion and diversion device provided by the present invention, the heat-conducting liquid is a coolant.

[0014] According to the integrated propulsion and drainage device provided by the present invention, the drainage component is made of stainless steel.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention provides an underwater vehicle based on the propulsion and diversion integrated device as described in any of the above claims, comprising: an underwater vehicle body, a tail fin, and the propulsion and diversion integrated device, wherein the tail fin is disposed at the tail of the underwater vehicle body, the propulsion and diversion integrated device is connected to the underwater vehicle body, a heat exchange unit is disposed outside the underwater vehicle body, the underwater vehicle body has a heat source inside, and the cooling unit is used to cool the heat source.

[0016] In the underwater vehicle provided by the present invention, the cooling unit is in close contact with the heat source.

[0017] The integrated propulsion and diversion device and underwater vehicle of the present invention drive fluid flow through a thruster, thereby utilizing the reaction force of the fluid to propel the thruster and even the entire integrated propulsion and diversion device to move, thus achieving the propulsion process. A heat exchange unit is located behind the thruster, allowing the thruster to drive fluid to flow rapidly through the heat exchange unit, helping the heat exchange unit dissipate heat and ultimately cooling the heat source. By placing the heat exchange unit behind the thruster, fluid can be diverted through the thruster, eliminating the need for a separate diversion pump to help cool the heat exchange unit, and reducing the noise generated by the diversion pump during operation. When the thruster's power increases, the heat generated by the thruster's power source (heat source) increases. The increased power of the thruster leads to a faster fluid velocity and a higher heat exchange efficiency between the fluid and the heat exchange unit, ultimately improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling unit for the thruster's power source. By diverting the flow through the thruster, the cooling efficiency of the cooling components can vary with the heat output of the thruster's power source. Furthermore, the energy required for this diversion is entirely provided by the thruster's power source, resulting in excellent cooling performance and low energy consumption. The fluid flows first through the thruster and then through the heat exchange unit, ensuring that the fluid flow field in the thruster area is not disturbed by the heat exchange unit, thus preventing further noise amplification due to turbulent flow and effectively solving the problem of excessive noise in existing underwater vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this 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 some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater vehicle provided by the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a partial side view of the underwater vehicle provided by the present invention.

[0021] Figure label:

[0022] 1. Thruster; 2. Cooling assembly; 21. Heat exchange unit; 22. Cooling unit; 23. Circulation pump; 24. Circulation pipe; 3. Drainage component; 4. Underwater vehicle body; 5. Tail fin. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0024] The following is combined Figure 1 The present invention describes an integrated propulsion and drainage device.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, an integrated propulsion and diversion device includes: a propeller 1 and a cooling assembly 2; the propeller 1 is used to drive fluid to flow behind it, thereby causing the fluid to push the propeller 1 to move; the cooling assembly 2 has a heat exchange unit 21 and a cooling unit 22, the heat exchange unit 21 is connected to the cooling unit 22, and the heat exchange unit 21 is located behind the propeller 1.

[0026] Specifically, the thruster 1 drives fluid to flow backwards, thereby causing the reaction force of the fluid to propel the thruster 1 and thus move the entire propulsion and flow diversion integrated device. A heat exchange unit 21 is located behind the thruster 1. When the thruster 1 drives the fluid flow, the fluid can quickly flow through the heat exchange unit 21 and exchange heat with it, thus helping to cool the heat exchange unit 21. The heat exchange unit 21 is connected to a cooling unit 22, so it can exchange heat with the cooling unit 22 to help cool the cooling unit 22. The cooling unit 22 is used to cool a heat source, which can be any component that needs cooling, such as the power source of the thruster 1.

[0027] The propulsion and diversion integrated device of the present invention drives fluid flow through the propeller 1, thereby utilizing the reaction force of the fluid to propel the propeller 1 and even the entire propulsion and diversion integrated device to move, realizing the propulsion process; the heat exchange unit 21 is located behind the propeller 1, enabling the propeller 1 to drive the fluid to flow quickly through the heat exchange unit 21, helping the heat exchange unit 21 to dissipate heat, and ultimately achieving cooling of the heat source. By placing the heat exchange unit 21 behind the propeller 1, the fluid can be diverted through the propeller 1, eliminating the need for a separate diversion pump to help cool the heat exchange unit 21, and reducing the noise generated by the diversion pump during operation; when the power of the propeller 1 increases, the heat generated by the power source (heat source) of the propeller 1 increases, at which point the fluid is diverted by the propeller 1. The increased power of the thruster 1 leads to a faster fluid velocity and a higher heat exchange efficiency between the fluid and the heat exchange unit 21, ultimately improving the cooling efficiency of the cooling unit 22 on the power source of the thruster 1. By diverting the flow through the thruster 1, the cooling efficiency of the cooling component 2 can vary with the heat output of the thruster 1's power source, and the energy required for diversion is entirely provided by the thruster 1's power source, resulting in good cooling performance and low energy consumption. The fluid flows first through the thruster 1 and then through the heat exchange unit 21, ensuring that the fluid flow field in the area where the thruster 1 is located is not disturbed by the heat exchange unit 21, preventing further noise amplification of the thruster 1 due to turbulent flow and effectively solving the problem of excessive noise in existing underwater vehicles.

[0028] In some embodiments, the fluid may specifically be a water flow or an air flow.

[0029] In some embodiments, the thruster 1 is a propeller thruster, mainly comprising a propeller, a propulsion shaft, and a power source. The propeller is mounted on the propulsion shaft, which is connected to the power source via a transmission connection. The power source drives the propulsion shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the propeller to rotate. When the propeller rotates, it draws in the fluid in front of it and discharges the fluid to its rear. The power source can be an electric motor, motor, or the like.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the integrated propulsion and diversion device further includes a diversion component 3, which has a cavity inside. The diversion component 3 has openings communicating with the cavity on both sides of its opposite sides. The propeller 1 and the heat exchange unit 21 are both located inside the cavity. The propeller 1 drives the fluid to pass through the two openings in sequence.

[0031] Specifically, the guide element 3 can be a pipe with openings at both ends. The propeller 1 and the heat exchange unit 21 are both located inside the guide element 3. The propeller 1 drives the fluid to enter through one opening of the guide element 3, and after flowing through the propeller 1 and the heat exchange unit 21 in sequence, the fluid flows out through the other opening of the guide element 3. The guide element 3 provides protection for the propeller 1 and the heat exchange unit 21, preventing damage from impacts. By constructing a cavity with openings at both ends, the guide element 3 prevents the fluid from easily dissipating during flow. Furthermore, the limited fluid within the cavity allows the propeller 1 to quickly discharge the fluid from the cavity, enabling the fluid to quickly enter the cavity. By incorporating the guide element 3, the flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchange unit 21 can be accelerated to a certain extent, improving the heat exchange effect.

[0032] In some embodiments, the draining component 3 is made of stainless steel, which not only has high structural strength but also good rust resistance. The surface of the draining component 3 can also be provided with an anti-rust coating to further enhance its rust resistance.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the cooling assembly 2 further includes a circulation pump 23 and a circulation pipe 24. The heat exchange unit 21 has a first chamber inside, and the cooling unit 22 has a second chamber inside. The circulation pump 23 is connected to the first chamber and the second chamber through the circulation pipe 24. The first chamber, the second chamber and the circulation pipe 24 are all filled with heat-conducting liquid. The circulation pump 23 is used to drive the heat-conducting liquid to circulate between the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0034] Specifically, the heat-conducting liquid exchanges heat with the heat exchange unit 21 in the first chamber, and the heat exchange unit 21 then exchanges heat with the fluid, causing the heat-conducting liquid to accumulate cooling capacity. The heat-conducting liquid with accumulated cooling capacity is then transported to the second chamber by the circulating pump 23. The heat-conducting liquid helps the cooling unit 22 to cool down, and the cooling unit 22 then cools down the heat source that needs to be cooled, completing one cooling process. The cooling capacity accumulated by the heat-conducting liquid is largely consumed in the second chamber. After exchanging heat with the cooling unit 22, the heat-conducting liquid flows back to the first chamber under the action of the circulating pump 23 to accumulate cooling capacity again, repeating the above process to continuously carry out the cooling process.

[0035] In some embodiments, the heat exchange unit 21 includes a heat-conducting container and heat sinks. The heat-conducting container has a first chamber inside, and the heat sinks are disposed on the outer surface of the heat-conducting container. There are multiple heat sinks, which are arranged in a ring around the heat-conducting container. All heat sinks are arranged along the fluid flow direction.

[0036] Specifically, the heat-conducting container is made of materials with high thermal conductivity, such as copper and aluminum, to accelerate heat exchange efficiency. The heat-conducting container can be in the shape of a circular pipe, with heat sinks on its outer surface to increase the heat exchange area and further accelerate heat exchange efficiency. The heat dissipation surfaces of the heat sinks are all parallel to the direction of fluid flow driven by the thruster 1, thus avoiding interference with the normal flow of the fluid. With the heat sinks all positioned along the fluid flow direction, multiple heat sinks are arranged in a ring around the heat-conducting container, allowing for more heat sinks to be placed within a limited space, thereby accelerating the exchange efficiency.

[0037] In some embodiments, the heat-conducting container is streamlined on the side near the thruster 1 to reduce resistance to the fluid.

[0038] In some embodiments, the heat-conducting liquid is a refrigerant, specifically an aqueous solution of propylene glycol, an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol, etc. Propylene glycol and ethylene glycol are good heat carriers with fast heat exchange rates. They can not only be used as refrigerants, but also have antifreeze properties, which can prevent solidification at low temperatures and thus avoid affecting their normal flow.

[0039] In some embodiments, the propulsion and diversion integrated device further includes a control module, and the power source of the propeller 1 and the circulation pump 23 of the cooling component 2 are both electrically connected to the control module.

[0040] On the other hand, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the present invention also provides an underwater vehicle, and a propulsion and diversion integrated device based on any of the above embodiments, comprising: an underwater vehicle body 4, a tail fin 5 and a propulsion and diversion integrated device, the tail fin 5 being disposed at the tail of the underwater vehicle body 4, the propulsion and diversion integrated device being connected to the underwater vehicle body 4, a heat exchange unit 21 being disposed outside the underwater vehicle body 4, the underwater vehicle body 4 having a heat source inside, and a cooling unit 22 being used to cool the heat source.

[0041] Specifically, the diversion component 3 is connected to the underwater vehicle body 4. The underwater vehicle body 4 has a cavity inside. The propeller and propulsion shaft of the thruster 1 are located inside the diversion component 3. The power source and other heat sources of the thruster 1 are located inside the underwater vehicle. The heat exchange unit 21 of the cooling component 2 is located inside the diversion component 3. The circulation pump 23 and cooling unit 22 of the cooling component 2 are located inside the underwater vehicle.

[0042] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the number of tail fins 5 is four, specifically including two symmetrically arranged horizontal tail fins 5 and two symmetrically arranged vertical tail fins 5.

[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figures 1 to 2As shown, the underwater vehicle includes two integrated propulsion and diversion devices, which are symmetrically arranged about the main body 4 of the underwater vehicle to ensure that the main body 4 remains stable during propulsion by the thruster 1. Both propulsion and diversion devices are located in the lower half of the main body 4, ensuring that even when the underwater vehicle is on the surface, the propulsion and diversion devices remain submerged, enabling them to smoothly complete both propulsion and water diversion processes.

[0044] In some embodiments, the cooling unit 22 may be a container with high thermal conductivity, and its material may be copper, aluminum, etc. The shape of the cooling unit 22 may be designed according to the heat source that needs to be cooled, so that the cooling unit 22 is as close as possible to the heat source, so that the heat exchange area between the cooling unit 22 and the heat source is larger and the heat exchange efficiency is higher.

[0045] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated propulsion and drainage device, characterized in that, include: Thrusters and cooling components; The thruster is used to drive fluid to flow backward, thereby causing the fluid to propel the thruster. The cooling assembly has a heat exchange unit and a cooling unit, the heat exchange unit is connected to the cooling unit, and the heat exchange unit is located behind the thruster; The integrated propulsion and diversion device also includes a diversion component, which has a cavity inside. Openings communicating with the cavity are provided on both sides of the diversion component. The propeller and the heat exchange unit are both located inside the cavity. The propeller drives the fluid to pass through the two openings in sequence.

2. The integrated propulsion and drainage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling assembly also includes a circulation pump and a circulation pipe. The heat exchange unit has a first chamber inside, and the cooling unit has a second chamber inside. The circulation pump is connected to the first chamber and the second chamber through the circulation pipe. The first chamber, the second chamber, and the circulation pipe are all filled with a heat-conducting liquid. The circulation pump is used to drive the heat-conducting liquid to circulate between the first chamber and the second chamber.

3. The integrated propulsion and drainage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat exchange unit includes a heat-conducting container and a heat sink. The heat-conducting container has a first chamber inside, and the heat sink is disposed on the outer surface of the heat-conducting container.

4. The integrated propulsion and drainage device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat sink consists of multiple fins arranged in a ring around the heat-conducting container, with each fin positioned along the direction of fluid flow.

5. The integrated propulsion and drainage device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat-conducting container is streamlined on the side closest to the thruster.

6. The integrated propulsion and drainage device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat-conducting liquid is a coolant.

7. The integrated propulsion and drainage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drainage component is made of stainless steel.

8. An underwater vehicle, based on the integrated propulsion and diversion device as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, include: The underwater vehicle includes a main body, a tail fin, and an integrated propulsion and diversion device. The tail fin is located at the tail of the main body of the underwater vehicle. The integrated propulsion and diversion device is connected to the main body of the underwater vehicle. A heat exchange unit is located outside the main body of the underwater vehicle. The interior of the main body of the underwater vehicle has a heat source. The cooling unit is used to cool the heat source.

9. The underwater vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cooling unit is in close contact with the heat source.

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