Propulsion system and application thereof

Abstract

A propulsion system coupled to a rear portion of a torso of a water vehicle, the system comprising: a convex surface; a pump configured to push the liquid; a diffusion structure coupled to the convex surface; at least one conduit coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce the main liquid provided by the pump to the convex surface; and a suction structure coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce a secondary liquid capable of entering the vehicle to the diffusion structure, where the diffusion structure includes a terminal end configured to provide an outlet to discharge the introduced primary liquid and secondary liquid from the system.

Description

[0001] Priority claim

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application serial No. 63 / 399,705, filed on August 21, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

[0003] Copyright Notice

[0004] This disclosure is protected by U.S. and / or international copyright laws. ©2023 Jetoptera, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is copyrighted. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and / or Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Background Art

[0005] In marine propulsion, the typical method is to use a propeller driven by a motor. Propellers vary in size, and sometimes twin motors are used to propel the vessel at lower speeds. The motors are usually internal combustion engines or gas turbine turboshafts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the present invention, which depicts only the upper half of the ejector and shows the velocity and temperature profiles of the internal flow;

[0007] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional portion of an injector according to an embodiment;

[0008] Figure 3 shows a side perspective view of an injector according to an embodiment;

[0009] FIG4 shows a top view of a hull not employing an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 5 A top view of a hull showing an embodiment employing an ejector;

[0011] Figure 6 shows a swimmer swimming in a circulating swimming pool including one or more jets according to an embodiment; and

[0012] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 Top view of the arrangement shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] This application incorporates by reference U.S. Patent No. 10,207,812 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 685,975, as if fully set forth herein. An embodiment includes a propulsion system coupled to a vehicle. Such a system may include a diffuser structure and a conduit portion configured to introduce a primary fluid generated by the vehicle into the diffuser structure through a channel. The channel is defined by a wall, and the diffuser structure includes a terminal configured to provide an outlet for the introduced primary fluid to leave the system. A constriction element is disposed adjacent to the wall. An actuating device is coupled to the constriction element and configured to push the constriction element toward the wall, thereby controlling the cross-sectional area of ​​the channel. Water pumped to a higher pressure is injected at a high speed, and the propulsion system is immersed in the water at a deviation from the hull in a manner that maximizes the removal of water around the hull, generating a relatively unidirectional flow while generating thrust and moving the vessel in a direction opposite to the water flow. In one embodiment, the system may be used as an integral part of the hull and deployed only when needed, such as for a sailboat. In another embodiment, the entire system may replace an outboard motor driving a propeller. The water pump can be driven by battery electric drive, generator or hybrid turboshaft engine or simple internal combustion engine or gas turbine.

[0014] In another embodiment, the motor and device are used in limited size swimming pools to produce a very stable constant velocity profile current, allowing swimmers to swim against the current. The large volume of water entrained produces a very uniform flow without the velocity variations that are normally produced when using propellers and rectifiers.

[0015] Smaller, faster warships and jet skis use the principle of water jets for propulsion.

[0016] This method of propulsion is very effective at the high speeds required by the application (over 30 knots), eliminates the noise generated by the propeller cutting through the water and also allows the vessel to be steered by directing the jet, or by deflecting the flow backwards using movable surfaces. This method also eliminates the cavitation effects that normally limit the operation and performance of typical propellers.

[0017] The energy expended on board a vessel to produce a unit of thrust and move the vessel forward is a measure of the efficiency of a vessel's propulsion system.

[0018] The term "propulsive efficiency" is used in aviation and is related to the difference between the speed of the vehicle and the speed of the fluid (e.g., jet) leaving the vehicle. When the speed of the vehicle and the speed of the fluid leaving the vehicle are close, the efficiency is high, but the thrust is reduced; conversely, when the jet speed is high and the vehicle speed is much lower, the efficiency is very low, and in fact, too much kinetic energy is not effectively used for propulsion.

[0019] Similarly, when propelling a jet of incompressible fluid (e.g., water) at, say, 50 knots, and the ship is moving at, say, 45 knots, the efficiency is high. However, if the ship is moving slowly (in port, or typically at speeds below, say, 20 knots), and the speed of the propelling jet is higher (e.g., 50 knots), the propulsion efficiency is less because more energy is being harnessed but without an immediate effect on the forward motion of the vehicle (more energy is wasted on the jet).

[0020] Water jets for various marine propulsion applications eject a large amount of water previously pumped by a mechanical or electric pump at a speed higher than the speed of the vehicle. The jet velocity multiplied by the mass flow rate gives the thrust of the system. One embodiment provides a method, that is, using the same amount of mass flow rate, not directly spraying, but using it as a main jet, in order to entrain and accelerate more water, such as increasing the total jet leaving the device to three times and the average speed is lower than the original jet, but when multiplied by three times the mass flow rate, it will bring more thrust to the vessel. In contrast, using the disclosed device reduces the energy required to generate the original thrust of the vessel, thereby saving fuel. By placing the device in the wake of the vessel, the streamlined flow around the hull can be optimized, and the system can also save costs by avoiding dead water spots and stagnant water in the wake. According to one or more embodiments, the integration of the hull with the water propulsion system will reduce its resistance and streamline the flow around the hull.

[0021] In one embodiment, a water pump draws water from outside the hull and filters any debris or vegetation in the water, and directs the water flow to an impeller or other known water pumping device to increase the pressure to the value and flow rate required for the propulsion device.

[0022] The device multiplies the amount of water supplied to it and ejects a mixture which, due to its shape and structure, generates a force multiplied relative to the force generated by the main water jet if the mixture is deployed as a simple water jet (without using embodiments of the invention). An advantage of embodiments is that the thrust obtained by the jet alone is increased by at least 1.5 times, preferably more than twice. This is achieved by, for example, taking away 4 to 5 parts of water at a speed three times lower than the original jet; since thrust is the product of the amount of water multiplied by the speed of the water jet, using the invention generates, for example, 4 / 3=1.33 times more thrust to 5 / 3=1.67 times more thrust. Conversely, if a fixed amount of thrust is required for a vessel, the energy (or fuel) consumption can be reduced to between 1 / 1.33=75% and 1 / 1.67=60%. For greater speeds, the device can be bypassed, the original jet speed and flow can be used directly, and the device can be retracted into the hull, thereby streamlining the flow and reducing resistance.

[0023] In another embodiment, a pump draws water from a large pool and pressurizes the flow into the main stream, feeding a similar device, this time stationary and placed at one end of the pool. The velocity distribution from the device is more uniform or consistent than using a typical bladed rotor to generate the flow and then using a rectifier to disperse the flow (as in some products used for swimming training). The device can also be scaled up or down in size or number, giving swimmers more options (larger and smaller propeller combinations can be turned off or on, and the main water flow is supplied via a system of multiple conduits).

[0024] Figure 1 Only the cross section of the upper half of the ejector 200 according to an embodiment is shown. A fluid having a higher temperature than the ambient temperature can be supplied to the pressure chamber 220. The pressurized motive fluid stream 600 is connected to the inside of the ejector via a conduit with a main nozzle 203. According to the design of the main nozzle 203, the main nozzle accelerates the motive fluid 600 to the speed required for the ejector performance. The main (motive) fluid 600 is ejected at high speed in the form of a wall jet on the Coanda surface 215, and entrains the ambient fluid 1, which may be at rest or approach the ejector from the left side of the figure at a non-zero speed. The mixture of the stream 600 and the ambient fluid 1 moves purely axially at the throat 225 of the ejector. The mixing and smoothing process continues by diffusion in the diffuser 210, so that the distribution of the temperature (750) and the velocity (700) in the axial direction no longer has high and low values ​​as at the throat 225, but becomes more uniform at the outlet of the ejector. When the mixture of 1 and 600 approaches the exit plane, the temperature and velocity distributions are almost uniform.

[0025] Figure 2 According to the embodiment, Figure 1 The cross section of the ejector 200 is shown. Figure 3 A side perspective view of the ejector is shown. The ejector 200 includes a diffusion structure 210 and a conduit portion, such as a primary fluid region plenum 220. The plenum 220 supplies a primary fluid, and an intake structure 230 provides a secondary fluid (e.g., an ambient fluid) to the diffusion structure 210 for mixing the primary fluid and the secondary fluid in the diffusion structure. The diffusion structure 210 includes a terminal configured to provide an outlet for the mixed primary and secondary fluids to exit the ejector 200. More particularly, in one embodiment, the plenum 220 introduces the primary fluid into the convex Coanda surface 215. For non-limiting examples, the primary fluid can be composed of pressurized water delivered to the plenum 220 via a primary fluid source (e.g., conduit 250). The ejector 200 also includes a flow controller 240.

[0026] 4 shows a top view of a hull 400 of an embodiment not employing ejectors 200. The hull 400 moves in the water, and streamlines 410 of the flow generated by such motion are shown to form dead spots and stagnant water in a wake region 420 behind the hull, thereby increasing the drag acting on the hull.

[0027] Figure 5 A top view of a hull 500 employing an embodiment of the ejector 200 is shown. The hull 500 moves through the water, and the streamlines 510 of the flow generated by such motion are shown to be streamlined by the ejector positioned in the wake region 520 behind the hull, thereby reducing the drag acting on the hull. The ejector 200 may be coupled to the hull 500 by a strut 530 or other suitable coupling means.

[0028] Figure 6 A swimmer 600 is shown swimming in a circulating swimming pool 610 that includes one or more jets 200 that employ a water pump 630 that provides water to the one or more jets via, for example, one or more of the pipes 250. Streamlines 620 of flow generated by the operation of the one or more jets 200 are shown to provide resistance to the swimmer 600, thereby causing the pool 610 to function as an "infinity pool." Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 Top view of the arrangement shown.

[0029] Although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description of many different embodiments, it should be understood that the scope of protection is defined by the wording of the appended claims. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment because it is impractical, if not impossible, to describe every possible embodiment. Many alternative embodiments may be implemented using prior art or technology developed after the filing date of this patent and will still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0030] Therefore, many modifications and changes may be made to the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. Therefore, it should be understood that the methods and apparatus described herein are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A propulsion system coupled to the rear of a body of a watercraft, the propulsion system comprising: convex surface; a pump configured to propel a liquid; a diffusion structure coupled to the convex surface; at least one conduit coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce a primary liquid provided by the pump into the convex surface; as well as An intake structure coupled to the convex surface and configured to introduce a secondary liquid capable of entering the watercraft into the diffuser structure, wherein the diffuser structure includes a terminal end configured to provide an outlet for discharging the introduced primary and secondary liquids from the propulsion system.

2. A device that receives water at a certain water flow rate at a higher pressure than the ambient water in a water tank or free stream, and uses a shaped path to entrain several portions of ambient water in the free stream or water tank for each high pressure portion introduced, and discharges a nearly uniform flow of the mixed water source at a specified rate.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein: The specified speed is controlled by variable geometry and pump throttle.

4. A method of using the device according to claim 2 to generate an equivalent force opposite to the flow to propel a vessel on the surface or underwater.

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