Buoyancy Dissipater Gas Bubble Generation for Non-Lethal Vessel Deterrence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to effectively deter errant ships without causing destruction or fatalities, as they pose a threat to harbors with illicit activities, necessitating a non-lethal means to disrupt their buoyancy.
Innovation Solution
A buoyancy dissipater system that generates a gas bubble below the waterline of a vessel, using a propellant and diffuser to reduce buoyancy, allowing for controlled deterrence or diversion of the ship's course through a selectable propellant charge size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional methods are used to deter errant ships, then the ships can be stopped or destroyed, but this causes destruction of the ship and potential fatalities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of water by generating gas bubbles that alter the density and buoyancy characteristics of the water volume occupied by the vessel. This parameter change in the fluid medium achieves deterrence without direct contact or destruction of the vessel structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses gas generation and diffusion into water to create buoyancy dissipation. The pneumatic introduction of gas bubbles into the hydraulic medium (water) creates a region of reduced effective density that affects the vessel's buoyancy, providing a non-lethal deterrence mechanism
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a non-lethal method is used to deter vessels, then fatalities are avoided, but the deterrence capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gas bubbles generate a counteracting buoyant force that opposes the vessel's weight and normal buoyancy. This anti-weight effect creates sufficient hydrodynamic resistance and course alteration capability to deter errant vessels while remaining non-lethal
Solution Approach 2:
The propellant undergoes phase transition from solid/liquid to gas, generating a large volume of gas bubbles that diffuse into the water. This phase change creates the necessary volume expansion to achieve effective buoyancy dissipation and deterrence capability
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a gas bubble is generated below the waterline to dissipate buoyancy, then the vessel can be deterred without destruction, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dissipater system is segmented into distinct functional modules: propellant charge, gas generator, diffuser assembly, and delivery mechanism. This segmentation allows for independent optimization of each component and simplifies the overall system design and control
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser acts as an intermediary component between the gas generator and the water environment. It controls the diffusion and distribution of gas bubbles, ensuring effective buoyancy dissipation while protecting the gas generator from direct water contact and simplifying the overall system architecture
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables non-lethal deterrence of errant vessels by altering their buoyancy, allowing for interception without fatalities or destruction, with the option to escalate to lethal deterrence if necessary, depending on the propellant charge size.
Implementation Method 1
a propellant and circuits to select a propellant charge size, and a gas generator configured to generate a volume of gas
Implementation Method 2
a diffuser having diffusion ports configured to diffuse the volume of gas below a waterline of the vessel
Implementation Method 3
By the generation of a sufficiently large volume of gas and the creation of a gas bubble near or under a vessel, the buoyancy of the vessel is dissipated
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Embodiments of a buoyancy dissipater and method for deterring a vessel are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a volume of gas is generated from a propellant and diffused below a waterline of a vessel. The resulting gas bubble dissipates the buoyancy of the vessel providing a non-lethal deterring effect.