Eddy Propulsor Vortex Thrust Safety Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing propeller technologies have reached a performance plateau, with most propellers operating at efficiencies of less than 40% due to cost constraints, manufacturing limitations, and vulnerability to physical insults, while also posing safety risks to people and wildlife.
Innovation Solution
The development of a fluid propulsion system known as the Eddy Propulsor, which comprises a body rotating about an axis with a central hub and monolithic cantilevered lobes, inducing a low-pressure region and generating thrust through a bound edge vortex.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional propeller design is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but propeller efficiency deteriorates to less than 40%
Solution Approach 1:
The propeller is divided into multiple blades arranged radially around a central hub, with each blade being a separate manufacturable component. This segmentation allows each blade to be optimized independently for efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes critical geometric parameters including blade pitch angle, blade area ratio, and blade profile curvature to maximize propulsive efficiency. These parameter changes enable the propeller to operate at higher efficiency levels while remaining manufacturable using conventional processes.
2Productivity
If propeller blades are made thin and cantilevered for efficiency, then propulsive performance is improved, but structural strength deteriorates making them vulnerable to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The blade design implements local quality variations with different cross-sectional geometries along the blade span. The root section has greater thickness and structural reinforcement for strength, while the tip section is thinner for reduced drag and improved hydrodynamics, optimizing both strength and performance in different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite material construction combining rigid materials for structural strength with flexible or erosion-resistant materials for the blade surfaces. This composite approach maintains structural integrity while preserving the thin-blade hydrodynamic advantages for improved propulsive performance.
3Productivity
If propeller blades are sharpened for efficiency, then thrust generation is improved, but safety deteriorates creating slicing hazards to people and wildlife
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potentially harmful sharp blade edges into beneficial hydrodynamic features by designing optimized leading and trailing edge profiles that generate thrust through controlled fluid dynamics rather than mechanical slicing. The blade edges are shaped to smoothly deflect water flow, converting what would be a slicing hazard into an efficient thrust-generating surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on sharp edges to cut through water, the invention inverts the approach by using blunt or rounded edges that push and deflect water. This inversion of the traditional sharp-edge concept eliminates the slicing hazard while maintaining thrust generation through increased surface area and optimized flow deflection angles.
4Loss of energy
If propeller design is optimized for ideal conditions, then efficiency exceeds 90%, but adaptability deteriorates when operating conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates adjustable or flexible blade elements that can dynamically adapt their pitch angle or curvature in response to changing operating conditions such as varying speed, load, or water density. This dynamic capability allows the propeller to maintain high efficiency across a wide range of operational scenarios rather than being optimized for a single ideal condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The propeller design incorporates universal geometric features and adjustable parameters that enable it to function effectively across multiple operating regimes. The blade profile and pitch distribution are designed to provide acceptable efficiency whether the vessel is cruising, maneuvering, operating in different water densities, or carrying varying loads, making the propeller versatile rather than condition-specific.
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
The Eddy Propulsor achieves higher thrust and efficiency compared to conventional propellers, is robust against damage, and provides safety by eliminating the risk of slicing people or wildlife, while also being cost-effective and adaptable to various materials.
Implementation Method 1
the receding surface, being pulled away from the fluid by the rotational velocity thus induces a low-pressure region directly over the receding surface
Implementation Method 2
the low-pressure region, being directly adjacent to the counter-flow that is flowing past the receding edge, thus generates a bound edge vortex over a substantial portion of the receding surface
Data Source
AI summary
A propulsor is described in which rotation of the frustum of a right circular cylinder generates thrust. Variants of this basic geometrical shape are also described that enable multiple means for propelling fluid past the propulsor.