Removable Mast Fairing Assembly for Marine Impact and Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mast fairings for marine and underwater vessels are prone to damage from impacts, require complete replacement for maintenance access, and have complex assembly procedures, while being expensive.
Innovation Solution
A removable fairing system using elastic materials or segmented design with reversible adhesives and fixings, allowing easy access and simplified installation/maintenance, and featuring impact resistance and hydrodynamic profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a composite fairing is arranged around the metal structure of the mast, then the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic properties are improved and the metal structure is protected, but the fairing is not resistant to impacts and requires complete replacement when damaged or when access is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing is divided into multiple segments that can be independently removed or accessed. Each segment can be detached without destroying the entire fairing structure, allowing maintenance personnel to access the metal structure at specific locations while preserving the remaining fairing segments for continued protection and aerodynamic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairing segments are designed to be removable and reusable. When a segment needs to be accessed or replaced, only that specific segment is removed or replaced while the other segments remain in place and can be reused, reducing waste and maintenance costs compared to replacing the entire fairing.
2Reliability
If a composite fairing is arranged around the metal structure of the mast, then the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic properties are improved, but the assembly procedure is complex and the fairing is expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled separately and then joined together. This segmentation allows for simpler manufacturing of individual segments, easier handling and installation on the mast, and simplified replacement procedures compared to assembling and installing a single large complex fairing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented fairing segments are designed to nest together or interlock with each other in a systematic way, simplifying the assembly process. The segments can be sequentially installed on the mast structure, with each segment fitting into or connecting with the previous segment, reducing the overall complexity of the assembly procedure.
3Reliability
If a composite fairing is arranged around the metal structure of the mast, then the metal structure is protected, but the fairing does not allow access to the metal structure during maintenance operations
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing is divided into multiple segments that can be independently removed or accessed. Each segment can be detached without destroying the entire fairing structure, allowing maintenance personnel to access the metal structure at specific locations while preserving the remaining fairing segments for continued protection and aerodynamic performance.
4Ease of operation
If the fairing is made from elastic material with deformable portion, then easy access and simplified maintenance are enabled, but the structure must resist hydrostatic pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing utilizes elastic materials with specific mechanical properties that allow deformation for access while maintaining sufficient strength to resist hydrostatic pressure. The material parameters are carefully selected and optimized to provide both flexibility for maintenance operations and structural integrity for pressure resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairing employs composite material construction combining elastic materials with reinforcing elements or layered structures. This composite approach provides both the deformability needed for easy access and maintenance, and the structural strength required to withstand hydrostatic pressures in the marine environment.
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 easy access and maintenance, reduces replacement costs, and enhances durability against impacts and hydrostatic pressures, while maintaining aerodynamic and hydrodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
The elastomer advantageously has a hardness of between 50 Shore A and 80 Shore A, advantageously close to 70 Shore A
Implementation Method 2
The adhesive is a reversible adhesive, that is to say an adhesive having moderate resistance to shear stresses applied in a direction substantially tangent to the contact surface 46, and low resistance to peel stresses applied in a direction substantially normal to the contact surface 46
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a mast intended to equip a marine or submarine vessel. The mast comprises a metal structure extending along an axis (Z-Z') and a fairing (28) arranged externally to the structure in a direction normal to the axis (Z-Z '). The fairing (28) is removably assembled to the structure.