Ship Bottom Gas Recesses for Stable Air Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ship designs fail to effectively reduce friction between the hull and water, as the jetted gas from the ship bottom rises immediately to the water surface, limiting friction reduction and buoyancy enhancement.
Innovation Solution
The ship is equipped with a gas supply apparatus that supplies gas to a plurality of recesses in the ship bottom, which are spaced apart in the width direction and extend in the back and forth direction, with the gas supply tube having an ejection end positioned within the recesses to stabilize gas flow and prevent immediate rise to the water surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If gas is jetted from air ejection holes in the ship bottom, then friction between ship hull and water is reduced, but the jetted gas immediately rises to the water surface, limiting friction reduction effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The ship bottom is divided into multiple recesses spaced apart in the width direction, with each recess containing gas supply holes. This segmentation allows gas to be supplied to multiple localized areas simultaneously, preventing immediate rise to the water surface and extending the duration gas remains at the ship bottom, thereby improving friction reduction effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
Gas is supplied to specific localized regions (recesses) rather than uniformly across the entire ship bottom. The recesses create localized gas accumulation zones that trap gas longer, enhancing the duration and effectiveness of friction reduction in critical areas while maintaining overall ship performance
2Use of energy by moving object
If gas is supplied to reduce friction, then fuel consumption is improved, but the gas supply system requires precise positioning and configuration of supply holes and recesses
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is segmented into multiple independent recesses with multiple supply holes each, allowing for modular manufacturing and assembly. This segmentation reduces the overall manufacturing precision requirement compared to a single large supply system, as each recess can be manufactured and positioned independently with standard tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
Each recess is designed with specific dimensions and positioning requirements optimized for local gas accumulation, rather than requiring uniform precision across the entire ship bottom. The local optimization of each recess design allows for practical manufacturing tolerances while achieving the desired gas retention effect
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
This design effectively reduces friction and increases buoyancy by allowing the gas to remain in the recesses, enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The friction reduction apparatus jets a gas from a group of air jetting holes provided in a ship bottom of the ship. A film of bubbles formed by the jetted gas on the ship bottom reduces friction between the ship hull and water.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A ship includes a ship hull, and a gas supply apparatus that supplies a ship bottom of the ship hull with a gas. The ship bottom is provided with a plurality of recesses supplied with the gas. The recesses are spaced apart from each other in a width direction. Each of the recesses extends in a back and forth direction.