Submarine Weapon Storage Compensation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The implementation of weapons from external storage devices on submarines causes significant destabilization due to mass loss, leading to loss of stability and maneuverability, particularly in low-tonnage submarines, as existing solutions either rely on the submarine's ballasting system or require symmetrical storage devices, reducing versatility and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A weapon storage device with compensation means, including air and water compensation tanks and hydraulic systems, that injects water into the submarine to balance mass loss, allowing for flexible and balanced operation by positioning the storage device's center of gravity near the submarine's center of thrust, and using calibrated volumes to compensate for mass changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If weapons are deployed from external storage devices on submarines, then weapon versatility and mission adaptability are improved, but submarine stability and maneuverability deteriorate due to mass loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies counterweight principle by positioning compensation tanks strategically to create counterbalancing masses. When weapons are deployed and mass is lost, the compensation tanks adjust their fluid levels to create counterbalancing forces that offset the destabilizing torques, thereby maintaining submarine stability while allowing versatile weapon deployment
2Stability of the object's composition
If the submarine's ballast system is used to correct destabilizing torques, then stability is partially restored, but the solution is insufficient for low-tonnage submarines and does not address listing imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stability control function into two independent compensation tanks (port and starboard) that can operate independently. Each tank can be adjusted separately to correct listing imbalances caused by weapon deployment on one side, providing more precise and flexible stability control compared to the submarine's centralized ballast system
Solution Approach 2:
The compensation tanks act as intermediary elements between the weapon storage device and the submarine's ballast system. They provide a dedicated, responsive mechanism for correcting stability disturbances caused by weapon deployment, bridging the gap between weapon operation and overall submarine stability without relying solely on the general-purpose ballast system
3Stability of the object's composition
If identical storage devices are positioned on both sides of the hull to alternate weapon deployment, then submarine stability is preserved, but versatility of storage device configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embraces asymmetry by allowing different weapon types to be stored on port and starboard sides while providing independent compensation for each side. The compensation system is designed to handle asymmetric mass loss scenarios, enabling the submarine to deploy different weapons from different sides without requiring identical storage device configurations
4Stability of the object's composition
If compensation tanks are filled with water to compensate for mass loss, then submarine stability is maintained, but the complexity of the storage device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the weapon storage function with the stability compensation function into a single integrated device. The compensation tanks are incorporated directly into the storage device structure, sharing space and structural elements with the weapon silos, thereby reducing overall complexity compared to having separate compensation systems
Solution Approach 2:
The compensation tanks are designed to operate semi-autonomously, with the ability to automatically adjust their fluid levels in response to weapon deployment events. This self-service capability reduces the operational burden and control system complexity while maintaining effective stability compensation
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 solution minimizes the destabilizing effect of weapon implementation, maintaining submarine stability and flexibility while allowing for versatile storage configurations, ensuring balanced operation even during successive weapon deployments.
Implementation Method 1
A weapon storage device with compensation means, including air and water compensation tanks and hydraulic systems, that injects water into the submarine to balance mass loss
Implementation Method 2
a buoyancy system, with which it is possible to compensate for weight changes in the storage device
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a weapon storage device (10) intended to be attached to an external face (8) of a hull (4) of a submarine (2) and able to contain weapons (14) such as munitions or munition delivery vehicles which are intended to be deployed from the storage device on receipt of a deployment signal transmitted from inside the submarine, characterized in that it comprises a compensation means (16, 18, 30, 40) making it possible partially or fully to compensate for the variation in mass of the storage device (10) as a result of the deployment of a weapon, by replacing a volume of gas initially contained in the storage device with an identical volume of water introduced into the storage device.