USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Carol L Tseng

Benjamin Y-h Chen

Charles M Dai

Frank B Peterson

The present invention's methodology for designing a fluid propulsion intake configuration of a marine vessel considers the integral geometry of the inlet together with a portion of the hull, with respect to which the inlet's entrance opening is flush. The inventive methodology typically includes definition of an inlet reference line (an 'axial' description, straight and/or curved, of the inlet), cross-planes (each of which perpendicularly intersects the inlet reference line), a footprint (a planar outline of the inlet's entrance opening), an inlet shaping line (a projection of the footprint onto the hull portion), inlet flow lines (angularly spaced about the circumference of the inlet shaping line, each connecting the cross-planes), two fairing reference curves (one at the inlet's entrance opening and the other on the hull portion, thereby demarcating a fairing therebetween that is consistent with the inlet flow lines), and a lip nose (at the inlet's entrance opening).

Design of a flush inlet as integrated with a ship hull for waterjet propulsion

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention a surface ship having at least one tractor podded propulsor is provided. The vessel having a tractor podded propulsor system comprises a hull means and at least one tractor podded propulsor unit attached to the aft section of the hull means. The at least one tractor podded propulsor unit comprises an axisymmetric pod having a longitudinal centerline associated therewith, at least one propeller mounted for rotation to a forward end of the pod, and a substantially vertically aligned streamlined strut connected at a top end to the aft section of the hull means and connected at a bottom end to the pod. The pod has a forward end and a tapered aft end. Mounted within the pod is at least one rotatably mounted propeller shaft that extends forward of the pod forward end, shaft seals, thrust bearings, and power means functioning to rotate the at least one propeller shaft. The tractor podded propulsor produces lower resistance and higher cavitation inception speeds than prior art open shafts and struts systems.

Tractor podded propulsor for surface ships

A torque balanced propulsor unit for a submersible vehicle of the type having a bow, a stern, a longitudinally extending central section axisymmetric about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and including therein a maximum diameter of the vehicle, and a tapered aft section axisymmetric about the longitudinal axis is provided. The torque balanced propulsor unit includes a rotor for providing a forward thrust to the vehicle. The rotor includes a central axisymmetric hub and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart impeller blades extending radially from the central hub. The rotor is rotationally mounted to the tapered aft section of the vehicle. The rotor has a first torque associated therewith. The torque balanced propulsor unit further includes a stator for producing a second torque on the vehicle. The stator is secured to the vehicle at a location aft of the rotor. The stator includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart stationary vanes fixed to the vehicle and extending radially therefrom, the vanes being shaped to produce the second torque. The stator is configured and positioned so as to function within the wake of the rotor to produce the second torque, wherein the second torque is substantially equal and opposite the first torque.

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Potomac, MD, United States of America

Carol L Tseng