USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Joseph F Korczynski, Jr

Eugene C Fischer

John P Wehrle

Barbara F Howell

Thomas D Gracik

William Klemens

William P Kenney

Vincent J Castelli

Wayne C Jones

William M Appleman

Ely G Fishlowitz

Patrick D Conroy

Dennis W Suitt

Michael A Troffer

A dynamic ramp interface system to allow a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ship to unload and load onto a pier, floating storage facility, or other ship during high sea states. The dynamic ramp interface system includes a motion compensation damping system attached to a first platform, a first ramp also attached to the first platform leading up to the motion compensation damping system, and second ramp that is hingedly connected to a second platform and also leading to the motion compensation damping system. The motion compensation damping system includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a series of interconnected hollow bladders, and a pivot support structure. Through this arrangement, the top plate is allowed to pivot relative to the bottom plate, with the bladder system providing a damping effect. The first ramp is slideably in communication with the top plate by means of a set of articulated fingers. The second ramp is also slideably in communication with the top plate. When used for unloading a roll-on/roll-off ship, the first platform would likely be a pier or floating storage facility, the second platform would be the roll-on/roll-off ship, and the second ramp would be the roll-on/roll-off ship's ramp. By means of the dynamic ramp interface system described herein, the roll-on/roll-off ship would be able to load and unload its cargo in both normal conditions and during high sea states.

Dynamic ramp interface system

The metallic housing of a diverter valve assembly has a plurality of thredly positioned inserts therein through which different port passage paths are established with a multi-ported ball valve element angularly displaceable inside the housing while sealingly enclosed within a tube through which the inserts project into adjusted seating engagement with the ball valve element.

Multi-ported diverter valve assembly

The inventive fatigue-testing apparatus features a compact orbital mechan which rotates a bending force around a non-rotating test section and a stationary test bed. In addition to applying a bending force, some inventive embodiments apply an axial force and a torsional force, thereby accomplishing full-scale evaluation of test sections under three-dimensional loading; the inventive practice for applying bending, torsional and axial loads compares favorably with conventional practice in terms of reliability and cost. The inventive orbital mechanism increases the reliability of the entire inventive test apparatus by reducing the number of moving parts, component wear, maintenance and complexity. The invention also provides maximum access to the test section for instrumentation, inspection, maintenance and modification. The inventive benefits will permit evaluations of larger test sections and will afford extended evaluations to more accurately determine fatigue limitations of complex joints.

Method and apparatus for inducing fully-reversed three-dimensional

Oil spill polluted water is conducted under pressure in sequence through arator devices to collect and burn a polluted water mixture having its oil concentration increased by extraction of water therefrom during axial flow through the separator devices. Such water extraction is effected by sequential radial outflow through oil flow blocking filter walls of the separator devices in response to rotation thereof.

Spinning filter separation system for oil spill clean-up operation

A heat exchanger for use in exchanging heat between corrosive or electrolc fluids has wetted components which are comprised of corrosion and erosion resistant materials. The use of corrosion and erosion resistant tube sheets, shell, and tubes permits the heat exchanger to operate at high flow rates to produce turbulent flow through the inlet tube sheet and tubes, thereby optimizing transfer efficiency between a corrosive fluid in the tubes and the regenerated fluid pumped through the shell. In order to eliminate problems of temperature gradient and vibrations at the area where the tubes are joined to the inlet tube sheet, the shell is comprised of an inner and outer shell section to form annular flow diverting chambers therebetween. The inner shell section of each chamber is apertured so that flow is diffused over the entire surface, thereby avoiding direct impingement of fluid over the tubes.

Corrosion resistant shell and tube heat exchanger and a method of

Growing community of inventors

Glen Burnie, MD, United States of America

Joseph F Korczynski, Jr