Alliedsignal Inc.

Api Engineering, LLC

Scott C Meyers

David M Mathis

Kenneth Lee Presley

Eugene A Zanelli

William A Facinelli

Provided are methods and devices for storing and generating oxygen from a low temperature oxygen generating liquid. The oxygen storage method may use lithium chlorate plus water to store oxygen wherein all solids that may be present enter solution for delivery as a liquid to a reaction vessel. The oxygen production method may be a batch process with steps to heat the liquid, boil out the water, thermally decompose the lithium chlorate and then rinse out the remaining product. The apparatus for oxygen generation may use multiple reaction vessels operating sequentially to produce a continuous flow of oxygen with a rinse step in a separate area from the heat application area to remove end product solid. The device for oxygen storage includes a storage vessel and is configured to heat the oxygen generating liquid using waste heat present in the rinse liquid.

Oxygen storage and generation using an oxygen generating liquid

An underwater vehicle such as a torpedo has a jet pump propulsion system. A high speed pump is located inside a rigid cylindrical housing of the torpedo near an end thereof. A water inlet communicates with the pump as does a water outlet provided at the aft end of the rigid housing via a water passage. A high speed electrical motor, on the order of 10,000 rpm, is provided inside an inner cylindrical housing disposed within the outer cylindrical housing. The electric motor is provided aft of the pump and the electric motor shaft is directly coupled to the pump rotor. Only one bearing and one water seal is provided between the electric motor and pump rotor. A water exit passage is provided between the inner cylindrical housing containing the high speed motor and the rigid outer cylindrical housing. Water passing through the exit passage cools the electric motor by dissipating heat therefrom. Motor control electronics can be provided immediately aft of the high speed electric motor, in which case water passing through the exit passage also serves to cool the motor electronics by dissipating heat therefrom.

Underwater vehicle with improved jet pump propulsion configuration

An underwater vehicle has a generally longitudinally extending housing terminating in at least one blunt end. Adjacent to and inboard of the blunt end of the longitudinally extended housing there is provided a compartment, and disposed in the compartment there is provided a folded, flexible bladder secured to a portion of the housing adjacent the blunt end and having a tapering configuration when pressurized or inflated. At or after launch of the underwater vehicle, or selectively at any other time in which it is desired to do so, an inboard mounted water pump which communicates with the interior of the bladder is operated to pressurize the bladder with regard to the surrounding ambient water, causing the tapered bladder to unfold and be extended outboard of the housing blunt end, thus streamlining the underwater vehicle.

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Fountain Hills, AZ, United States of America

Scott C Meyers