Clathrate glider with heat exchanger
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsMatthew Herbek, Matthew B. Ascari, John W. Rapp, Robert J. Howard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a housing and a ballast disposed within the housing. The ballast is adapted to receive, store and expel a fluid. A bladder is operatively coupled to the ballast wherein an increase in the volume of the bladder causes a decrease in the free volume of the ballast available for the storage of the fluid therewithin and a decrease in the volume of the bladder causes an increase in the free volume of the ballast available for the storage of the fluid therewithin. A heat exchanger has a heat exchange duct thermally coupled to the bladder and is adapted to receive a fluid from outside the housing. The bladder is configured to receive a clathrate.
Claims23
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a ballast disposed within said housing, said ballast adapted to receive, store and expel a fluid;
- a bladder operatively coupled to said ballast, wherein an increase in the volume of said bladder causes a decrease in the free volume of the ballast available for the storage of the fluid therewithin and a decrease in the volume of said bladder causes an increase in the free volume of the ballast available for the storage of the fluid therewithin;
- a heat exchanger having a heat exchange duct thermally coupled to the bladder, said heat exchange duct adapted to receive the fluid from outside the housing;
- wherein the bladder is configured to receive a clathrate.
A method for altering the buoyancy of an underwater vehicle comprising the steps of:
- submerging the underwater vehicle into a body of water, said underwater vehicle comprising:
- a housing;
- a ballast disposed in said housing, said ballast adapted to receive from, store therewithin and expel the water to the body of water;
- a bladder containing a clathrate, said bladder disposed in an operative coupling with said ballast such that an increase in the volume of said bladder causes a decrease in the free volume of said ballast available for the storage of water therewithin and a decrease in the volume of said bladder causes an increase in the free volume of said ballast available for the storage of water therewithin;
- and
- a heat exchanger duct thermally coupled to said bladder,
- in a first operational stage, allowing the water to flow through said heat exchanger duct, wherein the temperature of the water is higher than a first temperature of the clathrate, thereby allowing the water to flow to and be stored within the ballast, thereby decreasing the buoyancy of the underwater vehicle;
- and
- in a second operational stage, allowing the water to flow through said heat exchanger duct, wherein the temperature of the water is lower than a freezing temperature of the clathrate, thereby causing the water to flow out of the ballast, thereby increasing the buoyancy of the underwater vehicle.
A heat exchanger for an underwater vehicle, said heat exchanger comprising:
- a first heat exchanger duct having an inlet and an outlet, said duct disposed in a bladder, said bladder comprising a clathrate;
- wherein said first heat exchanger duct is at least partially surrounded by said clathrate and is adapted to receive a fluid through said inlet,
- wherein, heat is transferred between the clathrate and the fluid flowing through said duct depending on the temperatures of the fluid and the clathrate, and
- wherein, said heat transfer between the clathrate and the fluid causes an increase or a decrease in the volume of said bladder
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.