Self-contained backflush/start system for suction LFC undersea vehicle
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorKenneth H. Rogers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clean start backflush system provides a mode of operation in a suction inar flow control (LFC) vehicle in which low speed propulsion and backflush through surface apertures are simultaneously generated. The propulsion assists the transition from an at-rest state to the desired high-speed travel, while backflush in the low-speed regime ensures that ocean particles are not captured at the entrance to the flush suction slots.
Claims12
In an underwater vehicle having an elongate body including a nose portion and a rear portion including tail fins wherein the improvement resides in providing suction laminar flow control for the outer surface thereof comprising:
- water inlet means in a frontal portion and water exhaust exit nozzle means in a rear portion of the vehicle;
- apertures about the body in communication with the water;
- first pump means selectively operative for drawing water through the inlet means and exhausting a portion thereof out through the body apertures for backflushing the apertures and exhausting the remaining portion out through the exit nozzle means for low speed forward propulsion of the vehicle;
- second pump means selectively operative for drawing water in through the body apertures and exhausting it out through the exit nozzle means for high speed forward propulsion of the vehicle;
- whereby upon operation of the second pump means water drawn into the apertures induces a laminar flow of water adjacent the body for reduced drag on the vehicle.
In an underwater vehicle having an elongate body including a nose portion and a rear portion including tail fins, means providing backflushing and propulsion at low speeds and providing suction laminar flow control for the outer surface thereof at high speeds comprising:
- water inlet means in a frontal portion and water exhaust exit nozzle means in a rear portion of the vehicle;
- apertures about the body in communication with the water;
- first pump means selectively operative for drawing water through the inlet means and exhausting a portion thereof out through the body apertures for backflushing the apertures and exhausting the remaining portion out through the exit nozzle means for low-speed forward propulsion of the vehicle, said first pump means further including valve means and means for opening and closing said valve means, said valve means being opened for low-speed operation of the vehicle and closed for high-speed operation;
- second pump means selectively operative for drawing water in through the body apertures and exhausting it through the exit nozzle means for high-speed forward propulsion of the vehicle;
- vehicle speed sensing means connected to deenergize the first pump means and energize the second pump means at a preselected vehicle speed;
- whereby upon operation of the second pump means water drawn into the apertures induces a laminar flow of water adjacent the body for reduced drag on the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.