Method and apparatus for improving efficiency and/or altering acoustic signature of surface and submerged vessels
OwnerWayne Ernest Conradinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power control system for driving a vessel (which may be manned or unmanned) is used to provide a series of pulse trains to the system wherein at least one pulse within each series of pulse trains provides a differing amount of power. Preferably, a portion of the series of pulse trains which has a duration of 10% of the duration of the pulse train delivers more than 20% of the total power to the drive member for the vessel which the drive member receives each cycle. In this way, the noise signature of a vessel is reduced or is varied to match the noise signature of another vessel or wildlife of a natural phenomenon.
Claims22
A method of driving a vessel comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing power from a power source to a rotatably mounted fluid moving member which is mounted to the vessel;
- (b) producing changes in the rate of rotation of the fluid moving member whereby a series of differing accelerations are applied in a repeating pattern to cause rotation of the fluid moving member, said a series of the differing accelerations delivering power to the fluid moving member, wherein a portion of the series having a duration of 10% of the pattern delivers more than 20% of the power to the fluid moving member which the fluid moving member receives during the repetition of each series
- whereby the rotation of the fluid moving member imparts movement to the vessel and produces a noise signature.
A method of driving a vessel which has a particular thermodynamic efficiency comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing power from a power source to a rotatably mounted fluid moving member to rotate the fluid moving member and form a Prandtl layer of fluid on the fluid moving member as the fluid moving member moves wherein the fluid moving member is mounted to the vessel;
- and,
- (b) varying the rate of rotation of the fluid moving member in a repeated pattern to reduce the degradation of the Prandtl layer as the fluid travels over the fluid moving member and increase the thermodynamic efficiency
- whereby the rotation of the fluid moving member imparts movement to the vessel.
A method of driving a vessel having a fluid moving member which produces a particular noise signature during operation, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing power from a power source to a rotatably mounted fluid moving member to rotate the fluid moving member and form a Prandtl layer of fluid on the fluid moving member as the fluid moving member moves wherein the fluid moving member is mounted to the vessel;
- and,
- (b) varying the rate of rotation of the fluid moving member to alter the noise signature produced by the fluid moving member in a repeated pattern to a noise signature which is not characteristic of the vessel
- whereby the rotation of the fluid moving member imparts movement to the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.