EP2266872A1 - Water vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The watercraft has a body shell, where a part of the body shell is formed from a composite material i.e. plastic, that is reinforced with fibers (17) i.e. carbon fibers. The fibers are formed as electric heating elements, and are formed for feeding with direct current (DC). The fibers of an outer side (18) of the shell are arranged closer than an inner side of the shell. A protective layer (40) is provided between the outer side of the shell and the fibers that are arranged in a deck area of the shell.

Description

The invention relates to a watercraft, typically a ship or a submarine.

Often it is necessary to free watercraft or parts thereof of ice or to prevent the formation of ice. So sometimes boats are used in such a great cold that the outer areas of the vessel can freeze. This is particularly relevant for submarines, in which outer layers several centimeters thick ice layers can occur. For example, a submarine in cold seawater may be wet with fresh water. In such a case, the fresh water on descent of the submarine can freeze or already formed ice on the outer skin of the submarine does not thaw during descent.

Furthermore, in the case of vessels, it may be necessary to liberate outer areas of the vessel from water. This may possibly be necessary, in particular in the area of antennas, in order to achieve undisturbed signal transmission.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved in this respect watercraft, which can be freed from water and / or ice.

This object is achieved by a watercraft having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of

The invention are set forth in the subclaims, the following description and the drawing.

In the watercraft according to the invention, at least a part of the outer skin is formed from a fiber-reinforced composite material. This fiber-reinforced composite forms on the one hand as a typically lighter and more stable material at least a portion of the outer skin, on the other hand, at least one fiber of this composite material is formed as an electric heating element or forms part of such a heating element, d. H. the fiber is designed to conduct an electrical heating current. According to the invention, this fiber is electrically conductive, but has an electrical resistance. The electrical resistance forms a heating resistor, which heats up when energized.

For the purposes of this invention, a fiber means both a single fiber and a multiplicity of fibers, for example a fiber bundle or braiding.

If the fiber is energized, this heats up and thus an area of the outer skin and can thus protect against icing, for example in cold weather. Also, an iced area of the outside of the outer skin can be heated with the energized fiber, so that there defrosting ice. Furthermore, advantageously, a water-wetted region of the watercraft can also be selectively dried by the fiber. Thus, a region of the outer skin, for example in the region of an antenna, can be heated by the fiber for drying. In the vessel according to the invention, the fiber-reinforced outer skin therefore advantageously fulfills two functions at the same time. On the one hand, the outer skin is lightweight and stable due to the fiber-reinforced composite material, on the other hand, the fiber of the outer skin acts as an electric heater and thus forms part of a defrosting or drying device. Since the outer skin of the watercraft according to the invention is used for this purpose, and further devices for drying, deicing or for frost protection are not to be provided separately, the watercraft according to the invention is realized with a particularly efficient use of resources.

The energizable fiber can be designed to be energized in various ways. It may form part of a heating circuit by connecting it to a voltage or current source. Alternatively, an inductive generation of the heating current can be provided, which is particularly advantageous in the field of moving components, since a wired power supply there eliminates.

Preferably, the composite is carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Especially this composite material forms a particularly lightweight material of high strength and is therefore particularly suitable for the formation of at least part of the outer skin. On the other hand, carbon fibers are conductive and therefore particularly suitable for the formation of heating resistors. In a further preferred embodiment, the outer skin or a part of the outer skin may be formed by a composite material with metallic fibers.

Advantageously, the heating element has a plurality of parallel fibers or fiber bundles. For example, the energizable fibers can also be present as a flat-form fibrous material. In this way, targeted large-area, but also non-contiguous areas of the outer skin can be heated. Furthermore, a large heating power can be achieved by a plurality of fibers or fiber bundles without thermally overloading the composite material.

Conveniently, the Bestrombare fiber is arranged closer to the outside of the outer skin than the inside. Warmed up in this way the fiber targeted especially the outside of the outer skin. However, especially for the outside of the outer skin, the problem of icing typically arises urgently. It is understood that when desired heating of the inside, the fiber arrangement is reversed, ie closer to the inside of the outer skin out.

In a preferred embodiment, the fiber is designed for current supply with direct current in the vessel. Advantageously, direct current is typically available to submarines without converters.

Advantageously, a protective layer is arranged in the vessel between the outside of the outer skin and the fiber. In particular, this protective layer is water repellent or waterproof, so that surrounding seawater can not penetrate into the fiber composite material and thus does not hinder the energization of the fiber by short circuit or leakage currents. Alternatively or additionally, the protective layer may also be designed to protect against acid, air or solar radiation, for example to protect the fiber or possibly a heating circuit against corrosion and / or to protect any further, inner layers of the outer skin. It is understood that the protective layer does not necessarily have to be directly adjacent to the fiber or to the fiber-provided layer of the outer skin. Rather, the fiber or a layer containing it may be embedded in further layers. The protective layer can then in particular also be designed to protect these embedding layers. In particular, the material of the protective layer comprises resin, for example epoxy resin. The protective layer is preferably a gelcoat.

In a preferred embodiment, the fiber is arranged in the deck area of the outer skin in order to prevent icing of this walkable and to be able to counteract frequently provided with flaps or hatches area.

Advantageously, the energizable fiber in a watercraft, in which the outer skin comprises a flap area, arranged in the flap area. Especially in such a flap area icing is to be avoided to ensure the functionality. For example, the fiber may be disposed in the flap itself. In this case, the heat released by the fiber can be selectively limited to the flap. In this case, the flap is preferably arranged with little thermal contact with further regions of the outer skin surrounding the flap. This design allows an efficient use of energy to heat the flap area. Alternatively or additionally, the energizable fiber can also be arranged in the vicinity of the flap. Preferably, the fiber is arranged in the edge region of the flap.

Conveniently forms in a watercraft with an antenna part of the outer skin with the energizable fiber an antenna hood. Especially in yachts, but also in submarines, the antenna can be kept ice-free in this way, so that a reliable radio communication is guaranteed.

Preferably, in the vessel in at least one region of the outer skin, several energizable fibers are unidirectionally oriented and jointly form at least one part of a heating element. In unidirectional orientation, the fibers are particularly easy to contact electrically for energization. For example, the fibers can be connected to each other in parallel with their end regions to common electrical contacts. In this way, the contacting effort is low.

In an alternative development, a plurality of fibers form a fibrous material in the form of a nonwoven. The fleece is designed as a heating element or forms at least a part of such.

Conveniently, in the watercraft according to the invention, a heating circuit for energizing possibly a plurality of fibers is formed in that the fibers are contacted by means of a metal foil to a current or voltage source. Preferably, each fiber is contacted at two ends by metal foils. Ideally, a plurality of fibers are contacted at their ends by a pair of common metal foils.

In the case of the watercraft, the fiber is preferably conductively connected to optionally available current and / or voltage sources for supplying an electrical system, to the lighting grid itself and / or to a traction battery. Advantageously, then no separate energy source is to be provided specifically for energizing the at least one heating element.

Particularly advantageous, the invention is applied to a submarine.

Thus, in a watercraft having a tower, typically a submarine, the energizable fiber may be disposed in the area of the tower. Especially in the case of submarines, there are regularly installations in the area of the tower in which icing in the area of the outer skin is to be avoided, for example devices with moving parts such as extension devices, covers or hatches, the functionality of which is to be ensured.

Advantageously, the bestrombare fiber in a watercraft, which has at least one Ausfahrgerät, in or on an area of the

Exterior skin arranged, which forms the exit area of the Ausfahrgerätes.

Preferably, control means for controlling the amperage of the heating element are provided in the vessel. Thus, the heating power of the heating element can be selected suitably, in particular taking into account further parameters, such as the outside temperature, the temperature of the area of the skin to be heated or the water temperature.

Suitably, the control means on the watercraft form part of a heating controller. In this case, the current strength of the heating current of the heating element, the manipulated variable and the temperature of the fiber and / or a portion of the outer skin forms the controlled variable. Furthermore, a temperature sensor is provided in or on the outer skin for detecting the controlled variable. Preferably, further parameters, in particular those mentioned above, are taken into account in the regulation. For example, drying and / or deicing of the outer skin is regulated with regard to the use of energy and / or the time period which is likely to be required.

Fig. 1

ein erfindungsgemäßes Wasserfahrzeug in Gestalt eines Unterseebootes in einer Prinzipskizze im Querschnitt,

Fig. 2

in schematischer Darstellung den Aufbau der Außenhaut des Wasserfahrzeugs gemäß Fig. 1 im Schnitt,

Fig. 3

die Bestromung der bestrombaren Fasern beim Wasser- fahrzeug gemäß Fig. 1 in einem Blockschaltbild und

Fig. 4

eine alternative Bestromung der Fasern bei dem Wasser- fahrzeug gemäß Fig. 1 in einem Blockschaltbild.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. Show it

Fig. 1

an inventive vessel in the form of a submarine in a schematic diagram in cross section,

Fig. 2

in a schematic representation of the structure of the outer skin of the watercraft according to Fig. 1 on average,

Fig. 3

the energization of the energizable fibers in the watercraft according to Fig. 1 in a block diagram and

Fig. 4

an alternative energization of the fibers in the watercraft according to Fig. 1 in a block diagram.

In the watercraft according to the invention is a submarine 5. The submarine 5 has a pressure body 55 as in a conventional manner. The pressure body 55 is surrounded by an outer skin 15. Above the pressure hull 55, part of the outer skin 15 forms an upper deck 10. In areas of the upper deck 10 of the submarine 5 and other areas described below, the outer skin 15 is reinforced with a plurality of carbon fibers 17. The carbon fibers 17 are distributed in the horizontal, accessible area of the upper deck 10 area. Carbon fibers 17 also surround upper deck flaps (not shown in the drawings) of the upper deck 10. The fibers are arranged in the edge area of the upper deck flaps. The carbon fibers 17 are each formed as part of a heating element in each of the addressed areas and warm when energized, the outer skin 15 of the submarine 5 to dry areas to protect against icing or de-icing.

The structure of the outer skin 15 is in Fig. 2 in section along the line AA in the region of the upper deck 10 shown schematically. This section is also representative of the structure of all other areas of the outer skin 15 described below, unless otherwise stated.

The outer skin 15 comprises a core 20. This core 20 of the outer skin 15 has a honeycomb structure or a foam structure which forms the light yet stable basic framework of the outer skin 15. Surrounded on the outside, the core 20 is in a per se known construction of a laminate layer 25, which consists essentially of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The laminate layer 25 may additionally or instead have other suitable materials such as glass fiber reinforced plastic. On the inside, a further laminate layer 30, which is identical to the laminate layer 25, adjoins the core 20. The core is thus embedded between two laminate layers 25, 30.

On the outside of the laminate layer 25, a CFK heating layer 35 adjoins. The CFRP heating layer 35 is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which reinforces the outer skin 15. The carbon fibers 17 of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic can be supplied with current in a manner described in more detail below, so that they are part of a heating element. The fibers 17 are present as a scrim of unidirectionally oriented carbon fibers 17 (alternatively, the carbon fibers 17 may also form a nonwoven). When the fibers 17 are energized, the fibers 17 and thus of the CFRP heating layer 35 start to heat the outer skin 15. The CFRP heating layer 35 is arranged close to the outer side 18 of the outer skin 15, so that a large proportion of the heat generated by the fibers 17 is conducted to the outer side 18 of the outer skin 15.

Farther outboard there is a protective layer 40, which primarily protects the inner fibers 17, but also the plastic matrix of the CFK heating layer 35 and the other inner layers of the outer skin 15 against (salt) water, acid, air and sunlight. For this purpose, the protective layer 40 is formed as a gelcoat, which has a high resin content. The outer skin 15 of the upper deck 10 terminates at its outer, exposed to the surrounding seawater side 18 as in a conventional manner with an anti-slip coating 45 from. This anti-slip coating is limited to the accessible area of the upper deck 10, on other areas of the outer skin 15 no anti-slip coating is provided. Inside, the outer skin 15 closes another protective layer 50 from. This protective layer 50 also has a high proportion of resin.

The energization of the heating elements is shown schematically in the Figures 3 and 4 explained in two alternative embodiments.

In both figures, a part of the outer skin 15 is schematically shown, in which the energizable fibers 17 are arranged. This part is outside the pressure hull 55, whose interior is numbered 60. For energizing the fibers 17 of the outer skin 15 contact foils 77 are provided, with which the ends of the fibers 17 are contacted. The contact films 77 are realized here by way of example by gold foils, but there are also other conductive films into consideration. The contact sheets contact the fibers 17 so as to collectively form part of a heating circuit, as described below.

The magnitude of the energization of the fibers 17 is determined by heating regulators 80. For this purpose, these heating regulators 80 act as adjustable current chokes on supply lines 82 for energizing the heating elements. The heating regulators are designed to adjust the energization of the fibers 17 such that suitable temperatures in the region of the outer skin 15 and the fibers 17 can be selected. These temperatures can then be selected such that an efficient and / or rapid heating of the outer skin 15 can take place.

In order to set the temperature, temperature sensors 85 are arranged in the region of the CFK heating layer 35, that is to say within the outer skin 15 and close to the fibers 17, which measure the temperature in the outer skin 15 that sets itself. These temperature values determined in this way are transmitted by the temperature sensors 85 for feedback as input values to the heating controllers 80. In case of deviations from a desired temperature, the heating controller 80, the energization of the heating elements in Change the dependence of the detected temperature of the outer skin 15 and adjust the temperature so to the set temperature. In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, in each case heating elements are arranged in a region 90 and a region 95. In this case, both regions 90, 95 each have a temperature sensor 85 and a heating controller 80 which regulates the energization of the respective heating elements.

The region 90 of the outer skin 15 includes, by way of example, the aforementioned upper deck flaps (not shown in detail in the drawings), wherein the fibers 17 arranged there prevent icing of the upper deck flaps in case of need. In the region 95 of the outer skin 15 are upper deck surfaces, which are kept free of icing with the fibers 17 or can be deiced in the event of icing.

The area 95 is in a further, not shown separately, embodiment, the area of a tower of the submarine 5, which is protected by energizing the fibers 17 from icing or de-icing. In a further embodiment not shown separately, the region 95 is a region of the outer skin 15 on which an extension device of the submarine 5 exits. Alternatively, the region 95 is a region 95 of the outer skin 15 with an antenna on which the fibers 17 are provided for drying the region 95 of water, for example in the form of an antenna hood. It is understood that the regions 90, 95 according to the aforementioned embodiments each represent independently executable embodiments of the invention. The aforementioned areas in which a heating of the outer skin is provided, are to be understood only as an example. Such heating elements can be provided everywhere, where appropriate.

In the in Fig. 3 illustrated embodiment, the electrical energy is supplied to the energization of the fibers 17 via the leads 82 from the on-board power supply 100 of the submarine 5. The on-board power supply 100 is an AC power system. In order to energize the fibers 17 with direct current, the leads 82 are connected via an AC / DC converter 105 to the on-board power supply 100, so that the fibers 17 each form parts of a heating circuit. The heating controller 80 are interposed as throttles on the leads 82 between AC / DC converter 105 and contact foils 77 as described above.

In an alternative embodiment ( Fig. 4 ), the fibers 17 are energized via the leads 82 from a battery 110 of the submarine 5, which already supplies the 17 for supplying the fibers particularly suitable direct current. Again, the fibers 17 are thus each part of a heating circuit. In order to adapt the voltage level of the battery 110 to the voltage level required by the heating controller 80 and heating elements, a DC / DC converter 115 is connected between the battery 110 and the supply lines 82. The heating controller 80 are interposed to adjust the heating current between DC / DC converter 115 and the fibers 17.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

5 -

submarine

10 -

upper deck

15 -

shell

17 -

Carbon fibers

18 -

outside

20 -

core

25 -

laminate layer

30 -

laminate layer

35 -

CFRP heating layer

40 -

protective layer

45 -

Anti-slip covering

50 -

protective layer

55 -

pressure vessels

60 -

Inboard area

77 -

Contact sheets

80 -

Heating regulators

82

leads

85 -

temperature sensor

90 -

Area

95 -

Area

100 -

Board network

105 -

AC / DC converter

110 -

battery

115 -

DC / DC converter

Claims (16)

Watercraft in which at least a part of the outer skin (15) is formed from a composite material reinforced with fibers (17) and in which at least one fiber (17) is formed as an electrical heating element or forms part of such. A vessel according to claim 1, wherein the carbon fiber composite material (17) is reinforced plastic. A vessel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating element comprises one or more fiber bundles. Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, in which the energizable fiber (17) of the outside (18) of the outer skin (15) is arranged closer to the inside. Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fiber (17) is designed to be supplied with direct current. A vessel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a protective layer (40) between the outer surface (18) of the outer skin (15) and the fiber (17). Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, in which the energizable fiber (17) is arranged in the cover region (10) of the outer skin (15). A vessel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer skin (15) comprises a flap region (90) and wherein the refuelable fiber (17) is disposed in the flap region (90). Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an antenna and in which a part of the outer skin with the energizable fiber forms an antenna hood. Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, in which a plurality of energizable fibers (17) are unidirectionally oriented and are jointly formed as a heating element or form part of a heating element. Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, in which a plurality of fibers (17) form a nonwoven fabric which forms or forms part of a heating element. Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, which is a submarine (5). Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, which has a tower and in which the energizable fiber (17) is arranged in the region (95) of the tower. A watercraft according to one of the preceding claims, having at least one extension device, in which the energizable fiber is arranged in or on a region (95) of the outer skin, which forms the exit region of the extension device. Vessel according to one of the preceding claims, in which control means are provided for controlling the current intensity of the heating element. Vessel according to Claim 15, in which the control means form part of a heating regulator (80), in which the current intensity of the heating element forms the manipulated variable and in which the temperature of the fiber (17) and / or a region (90, 95) of the outer skin ( 15) forms the controlled variable, and in which a temperature sensor (85) is provided in or on the outer skin (15) for detecting the controlled variable.

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