GB2508027A

GB2508027A - Gas bubble hull lubrication system

Info

Publication number: GB2508027A
Application number: GB1220835.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Robert Taylor Murray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-11-20
Filing date: 2012-11-20
Publication date: 2014-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2032-11-20
Also published as: GB201220835D0; GB2508027B

Abstract

A vessel is provided with a network of triangular shaped tubes mounted on the wetted surface of its hull. Pressure release valves are provided along the length of the tubes and the system is connected to the exhaust manifold of the vessels engine. During use a mixture of air and exhaust gas is piped around the network of tubes and released from the pressure release valves to form a layer of bubbles over the wetted surface of the hull, to reduce the effect of friction acting on the hull as the vessel moves through the water. The triangular tubes may be formed from aluminium, mild steel, plastic or reinforced rubber and the pressure release valves may be adapted to release bubbles only when internal pressure within the tubes is at least 0.69 Bar above the ambient pressure at each valves location on the hull.

Description

This intention of mine is a new device for increasing foreward mot-ion (knot) on all water botrnd ships/vessels hulls without having to increase the size of their current engines in use flow,is by a simple modification using my said system which could be fitted to any sai.d ships/vessels exhaust system & hull of any size, but the main prince- able behind this whole S/V..D..R.-System' in the first place is too prô-duc.e & distribute evenly through a network of triangular shaped tubes fitted with pressure release valves set at (lopsi) above draft press- ure a mixture of' airr& exhaust gases in the form of bu'hhles under wa-ter along the entire length of any ships/vessejs hull from stem (bow) end to the stern & from, the keel right up to the water (plimsoll) li:-ne on both the port/starboard sides & fl.-doing so would give,, what ozte would call an air/exhaust gas (bubbles) marble effect, which cou-ld reduce drag by as much as Li.O% to 50% or even more'jn" sonre cases plus said fuel savings of a similar amount could be achieved using my system alon.g with the time taken io deliver or pick up any said cargo from port A to port B, their there is also the enormous en'.viro-nmen'-tal saving feature of my S/V,D.R.-system! which' is the dispersal of & in some cases all of the said exhaust gases under all of the worlds oceans etc.,. on this plan,et!.

The whole S/V.D.R.-system assem-bly con;sists mainly of a network of hollow triangular shaped tubes with (lOswg') thick walls 10cm wide which would be manufactured too suit all shapes & sizes of any ships/vessels hulls in use today Sc in the future from either aluminium/mild steel/plasic'/reinforced rubber/etc. ,.which would be with said pressure release valves set at (lOpsi) equally spaced every loam along the en'tire length of any said ships/vessels hull from the top o the stem (bow) end & along the keel then halfway up between'said keel & the water (plimsoll) line on. both the port/starboard sides are connected at stem. (how) end & be either welded/glued/screwed/holt int.o there correct pos-itionrs below said water (plimsoll) line (figs ltofl' which are all.:"..

connected at the top of the stem (bow) end to figure 8 which shows all tb said equipment that would be required above the said water (plimsoll) line starting with ships/vessels engine room with the modification of the exhaust manifold 13 (drill & tap) too suit sol-enoid pressure release valve 14 set at (lOpsi) above draft pressure which is then connected to the main bridges start button & then to a modified exhaust pipe & silencer assembly 6 which in turn is conn-ected to a none return Valve 7 on pressure regulator 8 which is set at (lOpsi) above draft pressure, then' an air compressor 9 also set vt (lOp.si) abov.e draft pressure which is also connected to the main bridges start button, but this would only come into use as a back' up should the draft pressure drop below said (lOpsi)set on pressure regulator 8 which is also connected by flexable reinforced hose pipe 11 to a none return valve 10 on-the same pressure regulator 8 (lopsi) which is then connected by a flexable reinforced hose pipe 12 to a none return valve fitted at the top of the stem (how) end triangular tube section assembly' figure 2

Claims

4aim& 2 1. /V..D.R..-SysteTh. is a nn devic.e for increasing foreward motion(knot) by redu.claig the drag on. all water bound ships/vessels hulls of any size, which could he as much. as k.Q%tose% under full pow.er,plus a fuel saving of a similar amount could also he achieved, along with the time taken. to. fteliver.y said cargo from'. port A to port B using my said system] ,the s.atd systea(se.e figures 1-8)when fitted to any ships/v.esse]-s hull is one. of the main priaceables behind this invention', in the first place!,.that is to produce & distribute evenly a mixture air & exhaust gases in' the form of bubbles under water along the full length of. any ships/vessels hull from stem (bow) to stern & from the keel right up to the plimsoll(water)linie on both. the port/starboard sSea & in doing so would give, what one would call n air/gas (bubbleiarble effect, which cuuld reduce the said drag by p too k0% toi'50%.
2. The whole s/LD..R..-sy.stem assembly consists mainly of triangular shaped tubes which could be fitted to any size of hull on an. pre-sent day ship's/vessels in current use now & in the future:.! , the said tubes Would also be fitted wi.th pressure release valves on all tube sections set at.(lOpsi) above draft pressure along the full length of the hull,.also an the keel & how tube sections where they are fitted on both the outward faces (see figures 2&4on. 7)but up to about 2m,etres belcwt. the,jIithll:water) line on the bow tube section only (figure 2)!, then on the port/starboard tube sections (figure. 3) the said pressure release valves are only fitted. to the water, surface lacing sides On the full length of the hull,then the said tube sections would be fitted halfway between the keel & the plimsoll (water) linie,.then all the said tube sections would all be conflected together by splicing & seafln.g into the bow tube section (see figure 7)which in turn is conmected at the top (see figure 8) to the pressure regulator 8, then to both the air compressor 9 & exhaust system 6 on deck at the bow end,then all the said tube ass-eniblies fitted in there correct positions would all be sealed at the stern end by using triangular shaped (blanlt)tub.e end plates (figure 6).
3.This whole system could be easily manufactured out of most mater, isis ie. ,stainiess' steel/mild steel/aluminium/plasticlreinforced rubber etc.,& can be easily fitted to suit any size of hull by either weldin.g/gluirLg/screwing/bol tiirg/brackets etc. ,.which would determine the amount of triangular shaped tubes that would be re-quired ie.,aircraft carrier or a fishing boat for an example!, because it is essential for the whole system to work correctly in the first place!.

4j. this whole iatention if fitted to all the current ships/vessels in use today,...wouid have far-reaching affects worldwide!, from both entvirarnmental & economical side wise! Sc another plus is that all their current ships/vessels engines would not have to be chan-ged in the first place! ,because the only modifications reqiired would be to their exhaust systems & having to fit the rest of my system to their Ships/vessels hull.s etc. 5.. The final assembly of the said system consists mainly of c.onn.ect-jng both the t.op/bottonr (half s) together at the top of stem (bow) end, note:-The air compressor 9 is only there as a back up for the. said pressure regulator 8 should said draft pressure drop be-low (lOpsi).Amendments to the Claims have been flied as follows Claims.1.1. Ships/Vessels ifull Gas Bubbles Drag Peducing -System is a new device for increasing foreward motion (knot) by reducing the drag on all water bound ships/vessels hull of any size,which co-uld be as much as L+O%to500% under full power,plus a fuel saving of a similar amount could also be achieved along with the time taken to deliver any said cargo from port A'to ort'3tusing my system!,the said system. (see Figs.l-8)when fitted to any sh- ips/vessels hull is one of the main principles behind this inv- ention in the first place! ,.that is to produce & distribute eve- niy a mixture of air & exhaust gases itt the form of bubbles un-der water along the full length of any ships/vessels hull from stem(bow)to stern & from the keel right up to the plimsoll (Wa-ter)line on both the port/starboard sides & in doing so would give,what one would call an air/gas (bubbles) marble effect,wh-ich could reduce the said drag by up to 40% to 50%.1.2. The whole S/V.&G.B.D.R.-System assembly consists mainly of tr-iai-igular shaped tubes whic could be fitted to any size of hull on all present day 5/V in. current use now & in the future! ,the said tub-es would also be fitted with stern facing openings on all pressure release valves on all tube sections which is set at between (0.55bar top level & bow section to O.4lbar mid level & bow section to Q.27bar btnr.,level keel & bow section-) to give th-at exatra foreward boost (knot)wise,then the stem (bow)(Fig.2) the pressure release valves start half metre below the plimsoll --(water)line,then from keel(Fig.4)right up-to both the port/star- --r board sides of the hull(Fig.3)would have to be increased from one to as many as six or more on very large ships/vessels le., aircraft carrier/oil tanker etc.,for them to achieve said fore-ward rnotion(knot)increase of 40%to5O%,then-(Fig.3)tube sections would be fitted equi-spac-ed between-the keel & the plimsoll(wa-ter)line on the full length of the hull,then said tube sections would all be connected together by splicing & sealing into the stem(bow)end tube section (see Fig.2 on Fig.7)which in turn is connected at (see Fig.8) to the pressure regulator item 8,then too both the air compressor item 9 & the exhaust system item 6 on deck at the stem (bow)end, then all the said tube assemblies would be fitted into there correct positions,then they all be sealed at the stern end by using (Fig.6)..1.3. The whole system could be easily manufactured out of most mate- rials ie. ,stainless steel/mild steel/aluminium/plastic!reinfor-cad rubber etc.,& can be easily fitted to suit any size of hull by either welding/gluing/screwing/bolting/brackets etc.,which would determine the amount of triangular shaped tubes that wou-ld b reouired ie.,aircraft carrier or a fishing boat for an example!, because it is essential for the whole system to work correctly in the first place!.1.
4. This whole invention-would have far-reaching effects worldwide from both environmental & economical side wise!& another plus is that all their current ships/vessels engines would not have to be changed in the first place!because the only modification required would be to thtr exhaust system & having to fit the rest of my system to their ships/vessels would more than pay for it selve in the short term!.