RU2066657C1 - Method and device for weakening strength of ice cover or breaking ice cover - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: underwater sea technology; creation of submersible water craft for operation in regions where stable ice cover is likely to be present. SUBSTANCE: device for weakening or breaking ice cover is made in form of punch which possesses positive residual buoyancy; punch is launched from water craft and is accelerated under action of buoyant force to such speed which is adequate for accumulation of kinetic energy required for weakening or breaking the ice cover. Punch is made in form of streamlined body of revolution with hollow nontight housing in strengthened head portion. Provided in lower (tail) portion of housing is hole for receiving the compressed gas supply branch pipe carried on water craft. Provided in lower section of head portion of punch over perimeter of cross-section in plating of housing are holes for escape of gas expanding in floating up. Holes are closed from inside with common manifold from which gas collecting pipes run to lower portion of punch hollow housing. Expanding gas escaping from holes in punch housing forms gas lubricant, thus reducing resistance of floating punch and increasing speed of its motion. Drain hole of device is provided with float valve. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency and reliability, low cost, ecological safety. 3 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to underwater marine technology and can be used to create underwater boats designed to work in areas where there may be stable ice cover (Arctic, Antarctic and other areas).

 There are various methods of ice cover destruction based on mechanical, thermal, chemical and other influences (see, for example, Bogorodsky VV Gavrilo V. P. Nedoshivin OA "Ice Destruction" L. Hydrometeoizdat, 1983). The simplest and relatively easy to implement methods are those based on mechanical action on the ice cover (cracking, breaking, cutting, etc.). Such methods are widely practiced in the destruction of ice from floating or other means located on the surface of the sea. At the same time, it is of great interest to ensure that ice can be destroyed from under water using devices located on underwater boats. The relevance and importance of solving this problem is due to the increasing expansion of work on the development of the oceans in high latitude areas, where ice cover has been occurring for a considerable time, and, in particular, the need to have sufficiently reliable means to save people from emergency craft under ice .

 A known method of mechanical destruction of ice from a submarine using an explosive device (see US invention N 3791296 "Explosive device for breaking ice"). According to this invention, to destroy the ice during the explosion and to form a wormwood for the submarine to emerge, a pop-up explosive device is released from its torpedo tube, which includes a body, a float fixed with the possibility of detachment at one end of the body, giving the device positive residual buoyancy and causing the device to float on surface. An explosive device contains an explosive charge placed in its housing, a hydrostatic switch and an explosive device retarder, an electric power source, an electric pyro cartridge, a system for stabilizing the position and suspension of the device on a float at a depth of several meters under ice, an explosive blasting system and etc.

 Released from a torpedo tube such a device, slowing down its movement, floats under the years and hangs on a float at a distance of several meters from it. After that, the explosive is blown up and destroyed by the explosion of ice cover.

 The application of the described known device can be taken as a prototype of the proposed solution.

However, despite the fact that the method of ice destruction using an explosion in itself seems quite effective, it also has a number of significant drawbacks:
to implement it from an underwater craft requires the use of a rather expensive and complex device, which includes a large number of interacting mechanical and electrical components, ensuring high reliability of which seems a difficult task;
the device is irretrievably destroyed during its use, which, in turn, necessitates having a supply of such devices on the boat and an appropriate place for their storage;
the possibility of using the civilian craft described in the prototype of the device is difficult, because due to the lack of full-time torpedo tubes it will be necessary to install special launchers on it and ensure the possibility of safe storage of explosive objects in the body of the vehicle;
The method of ice destruction by explosion is associated with environmental adverse environmental consequences due to both the direct impact of the shock wave and the effects of chemicals formed during the explosion.

 The technical result of the invention is the elimination of these disadvantages of the prototype and the creation of a highly efficient cheaper and more reliable way of weakening the strength to destroy the ice cover to enable the ascent of an underwater craft without harmful environmental consequences for the environment.

 The specified technical result is achieved in that the piercer is given positive residual buoyancy and, releasing it from the vessel, it is accelerated under the action of the lifting force due to this residual buoyancy to a speed sufficient to accumulate by the pop-up piercer necessary to weaken the strength or destruction of the ice cover upon impact about him a punch of kinetic energy.

 A device for implementing this method (punch), in order to reduce its weight and size and cost characteristics, is made in the form of a streamlined body of revolution with a hollow permeable body and a hardened head part, with an opening for entering into it placed on it in the lower (tail) part of the permeable body a vessel for supplying compressed gas from its storage system for blowing a punch (squeezing water out of its body to give it a positive residual before starting from a vessel buoyancy.

 To increase the effectiveness of the punch without additional energy consumption by increasing the maximum speed of its movement due to the use of the "gas" lubrication effect on the lower part of the head of the punch to ensure that the compressed gas expanding when the punch comes up along the perimeter of the cross-section, holes are made in the casing of the casing, from the inside the casing is closed by an annular gas collector (collector) equipped with gas sampling tubes.The upper ends of the gas sampling tubes are rigidly connected to the gas collector nickname, and the lower ends are led out to the lower tail of the hollow body of the punch. To ensure that the compressed gas (air) pipe is inserted into the hollow body of the punch and outboard water is extruded when it is pressed with compressed gas, a hole equipped with a float is provided in the (tail) bottom of the punch body a valve designed to close the hole after leaving the body of the punch of seawater and to prevent the release of compressed gas (air) through this hole, which, expanding upon ascent, along the gas collection it passes into the gas collector (collector) and then through the holes in the casing of the lower section of the head part of the punch is fed to its outer surface.

 Spreading over the surface of a moving punch, gas bubbles, creating the effect of "gas lubrication", help to reduce the resistance to movement due to friction of water and increase the speed of movement, and, consequently, the kinetic energy of the punch, which is used to break it when it hits the ice.

 Thus, this method of weakening the strength or destruction of the ice cover differs from all known solutions in this area by the use of a pop-up punch having a hollow permeable body, purged with compressed gas (for example, air). Thus, the punch is given the positive residual buoyancy necessary for its ascent and acceleration to the design speed. In addition, the gas expanding upon ascent creates the effect of "gas lubrication", falling on the outer surface of the punch body through gas collection tubes and through the collector, which increases its efficiency.

 This method allows to reduce the cost and increase the reliability of the operation to destroy the ice cover without harmful environmental consequences.

 The invention is illustrated by drawings, where: 1 longitudinal section of a punch mounted on an underwater object; in FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the punch at the time of emergence from the underwater object after blowing the punch with compressed gas; in FIG. 3 general view of the punch at the time of ascent to the ice surface; in FIG. 4 general view of the punch at the moment of impact on the ice cover.

 To implement the method of weakening the strength and destruction of the ice cover to enable the ascent of the underwater craft 1, a pop-up punch device is installed on it, including a streamlined hollow body 2, the head of which 3 is hardened. On the lower part of the head part 3 of the case 2 of the punch, holes 4 are made along the perimeter of the cross section in the casing of the case 2, inside of the case 2 they are closed by an annular gas collector 5 (collector) equipped with gas collection tubes 6. The upper ends of the tubes 6 are rigidly connected to the gas collector 5, and the lower ( loose) the ends are brought into the lower tail part of the hollow body 2 of the punch. An end opening 7 is provided in the rear part of the piercer body 2, equipped with a float valve 8. The underwater craft is equipped with a device for storing and supplying compressed gas (air) 9, having an outlet pipe 10.

 A method of weakening the strength or destruction of the ice cover to enable the ascent of an underwater craft is as follows.

 A portion of compressed gas (air), selected on the basis of specific conditions from the storage device 9 is supplied through the pipe 10 into the inside of the hollow body 2 of the punch. Compressed gas (air) squeezes outboard water from the inner cavity of the punch body 2 through the end hole 7, gas pipes 6 and openings 4. At the end of the outboard water extrusion process, the float valve 8 closes the end hole 7. The punch acquires positive residual buoyancy and begins to float , gradually accelerating to a given speed of steady motion. Compressed gas, squeezed outboard water from the body 2 of the punch at the initial depth of the underwater craft 1, during the ascent begins to expand. The expanding compressed gas (air) through the gas exhaust pipes 6, the free ends of which are brought out to the lower (tail) part of the hollow body 2, enters the annular gas collector (manifold) 5. From the manifold 5, the expanding gas through the openings 4 in the casing of the body 2 goes out to the head part 3 of the punch and wraps around its outer surface. The effect of "gas lubrication" is created, which contributes to an increase in the speed of movement of the punch and the kinetic energy of the impact. The punch accelerator, which has accelerated, strikes the ice cover, thereby weakening its strength or breaking through wormwood, into which the underwater craft 1 then floats.

Claims (3)

 1. A method of weakening the strength or destruction of the ice cover by dynamically affecting the bottom surface of a piercer launched from an underwater craft, which has a kinetic energy reserve, characterized in that before launching the piercer it is given positive buoyancy by replacing water with compressed gas, and the launch is performed by separating said piercer from boats for the free ascent of the latter.  2. Device for weakening the strength or destruction of the ice cover, containing a punch mounted on a submarine with the possibility of separation from the latter, characterized in that the punch is made with a streamlined hollow permeable body having the shape of a body of revolution, while the tail part is made with an opening for connection with a nozzle for supplying compressed gas to the piercer body located on the boat.  3. The device according to p. 2, characterized in that on the lower portion of the head of the punch along the perimeter of the cross section of its body, openings are made for the outlet of compressed gas, and on the inside of the body there is a collector equipped with gas collection tubes, the upper end of each tube being rigidly connected with a collector, and the lower end is located in the rear of the said housing, while the device is equipped with a shutoff valve blocking the hole for connection to the compressed gas supply pipe.

Images