RU2581511C1 - Hovercraft - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aviation.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to air and amphibious transport and vessels on dynamic air cushion. Hovercraft comprises wing small elongation, above which there are engines with propellers, coupled with air channels flexible guard. Wing trailing edge is located in plane parallel to design waterline. Engines are installed above wing so that air screws are located below wing top surface. For screws on wing are bucket cavity to make air channel connecting space above wing front propeller with space under wing for propeller, as well as with system of channels flexible guard wing made at its front edge and limited at front slat.

EFFECT: improved aerodynamic quality and simple design of hovercraft.

2 cl, 11 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of air and amphibious transport, and in particular to devices based on a dynamic air cushion, using the screen effect in their movement. The invention can be used in the development of ekranoplanes for economic purposes.

From the technical literature, the lightweight WIG X-113 is known (see Belavin N.I. Ekranoplanes, L., Sudostroenie, 1977, p. 98-99), consisting of a center section made in the form of a wing of small elongation of a triangular shape in the plan, in the back of which a T-tail is installed. Above the wing on the pylon is an engine with a propeller. The ekranoplan has stability floats and end washers with ailerons.

Also known is the four-seater winged aircraft X-114 (see ibid., Pp. 118 and 146-147), which has two displacement floats, a body located on the leading edge of the wing above the surface of the screen, and a motor unit with a pushing propeller located on the pilot above triangular wing in plan.

At the ends of the wing end washers with ailerons are installed, and in its rear part is a T-tail.

The disadvantage of these devices is the isolation of the main units (fuselage, boat, tail) in the aerodynamic layout of the ekranolet, which leads to an increase in aerodynamic drag and the mass of its structure.

The closest technical solution, the prototype of the present invention is an ekranoplane (see US patent No. 3.379.395, class 244-12), consisting of a supporting wing-hull of an ellipsoidal shape in the plan on which the cockpit is located. The wing consoles and the tail are docked to the hull.

In the front part of the wing-housing there is an engine with a propeller in the annular channel, which pumps the air flow into the flexible fence of the air cushion formed under the wing by the side fences.

The disadvantages of the above devices are complex design, low aerodynamic quality and high engine power required to create an air cushion.

The technical task of this invention is to increase the aerodynamic quality of an ekranoplane and simplify its design.

The specified problem is solved as follows.

The winged hull is made in the form of a single hull vessel with hydrodynamic contours, and the wing is attached to the hull by at least 1/4 of its root chord to the hull at the level of hull interface with the deck, and the trailing edge of the wing is located in a plane parallel to the structural waterline, in addition, the engines are installed above the wing so that the propellers are located below the upper surface of the wing, and behind the screws on the wing there are bucket-shaped cavities forming an air channel connecting the space above the wing in front of the screw with the space under the wing behind the propeller, as well as with a system of channels of flexible wing fencing made along its front edge and bounded by a slat in front, in addition, the V-shaped tail unit is fixed to the hull at the deck level in the aft part of the hull and is installed in the area contour, swept by propellers.

The ekranoplane has a mast made in the form of a wing with a symmetrical aerodynamic profile, at the top of which an aileron is located in the end part of its aerodynamic profile.

In FIG. 1-3 are given three projections of an ekranoplan.

In FIG. Figure 4-6 shows an ekranoplane in three projections (right, top and front) without end washers on the wing. In this embodiment, an aerodynamic mast with a vertical aileron is installed on the ekranoplane.

In FIG. 7 shows a system of blowing air under the wing of an winged wing to form an air cushion and create a flexible fence in front of the wing. When driving on an air cushion.

In FIG. 8, the air blowing system is shown flying above the screen in cruise mode. Flexible fence in the retracted position.

In FIG. 9 shows bucket-shaped cavities for supplying air into the air channels of the flexible fence and under the wing in section along the wingspan.

In FIG. 10 shows a slat release mechanism. Slat in the retracted position.

In FIG. 11 shows a slat in the released position.

The ekranoplan consists of a displacement hull 1 with hydrodynamic contours of a speed boat. Hull type deep V, high seaworthiness (for example, the boat "Mongoose", project 12150 or patrol boat "Hawk" project 12260). The hull and deck 2 are interconnected via a pairing line 3 (along the fender). There is a commander’s cabin 4 on the deck, and inside the hull there are passenger salons, navigation and airborne equipment.

A wing of small elongation 5 is docked along the line connecting the hull with the deck to the hull using the longitudinal force elements of the wing — side members 6. The side members 6 are rigidly connected to the frames of the vessel and its longitudinal force elements (stringers, skin, etc. - not shown). Wing 5 of the ekranoplan on its root chord 7 is attached to the hull 1.

Wing 5 along the root chord is given an installation angle of 6 ° -9 °.

When viewed from the front, the wing is set to the opposite V within 6 ° -10 °.

At the ends of the wing installed end washers 8, located at a positive angle to the horizontal plane. Ailerons 9 are installed on the end washers. The rigid trailing edge 10 of the wing, when viewed from above, is located in a straight line. An elastic flexible surface 11 is fixed on the rigid trailing edge of the wing, forming a flexible trailing surface of the wing. The flexible surface has a fins-like appearance, it is made of sheet material such as rubber or polyethylene reinforced with nylon fabric or metal mesh.

The elastic surface perceives the load of the air flow, and its flexibility reduces dynamic loads when the trailing edge of the water surface touches the movement of the winged craft. The surface 11 can be reinforced with additional armor plates to increase its rigidity (not shown). The rear edge of the elastic surface 11, when viewed from above, is cut off by an elliptic curve 12. Thus, the rear edge 12 and the end chords of the wing, on which, in addition to the end washers 8, the lateral stability floats 13 are installed, are in the plane of the structural water line 14.

The power set of the wing consists of elements typical for aircraft structures (ribs, spars, stringers) and skin in the case of a metal structure. In the manufacture of a fiberglass wing, its power set may consist of spars and three-layer power panels.

Engines 15 with a propeller 16 are installed on the upper surface of the winged wing.

The engine is mounted on the wing using pylon 17 and a standard engine mount.

In the aft part of the hull, along the interface line 3, a V-tail is attached to the hull, which consists of keels 18 and steering wheels 19. When taxiing at low speed, a standard water rudder is located on the hull in the stern.

To increase the efficiency of the air rudders 19 they are located in the contour of the plane swept by the propeller 16.

To reduce the size of the ekranoplane, instead of the end washers 8 with ailerons of the traditional type 9, an aerodynamic mast 20 with a vertical aileron 21 can be installed on the ekranoplane (Fig. 4-6). In this case, the wing span of the ekranoplan decreases by 6-8 m and its aerodynamic drag decreases due to a decrease in the air drag of a traditional ship's mast.

If there are end washers 8 with ailerons 9 at the wing ends, the mast of the ekranoplan has an aerodynamic fairing, and it is made in the form of a vertically mounted wing of large elongation. When operating an ekranoplan in marine waters, a mast 20 with aileron 21 (Fig. 4-6) is always installed to increase the lateral controllability and stability of the ekranoplan.

The plane of rotation of the propeller 16 is located below the upper surface 22 of the wing 5 (Fig. 7), thus, a spherical recess is formed in front of the screw on the wing surface, the edge 23 of which is located beyond the plane of rotation of the screw and limits it from below, forming an annular section of the air channel 24 from below which connects the space above the wing in front of the propeller with the space under the wing 25 behind the plane of rotation of the screw. The space 25 is a cavity of a static air cushion, limited at the ends of the wing by floats 13, behind and on the sides by an elastic surface 11, and in front by a flexible fence.

Behind the plane of rotation of the propeller is a bucket cavity 26 with an arched front edge. Below it, a bucket-shaped sash 28 is mounted on the hinge 27. An air channel 29 is formed between the cavity 26 and the bucket-shaped sash 28, which is connected through the windows 30 of the air duct 31 and the windows 32 to the cavity 33 formed in the nose of the wing. On the front edge 34 of the wing 5 using the hinge 35 installed slat 36.

An elastic shell 37 of an airtight fabric is sealed along the contour of the lower edge of the slat and the lower wing skin (along the edge of the cavity 33). The shell 37 together with the slat 36 forms a front flexible enclosure of the air cushion, which creates the air flow from the screw 16 when the engine 15.

The sheath 37 of the flexible fence is removed into the cavity 33 in the nose of the wing using a cable 38, fixed at one end to the wing skin inside the cavity 33 and passed through the eyelet on the lower inner surface of the shell 37. The other end of the cable 38 is wound through the block onto the drum 39 using an electric motor .

The slat 36 is released and lifted by means of a hydraulic cylinder 40, which is mounted on the wing spar with a hinge 41. The rod 42 of the hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected to the bracket 43 of the slat.

In the retracted position, the slat fits snugly to the lower skin of the front of the wing, tightly closing the cavity 33 in the sealed shell 37 removed in its volume.

WIG operates as follows. After starting and warming up the engines, the pilot, using the remote control, lowers the sash 28 to the lower position. This opens the channel 29, through which air under pressure through the window 30, the duct 31 and the window 32 enters the cavity 33. Then, automatically from the pressure sensors (which in the cavity 33 increases with increasing engine speed), the drum motor 39 is turned on and driven into movement of the rod 42 of the hydraulic cylinder 40 (under the action of the onboard hydraulic system). In this case, a slat 36 is released, the cable 38 is unwound at the same time, and the sealed sheath is extended by the slat (and air pressure) and leaves the cavity 33, occupying the working position (as shown in Fig. 7).

In this case, the propeller captures the air flow over the wing along the channel 24, bounded below by the annular edge 23, and pumps it down under the wing. In this case, a vacuum is created above the wing due to the high speed of the flow above the wing and increased pressure under it due to the flow of the propeller.

With a further increase in engine speed, the pressure under the wing in space 25 increases and the winged wing partially or fully rests on a static air cushion. The air cushion under the wing is limited along the perimeter of the wing: the front flexible fence (slat, sheath 37), floats 13 and trailing edge 12, elastic surface 11.

The lower edges of the listed air surface fences are in a plane parallel to the waterline.

After the ekranoplan enters an air cushion, the pilot increases engine power and starts moving on a static air cushion from the parking lot to the take-off site.

At the same time, the pilot controls the course with the help of a water rudder and air rudders synchronously acting with it 19. Efficiency of the air rudders even at a low speed is sufficient for taxiing, since the rudders are located in the contour of the plane of rotation of the propellers and operate in the air flows discarded by them.

For on-site turns and turns with a small radius of movement, the pilot uses propellers, differentially varying the power of the engines.

After entering the open water area, the pilot switches the engines to takeoff mode and the winged aircraft starts to take off on a static air cushion.

At the same time, its hydrodynamic resistance is small, since the device does not move in a displacement mode, but on an air cushion. In this case, the ekranoplan does not require significant engine power for take-off, since there is no “hump of resistance" characteristic of the take-off of high-speed planing vessels or ekranoplanes with a displacement hull.

Upon reaching 90% of the take-off speed, the pilot closes the wing 28, moving it with the remote control to the upper position. The pressure in the cavity 33 drops. Pressure sensors drive a drum for winding a cable and a hydraulic cylinder for lifting a slat. In this case, the pressure in the shell 37 drops, and it is removed by the action of the cable into the cavity 33, which is closed from below by a slat. The rising slat, in addition, contributes to the oncoming high-speed flow of air. The slat in the raised position provides the front part of the wing from below a predetermined aerodynamic profile.

When the take-off speed is reached, the pilot takes the helm “on himself”, while the rudders 18 simultaneously deviate upward and, acting as elevators, provide the ekranoplan to reach the design mode and cruise flight at an altitude of 2-3 m above the surface of the water. The V-shaped tail unit works simultaneously as rudders (when they deviate in different directions and as elevators. When they are deviated simultaneously down or up). This so-called V-shaped plumage of Rudlitsky is well known in aviation technology.

Management of ekranoplane roll is carried out using ailerons 9 located at the ends of the wing. For the ekranoplan designed for sluice or short-term movement along the channels, an aerodynamic mast with a vertical aileron 21 is installed. At the same time, the wing span is significantly reduced while maintaining the flight technical characteristics of the ekranoplan.

After reaching the cruising flight mode (flying above the surface of the water), the engine power is reduced, and they are transferred to the cruising mode.

WIG landing makes in the reverse order. Reduce engine power, reducing speed to landing. After touching the surface of the water and reducing speed, the pilot opens the sash 28 and delivers air into the cavity 33, while the automatic release of the slat and flexible fencing. In this case, the device automatically switches to a static air cushion. In the mode of movement on a static air cushion, the device continues to move to the parking lot. Moreover, it can move along the shallows, shallow water, water areas, overgrown with grasses and small bushes, to a solid coastal area.

Compared with the prototype, the proposed ekranoplan has a higher aerodynamic quality, less hydrodynamic drag and better operational properties. The relative weight of the proposed ekranoplan is lower than that of the prototype, due to the optimality of the contours of the external and aerodynamic forms.

Claims (2)

1. An ekranoplan, consisting of a hull with a deck, to which the tail unit and a wing of small elongation are attached, over which engines with propellers are installed, paired with air channels of a flexible enclosure, characterized in that the ekranoplan hull is made in the form of a single-hull vessel with hydrodynamic contours, moreover, the wing is attached to the hull by at least 1/4 of its root chord at the level of mating the hull with the deck, and the trailing edge of the wing is located in a plane parallel to the structural water line, in addition, latches are mounted above the wing so that the propellers are located below the upper surface of the wing, and behind the screws on the wing there are bucket-shaped cavities forming an air channel connecting the space above the wing in front of the airscrew with the space under the wing behind the airscrew, as well as with the flexible duct system fencing of the wing, made along its front edge and bounded in front by a slat, in addition, the V-shaped tail unit is fixed to the hull at the deck level in the aft part of the hull and installed but in the circuit area swept propellers. 2. Wing according to claim 1, characterized in that its mast is made in the form of a wing with a symmetrical aerodynamic profile, at the top of which there is an aileron in the end part of its aerodynamic profile.

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