WO1987001353A1

WO1987001353A1 - Fluid propulsion device with conditioned inertia

Info

Publication number: WO1987001353A1
Application number: PCT/FR1986/000294
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean Bernard Chas
Original assignee: Jean Bernard Chas
Priority date: 1985-09-05
Filing date: 1986-09-02
Publication date: 1987-03-12
Also published as: EP0270544A1; EP0270544B1; FR2593138B2; DE3677021D1; FR2593138A2

Abstract

In order to make it possible to accelerate a fluid traversing the present device while avoiding important frictions and efficiency losses, the device according to the invention is essentially comprised of a combination of two main members: The acceleration member comprised of hollow revolution bodies (1) containing the blades (2) and (3) for driving the fluid, is an assembly having rotation speeds and intended, while renouncing to a large extent to produce an immediate thrust effect, to use the centrifugal force in order to substantially increase the kinetic energy of the fluid. The sail outfit (13) and (14) having its surfaces subjected to the accelerated fluid, reacts, deviates the trajectories, makes them tend towards a privileged direction in the form of elementary jets which tend to be decentrifugated, linear, homogeneous, docile in order to pass round the hubs, gather through an evacuation conduit, or produce special hydrodynamic effects.

Description

The device, object of the invention, entitled: "PROPULSION DEVICE WITH CONDITIONAL INERTIA OF THE FLUID", is intended to accelerate a flow of fluid passing through it, to produce a thrust, a jet which is little penalizing by friction, capable of producing the special effects described later.

The existing means of propulsion in a fluid generally find their driving force by pressure of blading surfaces (blades, oars, fins, blades, sails ...), on the fluid as it occurs in nature. Nowadays the propulsion work is most often that of a motor torque, transmitted by transmission shaft, gear, belt, hydraulic or electric system, to a shaft carrying blades. In the case of the old paddle wheels, this shaft is arranged across the thrust. The thrust on the blades is normal to its flat surface, in the axis of the overall driving thrust, without water sliding. Simple, advantageous solution, but also bulky and vulnerable, which has been little retained. From now on, the shaft carrying the blades seems to be in the axis of the desired thrusts. The blades acting at an angle, with fluid sliding due to the rotational movement. The reaction forces being appreciably perpendicular to the su Blading surfaces, they therefore comprise a longitudinal component, and a centrifugal component. The longitudinal forces constitute, adding to each other, the driving thrust. The centrifugal forces cancel each other out and balance each other out of symmetry.The shape, the pitch of the blades, are very suitable for the conditions of use.The pitch of the surface elements often takes into account the distance to the axis, some propellers have adjustable blades. The blades are often tilted on the back to contain the centrifugal escape of the molecules and to accompany them in their movement while continuing to accelerate them. Given the bias which the blade must take to bite into the fluid, the bias which corresponds to the effort devoted to contain the escape of molecules, the reaction on the blade is only partially exploited for pushing effect. The leading edge takes the fluidity in default, when, the pressure becomes too great, these cavitation pockets are formed which make the yield drop. For this reason, we cannot, at equal power, increase the speed of rotation, to reduce the dimensions of the blades, The idea of making act gradually, below the cavitation, a succession of blades, comes up against the disadvantages of the escape and the mixing of molecules. Behind modern engines: fast diesel, turbines, necessarily interpose important and expensive reducers, s '' acting marine propulsion, and the propellers of high power imply a significant draft. The fluid accelerated by the discontinuous effect of the propeller, is not very homogeneous, stirred, centrifuged, and confronted with the fluid not accelerated in the case of the free propeller. The installation of nozzles makes it possible to isolate the treated flow from the ambient environment. By increasing their shape, the internal pressure, they increase the thrust under certain conditions. The fully shrouded thrusters are heavily penalized by friction qsubmits on fairings, a centrifuged and stirred fluid. If the stirring of water can make one think of the pressurization of a gas, of a favorable state to create a jet, it is in fact a waste of friction of molecules between them and on the fairings. To avoid, at the rear of the propellers, this depression which causes the resistance of the base, such a jet can only bypass the hubs, use a conduit which tightens, only at the cost of significant friction. To remedy this resistance more advantageously some manufacturers use exhaust gases from the engine, which they evacuate through a conduit fitted in the center of the hubs. Regardless of the improvements made or to come, the accumulated know-how represented by the propeller, these processes, by their very principle, are of limited yield.The centrifugal force which is inherent to them, penalizes them heavily.

To go in the direction of ideal conditions of acceleration of a fluid consists in ensuring that:

-although the work is provided by a motor torque, the centrifugal force is not penalizing.

- molecules subject to the same constraints, responding by the same trajectories, there is no longer mixing, but homogeneous fluid.

-the inertia communicated to all the molecules is used for the desired effect, without possible escape.

- friction is avoided or reduced.

-the successive action of blasting on a gradually accelerated fluid is liable. The present invention aims to reverse this situation of the existing technique, which is not entirely satisfactory. This consists in putting centrifugal force on its side, to create the conditions for a more gradual acceleration of the fluid, dodging significant friction by support for surfaces and better conversion of hubs. As the athlete who launches the weight coordinates in a single movement the imperatives of his discipline, the propeller blade must be supported obliquely on the fluid which it attacks and accelerates by countering its centrifugal escape, by accompanying it in its movement to continue to accelerate it. To postpone its throw, the athlete who launches the hammer, finds the means to accelerate its projectile even better. It is with a certain analogy that the device according to the invention offers another way of accelerating a fluid. Of the streamlined propellant type, it gives up a good part to create an immediate effect of thrust. It deliberately chooses, combining the centrifugal force, to accelerate on several turns. This first phase which consists in transforming the work of one or more driving couples into kinetic energy of the fluid, is characterized by the fact that it increases this kinetic energy. The second essential phase of the process being carried out by the meeting with the organ called "Wing", of this relay energy that is the accelerated fluid, thus producing the desired effect. The wing is characterized by the fact that its surfaces, subject to the part of the fluid under pressure, depression, react, deviating the trajectory to finally make it tend towards a preferred direction. Generally subject to several jets coming from the previous organ, the airfoil produces several elementary jets tending to be decentrifuged, linear, homogeneous , docile to be grouped, bypass the hubs, borrow a discharge pipe.

The Fluid Acceleration Body essentially consists of one or more hollow bodies of revolution, containing the fluid drive members, these elements being set in rotational movement by the action of one or more motor torques. By the play of the speeds of rotation and the increasing diameters, this unit exerts a mainly centrifugal acceleration effect. Instead of being penalizing, the centrifugal force is essential to this spiral path of the molecules, and used to advantage for the ordonnan cer against the walls which accompany them as much as possible in their movement. One can consider passing the fluid flow in a spiral from a hollow body into another which would not be centered on the same axis, with the help of a fairing. Thus allowing to deviate, to shift the overall flow. More generally, these hollow bodies are centered on the same axis. When they are concentric, this reduces the bulk, the direction of flow is reversed with each passage of a hollow body into another of larger diameter. The blades and drive members do not necessarily have steps like those of usual propellers and pumps. To communicate a centrifugal acceleration, they are advantageously axial. They point out, with the slip due to the near flow, the work of the blades of impellers. The flow is ensured by the support which takes the fluid on the flared surfaces and on the airfoil. However, the blades equipped with steps contribute advantageously to the priming of the flow, to its regulation, to a supercharging of the device if the overall acceleration is not too strong. Otherwise, they can harm by obstructing the flow, and if they exist, it is good to A retractable shutter flap also makes it possible to control the flow and therefore the resistive torque. The vacuum left in the center of the acceleration member by centrifugation, the increase in internal diameters, the longitudinal acceleration of the fluid. tends to create a return of fluid from the rear in the acceleration organs, generally not desirable. This space is streamlined taking into account the parameters which determine it, or pressurized e n by giving oneself the means To do this, a duct is laid out through the center of the hubs or passing through the airfoil or the jet. The exhaust gases from the engine can be evacuated in this way. It should be noted that if the jet is grouped in a conduit which narrows by leaving only an orifice for what is necessary, the return is no longer made.

The distribution of accelerated, conditioned fluid in the airfoil creates conditions different from those of a propeller encountering a fluid in nature. This is important for the cavitation problem. The fluid vein is no longer stretched, but only compressed, part of the sail surfaces receive the fluid without leading edge. blossoming of the airfoil, the multiplication of the fins, increasing the total surface, reduce the unit pressures. By allowing the fluid to be more accelerated, the device better accommodates high rotational speeds. The Wing, by its ability to make the trajectories tend towards the privileged direction which characterizes it, adapts its forms to the desired goal: reverse wing, lateral thrust, pumping wing. The same device having several wings, the distribution is done by to each other by translation of the members for example. The use of hollow bodies of revolution carrying fins is desirable for the elements intended to be driven in a rotational movement; The wing can be partially fixed or entirely fixed. If it has an axis of symmetry, the jet of annular section is of frustoconical shape open to closed, or cylindrical. Becoming asymmetrical to facilitate installation on board, the wing allows the jet to be deflected or offset. We can also ask it one or more alignments of adjacent elementary jets to form a curtain intended to be waterproof to allow watering in rain to fight against radioactive pollution. At the rear of the wing, a closed jet of annular section highlights evidence the ability of such a curtain to maintain the pressure difference exerted on both sides by fluids. The molecules meeting this curtain are entrained and evacuated. The center is put in depression if it is not faired or pressurized in the same way as for the previous member. In a rudimentary case of making a device according to the invention, consisting of a cone in rotation about its axis, totally or partially submerged, its internal surface constituting at the times and in combination with the accelerator and the airfoil, the jet produced is an open frusto-conical film. Directed against a wall, it delimits a space in depression, the fluid being sucked in the center and evacuated by the jet. Within a certain distance from the wall, the suction becomes preponderant over the thrust, the device forms a suction cup. An underwater diver using a device according to the invention, the l the suction is done in the opposite direction to the thrust and which advantageously produces an open frusto-conical jet, consisting of sufficiently numerous elementary jets, can, directing it against a wall, attach to it, thanks to this hydrodynamic suction cup. Overflowing members prevent the device from coming into contact with the wall, causing the interruption of the phenomenon. Jets forming a waterproof curtain, directed against solid or liquid surfaces, or other curtains, allow to participate in the partitioning of pressurized volumes, to bring the unalterable flexibility that may be necessary. As for the air cushion skirts, a succession of curtains allows to add tolerable pressure differences for each of them . In the case of a catamaran ship, for example, the surface of the water, the deck, the two hulls, as well as a front and aft partitioning supplemented by such curtains, constituted by a pressurizable volume, making it possible to lighten the ship of all or part of its weight, to better propel it. The jets having played this role, if they meet to be diverted there, profiled surfaces integral with the ship, can still participate in the propulsion. These surfaces can belong to skids with a hydrodynamic effect. The jets forming such curtains have not necessarily been accelerated in accordance with the invention, whether for part or all of them.

Even if the device according to the invention makes it possible, by its principle, to dodge significant friction, there are still unnecessary, inevitable, penalizing effects. As is the care taken in drawing the profiles of hollow bodies, of blades and their distribution, the care taken in polishing surfaces, in the use of lubricated or self-lubricating materials for the surfaces concerned, has an impact on performance. The best way to make the device according to the invention, shown in Fig. 1, consists of a streamlined marine propellant, of the hydro-jet type, fixed inside the ship, in which the acceleration of the fluid takes place in accordance with The acceleration member consists of a hollow body of revolution with a flared profile, offering an increasing internal diameter (1), carrying eight profiled axial blades (2), and a propeller with two blades. orientable (3). The vacuum which would be created in the center is streamlined, a shutter plate (5) closing this shroud (4). The shutter plate has its periphery secured to the hollow body, and fitted with orifices or passes the fluid. acceleration member forms an integral unit of the transmission axis coming to be centered in a bearing (6) integral with the airfoil. This member is wrapped. a fixed cover (7), crossed by the shaft at (8), the seal being ensured by a cable gland. This fairing open in the direction of the supply, fixed nozzle shape at (9), at the entry of the acceleration device. Semi-tight seals (10) and (10 bis) delimit an interstice provided with vents (11), allowing the water to be evacuated by centrifugation. (12) allowing the replacement of the water evacuated by air reducing friction. The airfoil consists of a hollow body of revolution (13) centered on the same axis, made integral with the previous fairing, and fixed to the ship .The hollow body carries twelve decentrifugation fins (14) connected to the centering bearing. A conduit (15) passing behind a fin makes it possible to act on the pressure in the center. A cone (16) groups the tairas element jets to evacuate them outside. A folding return elbow (17) reverses the gait, the fins have been tilted so that the path of the accelerated fluid hitting them is in a plane perpendicular to their surface, and they have also been formed to cause the jets to converge. in the cone. As with any installation of this type, the suction is arranged to work well whatever the speed reached. It is provided with grids limiting the size of the foreign bodies passing through the device. Evacuation is done at the rear of the ship, preferably in semi-immersion, allowing priming without requiring other arrangements. The existing technique offers the possibility of a step forward taking place inside the ship to evacuate, more easily in some cases, under the hull of the ship. It is important to provide the means of disassembly, cleaning, adjustment of the supply flow, safety valve. The main advantages being to have a remarkably constant thrust, whatever the speed taken by the ship, of a device which is not very dangerous, not very vulnerable, requiring little draft. Such a faculty of pumping, diverted towards the wedge, allows deballasting, to fight against a waterway. The adjustable jet or directed on orientable surfaces provides the control surface. Other industrial applications consist of installing lateral thrusters, replacing a propeller, particularly on outboard motors, or on toys so that they are harmless. also downstream of an existing propeller, the acceleration member being integral or independent of the propeller, to isolate the flow of the propeller, treat all or part of the flow, usable on the wing. Or on a boat, be a removable, portable, orientable pump which, when the boat hook cannot bear on a quay, provides the few pulses, at high power, to help the maneuver. A container on the deck making priming more easy. The acceleration of other fluids, mainly air, is an important area of industrial applications, and also the handling of grain in silos.

Claims

1. Device intended to accelerate a flow of fluid passing through it, characterized in that it consists essentially and in combination of an acceleration member and a wing. The acceleration member consists of one or more hollow bodies of revolution and fluid drive members. These rotating elements form a rotating assembly, intended to increase the kinetic energy of the fluid, by imparting to it a progressive acceleration, largely centrifugal. The airfoil consists essentially of a set of surfaces such as subjected to the distributed accelerated fluid by the previous organ, they react, divert the trajectories, to finally make them tend towards a privileged direction, in the form of elementary jets, tending to be decentrifuged, linear.

2. Device according to claim (1), characterized in that it has been remedied the damaging depressions created in the center of the device, by fairing, pressurization.

3. Device according to claims (1) e (2), characterized in that the overall jet has been grouped in a conduit going narrowing, provided with a system for reversing the thrust.

4. Device according to claims (1) and (2), characterized in that having several wings.

5. Device according to claims (i) and. (2), characterized in that portable and adjustable.

6. Device according to claim (1), characterized in that sucking in the opposite direction of the push, producing an open frusto-conical jet, making a suction cup against a wall.

7. Device according to claims (1) and (2), characterized in that its airfoil produces one or more alignments of j elementary j jet forming curtain tight to the pressure of fluids.

8. Device according to claim (7) characterized in that contributing to the partitioning of a pressurized volume.

9. Device according to claims (1) and (2) .Characterized in that disposed downstream of an existing propeller.