WO1997048586A1

WO1997048586A1 - Ground-effect vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO1997048586A1
Application number: PCT/DE1997/001243
Authority: WO
Inventors: Albert Blum; Klaus Blum
Original assignee: Abs-Research And Development Ltd.
Priority date: 1996-06-18
Filing date: 1997-06-14
Publication date: 1997-12-24
Also published as: DE19624159A1; DE19624159C2; EP0854810A1; AU3433297A

Abstract

The invention relates to a ground-effect vehicle for the conveyance of goods and/or people. Said vehicle comprises at least one hull, ground-effect bearing surfaces for producing a ground-effect air cushion, a stream deflector carrier with a stream deflector, a drive device with at least one air propeller, and floats for manoeuvring in water. The object of the invention is therefore to produce a ground-effect vehicle in which the problematic starting phase in water is considerably shorter, manoeuvrability is improved and efficiency of the drive system in the starting phase is optimised. The invention is characterised in that the hull (6) between the outer floats (3, 4) is connected to a subassembly which forms a flare module and comprises ground-effect bearing surfaces (5), stream deflector carriers (7) with vertical and side stream deflectors (11, 10) and an air propeller (1). The drive mechanism is additionally provided with at least one water drive associated with the hull (6) or the floats (12, 13) and comprising at least one marine screw propeller (2) and/or at least one hydrojet acting on the water.

Description

Ground effect vehicle

The invention relates to a floor effect vehicle for the transport of goods and / or people, consisting of at least one fuselage, floor effect support surfaces for producing a floor effect air cushion, an empennage carrier with an empennage, a drive device with at least one air propeller and floats for maneuvering in Water.

Such ground effect vehicles have become known under a wide variety of names and are generally equipped as floats and ground effect wings as vehicles operating at very low altitudes above water surfaces, which can glide over water and ground surfaces in the ground effect. With such ground effect vehicles, it is of crucial importance that the swimmers in the water are lifted out of the water as quickly as possible, because with increasing speed in the water they cause an extremely high energy expenditure and thus the starting distance, the starting time and the weight are required by them ¬ have a very significant negative impact on the heavier drive motors.

Such a floor effect vehicle has become known from DE-AS 18 33 311, in which two floor effect wings are arranged to the side of the fuselage, which are provided with floats at the outer end. At the rear end of the floor effect wings there are also two tail booms which are connected to one another by a horizontal tailplane. As a drive device for flight under ground effect conditions a motor-driven thrust propeller is provided at the stern of the fuselage. Furthermore, this floor effect vehicle has an additional drive for simple water travel at low speed. This additional drive consists of a water propeller (ship's propeller) which is also arranged at the rear of the floor effect vehicle and can be folded out into the operating position.

Further known variants of floor effect vehicles can be found in the magazine "Schiff & Hafen", issue 9/1994, pages 148 to 150. These floor effect vehicles also consist of a fuselage with side floor effect wings and a tail assembly in the rear area. The propulsion takes place here by air propellers which are driven by motors and which, if appropriate, are encased and are positioned as far as possible above the waterline in the front or rear area of the ground effect vehicle.

Such ground effect vehicles show the known disadvantages, which consist in that on the one hand a considerable acceleration distance in the water is required until the take-off speed is reached, which on the one hand causes a higher weight due to the necessary engine power due to the stronger engines and noise and on the other hand, it results in considerable fuel consumption. Furthermore, a change in the center of gravity, which can mainly occur in the longitudinal direction, is problematic in such floor effect vehicles, since the angle of attack of the floor effect wings can be changed in an undesirable manner. The result is unstable behavior, which must be corrected again and again between take-off phase and horizontal flight.

The object of the invention is therefore to create a floor effect vehicle and a method for operating such a floor effect vehicle, in which the problematic starting phase in the water is considerably shortened and with which the maneuverability is improved and the drive efficiency is optimized in the starting phase will and predominantly near the coast, because of the silent operation, it can only be maneuvered with the water drive and achieves the best efficiency both in water and in the air.

The object on which the invention is based is achieved in a floor effect vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset in that the fuselage between the outer floats is connected to an assembly which forms a flare module, consisting of floor effect support surfaces, tail booms with vertical and vertical stabilizers and propeller, and in that the drive device is additionally provided is provided with at least one water drive, which consists of at least one propeller acting on the water and / or at least one water jet drive.

This solution creates an easy-to-manufacture and easy-to-maintain ground-effect vehicle, which is very quiet and extremely manoeuvrable in the water near the coast and in which a significant increase in the efficiency of the drive device is achieved, as a result of which a considerable saving in fuel and a substantial reduction in time the problematic start phase in water is reached. In addition, the start phase is considerably shortened. Another advantage can be seen in the fact that the emergency drive, which is otherwise required for ground-effect vehicles for safety reasons and acts directly on the water, can be dispensed with.

Preferably, the drive motor of the drive device can be reversed from the water drive to the air propeller during the starting phase.

The water drive and the air propeller can alternatively run in all operating states.

The drive acting on the water, consisting of a propeller or water jet drive, should have a share of the installed total output of more than 10%, so that sufficient acceleration during water travel and is achieved in the starting phase.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is provided with a steering device acting in the water, which consists either of at least one rudder or of the water drive, the screw or thrust jet of which can be pivoted essentially in a plane parallel to the water surface.

To reduce the air resistance, the screw of the water drive can be moved into the fuselage when it is switched off. For this purpose, the fuselage can be provided with a closable fuselage opening.

To reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, a comparatively small internal combustion engine can be provided if, in the start phase, a turbocharger specially designed for this allows a significant increase in performance for a short time by significantly increasing the boost pressure, i.e. overboost operation. The additional power can be converted into thrust via the air propeller and the water drive. The increased boost pressure can be maintained as long as sufficient cooling of the machine is ensured. In this way, a significant increase in performance can be achieved in the critical phases at the start without much additional effort.

The phase of the wastewater is critical in the case of ground effect vehicles, since in this state the buoyancy forces shift from the water to the air. As soon as the air forces do not have exactly the same position of the resultant as the water forces, a pitching moment would arise so that the vehicle either falls forward again into the water - which would be uncritical due to the self-stabilizing effect - or rears up and rises steeply upwards carries out a so-called pitch-up, which leads to very dangerous conditions. The combination of the water / air drive according to the invention minimizes this risk of pitch-up, since the water drive generates a positive pitching moment, that is, lifts the nose upwards, which is not necessary when sewage is discharged, so that the vehicle loses itself stabilized when taking off, or falls back into the water in the wrong trim state or in the case of incorrect control movements, but does not tend to pitch up.

The axis of rotation of the wing lies congruently on the newly designed trailing edge of the wing, at right angles to the longitudinal axis, so that the air cushion under the structure is optimally sealed to the rear in the important phase of sewage. Thanks to this design, a maximum angle of attack with the greatest possible buoyancy of the structure at a low lift-off speed can be achieved during the starting phase. In the case of a non-straight, right-angled design or a different position of the rear edge, either a maximum sealing of the storage space or a maximum angle of attack of the supporting structure is possible, but not both at the same time.

The water drive should be behind the axis of rotation (rear edge of the wing) and so deep in the water that the thrust effect of the water drive is interrupted only by the waste water and not by the pitching movement of the fuselage.

Furthermore, short canard wings can be arranged on the fuselage at a distance from the floor effect wings. These are used in particular to effectively control the angle of attack, which is given by the large lever arm to the rear straight wing edge, which corresponds to the axis of rotation. In addition, the canard wings can take over the normal elevator function.

The object on which the invention is based is further achieved by a method for operating a ground effect vehicle, in which the ground effect vehicle is driven by at least one propeller acting on the water or a water jet drive during the starting phase is and during the flight phase exclusively by the air propeller, which can be driven by the same or by a separate motor. The water drive and the air drive can run together, but each can be switched on and off separately.

The power distribution between the propeller and the water drive can also be regulated continuously during the transition from the start phase to the flight phase.

As a result, the drop in water thrust and the increase in air drive thrust take place continuously, so that the otherwise occurring problems which lead to a change in the longitudinal moments when leaving the water and the associated pitching movement, pitch dynamics or loss of stability, λ ' can be avoided. The drive thrust can be reversed by adjusting the blades of the propeller and / or the propeller.

The reversal of the power distribution can also be dependent on a parameter of the water drive which is dependent on the medium water, such as, for example, the speed or the torque, the output power, the operating temperature, the forward speed in the air and / or in water or one These parameters are combined, a control device, such as an electronic control device, redirecting the distribution of the drive energy during the transition from the start phase to the flight phase.

When using two or more hulls (catamaran, trimaran), the control of the floor effect vehicle can expediently take place by mutually changing the thrust force of the drive devices.

The invention will be explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. In the accompanying drawing: 1 shows a side view of a floor effect vehicle according to the invention with an air propeller drive and a propeller drive acting on the water and two lateral outer floats;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the floor effect vehicle according to FIG. 1 with a raised tail assembly; FIG.

3 shows the rear view of the ground effect vehicle according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom view of the floor effect vehicle according to FIG. 1;

5 shows a perspective top view of the ground effect vehicle according to FIG. 1;

6 shows a side view of a floor effect vehicle with floor effect wings in the form of a high-wing aircraft with longitudinal floats for receiving the tail unit and the propeller drive;

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the floor effect vehicle according to FIG. 6; and

8 shows the rear view of the ground effect vehicle according to FIG. 6.

1 to 5 show a ground effect vehicle according to the invention with a jacketed air propeller drive 1 and a drive acting on the water with a propeller 2 and two lateral outer floats 3, 4. Between the outer floats 3, 4 there is a floor effect wing 5 on which a hull 6 is arranged in the center. At the rear end of the fuselage 6, as seen in the direction of travel, a tail boom 7 is fastened, the two longitudinal arms 8, 9 of which bear a double vertical tail 10 and an elevator 11. On the fuselage 5, short canard wings 5 Wing 16 arranged, which allow a particularly effective control function in the start phase. The axis of rotation when wastewatering is preferably the wing rear edge of the floor effect supporting surface 5, particularly if this is arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis and thus seals the air cushion under the supporting structure to the rear as best as possible in the important phase of the wastewatering. This means that a maximum angle of attack with the greatest possible buoyancy of the structure can be used during the take-off and landing phase for the lowest possible take-off speed.

In the case of a non-rectangular design or a different position of the rear edge of the floor effect supporting surface 5, either a maximum sealing of the storage space or a maximum setting angle of the supporting structure, but not both at the same time, is possible.

The propeller 1 and the propeller 2 are driven by a drive motor arranged inside the fuselage 6, for example via toothed belts, a transfer case being assigned to the drive motor. Instead of, or in addition to, the transfer case, a continuously variable transmission can be connected downstream.

To reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, a comparatively small internal combustion engine can be provided as the drive motor if, in the start-up phase, a specially designed turbocharger enables a significant increase in performance for a short time by significantly increasing the boost pressure, ie overboost operation. The? additional power can be converted into thrust via the air propeller 1 and the propeller 2. The increased boost pressure can be maintained as long as adequate cooling of the drive motor is ensured. In this way, a significant increase in performance can be achieved in the critical phases at the start without major additional effort.

The additional power of the drive motor in overboost operation, which can lead to a doubling of the total power or even more, is sufficient for the time of Overboost operation to operate the air propeller 1 and the propeller 2 from the same source at the same time, a balanced power balance being achieved.

When the take-off speed is reached, the vehicle loses water contact and the propeller is now in the air, i.e. the density of the flow medium decreases considerably. The result is an unbalanced power balance that would result in engine overturning, but this is automatically prevented by normal engine management.

A great advantage of this design is that, without blade adjustment and without additional control, only stable engineered conditions are automatically achieved by a coordinated engine management system. In addition, an embodiment can also be found such that not only the influence of the water drive, but also the decreasing power consumption of the air drive with increasing speed is taken into account, so that the air propeller is fixed in a position which corresponds to the high-speed flight and is brought to speed in the state or at low speeds during the starting phase by excess portions of the overboost. In this embodiment, which only requires a corresponding adjustment of the design parameters, the overboost would compensate for both the power requirement of the propeller and the additional power requirement of the air propeller due to the high angle of attack of the propeller blades. In the travel state, the power output of the engine would thus be reduced without having to adjust the blade.

In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the air propeller 1 can be switched off by means of a separating clutch, so that no noise and no propeller jet arises in the port during maneuvering operation and the vehicle is driven only by the water drive.

6 to 8 show a variant of the floor effect vehicle, in which the floor effect support surfaces 5 are in shape a high-wing aircraft are arranged and longitudinally running outer floats 3, 4 are provided for receiving the tail boom 7 in the form of elongated floats 3, 4 with two vertical stabilizers 8, 9 and a vertical stabilizer 1] connecting them. A jacketed air propeller 1 is arranged here on each vertical tail unit 10 (fan engine). To increase the swimming stability, an additional float 12, 13 can be arranged at the end of the floor effect wing 5.

Between the floats 3, 4, the hull 6 is suspended below the floor effect wing 5. In contrast to the first variant, in this case in the rear area of each float 3, 4 a drive acting on the water is provided, each with a propeller 2. The propeller] and the propellers 2 are driven here by a drive motor (not shown) within the floats 3, 4. The power transmission from the respective propulsion engine to the associated propeller 1 and propeller 2 can take place, for example, via toothed belts, behind the drive motor first a transfer case and additionally at least one continuously variable transmission is arranged behind it.

To further improve the flight properties in the ground effect, an additional ground effect surface 14 is arranged in the front area of the floats 3, 4 directly above the water surface.

In order to reduce the air resistance when flying in the ground effect, the propeller 2 of the water drive can be moved into the fuselage 6 through a fuselage opening 15 in the switched-off state. In addition, possible damage to the propeller 2 when it is placed on the water surface during the watering can thereby be prevented. Alternatively, the adjustment of the screw blades can be used. These precautions are not necessary when using a water jet drive. The inventive design of the floor effect vehicle makes it possible to control it in a special way. For this purpose, the ground effect vehicle is driven by at least one propeller 2 acting on the water as an additional water drive during the start phase and exclusively by the air propeller 1 of the drive device during the flight phase. During the transition from the start phase to the flight phase, the propeller is switched off or switched to the idle position and the air motor 1 is supplied with the full engine power of the drive device.

The power distribution between the air propeller 1 and the propeller 2 can preferably be continuously reversed during the transition from the start phase to the flight phase.

As a result, the drop in water thrust and the increase in air drive thrust take place continuously, so that the otherwise occurring problems which lead to a change in the longitudinal moments and the associated pitching movement, pitch dynamics or loss of stability when leaving the water are avoided . The drive thrust can also be reversed by means of blade adjustment of the air propeller 1 and the propellers 2, by means of adjustable guide vanes and / or a continuously variable transmission behind the transfer case.

The power distribution is preferably reversed as a function of a parameter of the propeller 2 of the water drive dependent on the medium of water, such as its speed, the torque transmitted to the propeller, the power output by the propeller 2 of the water propulsion, the operating temperature and the forward speed in the air and / or in water or a combination of these parameters. An electronic control device, for example, can be used as a control device for this purpose, which controls the distribution of the drive energy during the transition from the starting phase to the flight. phase reversed.

The power distribution can also be controlled by maximizing the maximum value in the overall overrun.

It is also possible to provide several hulls in the form of a catamaran or trimaran. 7, 8, a drive device can be assigned to each fuselage 6 in this case. In this case, the floor effect vehicle can be controlled by mutually changing the thrust of the drive devices.

Of course, several hulls 6 can also be arranged side by side between the floats 3. The water drive can also be arranged centrally and both rigidly mounted and rotatably provided for maneuvering the boat in the water.

Ground effect vehicle

Reference list

1 air propeller

2 propeller 3 external float

4 outdoor swimmers

5 floor effect wing

6 hull

7 tail boom 8 longitudinal arm

9 longitudinal arm

10 vertical tail

11 horizontal stabilizer

12 swimmers 13 swimmers

14 floor effect surface

15 fuselage opening

16 canard wings

Claims

Ground effect vehicle patent claims

1. Floor effect vehicle for the transport of goods and / or people, consisting of at least one hull, floor effect support surfaces for producing a floor effect air cushion, an empennage carrier with an empennage, a drive device with at least one air propeller and floats for maneuvering in water, characterized in that the fuselage (6) between outer floats (3, 4) with an assembly forming a flare module, consisting of floor effect wings (5), tail booms (7) with vertical and vertical tails (11, 10) and air propellers (1) , is connected and that the drive device is additionally provided with at least one water drive, which consists of at least one propeller (2) acting on the water and / or at least one water jet drive.

2. Ground effect vehicle according to claim 1, so that the drive motor of the drive device can be reversed from the water drive to the air propeller (1) during the starting phase.

3. Floor effect vehicle according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e - k e n n z e i c h n e t that the water drive and the

Propeller can be driven synchronously in all operating states.

4. Floor effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the Wass¬ water drive has a share in the installed total power of more than 10%.

5. Floor effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, a steering device acting in the water.

6. Floor effect vehicle according to claim 5, d a d u r c h g e ¬ k e n n z e i c h n e t that the steering device consists of at least one rudder.

7. Floor effect vehicle according to claim 5, d a d u r c h g e - k e n n z e i c h n e t that the steering device from the

There is a water drive, the propeller (2) or the jet nozzle of the water jet drive can be pivoted essentially in a plane parallel to the water surface.

8. ground effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the propeller (2) in the switched-off state in the hull (6) is retractable.

9. Ground effect vehicle according to claim 8, that the hull (6) for receiving the propeller (2) is provided with a closable hull opening (15).

10. ground effect vehicle according to claims 1 to 9, d a ¬ d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the blades of the propeller (2) are adjustable.

11. Floor effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a comparatively small internal combustion engine with turbocharger is provided as the drive motor, which in the O 97/48586 PC17DE97 / 01243

16

Starting phase is provided for a substantial increase in performance.

12. Floor effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 11, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the trailing edges of the floor effect wings (14) run horizontally and transversely to the direction of travel.

13. Floor effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 11, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the trailing edges of the floor effect wings (14) have a slight inclination to the front.

14. Floor effect vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 13, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that front on

Fuselage (6) short Canard wings (16) are arranged at a distance in front of the floor effect wings (14).

15. A method of operating a ground-effect vehicle, since - characterized in that the ground-effect vehicle is driven by at least one additional water drive acting on the water during the starting phase and exclusively by the air propeller (1) by the same or a separate motor during the flight phase, and that the water drive (2) is switched off during the transition from the start phase to the flight phase or brought into idle position, or can run in parallel.

16. The method of claim 15, d a d u r c h g e k e n n - z e i c h n e t that the power distribution between the

Water drive and the air propeller (2) can be continuously controlled during the transition from the start phase to the flight phase.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, dadurchge ¬ indicates that to change the power distribution, the change of at least one of the medium water dependent parameters of the water drive, such as for example the speed of the propeller (2), the torque transmitted to the propeller (2), the power output by the propeller (2), its operating temperature, the forward speed in the air and / or in water or a combination of these parameters , and that a control device, such as an electronic control device, reverses the distribution of the drive energy during the transition from the start phase to the flight phase.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, so that the ground effect vehicle is controlled when two or more hulls (6) are used by mutually changing the thrust of the drive devices when using two or more hulls.