ICE-BREAKING HOVERCRAFT Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: shipbuilding; amphibian vessels breaking ice cover by resonance method.

SUBSTANCE: proposed ice-breaking hovercraft has hull with flexible guard and superstructure. Mounted in the hull at one vertical with center of mass is vertical extensible plunger performing periodic vertical motions at frequency of resonance flexural gravitational waves in ice cover. Ice bore mounted inside this plunger is used for making a through hole in ice. Compressor mounted at upper portion of plunger is used for delivery of atmospheric air through air supply passage of plunger and via through hole at pressure and flow rate sufficient for forming an air cavity under ice cover whose size is no less than half length of resonance flexural gravitational wave. Amount of extension of plunger during its vertical motion exceeds the hovering height of hovercraft above ice cover. Air supply passage is provided with damper for supplying air under ice during down motion of plunger and bleeding air from under ice during its up motion.

EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of ice breaking.

2 dwg