Ship's hull and method of bubbling hot gas therefrom

Claim 2

In a ship's hull, apparatus for generating and supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden waters, which apparatus comprises: a. air compression means; b. mixing means for mixing fuel with the compressed air; c. ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to generate hot gas under pressure; and d. pipe means receiving hot gas from said mixing means and for supplying said gas to said hole in the hull at a pressure in excess of the external water pressure at said hole, said pipe means comprising: e. a first pipe having a lower end communicating with said hole, and an upper end located above said water line; f. a second pipe surrounding a portion of said first pipe including the upper end thereof and having an inlet portion connected to receive said hot gas; g. a third pipe having an upper end, and a lower end communicating with a lower portion of the second pipe at a location below said water line, whereby said hot gas received in said second pipe can travel into said third pipe if the first pipe is closed by ice, while flowing around said second pipe to melt said ice; and h. means for closing the upper end of the third pipe to cause said hot gas to travel along said first pipe to said hole.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 including a compartment in said hull for ballast-water; and wherein said third pipe is located in said compartment, whereby heat from the hot gas, when passing through said third pipe, is transferred to ballast-water in said compartment.

Claim 4

In a ship's hull, apparatus for generating and supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas-bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden waters, which apparatus comprises: a. air compression means; b. mixing means for mixing fuel with the compressed air; c. ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to generate hot gas under pressure; d. pipe means receiving hot gas from said mixing means and for supplying said gas to said hole in the hull at a pressure in excess of the external water pressure at said hole; e. a compartment in said hull for ballast-water; f. said pipe means including an outlet portion communicating with said compartment; and g. outlet pipe means for water from said compartment, having a lower inlet portion communicating with said compartment near the bottom thereof and an upper outlet portion outside said hull above said water line for discharge of said water, whereby gas introduced into said compartment by said pipe means causes water in said compartment to rise up said outlet pipe means and discharge outside said hull.

Claim 5

In a ship's hull, apparatus for generating and supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas-bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden waters, which apparatus comprises: a. air compression means; b. mixing means for mixing fuel with the compressed air; c. ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to generate hot gas under pressure; d. pipe means receiving hot gas from said mixing means and for supplying said gas to said hole in the hull at a pressure in excess of the external water pressure at said hole; e. a compartment in said hull for ballast-water; f. said pipe means including an outlet portion communicating with said compartment; and g. outlet pipe means for water from said compartment, having a lower inlet portion communicating with said compartment near the bottom thereof and an upper outlet portion outside said hull above said water line for discharge of said water, whereby gas introduced into said compartment by said pipe means causes water in said compartment to rise up said outlet pipe means and discharge outside said hull.

Claim 6

In a ship's hull, apparatus for generating and supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas-bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden waters, which apparatus comprises: a. air compression means; b. mixing means for mixing fuel with the compressed air; c. ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to generate hot gas under pressure; d. pipe means receiving hot gas from said mixing means and for supplying said gas to said hole in the hull at a pressure in excess of the external water pressure at said hole; e. conduit means contacting an inside surface of a wall of said hull at the water line; f. vertical partition means in said conduit means dividing it into two compartments, a first for receiving liquid therein contacting said wall and a second spaced from said wall; g. said pipe means having an outlet portion for delivery of said gas to said second compartment; and h. further pipe means, spaced along said conduit means from said outlet portion and connected to exhaust said gas from said second compartment, whereby hot gas flowing through said second compartment heats said liquid in said first compartment by conduction through said partition means, and said liquid in said first compartment, so heated, heats the hull wall at the water line.

Claim 7

In a ship's hull, apparatus for generating and supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas-bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden waters, which apparatus comprises: a. air compression means; b. mixing means for mixing fuel with the compressed air; c. ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to generate hot gas under pressure; d. pipe means receiving hot gas from said mixing means and for supplying said gas to said hole in the hull at a pressure in excess of the external water pressure at said hole; e. conduit means contacting an inside surface of a wall of said hull at the water line; f. vertical partition means in said conduit means dividing it into two compartments, a first for receiving liquid therein contacting said wall and a second spaced from said wall; g. said pipe means having an outlet portion for delivery of said gas to said second compartment; and h. further pipe means, spaced along said conduit means from said outlet portion and connected to exhaust said gas from said second compartment, whereby hot gas flowing through said second compartment heats said liquid in said first compartment by conduction through said partition means, and said liquid in said first compartment, so heated, heats the hull wall at the water line.

Claim 8

In a ship's hull, apparatus for supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden water, which apparatus comprises: a. means for producing a hot gas at a pressure higher than the external water pressure at said hole; b. a first pipe having a lower end communicating with said hole, and an upper end located above said water line; c. a second pipe surrounding a portion of said first pipe including the upper end thereof and having an inlet portion connected to receive said hot, compressed gas from said producing means; d. a third pipe having an upper end, and a lower end communicating with a lower portion of the second pipe at a location below said water line, whereby said hot gas received in said second pipe can travel into said third pipe if the first pipe is closed by ice, while flowing around said second pipe to melt said ice; e. and means for closing the upper end of the third pipe to cause said hot gas to travel along said first pipe to said hole.

Claim 9

In a ship's hull, apparatus for supplying compressed gas to at least one hole located in the hull below the ship's water line to produce gas bubbling from the hull for the purpose of assisting ice-breaking in ice-laden water, which apparatus comprises: a. means for producing a hot gas at a pressure higher than the external water pressure at said hole; b. a first pipe having a lower end communicating with said hole, and an upper end located above said water line; c. a second pipe surrounding a portion of said first pipe including the upper end thereof and having an inlet portion connected to receive said hot, compressed gas from said producing means; d. a third pipe having an upper end, and a lower end communicating with a lower portion of the second pipe at a location below said water line, whereby said hot gas received in said second pipe can travel into said third pipe if the first pipe is closed by ice, while flowing around said second pipe to melt said ice; e. and means for closing the upper end of the third pipe to cause said hot gas to travel along said first pipe to said hole.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 5 including a manifold located between said pipe means and a plurality of said holes, said manifold comprising a channel member with which said holes and said pipe means communicate, said channel member being otherwise gas- and water-tight.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 5 including a compartment in said hull for ballast-water and wherein said third pipe is located in said compartment whereby heat from the hot gas, when passing through said third pipe, is transferred to ballast-water in said compartment.

Claim 12

In a ship's hull having a compartment for ballast-water, apparatus comprising: a. at least one chamber having an inlet and an outlet; b. means for continuously supplying air under pressure to said at least one chamber through said inlet; c. mixing means for continuously mixing fuel with said compressed air introduced into said chamber; d. ignition means for igniting said fuel/air mixture in said chamber to continuously generate hot gas under pressure; e. pipe means having an inlet portion for receiving said hot gas from said chamber and an outlet portion communicating with said compartment; f. outlet pipe means for ballast-water from said compartment, having a lower inlet portion communicating with said compartment near the bottom thereof and an upper outlet portion outside said hull above the water line of the ship for discharging said water, whereby gas introduced into said compartment by said pipe means causes water in said compartment to rise up said outlet pipe means and discharge outside the hull.

Claim 13

In a ship's hull having a compartment for ballast-water, apparatus comprising: a. at least one chamber having an inlet and an outlet; b. means for continuously supplying air under pressure to said at least one chamber through said inlet; c. mixing means for continuously mixing fuel with said compressed air introduced into said chamber; d. ignition means for igniting said fuel/air mixture in said chamber to continuously generate hot gas under pressure; e. pipe means having an inlet portion for receiving said hot gas from said chamber and an outlet portion communicating with said compartment; f. outlet pipe means for ballast-water from said compartment, having a lower inlet portion communicating with said compartment near the bottom thereof and an upper outlet portion outside said hull above the water line of the ship for discharging said water, whereby gas introduced into said compartment by said pipe means causes water in said compartment to rise up said outlet pipe means and discharge outside the hull.

Claim 14

In combination, a ship's hull having sides and a plurality of small holes arranged in at least one row located well below the ship's water line and extending along said sides, and apparatus for generating and supplying hot compressed gas to said holes on a continuous basis at a gas pressure sufficient to produce continuous gas bubbling from said holes for the purpose of assisting in ice-breaking in ice-laden waters using the effect of said bubbles at the surface of the water, said apparatus comprising: a. at least one chamber having an inlet and an outlet; b. means for continuously supplying air under pressure to said at least one chamber through said inlet; c. mixing means for continuously mixing fuel with said compressed air introduced into said chamber; d. ignition means for igniting said fuel/air mixture in said chamber to continuously generate hot gas at a pressure at least as high as said pressure sufficient to produce gas bubbling; and e. pipe means for receiving said hot gas continuously issuing from said outlet of said at least one chamber and for supplying said gas directly to said holes in the hull whilst maintaining the pressure of said gas at least as high as said sufficient pressure at said holes.

Claim 15

In combination, a ship's hull having sides and a plurality of small holes arranged in at least one row located well below the ship's water line and extending along said sides, and apparatus for generating and supplying hot compressed gas to said holes on a continuous basis at a gas pressure sufficient to produce continuous gas bubbling from said holes for the purpose of assisting in ice-breaking in ice-laden waters using the effect of said bubbles at the surface of the water, said apparatus comprising: a. at least one chamber having an inlet and an outlet; b. means for continuously supplying air under pressure to said at least one chamber through said inlet; c. mixing means for continuously mixing fuel with said compressed air introduced into said chamber; d. ignition means for igniting said fuel/air mixture in said chamber to continuously generate hot gas at a pressure at least as high as said pressure sufficient to produce gas bubbling; and e. pipe means for receiving said hot gas continuously issuing from said outlet of said at least one chamber and for supplying said gas directly to said holes in the hull whilst maintaining the pressure of said gas at least as high as said sufficient pressure at said holes.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 9, including an expansion chamber located between said at least one chamber and said pipe means for receiving the hot gas from said outlet to reduce the velocity of the gas and to increase its pressure before the gas enters said pipe means.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 9, including a manifold located between said pipe means and said plurality of holes, said manifold comprising a channel member with which said holes and said pipe means communicate, said channel member being otherwise gas- and water-tight.

Claim 18

In combination, a ship's hull having sides and a plurality of small holes arranged in at least one row located well below the ship's water line and extending along said sides, and apparatus for generating and supplying hot compressed gas to said holes on a continuous basis at a gas pressure sufficient to produce continuous gas bubbling from said holes for the purpose of assisting in ice-breaking in ice-laden waters using the effect of said bubbles at the surface of the water, said apparatus comprising: a. a gas turbine engine having at least one combustion chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a compressor for continuously forcing air into said chamber through said inlet, mixing means for continuously mixing fuel with the air introduced into the chamber, ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to continuously generate gas under pressure in said chamber, which gas issues continuously from said outlet, and a rotor mounted for rotation in the path of the gas issuing from said outlet for driving said compressor; and b. pipe means for receiving said hot gas issuing from said outlet and for directly supplying said gas to said holes in the hull whilst maintaining the pressure of said gas at least as high as the pressure sufficient to produce bubbling.

Claim 19

In combination, a ship's hull having sides and a plurality of small holes arranged in at least one row located well below the ship's water line and extending along said sides, and apparatus for generating and supplying hot compressed gas to said holes on a continuous basis at a gas pressure sufficient to produce continuous gas bubbling from said holes for the purpose of assisting in ice-breaking in ice-laden waters using the effect of said bubbles at the surface of the water, said apparatus comprising: a. a gas turbine engine having at least one combustion chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a compressor for continuously forcing air into said chamber through said inlet, mixing means for continuously mixing fuel with the air introduced into the chamber, ignition means for igniting the fuel/air mixture to continuously generate gas under pressure in said chamber, which gas issues continuously from said outlet, and a rotor mounted for rotation in the path of the gas issuing from said outlet for driving said compressor; and b. pipe means for receiving said hot gas issuing from said outlet and for directly supplying said gas to said holes in the hull whilst maintaining the pressure of said gas at least as high as the pressure sufficient to produce bubbling.