RU2210517C2 - Method of breaking ice cover and device for realization of this method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: navigation in frozen water basins. SUBSTANCE: pulse hydro-jet engines are introduced under ice 6 before fore portion of ship from icebreaker by means high-pressure rods-pipe+ADs- during submergence engines are filled with water and pulse pressure up to 250 atm is built in their chambers by means of high- pressure bottles for forcing water out of chambers, thus creating maximum reactive thrust up to 14000 t+ADs- part of compressed air increases pressure in air pocket through holes in engine heads, thus facilitating cracking of ice cover. Device proposed for realization of this method includes units for preparation and storage of air compressed to 250 atm: air compressor 7, high-pressure electric pneumatic valves 8, high-pressure bottles 9 and working units which consist of two high-pressure swivel rods-pipes 3 located in fore portion of icebreaker with pulse hydro-jets engine mounted at their outlet ends+ADs- pointed heads of engines rest against lower edge of ice 6. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of ice breaking. 3 cl, 2 dwg

Description

1. The technical field to which the invention relates.
The invention relates to maritime transport, in particular, to a technique for prolonging navigation in the winter by destroying the ice cover.

2. The level of technology
There are various methods and devices for destroying the ice cover: installing subversive charges on the ice surface and under it, melting ice using hot steam or electric heating, washing with warm water, cutting ice into fragments, etc. [1]. The indicated methods and devices are unsuitable for use in the harsh conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic, where the ice thickness reaches several meters, and even powerful atomic icebreakers cannot always overcome such a barrier. The task is to apply a concentrated force on the icebreaker’s path to the lower surface of the ice to form an ice crack. For an ice thickness of several meters, such an effort should be up to several thousand tons.

 The closest analogs of the present invention are: a method of destroying the ice cover by means of a hydraulic shock [2], a method of notching ice with a hydraulic hammer [3] and an ice-floating ice-going vessel [4].

3. The invention
The problem is solved by creating a hydroreactive force directed upwards on the lower edge of the ice. The method consists in the fact that they take two pulsed jet engines running on compressed air, and place them on the rods - high pressure pipes on both sides of the bow of the icebreaking vessel.

 The rods are made L-shaped to reach the bottom surface of the ice, and the indicated hydro-jet engines are installed on the outer ends of the rods.

 Compressed air for the operation of hydro-jet engines is obtained using a marine compressor of high (up to 250 atm) pressure and filled with high-pressure cylinders, and the air is released to the engines using electro-pneumatic valves and rotating rods - high-pressure pipes.

 When immersed, the engine is automatically filled with water and the column of water is pushed out of its chamber by air pressure, creating a reactive force that can form cracks in the ice cover, which are then expanded by the icebreaker.

 A device for implementing this method consists of the following elements: two rotary trunnions 2 are installed in the bow of an icebreaking vessel 2 with a distribution device 5 that distributes air to the high pressure rod pipes 3, at the ends of which pulsed hydroreactive engines 4 are mounted, resting against the ice cover by the heads. 6. Below the deck of the bow of the ship, an air compressor 7, high-pressure distribution electro-pneumatic valves 8 (⌀ 50 m), high-pressure cylinders 9, two pieces per launch, high-pressure starting electro-pneumatic valves 10 connected to the switchgear 5 are placed.

The device operates as follows,
When the icebreaker abuts against indestructible ice cover, it backs up and, with the help of rod tubes 3, drives engines 4 under the ice, moving them forward as far as possible. Compressed air in cylinders 9 using valves 10 is discharged through rod-tubes 3 to the heads of engines 4 and a column of water is forced out of their chambers, creating reactive thrust that can form a crack in a thick layer of ice. The thinner the ice thickness, the lower the air consumption.

 Example.

 Take high-pressure cylinders 9 with a capacity of 500 l each, using a compressor 7 pump air into them to a pressure of 250 atm and, on a “start” command, open valves 10, directing air to the heads of the engines 4. Each engine is made in the form of a glass (with a pointed bottom ) with a diameter of 3 m and a length of 5 m, automatically filled with water in the amount of 36,000 liters. At the start command, each engine generates a thrust impulse equal to 400 tons, with an initial thrust equal to 14,000 tons taking into account hydraulic losses. At the same time, the rod-tubes 3 do not carry additional load, since they can freely move on rotary stuffing boxes 2.

 During breaks and during storage, in order to prevent freezing of water in the boom tubes and engines, they are blown with hot steam from the boiler icebreaker.

4. List of figures
Figure 1 - Schematic diagram of the device; view from above.

 Figure 2 is the same side view.

Sources of information
1. Zuev V.A. Means of extending navigation on inland waterways. L., "Shipbuilding", 1986.

 2. Patent of Russia 2139809 with priority 20.10.99 (V. Kozin).

 3. Patent of Russia 2137669 with a priority of September 20, 1999 (G. Tarasov).

 4. RF application for the invention 93021772 from 04/26/93 (Roslik Y.F.).

Claims (2)

 1. A method of destroying the ice cover, based on the principle of a hydraulic hammer, characterized in that pulsed hydroreactive engines are introduced under the ice in front of the icebreaker vessel from the icebreaker using high-pressure rod tubes, they are automatically filled with water when immersed, and created in their chambers using high-pressure cylinders, a pulsed pressure of up to 250 atm, which ensures the displacement of water from the chambers, which creates a maximum reactive thrust of up to 14,000 tons, while part of the compressed air through the openings in the heads igateley increases the pressure in the air bladder, facilitating the formation of cracks in the ice sheet.  2. A device for destroying the ice cover, containing pneumohydraulic units for releasing compressed air under the ice to the engines, characterized in that it includes units for preparing and storing compressed air up to 250 atm - an air compressor, high pressure electro-pneumatic valves, high pressure cylinders, and working units, consisting of two high-pressure swivel rods placed in the bow of the icebreaker, at the output ends of which are located pulsed hydroreactive engines, which abut their pointed heads to the bottom edge of the ice.

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