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A
ir-cavity ships (ACS) are advanced marine
vehicles that use air injection at the
wetted hull surfaces to improve a vessel’s
hydrodynamic characteristics. The concept of drag
reduction by supplying gas under the ship’s bottom
was proposed in the 19th century by the famous
scientists Froude and Laval. However, many
attempts to implement this idea in practice have
failed because this process is not as straightforward
Fig 1: Hierarchy of fast ships based
as it seems. Deep physical understanding of multi-
on degree of contact with water
phase flows is required to achieve a positive
outcome. Based on the results of systematic ACS, and the phenomena of generating a gas layer available facilities, government regulations and
research, several successful ACS’s have been at the submerged hull surface is called artificial other factors.
created and found practical application during the cavitation or air lubrication. The ACS concept is based on successful usage of
past decade. A similar and more familiar concept is the bottom ventilation (artificial cavitation). A gas is
The position of the ACS among other ship surface effect ship (SES), where air is also pumped supplied underneath a special profile, so that a
types is shown in Fig 1 characterising the degree under the ship’s bottom. Such a vessel usually has steady air layer is generated which separates a part
of water-hull contact. The basic type of ship flexible bow and stern covers enclosing the space of the bottom from contact with water, therefore
operates in a displacement mode. At sufficiently between twin hulls. The next ship type after the reducing hydrodynamic resistance. Drag reduction
high speed and with suitable hull lines, a boat can SES is an air cushion vehicle with no permanently achieved on a full-scale ACS is within 15-40 per
glide over the water surface. Air can be injected submerged parts. cent, while the power spent on the cavity-
under the bottom, significantly reducing wetted Another branch of vessel types is related to maintaining gas flow is always less than 3 per cent
hull area and consequently hydrodynamic hydrofoil applications. A ship can be either of the total propulsive power of a vessel. Pressure
resistance. This type of ship corresponds to the partially or fully supported. The extreme inside the cavity is higher than atmospheric,
continuation of both branches of development is providing additional support for the ship’s weight.
ACS FEATURES the vehicle flying near the water surface, called a Although the ACS principle seems similar to an
• air cavity ships are already produced in series ‘wing-in-ground’ effect (WIG) craft. We should SES, there are significant differences. First, there are
• 15-40 per cent drag reduction is achieved note that it is not possible to claim that some no flexible seals on an ACS. The air layer is
• less than 3 per cent of the total ship power is concepts are universally better than others: all of contained by solid hull parts, which not only
needed to support the air cavity them have their niches, and the choice of a certain prevent air leakage from the cavity, but also
• low wash wake is generated due to smoothed ship type depends on the route characteristics, influence the air cavity characteristics. Secondly, the
pressure gradients in the presence of the air Fig 2: Air cavity formed under the bottom of a fast ACS with important hull parameters depicted
cavity
• overloads in rough seas are reduced due to a
damping effect of the air cavity
• fouling growth on the hull in warm seas is
lessened due to decreased wetted surface
• ACS is a convenient platform for effective
landing and shallow-water operations
• protected or special propulsors may be
required for ACS.