The air independent powered (AIP) diesel engine is one of the many Air-Independent-Systems currently being considered for use in underwater vehicles. Although not as 'high tech', compared to advanced batteries and fuel cells, the diesel engine offers the possibility of a near term, low cost and simple energy convertor. In order to fully understand the operation of an AIP diesel engine a comprehensive test facility was designed, constructed and tested. The initial results have shown that even with intake gas mixtures containing up to 45 % carbon dioxide, the loss of performance is negligible from that of normal air operation. The operation of the engine with high level of carbon dioxide in the intake fluids has important consequences, not just for the engine, but the selection and design of the exhaust gas management system, especially that to control the combustion generated carbon dioxide. At the carbon dioxide levels reported in this paper, a chemical scrubbing system could be utilised. However, research is currently underway to increase the level of carbon dioxide, to such a point that the engine is operating solely on an oxygen/carbon dioxide mixture. This will involve the manipulation of the engine intake temperatur, pressure and gaseous flow rates, together with an optimised mixture ratio. Using this information, it is hoped to developed a compressor based exhaust gas management system for integration into an autonomous underwater vehicle in 1998.
Underwater heat engines using non-conventional atmospheres
1997
7 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 18 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
Underwater Heat Engines Using Non-Conventional Atmospheres
SAE Technical Papers | 1997
|Enhanced underwater endurance using Stirling engines
Tema Archiv | 1988
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Tema Archiv | 1988
|Non conventional fuels for engines
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|Air Augmented Conventional Rocket Engines
NTIS | 1992
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