An investigation to improve the water propulsion performance of tracked vehicles is described. The study centers about drag measurements made in a wind tunnel and in a towing tank to investigate the effect of changing the shape and spacing of rectangular track plates. It has been popularly believed that, due to turbulence, the first few track cleats do most of the propulsion. This investigation, however, establishes results indicating almost equal performance for all track cleats, throughout the length of the track. Near-maximum plate thrust was obtained at spacing-to-plate-chord ratios above 6. Maximum thrust per unit length of track was obtained at a spacing-to-plate-chord ratio of approximately 1/2. Of the three rectangular-plate aspect ratios tested (2, 5, and 10), the aspect ratio of 10 gave the highest thrust per unit length. Tests were made at plate centerline submergence-to-chord-width ratios of 2.54 and 4.57. No appreciable change in thrust was measured. Summaries of previous studies associated with the problem of track propulsion are presented.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Studies in Hydrodynamic Track Propulsion


    Contributors:
    I. R. Ehrlich (author) / J. A. Mercier (author) / I. Tanaka (author)

    Publication date :

    1966


    Size :

    46 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    TRACK PROPULSION APPARATUS

    ALEKSEEV ANDREJ GENNADEVICH | European Patent Office | 2021

    Free access

    Elements of hydrodynamic propulsion

    Sparenberg, J. A. | TIBKAT | 1984


    ENDLESS TRACK PROPULSION SYSTEM

    ALEKSEEV ANDREY GENNADEVICH | European Patent Office | 2022

    Free access

    Hydrodynamic aspects of Mermaid propulsion system

    Kron, P. / Holmstroem, L. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999


    RESEARCH ON HYDRODYNAMIC COMPUTATIONAL OF POD PROPULSION

    Ma, C. / Qian, Z. / Yang, C. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004