SOME ASPECTS OF FREE TURBINE ENGINE HOVERCRAFT CONTROL

When planning the powering of a hovercraft, four items to be considered are; speed control and/or power control; driven equipments (fans, props, water, etc.); separate or combined drive, and engine combining. This paper covers aspects, pro and con, of each of these items. The authors show the advantages and problems of different types of power utilization, production, and management. The presently-used control systems for power, output shaft speed, propulsion, lift, and cross-coupling are discussed briefly. Difficulties in starting and demand are given coverage, and the main types of load devices, lift fans, air screws, water screws, water jets, and ducted fans are discussed regarding their desirable qualities. All of these properties and devices are compared as to their operation on four experimental craft: the Vosper Thornycraft VT 1 hover ferry; the Mitsui PPLS; the Aerojet Surface Effect Ship; and the U.S. Navy's Amphibious Assault Landing Craft. The authors end the article with a discussion of some operating characteristics which are strictly confined to the hover type vehicle.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the Second International Hovercraft Conference, Southampton College of Technology April 14-16, 1971.
• Corporate Authors:

  Kalerghi Publications

  51 Welbeck Street
  London W1,   England 
• Authors:
  • Bloomfield, W
  • Lauriat, T B
• Publication Date: 1971-11

Media Info

• Pagination: 5 p.
• Serial:
  • Hovering Craft and Hydrofoil
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue Number: 12
  • Publisher: Kalerghi Publications

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Control; Ducted propellers; Electric power plants; Propulsion; Surface effect ships; Vehicle power plants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Propulsion systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Hovercraft operations; Power plant control; Propeller speed
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00028784
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 21 1972 12:00AM