HYDROFOIL OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT USING HYBRID DESIGN OPTIONS

For a number of years the David Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center, with support from the Naval Sea Systems Command, has engaged in investigations of hybrid interface vehicle concepts having potential for naval applications. This work has resulted in interesting design options, some of which can broaden and enhance the performance characteristics of vehicles supported by combinations of buoyancy and dynamic lift (hydrofoils). Hydrofoil ships with full load displacements from about 250 to 4000 tons having buoyancy/fuel tanks of various sizes attached to their foil systems were investigated. Analyses performed to date have considered modifications to conventional, fully-submerged hydrofoils by reducing maximum speed and adding fuel stored in an external tank suspended from the strut/foil system. While this may require more installed horsepower, there is an improvement in range for hydrofoils larger than 200 to 300 tons. The range improvement increases for ships of larger size. Also of significance is the extension of the lower foilborne speed boundary. Design full load buoyancy of 50% or greater was found to offer good potential for performance enhancement of foilborne ships. Maximum calm water foilborne speed was estimated to be 40 to 45 knots, depending on design speed and fuel load. Hullborne range of hydrofoils with a large buoyancy/fuel tank was also found to be greater than that of a comparable conventional hydrofoil. A specific study was made to demonstrate the capability of extending the hydrofoil operational envelope by modifying the PCH-1 (HIGH POINT) hydrofoil. Results of a computer simulation and initial structural analyses, as well as a planned model test program for PCH-1 with a six-foot (1.83-meter) diameter, 100-foot (30.48-meter) long tank are described.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Also sponsored by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers at the AIAA/SNAME Advanced Marine Vehicles Conference.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

  1290 Avenue of the Americas
  New York, NY  United States  10019
• Authors:
  • Hawkins, S
  • King, J
  • Meyer, J
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 12 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buoyancy; Foil; Fuel tanks; Hydrofoil boats; Hydrofoils; Lift drag ratio; Performance; Simulation; Structural analysis; Struts; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Ship design
• Old TRIS Terms: Hydrofoil performance
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00176889
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Report/Paper Numbers: 78-750
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 14 1978 12:00AM