Super-Fast Submerged Transport (Underwater Express)

Abstract

The Super-Fast Submerged Transport (Underwater Express) program explored the application of supercavitation technology to underwater vehicles, enabling high speed transport of personnel and/or supplies. The inherent advantages of traveling underwater are: the ability to transit undetected, no radar or visible signature, and avoidance of rough sea conditions that may limit or deny mission execution. Supercavitation places the vehicle inside a cavity where vapor replaces the water, and drag due to fluid viscosity is reduced by orders of magnitude, thus reducing the power requirement dramatically. This program used modeling, simulation, experiments and testing to develop the understanding of the physical phenomena associated with supercavitation and the application to underwater vehicles. The program culminated in an at-sea demonstration of a scaled vehicle.

Document Details

Document Type
Accomplishment
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2013
Source ID
60d25c836a277223839bc6d9396f3af0

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Acoustical Oceanography.
  • Marine Propulsion Engineering and Naval Architecture
  • Robotics and Automation.

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