HOVERCRAFT
HOVERCRAFT
HOVERCRAFT
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 2
HISTORY 3
PRINCIPLE OF WORKING 5
MAIN PARTS 6
DEVELOPMENT OF AIR CUSHION 7
HULL CONSTRUGTION 9
HOVERCRAFT SKIRTS 10
THE LIFTING FAN 12
THE ENGINE 13
THE THRUST PROPELLER 15
RUDDERS AND CONTROL OF HOVERCRAFT 16
ADVANTAGES 17
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS 18
APPLICATIONS 19
CONCLUSION 20
REFERENCES 21
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INTRODUCTION
A Hovercraft is a vehicle that flies like a plane but can float like a
boat, can drive like a car but will traverse ditches and gullies as it is a flat
terrain. A Hovercraft also sometimes called an air cushion vehicle because it
can hover over or move across land or water surfaces while being held off
from the surfaces by a cushion of air. A Hovercraft can travel over all types
of surfaces including grass, mud, muskeg, sand, quicksand, water and ice
.Hovercraft prefer gentle terrain although they are capable of climbing
slopes up to 20%, depending upon surface characteristics. Modern
Hovercrafts are used for many applications where people and equipment
need to travel at speed over water but be able load and unload on land. For
example they are used as passenger or freight carriers, as recreational
machines and even use as warships. Hovercrafts are very exciting to fly and
feeling of effortlessly traveling from land to water and back again is unique.
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HISTORY
In the beginning……
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PRINCIPLE OF WORKING
The principle of working of a Hovercraft is to lift the craft by a
cushion of air to propel it using propellers. The idea of supporting the
vehicle on a cushion of air developed from the idea to increase the speed of
boat by feeding air beneath them. The air beneath the hull would lubricate
the surface and reduce the water drag on boat and so increasing its speed
through water. The air sucked in through a port by large lifting fans which
are fitted to the primary structure of the craft. They are powered by gas
turbine or diesel engine. The air is pushed to the under side of the craft. On
the way apportion of air from the lift fan is used to inflate the skirt and rest is
ducted down under the craft to fill area enclosed by the skirt.
At the point when the pressure equals the weight of the craft, the craft
lifts up and air is escaped around the edges of the skirt. So a constant feed of
air is needed to lift the craft and compensate for the losses. Thus craft is
lifted up. After the propulsion is provided by the propellers mounted on the
Hovercraft. The airs from the propellers are passed over rudders, which are
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used to steer the craft similar to an aircraft. Hovercraft is thus propelled and
controlled and its powerful engine makes it to fly.
MAIN PARTS
Lower hull- It is the basic structure on which the Hovercraft floats when
the engine is stopped while moving over water. It supports the whole weight
of the craft.
Skirts- They are air bags inflated by air are fitted around the perimeter of
the craft hold air under the craft and thus upon a cushion of air. It enables to
obtain greater Hover height. The material used is rib stop nylon or Terylene.
Lift fan-It is fitted to the primary structure of the Hovercraft. The air is
pumped under the craft between the skirt space to produce a cushion of air.
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The air traveled around between the inside of the bigger can and
outside of the smaller can and was then let out towards the scales in a narrow
ring of air, the cans were mad4e so that it was possible to remove inner can
so the air could be directed in two ways.
The experiment was conducted in two steps. First the smaller can was
removed and blower switched on. The scales measured the amount of thrust
the air from the one can produced down onto the scales. The smaller can was
now replaced inside the larger can so that the ring of air was produced.
Again the blower was switched on and the scales measured amount of thrust
the ring of air produced down onto the scales. Here is the key discovery
because Cockrell observed that the two cans nested inside each other
produced more thrust onto the scales than the simple open can or plenum
chamber did, he had discovered the momentum curtain effect and this was
the key ingredient that he patented.
In the full size craft the plenum chamber was also filled in so that a
slot round the bottom edge of plenum chamber wall was former where the
air fed in at the top. The slot produced a curtain of flowing air that was
inclined. The high pressure air from the slot angled inwards towards the
centre of the craft helped to contains and sustains the air cushion. Using this
method a stable air cushion could be created. The craft was still riding on a
plenum chamber of sorts but it was created and maintained by the high
pressure ring of air surrounding the lower pressure air in the center.
The momentum curtain arrangement achieved higher hover heights
with less power. It also solved some of the stability problems. The box
structure in the center of the craft around which air escaped was closed to
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form a buoyancy tank to enable the craft to float on water when it came to
rest.
The design was exactly what was used in first publicly demonstrated
Hovercraft the SRN1, built by Saunders Roe in the United Kingdom it
served as a test bed for many years during Hovercraft development.
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HULL CONSTRUCTION
The lower hull of the craft includes the craft floor, side panels,
forward and aft panels till the top skirt attachment line. Most commercially
build craft in polyester resin will use this section to transfer to the top hull.
The lower hull
Needs to have adequate size for the total weight of the craft and
payload
Must be strong enough to support craft off cushion (on landing pads)
Have enough freeboard to support craft in displacement mode on
water
Must be watertight and as smooth as possible.
The lower hull can be build out of all boat building materials. From
simple ply to very complicated composite panels.
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HOVERCRAFT SKIRTS
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Contain the cushion of air beneath the craft at required Hover height
Have the ability to confirm or contour effectively over obstacles so as to
keep minimum, the loss of cushion air
Return to its original shape after having been deformed
Give adequate stability
Offer little resistance to passage of obstacles beneath it
Have the ability to absorb a large portion of the energy which is
produced on impacts or collision with obstacles greater than hover
height or cushion depth.
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THE ENGINE
The engines used in Hovercraft have evolved like the skirt design. The
SRN 1 and other early craft used piston type engines. As models like the
SRN 4 and SRN 6 were brought into service they tended to favor the use of
gas turbines. This type of engine is smaller and lighter for a given
horsepower and has been used extensively in turbo prop aircraft.
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However the use of these engines results in very high level of engine
noise outside the craft. In the SRN6 this meant that it was possible to hear
the craft traveling across the Solent between the Portsmouth and the isle of
Wight in the UK several miles away. The current AP188 crafts that runs on
the old SRN6 routes has now moved back towards the piston engines and
uses marine diesel engines that are much quieter and fuel efficient.
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APPLICATIONS
As technology improves, performance improves and reduces noise
levels; Hovercrafts are becoming increasingly popular as recreational
machines. From cabins year round to cruising, fishing, driving and racing-
the possibilities are endless. With the advantage of loading and unloading on
land they are used for transporting people and equipment over water.
Hovercrafts are also used as warships to carry out rapid sea-lift and
beach landing. They also provide fire support for troop on the shore. They
are also capable of lying active minefields.
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FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
By using the hover principle many designs have arise. One is the
hover concept by replacing the cushion of low pressure air as inform the
modern Hovercraft by high pressure pad it was thought that the pads of high
pressure could replace the wheels of the car. but there are two difficulties.
1. It is difficult to lift
2. New method of propulsion is required
Then moved towards Hover train. Here rails provide smooth surface
for high pressure air and guidance from the track overcomes the problem of
steering.
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APPLICATIONS
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CONCLUSION
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REFERENCES
WEBSITES
www.hovercraft.com
www.howhovercraftwork.com
www.hover.globelinternet.co.uk
www.jameshovercraft.com
www.hovercraft.org.uk
www.hovercraft-world.com
www.universalhovercraft.com
www.rescuehovercraft.com
www.hovercrafttechnics.com
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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