What is the quietest, most efficient form of ship propulsion?

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by JosephT, Feb 4, 2016.

  1. fredrosse
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    fredrosse USACE Steam

    "The world's first working prototype using MHDs in 1991"

    While at Drexel University way back in 1968, a fellow student had a report about a prototype MHD propulsion boat, with superconducting magnets and all that. This was not anything military or secret, just a common university project. One problem with Wikipedia, anybody, even those with limited research into the actual truth of statements, can generally be entered onto the pages.

    Same result as found in 1991, not very practical.
     
  2. philSweet
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    philSweet Senior Member

    For a spark ignition engine, this is pretty good. I've seen Stirlings do better, though. There were some opposed piston axial engines built years ago. And axial engines were used in torpedoes also. Also are being looked at for modern motojets. This prototype is good for 200 hp. Interestingly, they stated their benchmark motor for comparison was Mercury's 3L Verado.

     
  3. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    By "working" I meant the MHDs were propelling a real ship in practice there.

    Earlier prototypes were test setups and didn't result into propelling a real working ship in practice.

    So I'll stick to my statement, I hope this addition somewhat clarifies what I meant by it.

    That's kinda similar to what I said in the first line of my previous post: ‘‘ it seems not to be the most efficient form of ship propulsion ’’.
     
  4. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    Angélique, this Magnetohydrodynamic drive sounds fascinating and thanks for passing it on. I am curious to see if there are any videos of of working prototypes out there.

    Learn something new every day!
     
  5. JosephT
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    JosephT Senior Member

    Found one. Dreadfully slow little vessel!

     
  6. fredrosse
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    fredrosse USACE Steam

    "By "working" I meant the MHDs were propelling a real ship in practice there.

    Earlier prototypes were test setups and didn't result into propelling a real working ship in practice."

    Actually, that is exactly what the report in 1968 had, a real vessel, operating in sea water, working with cryogenic superconducting coils to produce a strong magnetic field, with MHD only for propulsion, it was not just a laboratory experiment.

    According to the graduate student who had direct experience working on this project, the performance was something similar to the MHD boat shown on post #35, only on a much larger scale.
     
  7. portacruise
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    portacruise Senior Member


  8. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    harpooned whale giving you a Nantucket Sleigh Ride?

    You don't hear the screaming in the boat.:eek:
     
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