Air lubrication device of ship

Abstract

An air lubrication apparatus of a ship includes an air ejecting unit and a restraining section. The air ejecting unit ejects air from the ship bottom. The restraining section restrains relative reduction of a thickness of an air layer which covers a center line region of the ship bottom.

1 . An air lubrication device of a ship, comprising:
 an air ejecting unit configured to eject air from a ship bottom of said ship; and   a restraining section configured to restrain a thickness of a layer of the air which covers a center line region of said ship bottom from being relatively reduced.   
     
     
         2 . The air lubrication device according to  claim 1 , wherein said ship bottom comprises:
 a port-side region on a port side of said center line region; and   a starboard-side region on a starboard side of said center line region,   wherein said air ejecting unit comprises:   N central air outlets provided in said center line region;   N port-side air outlets provided in said port-side region; and   N starboard-side air outlets provided in said starboard-side region,   wherein said N is an integer equal to or more than 1, and   wherein said control section comprises another central air outlet provided in said center line region.   
     
     
         3 . The air lubrication device according to  claim 1 , wherein said ship bottom comprises:
 a port-side region on a port side of said center line region; and   a starboard-side region on a starboard side of said center line region,   wherein said air ejecting unit ejects the air from said center line region, said port-side region, and said starboard-side region, and   wherein said restraining section comprises:   a port-side wall surface provided between said center line region and said port-side region to retrain movement of the air from said center line region to said port-side region; and   a starboard-side wall surface provided between said center line region and said starboard-side region to retrain movement of the air from said center line region to said starboard-side region.   
     
     
         4 . The air lubrication device according to  claim 1 , wherein said ship bottom comprises:
 a port-side region on a port side of said center line region; and   a starboard-side region on a starboard side said center line region,   wherein said air ejecting unit ejects the air from said center line region, said port-side region, and said starboard-side region,   wherein said restraining section comprises a roller provided for said center line region, and   wherein said roller rotates around a rotation axis parallel to a ship width direction such that a surface flow of the air in said center line region is accelerated toward a stern of said ship.   
     
     
         5 . An air lubrication method of a ship, comprising:
 ejecting air from a ship bottom of said ship; and   restraining a thickness of an air layer which covers a center line region of said ship bottom of ship, from being relatively reduced.   
     
     
         6 . The air lubrication method according to  claim 5 , wherein said ship bottom comprises:
 a port-side region on a port side of said center line region; and   a starboard-side region on a starboard side of said center line region,   wherein N central air outlets are provided in said center line region, N port-side air outlets are provided in said port-side region, N starboard-side air outlets are provided in said starboard-side region, and another central air outlet is provided for said center line region,   wherein said N is an integer equal to or more than 1,   wherein said ejecting comprises ejecting the air from said central air outlets, said port-side air outlets, and said starboard-side air outlets, and   wherein said restraining comprises ejecting air from said another central air outlet.   
     
     
         7 . The air lubrication method according to  claim 5 , wherein said ship bottom comprises:
 a port-side region on a port side of said center line region; and   a starboard-side region on a starboard side of said center line region,   wherein said ejecting comprises ejecting the air from said center line region, said port-side region, and said starboard-side region, and   wherein said restraining comprises:   constraining movement of the air from said center line region to said port-side region by a port-side wall surface provided between said center line region and said port-side region; and   retraining movement of the air from said center line region to said starboard-side region by a starboard-side wall surface provided between said center line region and said starboard-side region.   
     
     
         8 . The air lubrication method according to  claim 5 , wherein said ship bottom comprises:
 a port-side region on a port side of said center line region; and   a starboard-side region on a starboard side of said center line region,   wherein said ejecting comprises ejecting the air from said center line region, said port-side region, and said starboard-side region, and   wherein said restraining comprises accelerating a surface flow of the air toward a stern of said ship in said center line region.