Concealment method and apparatus and naval vessel provided with at least such an apparatus

Abstract

A concealment that covers all or a main part of naval vessels and their surroundings and crew, by making provision for coupling a flow of air with an injection of fluid to cause formation of a cloud and to orient the cloud to optimize coverage of the vessel and the surroundings to be protected. A concealment apparatus includes a gas turbine coupled to a conduit discharging a flow of smoke composed of a combustion gas loaded with droplets of fluid in suspension. The conduit includes two branches that emerge on each lateral half-hull of the hull of the vessel. The branches are symmetrical with respect to a vertical symmetry plane of the ship and, through their curvature, have roughly a direction oriented towards the rear of the ship. In this way, the flow of smoke is also oriented towards the rear of the ship.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for concealing a naval vessel including at least one deck and a hull, the method comprising:
 integrating in the vessel at least one gas turbine, the integrating being able to be made on a deck of the vessel and/or in the vessel, substantially at or above a waterline;   injecting a fluid at a discharge from the gas turbine; and   guiding a flow of gas thus loaded with fluid in suspension, as a flow of smoke, to at least one outlet formed in the hull of the vessel, to direct the flow of smoke.   
     
     
         12 . A concealing method according to  claim 11 , wherein an injection of additives chosen from coloured, powdery, odorous, smoke-generating additives and/or graphite powder is also effected at the outlet of the smoke generator. 
     
     
         13 . A concealing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the guiding the flow of smoke is configured so that the outlet out of the hull is produced at or above the waterline of the naval vessel. 
     
     
         14 . A concealing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the guiding is of adaptable orientation, at the outlet from the hull of the naval vessel, by orientation in a reference plane parallel to the at least one deck of the vessel and/or in a plane perpendicular to the reference plane, to orient the flow of smoke at the waterline according to movement of the vessel and sailing conditions, so that the flow of smoke and the outlet is directed between the at least one deck and the waterline. 
     
     
         15 . A concealing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the flow of smoke is cooled and made denser by humidification before emerging from the hull of the vessel to cause a vaporization at the outlet and to keep the smoke placed over a stretch of water that surrounds the vessel. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for concealing a naval vessel configured to implement the method according to  claim 11 , and comprising a gas turbine including a gas generator and a pipe for ejecting the gases, which is connected to a fuel reservoir,
 wherein the exhaust pipe includes at least one fluid injector connected to at least one reservoir, to inject the fluid, or an oil, into the exhaust gases from the gas turbine and to form a flow of gas with a fluid in suspension, as the flow of smoke, and is coupled to at least one conduit or guide conduit branch for the flow of smoke.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each conduit or branch comprises at least one frustoconical divergent portion, connected to the pipe to substantially reduce a speed of the flow of smoke. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein an injector injecting external fluid into the flow of gas is arranged in an end region of each conduit or branch to cool the flow of smoke and make it denser, or the external fluid is sea water at a temperature substantially below that of the flow of gas at the region. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each conduit or branch includes at an end with a nozzle orientable in at least one plane to direct the flow of smoke at the outlet of the conduit or branch or with a grille orientable in an end region of the pipe, the grille configured to direct the flow of smoke that passes through the conduit or branch. 
     
     
         20 . A naval vessel comprising at least one deck, a hull, and at least one apparatus according to  claim 16 , the apparatus arranged on a deck or in a hold of the vessel, lengths of the conduits and branches determined to emerge out of the hull of the vessel through preformed openings.