Thermal engine for underwater propulsion and methods of use thereof

Abstract

A method for underwater propulsion including a thermal engine system wherein the thermal engine system produces a propulsion gas, the propulsion gas is introduced into a pressure tuned valve, wherein the pressure tuned valve lies upstream of an eductor and the pressure tuned valve controls release of the gas from the thermal engine system to the eductor; and wherein the release of the propulsion gas to the eductor provides underwater propulsion by ejection of the propulsion gas into surrounding water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal engine system for underwater propulsion comprising
 a first reaction chamber;   a second reaction chamber;   a pump downstream of the first reaction chamber and upstream of the second reaction chamber, wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the first reaction chamber and the second reaction chamber and the pump is configured to pump a first gas from the first reaction chamber to the second reaction chamber;   an ignitor that is operative to ignite the first gas to produce a second gas in the second reaction chamber;   wherein the second gas is in fluid communication with a pressure tuned valve;   wherein the pressure tuned valve lies upstream of an eductor and wherein the pressure tuned valve is operative to release the second gas to the eductor; and   wherein the eductor is configured to provide undersea propulsion by ejection of the steam into surrounding water.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal engine system of  claim 1 , further comprising a microturbine generator. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal engine system of  claim 1 , wherein the first reaction chamber comprises a first inlet and a first outlet, wherein a first valve is configured to release water into the first reaction chamber through the first inlet and a second valve is configured to release a first gas from the first reaction chamber through the first outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal engine system of  claim 1 , wherein the first reaction chamber is configured to contain a chemical reactant that when combined with water undergoes a chemical reaction to generate the first gas. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal engine system of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction chamber is configured to contain a chemical reactant, wherein the chemical reactant comprises calcium carbide, lithium metal, sodium metal, potassium metal, or a combination thereof, and wherein the first gas is acetylene, hydrogen, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal engine system of  claim 1 , wherein the second gas is a mixture of steam and carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         7 . A thermal engine system for underwater propulsion comprising
 a reaction chamber that is operative to generate heat from electrostatic fusion, wherein the reaction chamber comprises a heat exchanger;   a boiler surrounding the reaction chamber, wherein the boiler contains water;   wherein the heat exchanger is operative to vaporize water into steam within the boiler with the energy generated from electrostatic fusion;   a pressure tuned valve, wherein the steam is in fluid communication with the pressure tuned valve and the pressure tuned valve is operative to control the release of steam from the boiler;   wherein the pressure tuned valve lies downstream of the boiler and upstream of an eductor and wherein the pressure tuned valve is operative to release the steam to the eductor; and   wherein the eductor is configured to provide undersea propulsion by ejection of the steam into surrounding water.   
     
     
         8 . The thermal engine system of  claim 7 , further comprising a microturbine generator. 
     
     
         9 . A method for underwater propulsion comprising a thermal engine system wherein the thermal engine system produces a propulsion gas,
 the propulsion gas is introduced into a pressure tuned valve, wherein the pressure tuned valve lies upstream of an eductor and the pressure tuned valve controls release of the gas from the thermal engine system to the eductor; and   wherein the release of the propulsion gas to the eductor provides underwater propulsion by ejection of the propulsion gas into surrounding water.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the thermal engine system further comprises a first reaction chamber; a pump; a second reaction chamber; and an ignitor;
 wherein a first gas is generated by a chemical reaction between water and a chemical reactant in the first reaction chamber,   the first gas is pumped to the second reaction chamber,   the first gas is ignited by the ignitor in the second reaction chamber to generate the propulsion gas.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the thermal engine system further comprises a reaction chamber comprising a heat exchanger; and a boiler surrounding the reaction chamber, wherein the boiler contains water;
 the reaction chamber generates heat from electrostatic fusion,   the heat exchanger transfers the heat from electrostatic fusion to the water in the boiler to vaporize the water into steam, and   wherein the steam is the propulsion gas.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the thermal engine system further comprises a microturbine generator, wherein the microturbine generator generates power from the flow of the propulsion gas to the eductor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the propulsion gas is steam, carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the eductor provides control of thrust. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the underwater propulsion thermal engine system comprises a plurality of eductors, wherein the plurality of eductors provides steering, thrust, and a combination thereof.