Magnetohydrodynamic Underwater Vehicular Propulsion Systems

The development of magnetohydrodynamic propulsion systems for underwater vehicles is a high risk endeavor that offers the possibility of anumber of significant advantages over conventional propeller propulsion systems. These advantages may include the potential for greater stealth characteristics, increased maneuverability, enhanced survivability, elimination of cavitation limits, and addition of a significant emergency propulsion system. The possibility of increased stealth is by far the most important advantage. A conceptual design study has been completed with numerical results that shows that these advantages may be obtained with a magnetohydrodynamic propulsion system in an annular configuration externally surrounding a generic study submarine that is neutrally buoyant and can operate with the existing submarine propulsion system power plant. The classical submarine mission requirements make the use of these characteristics of the magnetohydrodynamicpropulsion system particularly appropriate for submarine missions. The magnetohydrodynamic annular propulsion system for a generic attack class submarine has been designed to take advantage of the magnetohydrodynamic thruster characteristics and provide the potential for a significant improvement in the areas of stealth, enhanced survivability, and increased payload capability. With this configuration, the magnetohydro-dynamic thruster offers the potential for a significant increase in the submarine operational effectiveness. The potential payoff in terms of reduced submarine acoustic signature is a reasonable trade-off for the high risk involved. However, the numerical propulsion characteristics from the conceptual design study must be verified by small scale prototype testing in an open ocean environment and by other appropriate experiments and subscale development efforts.