NAVAL VESSEL SURFACE DE-ICING - HEAT PIPE APPLICATION

ICE FORMATION ON NAVAL VESSELS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE ICE IS FORMED BY OCEAN SPRAY WHEN THERE IS AN APPROPRIATE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW AIR TEMPERATURE. IT CAN ACCUMULATE TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT IT CAN PLACE THE VESSEL IN DANGER OF CAPSIZING. ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION IS TO USE HEAT PIPE TECHNOLOGY DEICE THE VESSEL. IN THIS METHOD, THE CRITICAL SECTIONS OF THE NAVAL VESSELS ARE EQUIPPED WITH HEAT PIPES. THE HEAT SOURCE FOR THE HEAT PIPE CAN BE FROM THE SEA, ENGINE WATER HEAT, STEAM, OR DIRECT FUEL FIRING. THE FIRST PHASE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT WOULD INCLUDE THE SELECTION OF THE CONTAINER MATERIAL MOST SUITED TO ENDURE THE VARIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED BY NAVAL SURFACE SHIPS, THE TESTING OF COMPATIBLE NONTOXIC WORKING FLUIDS THAT APPLY TO THE RELATIVELY LOW WORKING TEMPERATURES, AND THE APPROPRIATE WICK STRUCTURE FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS.