Variable Marine Jet Propulsion

For the Next Generation

of Tactical Applications.
Jeff Jordan
President
Intellijet Marine, Inc.

What If . . .
What if your car had only one gear?
q It would work like a Model T . . .
. . . or like a boat.
q You couldnt change gears to operate more efficiently
at lower speeds or when you had a greater load.
q You couldnt use a computer to shift for minimum
fuel use.

Tactical Requirements
High-speed capable
Heavy load capable
Maneuverable at all speeds
Docking
Landing

Shallow draft
Fuel efficient minimum power lost

Power Lost
Marine Jet Propulsion Power Utilization
Fuel
Motor
Pump
Inlet
Thrust
0

20

40

60

80

Percent Usefully Applied or Lost

100

120

Causes of Lost Power

Motor runs lightly loaded as in low gear.

Flow through pump is too high/low.

Water enters inlet too fast/slow.

Water leaves nozzle too fast/slow.

Each Power Loss is Final

Pump cant save power lost in motor.

Pump must make up inlet loss.

Nozzle velocity divides power to

Propel the vessel.

Propel the jet more or less lost power.

High Propulsion Efficiency Requires

High Motor Efficiency

High Pump Efficiency
High Inlet Efficiency
High Fluid Power Transfer Efficiency
All at the same time
Over the operating speed range
Over the operational load range

The Question is . . .

How much thrust do you get

out of the fuel power input?

Now . . .
Imagine a boat
that works like your car.
Where computers control
the motor and transmission,
so the system operates at peak efficiency
over wide ranges of acceleration,
speed, and load.

Load Carrying

System Design Objectives

Operate the motor efficiently

Maintain pump efficiency
Maintain inlet efficiency
Vary nozzle size for best power transfer
Large nozzle at low speeds
Smaller nozzle at higher speeds

Variable Marine Jet Propulsion

Second-generation system.
Adds variable-pitch spherical pump.
Has lower jet velocity at low water craft speed.
Retains variable rectangular nozzle.
Incorporates embedded microcontroller.

Virtual Reality Model

Variable Marine Jet Components

v Variable-pitch propeller pump
v Variable rectangular steering nozzle
v Variable inlet duct
v Common embedded microcontroller

Handle

Microcontroller

Motor

Inlet

Pump

Nozzle

Variable-pitch Propeller Pump

Spherical design provides 90o fitted vane rotation

Efficient variable propulsion

True neutral at zero pitch
Reverse pitch for reverse thrust
Eliminates need for reversing bucket

Quick, smooth shifting forward/neutral/reverse

Continuously Variable Power Transmission

300
200

Horsepower

Efficient Motor RPM

Actual
Motor
RPM
(Pump
Power
Demand)

100

Excess RPM
Cruising
Range

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000 RPM

Conventional Jet Power Transmission

300
200

Microcontroller Setting

100

Horsepower

Efficient Motor RPM

45-degree Pitch

Actual
Motor RPM
(Microcontroller
Program)

Cruising
Range

Operating
Point
18-degree Pitch

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000 RPM

Continuously Variable Power Transmission

Variable Marine Jet Components

v Variable-pitch propeller pump
v Variable rectangular steering nozzle
v Variable inlet duct
v Common embedded controller

Handle

Microcontroller

Motor

Inlet

Pump

Nozzle

Variable Rectangular Steering Nozzle

Embedded microcontroller maintains efficient

pump operation by adjusting nozzle area.

Provides steering in both forward and reverse.

Allows elimination of reversing bucket.

Steering demo in following video clip.

Maneuverability

Variable Nozzle Functions

Low-speed operation

Tight turn

High-speed operation

Variable Marine Jet Components

v

Variable-pitch propeller pump

Variable rectangular steering nozzle

Variable inlet duct

Common embedded controller

Handle

Microcontroller

Motor

Inlet

Pump

Nozzle

Variable Inlet Duct Functions

Slide adjusts entrance opening for ideal velocity.
Flow cross section area increases gradually along flow.
Flow velocity is reduced, pressure increased by
Bernoullis Principle (p + V2/2g is constant)
Inlet duct becomes nozzle in reverse thrust mode

Variable Marine Jet Components

v

Variable-pitch propeller pump

Variable rectangular steering nozzle

Variable inlet duct

Common embedded controller

Common Microcontroller
Reads RPM, speed and duct pressures
Adjusts pump for most efficient motor operation
Adjusts nozzle to maintain pump efficiency
Adjusts inlet for efficient recovery of total dynamic
head IAW Bernoulli's Principle

Handle

Microcontroller

Motor

Inlet

Pump

Nozzle

Orientation

Pump Action

Nozzle Functions

Microcontroller Programs
Rudimentary flow diagrams on following slides
Still go beyond this discussion
Artificial intelligence likely in actual applications
Standard integrated control systems interface

Fly-by-wire for watercraft

Control Schematic
Top

Forward
Mode

Read (C)
Control
Position

C>10 deg.

Read
Pump
Head (h)

Read
System
Flow

Calculate
Entrance
Velocity (V)

Read
Engine
rpm (N)

Read
Duct Slide
Position

Read Boat
Speedometer
(S)

Increment
Nozzle
Open

V>S+d

Yes
h>kN^2+d

Yes

Yes

Increment
Slide
Open

Yes

Increment
Slide
Closed

No
No

No

C<-10 deg.

Yes

Set Full
Reverse
Pitch

h<kN^2-d

Yes

Increment
Nozzle
Closed

V<S-d

No
Set Vane Angle
Proportionate
to C

No
Return
to Top

No
Alternate
Vane Adj.
Next Slide

Read duct
velocity
squared

Read
Operator
Input (O)

Compute
Flow (Q)

Read Vane
Position (A)

Enter Table with

Cont. Pos. (C)
Read Target (T)

Enter Table with

rpm (n) & speed
(S) to Read (Pe)

Yes
Pe<hq-d

Increment
Vane Angle
Decrease

No

Yes
A>OT+d

Read Engine
Load (E)

Increment
Vane Angle
Decrease

No

Yes
Pe>hq+d

Pump Vane
Routines

Increment
Vane Angle
Increase

No

Increment
Vane Angle
Increase

No
Return
to Top

Increment
Vane Angle
Decrease

Yes

Increment
Vane Angle
Increase

No

Yes
A<OT-d

Yes
E>+d

E<-d

No
Return
to Top

Return
to Top

Summary
The embedded microcontroller program regulates

The pump to maintain motor efficiency.

The nozzle to maintain pump efficiency.
The inlet to maintain recovery efficiency.

So the total system operates at peak efficiency at all speeds and

under all loads and accelerations.

Natural Consequences of the Control Scheme

Jet size is reduced with boat speed

12 at low speeds
6 at top speed

Inlet reduces velocity 60% to 80% at top speed

Propeller always operates in efficient range
Higher pressure suppresses cavitation noise

Stealth Consequences
Cavitation suppressed at operating speeds
Jet velocity is low relative to the wake
No rooster tail
Reduced wake luminescence
Reduced noise

The Operator Experience

Familiar single-handle control

Shift quickly without reducing RPM
Quick steering response
Multiple program selection set it & forget it modes
Maximum performance when detection is unavoidable
Suppress Cavitation Noise when avoiding detection
Maximum fuel economy for cruising

Tactical Requirements
High-speed capable
Heavy load capable
Maneuverable at all speeds
Docking
Landing

Shallow draft
Fuel efficient minimum power lost

Variable Marine Jet Propulsion

Tactical Versatility
Jeff Jordan
Intellijet Marine, Inc.
Jeff@intellijetmarine.com
425-869-2723