Hydrofoil apparatuses, systems, and methods for marine vessels
Hydrofoil apparatuses and associate methods are for lifting a marine vessel relative to water. The hydrofoil apparatus comprising a wing that laterally extends from a port wing side to a starboard wing side relative to the marine vessel, and a propulsor coupled to the wing, the propulsor being configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water.
1 . A hydrofoil apparatus for lifting a marine vessel relative to water, the marine vessel having a main propulsor, the hydrofoil apparatus comprising:
a wing that laterally extends relative to the marine vessel; and
an additional propulsor coupled to the wing, the additional propulsor being configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water.
2 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the additional propulsor comprises a propeller.
3 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the additional propulsor comprises dual counter-rotating propellers.
4 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wing extends longitudinally from a leading end to a trailing end, and wherein the additional propulsor is located along the trailing end.
5 . A hydrofoil apparatus for lifting a marine vessel relative to water, the hydrofoil apparatus comprising:
a wing that laterally extends relative to the marine vessel, wherein the wing extends longitudinally from a leading end to a trailing end; and
a propulsor coupled to the wing, the propulsor being configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water, wherein the propulsor comprises a leading propeller located along the leading end and a trailing propeller located along the trailing end.
6 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a first motor configured to rotate the leading propeller and a second motor configured to rotate the trailing propeller.
7 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wing comprises a leading end and a trailing end, and wherein the additional propulsor is coupled to the wing in a cavity located between the leading end and the trailing end.
8 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a strut configured to support the wing relative to a hull of the marine vessel, wherein the additional propulsor is laterally spaced apart from the strut so that the flow of water passes across the wing and through the additional propulsor without or with minimal impedance from the strut.
9 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the additional propulsor is one of a plurality of additional propulsors coupled to the wing and configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water.
10 . A hydrofoil apparatus for lifting a marine vessel relative to water, the hydrofoil apparatus comprising:
a wing that laterally extends relative to the marine vessel; and
a plurality of propulsors coupled to the wing, the plurality of propulsors being configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water, wherein the plurality of propulsors comprises outboard propulsors and an inboard propulsor located laterally between the outboard propulsors, and wherein the inboard propulsor is capable of generating a larger propulsive force in the water than the outboard propulsors.
11 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the inboard propulsor is sized larger than the outboard propulsors.
12 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the wing has a chord length which gradually decreases from a center portion of the wing to a port wing side and to a starboard wing side, respectively.
13 . The hydrofoil apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the wing has a chord length which gradually decreases from a center portion of the wing to a port wing side and to a starboard wing side, respectively.
14 . A hydrofoil system for lifting a marine vessel relative to water, the marine vessel having a main propulsor, the hydrofoil system comprising:
a hydrofoil apparatus comprising a wing that laterally extends from a port wing side to a starboard wing side relative to the marine vessel,
a plurality of additional propulsors coupled to the wing and configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water, and
a control module configured to control the plurality of additional propulsors based upon at least one of a user input, a stored program, and/or an operational characteristic of the marine vessel or the hydrofoil apparatus.
15 . The hydrofoil system according to claim 14 , wherein the control module is configured to control a speed of operation of the plurality of additional propulsors based upon an operational characteristic of the marine vessel or the hydrofoil apparatus.
16 . The hydrofoil system according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of propulsors comprises outboard propulsors and an inboard propulsor located laterally between the outboard propulsors, and wherein the control module is configured to slow down or turn off the outboard propulsors while continuing an operation of the inboard propulsor.
17 . The hydrofoil system according to claim 16 , wherein the control module is configured to speed up or turn on one of the outboard propulsors, individually and apart from another one of the outboard propulsors, to increase a lift force on one side of the wing and thereby to facilitate stability of the marine vessel and/or a turning motion of the marine vessel.
18 . The hydrofoil system according to claim 14 , the control module is further configured to cease operation of and then retract the plurality of additional propulsors to reduce flow restriction generated by the plurality of additional propulsors.
19 . The hydrofoil system according to claim 18 , wherein the additional propulsor comprises a hub and a plurality of propeller blades, and wherein the control module is configured to retract the additional propulsor by moving the plurality of propeller blades closer to the hub.
20 . The hydrofoil system according to claim 18 , wherein the additional propulsor comprises a hub and first and second diametrically opposed propeller blades, and wherein the control module is configured to retract the additional propulsor by rotating the first and second diametrically opposed propeller blades into alignment with a plane defined by the wing.
21 . A method of controlling a hydrofoil apparatus for lifting a marine vessel relative to water, the marine vessel having a main propulsor, the method comprising:
providing the hydrofoil apparatus with a wing that laterally extends from a port wing side to a starboard wing side relative to the marine vessel, and an additional propulsor coupled to the wing, the additional propulsor being configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water; and
controlling the additional propulsor based upon at least one of a user input, a stored program, and/or an operational characteristic of the hydrofoil apparatus or marine vessel.
22 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein the additional propulsor is one of a plurality of additional propulsors coupled to the wing and configured to induce additional flow of water across the wing, thereby enhancing a lift force on the hydrofoil apparatus for lifting the marine vessel relative to the water, and further comprising controlling a speed of operation of the plurality of additional propulsors based upon the at least one of a user input, the stored program, and/or the operational characteristic of the hydrofoil apparatus or marine vessel.
23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the plurality of additional propulsors comprises outboard propulsors and an inboard propulsor located laterally between the outboard propulsors, and further comprising slowing down or turning off the outboard propulsors while continuing operation of the inboard propulsor based upon the at least one of a user input, the stored program, and/or the operational characteristic of the hydrofoil apparatus or marine vessel.
24 . The method according to claim 23 , further comprising speeding up or turning on one of the outboard propulsors, individually and apart from another one of the outboard propulsors, to increase a lift force on one side of the wing and thereby to facilitate a stability of the marine vessel and/or a turning motion of the marine vessel.
25 . The method according to claim 21 , further comprising ceasing operation of and then retracting the additional propulsor based upon the at least one of a user input, the stored program, and/or the operational characteristic of the hydrofoil apparatus or marine vessel, to thereby reduce flow restriction generated by the additional propulsor.
26 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the additional propulsor comprises a hub and a plurality of propeller blades and comprising retracting the additional propulsor by either moving the plurality of propeller blades closer to the hub or by rotating the plurality of propeller blades into alignment with a plane defined by the wing.