Russian engineer Sergey Sayapin has developed a new type of reversible jet propulsion system, which has received a patent. This propulsion system is capable of changing thrust direction, performing maneuvers around various axes, and operating autonomously underwater. The patent holder for the invention is the A.A. Blagonravov Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The new system is designed for underwater vehicles, autonomous robots, and can also be used on surface vessels. Unlike classic jet engines and propeller propulsion systems, the design features a spatial mechanism in the form of an active octahedron, which controls the position of the nozzle and the direction of the jet stream.
At the core of the device is a 12-rod parallel structure mechanism with 12 degrees of freedom. Its elements are equipped with linear actuators, force, displacement, and speed sensors, as well as gyroscope and accelerometer units. All processes are controlled by an electronic system with a neurocomputer and software-algorithmic support.
Inside the structure is a flexible bellows — a sealed chamber that acts as a pump. When compressed, it expels water through a special nozzle and creates reactive thrust. By changing the shape of the nozzle and the position of individual elements, the system can change the direction of movement without turning the entire body of the apparatus.
One of the features of the development is the ability to quickly switch between forward and reverse motion. For this purpose, the front and rear parts of the propulsion system can alternately act as a piston or a jet nozzle.
The design also allows for turns around the center of mass. For this, the system shifts the axis of the jet stream relative to the body and creates a control moment that causes the apparatus to rotate around a given axis.