HIGH-VOLUME, NO-DRAG SEA CHEST WITH PURGE CAPABILITY

摘要

A sea chest that can provide a large volume of seawater (32) substantially without drag or cavitation for cooling the inboard engines of a marine vessel. The keyhole shape opening (6) through the bottom surface (4) of the sea chest is critical to its fünction and causes eddys (34) to form at its outside edges (42), as well as seawater (32) to flow into the sea chest at the center (44) of these edges (42). The present invention sea chest also has an orifice (12) through which a quick burst of air or water can be sent to clean debris clogs and eliminate the need for manual cleaning. Present invention size and mounting location are determined by its application. Although not limited thereto, use of the present invention is generally contemplated for large and high-speed marine vessels. However the present invention can also provide benefit to smaller marine vessels, including those as small in length as twenty feet.