Author(s): Xin Wang; Guangyu Yuan; Jiarui Song; Baoyu Ni
Linked Author(s): Xin Wang
Keywords: Submerged water jet; Thick ice; Erosion; Ice breaking
Abstract: Water jet auxiliary icebreaking method has been successfully implemented on surface icebreakers, demonstrating its effectiveness in ice disruption. However, the application of submerged water jets for icebreaking in the environment of sub-ice navigation by autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this paper conducted a series of experimental investigations on the erosion of thick ice by submerged water jets, aiming to elucidate the influence of the submerged environment on the underlying ice-breaking mechanisms. Based on the experimental results, the effects of key operational parameters, such as jet pressure, erosion time, and stand-off distance, on the ice erosion performance are systematically analyzed. Due to shear-induced cavitation at the interface between the submerged jet and the surrounding fluid, the submerged water jet exhibits excellent continuous ice-breaking capability at short stand-off distances. These findings suggest that submerged water jetting holds significant potential as an auxiliary ice-breaking method for underwater vehicles.
Year: 2026