USN Aircraft Carrier STEAM CATAPULT Explanation

Description

[carmelpule]

As far as I know, though we call the aircraft-catapult a "steam catapult", it is better described as a "superheated water catapult"
If the steam released in the two zipped cylinders was dry steam, the pressure would drop off rather quickly and the push on the two pistons pulling the aircraft would drop substantially and so it is wet steam that is used with a lot of superheated water in it.
To construct an objective launching function as a constant pressure with a launching catapult, one needs to include, four wet steam accumulator parameters: namely, the accumulator pressure, superheated water level, accumulator volume, and accumulator radius to get the evaporation rate, right.
If it was dry steam alone, the pressure would drop as soon as the aircraft starts to move, but with superheated water in the accumulator tanks, the pressure is kept constant for as long as there is a drop of superheated water in the accumulator tank. It is after all the superheated water evaporates that the pressure in the two launching tubes/pistons starts dropping but by this time the aircraft is flying and the piston is arrested by a hydraulic water buffer. It is very important to understand the need for wet steam and the thermodynamics of wet superheated water and the calculation of how much to put in the wet accumulator is of great importance as related to the mass of the aircraft being launched.
The wire arresting gear damping and slowing down system is a system of pulleys where the slack in the arresting wire is taken by hydraulic accumulators with high-pressure nitrogen expansion or contracting chambers as is found in a normal hydraulic system where a high motion sudden demand is needed.

[Guitcad]

The piston is connected to the plane which mans there has to be a slot in the cylinder for the parts connecting the plane to the piston. How it it that the steam doesn't escape through that slot? It seems like it would lose a lot of power from that.

[elaineandjohn]

Love this! Technology for siege warfare for launching fighter planes! Love the catapult!

[clifbrittain]

I thought about five seconds of this was helpful. It was the five seconds of the simulation. Watching people turn valves and look at gauges is not helpful.

[evatuckjr]

I loved it easy to put together and I don’t have to worry about my toddler getting hurt around the house, I have some time for myself 😅🥰