Cutting Ice with High Pressure Water Jets

• Main Authors: Mellor, Malcolm, Gagnon, Francis
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1973
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Marine Engineering; *ICEBREAKERS; COAST GUARD RESEARCH; CUTTING; FEASIBILITY STUDIES; JET FLOW; LIQUID JETS; PRESSURE; TEST METHODS; Psi; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0766172; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0766172

The report describes high pressure water jet ice cutting experiments conducted in support of the Coast Guard domestic icebreaking program. The test objectives were to determine power requirements for cutting two feet of fresh water ice at a speed of advance of 5 knots. The results of the tests show extremely high power requirements even when using state-of-the-art equipment pumping at 100,000 psi.