Patent ID: 8011310

Claim:
A ship having reduced frictional resistance, said ship comprising: micro-bubble generators formed in openings on a hull, each micro-bubble generator comprising a plate affixed to one of the openings and a wing attached to the plate, said wing disposed outside the hull and configured for generating negative pressure on a side facing the hull; a window formed in each plate at a point directly opposite the wing of the plate, said window being in fluid communication with an inside of the opening and the outside of the hull; an air charging pipe to supply each opening with air, said air charging pipe connected to a side of the opening; an air pressure source connected to each said air charging pipe, said air pressure source configured to depress air-liquid interface in said air charging pipe outwardly toward a micro-bubble generation region; an air supply system to supply air from the air pressure source to the micro-bubble generators, said air supply system comprising a pipe, a header and a valve, said air supply system being closed except at an end facing the opening; wherein a first shortest distance between a rear edge of the wing and the plate is substantially greater than a second shortest distance between a front edge of the wing and the plate; and wherein said micro-bubble generators are configured to discharge micro-bubbles that move downstream closely along an outside surface of said hull when water flows between the hull and the wing during ship motion.