Ship propulsion arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926059-B2
Application number	US-201715449620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A ship comprising a hull having a transom and a bottom, and an azimuthing propulsion unit arranged to the bottom of the ship hull, which azimuthing propulsion unit comprises a propeller. The azimuthing propulsion unit comprises an exposed operation mode in which the propeller sets, behind the transom of the hull and that the azimuthing propulsion unit is rotatable and comprises a protected position mode in which the azimuthing propulsion unit stays below the hull of the ship.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ship comprising a hull having a rear end and a bottom, and an azimuthing propulsion unit arranged to the bottom of the ship hull, which azimuthing propulsion unit comprises a propulsion motor and a propeller driven by the propulsion motor, wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit comprises an exposed position mode in which the propulsion motor is disposed underneath the hull and the propeller sets behind the rear end of the hull and that the azimuthing propulsion unit is rotatable and comprises a protected position mode in which the azimuthing propulsion unit is disposed underneath the hull of the ship.

2. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the propeller is designed for providing a maximal efficiency when operated in a pushing operation mode in the exposed position mode.

3. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein a propeller design is optimised for pushing operation mode in the exposed position mode by applying at least one of a pitch distribution, a skew angle, a propeller diameter, number of blades, a blade area ratio, a propeller rotational speed and a propeller hubcap shape as design parameter.

4. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the propeller is designed to enable operation in protected position and pulling operation mode with limited power and ship speed.

5. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein a rotation direction of the propeller can be reversed so that the propeller is operated in a pulling operation mode in the exposed position mode and/or in a pushing operation mode in the protected position mode.

6. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of a power and a turning angle are limited in the protected position mode of the azimuthing propulsion unit.

7. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the propeller comprises three or four blades.

8. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit comprises a pod, wherein the propulsion motor is positioned inside the pod, and wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit further comprises a substantially horizontal drive shaft drivingly connected to the propulsion motor and the propeller, and a strut rigidly attached to the pod, the ship further comprising a bearing unit for supporting the strut and allowing rotation of the strut with respect to the ship hull.

9. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the propulsion motor is positioned in a pod; and wherein the shape of the pod is optimised for pushing operation and exposed position mode.

10. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the ship comprises a cover having an activated mode in which the cover sets above the propeller of the azimuthing propulsion unit for preventing passengers to fall onto the propeller, which activated mode of the cover is applied when the azimuthing propulsion unit is operated in the exposed position mode.

11. The ship according to claim 10 , wherein the cover has a non-activated mode in which mode the cover does not extend the hull's dimensions, which non-activated mode is applied when the azimuthing propulsion unit is operated in the protected position mode.

12. The ship according to claim 11 , wherein the cover is automatically switched between the activated and non-activated modes when the azimuthing propulsion unit is operated in the exposed and protected position modes, respectively.

13. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the rear end of the hull comprises a transom of the ship.

14. The ship according to claim 2 , wherein the propeller design is optimised for pushing operation mode in the exposed position mode by applying at least one of a pitch distribution, a skew angle, a propeller diameter, number of blades, a blade area ratio, a propeller rotational speed and a propeller hubcap shape as design parameter; and
wherein the propeller is designed to enable operation in protected position and pulling operation mode with limited power and ship speed.

15. The ship according to claim 4 , wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit comprises a pod, wherein the propulsion motor is positioned inside the pod, and wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit further comprises a substantially horizontal drive shaft drivingly connected to the propulsion motor and the propeller, and a strut rigidly attached to the pod, the ship further comprising a bearing unit for supporting the strut and allowing rotation of the strut with respect to the ship hull.

16. The ship according to claim 4 , wherein the shape of the pod is optimised for pushing operation and exposed position mode.

17. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein the ship comprises a cover having an activated mode in which the cover sets above the propeller of the azimuthing propulsion unit for preventing passengers to fall onto the propeller, which activated mode of the cover is applied when the azimuthing propulsion unit is operated in the exposed position mode;
wherein the cover has a non-activated mode in which mode the cover does not extend the hull's dimensions, which non-activated mode is applied when the azimuthing propulsion unit is operated in the protected position mode; and
wherein the cover is automatically switched between the activated and non-activated modes when the azimuthing propulsion unit is operated in the exposed and protected position modes, respectively.

18. The ship according to claim 17 , wherein the rear end of the hull comprises a transom of the ship.

19. The ship according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of a power and a turning angle are limited in the protected position mode of the azimuthing propulsion unit;
wherein the propeller comprises three or four blades;
wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit comprises a pod, wherein the propulsion motor is positioned inside the pod, and wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit further comprises a substantially horizontal drive shaft drivingly connected to the propulsion motor and the propeller, and a strut rigidly attached to the pod, the ship further comprising a bearing unit for supporting the strut and allowing rotation of the strut with respect to the ship hull; and
wherein the shape of the pod is optimised for pushing operation and exposed position mode.

20. The ship according to claim 19 , wherein a rotation direction of the propeller can be reversed so that the propeller is operated in a pulling operation mode in the exposed position mode and/or in a pushing operation mode in the protected position mode;
wherein at least one of the power and the turning angle are limited in the protected position mode of the azimuthing propulsion unit; and
wherein the rear end of the hull comprises a transom of the ship.

21. The ship of claim 1 , wherein the hull has a bottom that approaches and meets a ship base line; and wherein the propulsion motor is disposed at a higher elevation than the base line.

22. The ship of claim 1 , wherein the hull has a bottom that approaches and meets a ship base line; and wherein the propeller is disposed at a higher elevation than the base line.

23. The ship of claim 1 , wherein the hull has a bottom that approaches and meets a ship base line; the ship further including a skeg, wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit is disposed aft of the skeg.

24. The ship of claim 23 , wherein the azimuthing propulsion unit is disposed at a higher elevation than the base line.

Assignees

• Abb Oy

Inventors

• Kokkila Kimmo

Classifications

• B63H2005/1258

  with electric power transmission to propellers, i.e. with integrated electric propeller motors · CPC title

• B63H5/125 Primary

  movably mounted with respect to hull, e.g. adjustable in direction {, e.g. podded azimuthing thrusters}({outboard units or Z-drives B63H20/00; } movably mounted for steering purposes only, {rudders carrying propellers} B63H25/42) · CPC title

• B63H2005/1254

  Podded azimuthing thrusters, i.e. podded thruster units arranged inboard for rotation about vertical axis · CPC title

• B63H25/42

  Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements (by jets B63H25/46); Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers · CPC title

• B63H21/36

  Covers or casing arranged to protect plant or unit from marine environment · CPC title