SE1851406A1

SE1851406A1 - Method and system for fluke drive

Info

Publication number: SE1851406A1
Application number: SE1851406A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Thomas Jemt
Original assignee: Dolprop Ind Ab
Priority date: 2018-11-12
Filing date: 2018-11-12
Publication date: 2020-05-13
Also published as: WO2020101552A1

Abstract

Fluke drive system for a vessel (200), comprisinga pivot element (228) having a forward end and an aft end, which pivot ele-ment (228) is pivotally connected at the forward end to a hull (201) of the vessel (200) and which pivot element (228) is connected at the aft end to a flexible fluke (229);a driving mechanism having a drive point (230), which driving mechanism is arranged to impart a reciprocal or rotary movement to the drive point (230); anda drive rod (224) having a first end and a second end, which drive rod (224) is connected at the first end to the drive point (230) and at the second end to the pivot element (228), which second end is connected to the pivot element (228) at a point along the pivot element (228) between said forward and aft ends.The invention is characterised in that the driving mechanism comprises a hydraulic pump (220) arranged to be driven by a propeller axle (211) of the vessel (200), and in that the said drive point (230) movement is achieved using a hydraulic pressure in turn achieved by said hydraulic pump (220), so that a rotation of the propeller axle (211) will drive the drive rod (224) back and forth, in turn resulting in a reciprocal up and down motion of the flexible fluke (229).The invention also relates to a method.

Claims

1. Fluke drive system for a vessel (200), comprising a pivot element (228) having a forward end and an aft end, which pivot ele-ment (228) is pivotally connected at the forward end to a hull (201) of the vessel (200) andwhich pivot element (228) is connected at the aft end to a flexible fluke (229); a driving mechanism having a drive point (230), which driving mechanism isarranged to impart a reciprocal or rotary movement to the drive point (230); and a drive rod (224) having a first end and a second end, which drive rod (224) isconnected at the first end to the drive point (230) and at the second end to the pivotelement (228), which second end is connected to the pivot element (228) at a point alongthe pivot element (228) between said forward and aft ends, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the driving mechanism comprises ahydraulic pump (220) arranged to be driven by a propeller axle (211) of the vessel (200),and in that the said drive point (230) movement is achieved using a hydraulic pressure inturn achieved by said hydraulic pump (220), so that a rotation of the propeller axle (211) will drive the drive rod (224) back and forth, in turn resulting in a reciprocal up and down motion of the flexible fluke (229).

2. Fluke drive system according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n thatthe hydraulic pump (220) is arranged inside the interior of said hull (201).

3. Fluke drive system according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the drive rod (224) is hydraulically driven and installed in a through hole (225) through thesaid hull (201).

4. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d i n that the propeller axle (211) supports a propeller, and in that thepropeller comprises a remote controllable blade folding mechanism arranged to allow auser to control said propeller blades (501) to fold and unfold so as to control the propel- ling power applied by the propeller. Application text, 2018-1 1- 12 180090SE

5. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the fluke (400) is made from a flexible material, preferably having flexible steel inserts (401) along its periphery.

6. Fluke drive system according to c|aim 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n thatthe fluke (400) comprises a remote controlled hydraulically or pneumatically operatedstiffening system (402), arranged to make the fluke (400) stiffer as a result of a supplied higher hydraulic or pneumatic pressure to the stiffening system (402).

7. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the vessel (200) is a cargo or freighter ship, preferably of at least 10,000 DWT.

8. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the vessel(200)comprises an internalengine (210)arranged to drive the propeller axle at a maximum of 200 RPM.

9. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the driving mechanism is arranged to impart said reciprocal orrotary movement to the drive point (230) at the same frequency as the rotation of the propeller axle (211).

10. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the system further comprises one or several additional rudders(710,711), fastened in parallel to a main rudder (700) on either sides of said main rudder (700).

11. Fluke drive system according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the driving mechanism comprisesa displacement means (601),which displacement means (601) is arranged to be driven to move reciprocally upwards and downwards by the driving mechanism, wherein the fluke (600) is connected to the Application text, 2018-1 1- 12 180090SE 26 displacement means (601) via a fluke connecting part (610), wherein the fluke connectingpart (610) comprisesa pivot joint (615), pivotally connecting a first point (a) of the displacement means(601) to a second point (b) of the fluke (600);an upper spring means (613), connecting a third point (c), arranged above the firstpoint (a), of the displacement means (613) to a fourth point (d), arranged above thesecond point (b), of the fluke (600); anda lower spring means (614), connecting a fifth point (e), arranged below the firstpoint (a), of the displacement means (601) to a sixth point (f), arranged below the second point (b), of the fluke (600).

12. Method for retrofitting a vessel (200) with a fluke drive system, which methodcomprises the steps providing to the vessel (200) a pivot element (228) having a forward end andan aft end and being connected at the aft end to a flexible fluke (229), including connect-ing the pivot element (228) at the forward end to a hull (201) of the vessel (200); providing a driving mechanism having a drive point (230), which drivingmechanism is arranged to impart a reciprocal or rotary movement to the drive point (230);and providing a drive rod (224) having a first end and a second end, includingconnecting the drive rod (224) at the first end to the drive point (230) and at the secondend to the pivot element (228), wherein the second end is connected to the pivot element(228) at a point (226) along the pivot element (228) between said forward and aft ends,c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that, in the said driving mechanism pro-vision step, a hydraulic pump (220) is provided, arranged to be driven by a propeller axle(211) of the vessel (200), and in that, also in said driving mechanism provision step, thehydraulic pump (220) is installed so that a hydraulic pressure achieved by the hydraulicpump (220) in turn achieves said movement of the drive point (230), so that a rotation of the propeller axle (211) will drive the drive rod (224) back and forth, in turn resulting in a reciprocal up and down motion ofthe flexible fluke (229). Application text, 2018-1 1- 12 180090SE