An apparatus, method and computer program for controlling propulsion of marine vessel. The propulsion is implemented by a foil wheel propulsion system. The method includes: receiving a wheel operation status from a wheel drive; receiving a plurality of foil operation statuses from a plurality of foil drives; receiving a command from a vessel control system; generating wheel control data for the wheel drive to control a foil pitch function of the foil wheel propulsion system based on the command in view of the wheel operation status; and generating foil control data for the plurality of the foil drives to further control the foil pitch function of the foil wheel propulsion system based on the command in view of the wheel operation status and the plurality of foil operation statuses, wherein a reference torque of the foil control data for each foil drive is generated using a foil feedforward model.

A method of controlling a propulsion system of a marine vehicle by a controller, which forms data on a pitch angle (γ(θ)) of at least one foil based on an angularly variable wake field (W(θ)) affecting the at least one foil and an angle (θ) of a rotation of the foil wheel. An actuator arrangement that receives the data from the controller sets the at least one foil at the pitch angle (γ(θ)) based on the data.

A cycloidal dynamic propulsion or positioning system for a ship in water that exhibits a direction of flow, including a frame, a rotor mounted to be movable in rotation on the frame about a main axis at right angles to the flow, including a plurality of arms extending radially with respect to the main axis, a main motor equipped with a rotary coder and driving the rotor in rotation, for each arm, a blade mounted to be movable in rotation on the arm about a secondary axis parallel to the main, for each blade, a secondary motor equipped with a rotary coder and driving the blade in rotation, for at least one blade, a load sensor able to evaluate the loads exerted on the blade, and a control unit connected to each coder, strain sensor and motor and controlling the rotation of each motor in terms of angle and speed.

A cycloidal marine propulsion unit, including a hollow rotary casing having a central axis and defining a central inner space with an opening at an axial end thereof. A mounting body rotatably supports the rotary casing on a hull of a marine vessel. A rotating arrangement is provided for rotating said hollow rotary casing, while a plurality of blades extend axially from the rotary casing away from the hull. Each blade is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the rotary casing, about respective blade axes. The rotating arrangement is configured to rotate the rotary casing by a circumference thereof. A blade shaft portion of each blade is at least partly received within the central inner space so as to attach said blade to the rotary casing.

A drive arrangement for a cycloidal marine propulsion unit including at least two electrical blade motors each associated to a respective blade for pivoting thereof, each blade motor being operationally coupled to a respective blade drive for actuating the corresponding blade motor. The at least two blade drives each include a respective blade drive power converter operationally coupled to a first common intermediate DC-link, wherein the at least two blade drives being configured to feed power from the first common intermediate DC-link to their respective blade motors, and to feed regenerative power from their respective blade motors to the first common intermediate DC-link. The disclosure also concerns a marine propulsion unit having such a drive arrangement, and a method of operating such a drive arrangement.

A marine propulsion unit including a rotary casing rotatable about a central axis A, and blades extending axially from the rotary casing for rotation with the rotary casing about the central axis A, wherein each blade is mounted for pivotal movement about blade axes B. A blade shaft portion of each blade is at least partly surrounded by a blade housing and by a blade portion of each blade is outside the blade housing, wherein the blade housing is releasable attached to the rotary casing, and each blade being supported in the blade housing by means of bearings for the pivotal movement.

A drive arrangement for a cycloidal marine propulsion unit including at least two electrical blade motors each associated to a respective blade for pivoting thereof, each blade motor being operationally coupled to a respective blade drive for actuating the corresponding blade motor. The at least two blade drives each include a respective blade drive power converter operationally coupled to a first common intermediate DC-link, wherein the at least two blade drives being configured to feed power from the first common intermediate DC-link to their respective blade motors, and to feed regenerative power from their respective blade motors to the first common intermediate DC-link. The disclosure also concerns a marine propulsion unit having such a drive arrangement, and a method of operating such a drive arrangement.

A cycloidal dynamic propulsion or positioning system for a ship in water that exhibits a direction of flow, including a frame, a rotor mounted to be movable in rotation on the frame about a main axis at right angles to the flow, including a plurality of arms extending radially with respect to the main axis, a main motor equipped with a rotary coder and driving the rotor in rotation, for each arm, a blade mounted to be movable in rotation on the arm about a secondary axis parallel to the main, for each blade, a secondary motor equipped with a rotary coder and driving the blade in rotation, for at least one blade, a load sensor able to evaluate the loads exerted on the blade, and a control unit connected to each coder, strain sensor and motor and controlling the rotation of each motor in terms of angle and speed.

A cycloidal marine propulsion unit, including a hollow rotary casing having a central axis and defining a central inner space with an opening at an axial end thereof. A mounting body rotatably supports the rotary casing on a hull of a marine vessel. A rotating arrangement is provided for rotating said hollow rotary casing, while a plurality of blades extend axially from the rotary casing away from the hull. Each blade is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the rotary casing, about respective blade axes. The rotating arrangement is configured to rotate the rotary casing by a circumference thereof. A blade shaft portion of each blade is at least partly received within the central inner space so as to attach said blade to the rotary casing.

A method for controlling a propulsion system of a marine vehicle is disclosed. A controller forms data on pitch angles of at least two foils, which are in a rotatable manner attached with a foil wheel, based on at least an angularly variable eccentricity of the at least two foils and an angle of rotation of the foil wheel. The variable eccentricity is limited at a portion of the angle of rotation of the foil wheel. An actuator arrangement receives the data from the controller and sets the at least two foils at the pitch angles based on the data.