Propulsion mechanism

Abstract

A propulsion mechanism (100) for a maritime vessel (200) including a rotor (75) mounted for rotation about a rotor axis. The rotor (75) includes a plurality of vanes (20) extending essentially radial to the rotor axis and the vanes are arranged to define spaces (25) in between the vanes (20). The propulsion mechanism (100) further includes means configured for freeing the spaces (25) of water by means of application of air.

Claims

1. A propulsion mechanism for a maritime vessel, said propulsion mechanism comprising: a rotor comprising a rotor axle carrying a plurality of vanes defining spaces in-between them, a screen configured to shroud a portion of said rotor, and means configured for freeing said spaces in-between said vanes of water by means of application of air such that an axial flow of water and/or air in said spaces is established along said rotor axle, wherein said rotor axle has its largest diameter in a central portion of said rotor and wherein said means configured for freeing said spaces in-between said vanes of water by means of application of air applies air through said screen against said largest diameter of said rotor axle such that two opposed axial flows of water and/or air in said spaces are established and wherein said water and/or air escapes said spaces through both ends of said rotor through axial outlets arranged in said screen.

2. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said axial flow of water and/or air is evacuated from said spaces via an axial end of said rotor.

3. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism further includes a motor configured for driving said rotor.

4. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said screen is configured to shroud a portion of said rotor facing the interior of a maritime vessel when said propulsion mechanism is arranged in a maritime vessel.

5. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of said rotor axle is at least 5% of a swept rotor diameter of said rotor.

6. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said vanes extend essentially radial from an axis of rotation of said rotor axle.

7. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said means configured for freeing said spaces of water by means of application of air is configured for applying air through openings in said screen.

8. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said means configured for freeing said spaces of water and/or air by means of application of air is configured for applying air through an end face of said rotor.

9. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said means configured for freeing said spaces of water by means of application of air is configured for applying air through an and face of said rotor and evacuating said spaces through an opposed end face of said rotor.

10. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said rotor axle carrying a plurality of vanes is at least partially conical.

11. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said rotor axle has its largest diameter in a central portion and wherein its diameter decreases towards the ends of the rotor.

12. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said rotor is configured for rotation about a generally horizontal rotor axis when said propulsion mechanism is arranged in a maritime vessel.

13. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, wherein said propulsion mechanism further includes a disc-shaped rotor carrier, said rotor carrier is configured for maintaining said rotor such that said vanes at least partially extend through an opening provided in said rotor carrier.

14. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 13, wherein said disc shaped rotor carrier is configured to allow said propulsion mechanism to assume various orientations with respect to a bottom of a maritime vessel.

15. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism is configured for installation with an essentially vertical axis of rotation of said rotor.

16. The propulsion mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism is configured for installation in or on a ship's side.

17. A propulsion mechanism for a maritime vessel, said propulsion mechanism comprising: a rotor comprising a rotor axle carrying a plurality of vanes defining spaces in-between them, a screen configured to shroud a portion of said rotor, and means configured for freeing said spaces in-between said vanes of water by means of application of air such that an axial flow of water and/or air in said spaces is established along said rotor axle, wherein said rotor axle is conical and has its largest diameter in a portion extending downwards when said mechanism is installed in a ship's side and wherein said means configured for freeing said spaces in-between said vanes of water by means of application of air applies air through said lowermost end of said rotor, through axial inlets, such that an ascending axial flow of water and/or air in said spaces is established and wherein said water and/or air escapes said spaces through axial outlets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is another perspective view of a propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rotor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a principal and sectional view through a ship provided with a propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a top view of the propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a side view of the propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a side view of the propulsion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE FIGURES

(9) The present invention may be applied to maritime vessels such as ships or barges etc. The invention may be applied as a primary or as a secondary propulsion mechanism. Further, the invention may be applied in sets comprising more than one propulsion mechanism.

(10) In large oceangoing ships provided with a large heavy fuel consuming primary propulsion mechanism, the present invention may be incorporated as a supplementary propulsion mechanism in order to allow the ship owner or operator to shut down the ships primary power plant and propel the ship via one or more mechanisms according to the present invention. This way of operating maritime vessel may be preferred in regions wherein emission requirements are particularly strict.

(11) The mechanism may be provided with not shown electric or hydraulic motors. In case the mechanism is driven by electric motors, the source of power could constitute one or more batteries allowing for emission less propulsion which may be preferred e.g. in coastal regions.

(12) As can be seen in the figures the mechanism according to the present invention constitutes a relatively small component which without undue burden may be installed, either under new building or as a retrofit, in the bottom of a ship such as shown in FIG. 4 where the mechanism is installed in double bottom tank 220.

(13) FIGS. 5-8 show a propulsion mechanism according to an aspect of the present invention where the mechanism is configured for installation with an essentially vertical axis of rotation 79. This allows for installation of the mechanism in a ship's side.

(14) The vanes 20 are, throughout the figures, shown as straight vanes extending radial from the centre of the rotor. This is not in any way limiting the scope of the present invention. The vanes may equally, even though not shown in the figures, be embodied as curved or V-shaped vanes 20 and the vanes 20 may or may not be arranged on the rotor axle 10, which may constitute the vane carrier, as extending radial from the rotor, i.e. the vanes may be arranged as inclined vanes opposed to the shown vanes.

(15) As can be seen in the figures, the vanes 20 may via their outer periphery define a cylindrical cylinder. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vanes 20 even define, via their outer periphery, the cylindrical cylinder in embodiments wherein the rotor axle 10, or vane carrier, is not cylindrical.

(16) It is considered that decreasing the diameter of the rotor axle 10, or the vane carrier, towards the outlets facilitates evacuation of the spaces 25.

(17) In embodiments wherein the mechanism is configured to be installed with an essentially vertical axis of rotation 79, such as shown in FIGS. 5-8, and where the air inlet 50 faces downwards and the outlet faces upwards, the rotor axle 10, or the vane carrier, will have its largest diameter in its lowermost end.

(18) The rotor carrier 30 may be provided with secondary outlets 43 configured to convey evacuated water from the spaces 25 via the outlets 42, 52, out downstream the flow caused by rotation of the rotor 75. The secondary outlets 43 may be connected by conduits, as schematically indicated by pos. 44 in FIG. 4, to the outlets 42 and 52.

(19) The application and combination of features and solutions presented by the present invention is not limited to the presented embodiments. One or more features of one embodiment can and may be combined with one or more features of other embodiments, whereby not described but valid, embodiments of the present invention may be obtained.

(20) The term “comprises/comprising/comprised of” when used in this specification incl. claims is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.