ARRANGEMENT TO REDUCE A PROPULSION POWER REQUIREMENT OF A WATERCRAFT

Abstract

In order to provide an arrangement with at least one rudder and with at least one accommodating space for a propeller, which accommodating space is formed in the direction of travel of the watercraft in front of the rudder and allows for a reduction of a propulsion power requirement of a watercraft with such an arrangement, it is proposed that, in the direction of travel in front of the accommodating space of the propeller, at least one pre-nozzle comprising at least one guide surface and at least one side fin is arranged on the rudder.

Claims

1. An arrangement for reducing a propulsion power requirement of a watercraft, comprising at least one rudder and at least one accommodating space for a propeller, wherein the accommodating space is formed in the direction of travel of the watercraft in front of the rudder, wherein in the direction of travel in front of the accommodating space of the propeller at least one pre-nozzle comprising at least one guide surface is arranged and wherein at least one side fin is arranged on the rudder.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pre-nozzle is shaped as a ring nozzle or as at least one ring nozzle section, wherein the pre-nozzle at least partially circumferentially limits a flow channel.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the at least one guide surface of the pre-nozzle is designed in the form of a fin, which is arranged at the ring nozzle or the at least one ring nozzle section.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the at least one guide surface designed as a fin projects from an outer shell surface of the pre-nozzle designed as a ring nozzle or as a ring nozzle section.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one guide surface designed as a support strut of the pre-nozzle.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one guide surface arranged in the flow channel of the pre-nozzle.

7. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the at least one guide surface radially extends from an rotational axis of the pre-nozzle beyond the ring nozzle or the ring nozzle section.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pre-nozzle comprises a plurality of guide surfaces, which are evenly or unevenly distributed.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pre-nozzle with the at least one guide surface and the at least one side fin are arranged asymmetrically opposite the rudder in such a way that, in non-deflected rudder position, the at least one side fin is arranged on one side of the rudder and the pre-nozzle with the at least one guide surface is at least partially as arranged on another side of the rudder.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pre-nozzle with the at least one guide surface and the at least one side fin are arranged symmetrically opposite the rudder in such a way that the pre-nozzle and/or the at least one guide surface is arranged both on one side of the rudder as well as on the other side of the rudder, wherein at least one side fin are arranged on the first lateral surface and on the second lateral surface of the rudder.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side fin is essentially aligned at a right angle to the first lateral surface and/or the second lateral surface of the rudder.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side fin is aligned at an angle to the first lateral surface and/or the second lateral surface of the rudder, which is less than 90°.

13. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side fin comprises a tapered sweep.

14. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side fin attached to the rudder comprises a cap arranged on its face side, or a winglet arranged on its face side.

15. Watercraft comprising an arrangement for reducing a propulsion power requirement of the watercraft, said arrangement comprising at least one rudder and at least one accommodating space for a propeller wherein the accommodating space Is formed in the direction of travel of the watercraft in front of the rudder, wherein, in the direction of travel in front of the accommodating space of the propeller, at least one pre-nozzle comprising at least one guide surface is arranged, and wherein at least one side fin is arranged on the rudder.

16. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein, in non-deflected rudder position, the at least one side fin is arranged on one side of the rudder and the pre-nozzle with the at least one guide surface is with a predominant proportion arranged on another side of the rudder.

17. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein, in non-deflected rudder position, the at least one side fin is arranged on one side of the rudder and the pre-nozzle with the at least one guide surface is completely arranged on another side of the rudder.

18. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the angle is less than 75°.

19. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the angle is less than 60°.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0043] A plurality of exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of the drawings. The figures show:

[0044] FIG. 1 a lateral view of a stern region of a watercraft with an arrangement in accordance with a first embodiment,

[0045] FIG. 2 a top view of the stern region of the watercraft with an arrangement in accordance with a second embodiment,

[0046] FIG. 3 a perspective representation of the stern region of the watercraft with an arrangement in accordance with a third embodiment, and

[0047] FIG. 4 a further perspective representation of the stern region of the watercraft with an arrangement in accordance with the third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0048] In the figures, the same constructive elements each have the same reference numbers.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a stern region 10 of a watercraft 100 with an arrangement 20 in accordance with a first embodiment. In particular, the stern region 10 of the hull 110 of the watercraft 100 is shown.

[0050] The arrangement 20 is used to reduce a propulsion power requirement of the watercraft 100. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the watercraft (100) is designed as a ship. As an example, the arrangement 20 only comprises one rudder 21, which is pivotable along a rudder axis R.

[0051] In the direction of travel F of the watercraft 100, an accommodating space 22 is provided in front of the rudder 21. In the accommodating space 22, a propeller 30 is positioned as an example.

[0052] The propeller 30 is used to drive the watercraft 100 and is rotatable and can be driven around an rotational axis P of the propeller 30 (propeller axis).

[0053] In the direction of travel F of the watercraft 100 in front of the accommodating space 22 of the propeller 30, a pre-nozzle 23 comprising a plurality of guide surfaces 24 is arranged. In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown, the pre-nozzle 24 spans an angular range of 180°, thereby forming an approximately semi-circular ring nozzle section.

[0054] In addition, the arrangement 20 has two side fins 25 (due to the side view of FIG. 1, only one side fin is shown; the side fin [not shown] is arranged analogously to the side fin shown on the side of the rudder [not shown]). The side fins 25 are attached to each lateral surface 26, 27 of the rudder 21. Thus, the arrangement 20 is symmetrically designed.

[0055] The side fins 25 are connected to the rudder 21 at the level of the rotational axis P of the propeller 30. In the embodiment shown, the side fins are attached to rudder 21 in the region of a rudder bulb 211.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the stern region 10 of the watercraft 100 with an arrangement 20 in accordance with a second embodiment. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the arrangement 20 is asymmetrically designed. In this case, the pre-nozzle 23 with a plurality of guide surfaces 24 projects laterally over a second lateral surface 27. The pre-nozzle 23 is arranged in particular with its predominant part to one side (the left side of the rudder [port side]) of the rudder 21 shown in figure; only a small subregion projects beyond the other side (starboard side) of the rudder 21. The pre-nozzle 23 spans an angular range of about 120°. In this case, the pre-nozzle 23 is shaped as a profiled ring nozzle section.

[0057] The pre-nozzle 23 at least partially circumferentially limits a flow channel 40. The guide surfaces 24 also comprise a profiling and project radially starting from the rotational axis of the pre-nozzle, which coincides in the exemplary embodiment shown with the rotational axis P of the propeller 30, through the flow channel 40 and through the pre-nozzle 23. As an example, three guide surfaces 24 are provided, which are arranged along the rotational axis P of the propeller 30 at uniform angles to each other.

[0058] The side fin 25 is attached to a first lateral surface 26 of the rudder 21. The side fin 25 is thus arranged on the other side of the rudder 21 with relation to the majority of the pre-nozzle 23. No side fin is provided on the second lateral surface 27. At a free end 28 of the side fin 25, a winglet 29 is arranged as an example. The winglet 29 may be designed as a single piece with the side fin 25 or subsequently connected to the side fin 25.

[0059] The winglet 29 may be directed away in the direction of the hull 110 and/or from the hull 110 of the watercraft 100.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a perspective representation of the stern region 10 of the watercraft 100 with an arrangement 20 in accordance with a third embodiment. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the arrangement 20 comprises a side fin 25, which comprises a tapered sweep against the direction of travel F and no winglet. Otherwise, the third embodiment is identical to the second embodiment.

[0061] Furthermore, it is illustrated in FIG. 3 that at least one guide surface 50 is designed as a support strut of the pre-nozzle 23 on the hull 110 of the watercraft 100.

[0062] In FIG. 4, a further perspective representation of the stern region 10 of the watercraft 100 with an arrangement 20 in accordance with the third embodiment from FIG. 3 is shown. The asymmetrical structure of the arrangement 20 is illustrated. As an alternative to a pre-nozzle 23 being designed as a ring nozzle section, it may be shaped as a ring nozzle, which covers a 360° angular range and is preferably positioned parallel to the propeller 30.

REFERENCE LIST

[0063] 100 watercraft [0064] 110 hull [0065] 10 stern region [0066] 20 arrangement/energy-saving arrangement [0067] 21 rudder [0068] 211 rudder bulb [0069] 22 accommodating space [0070] 23 pre-nozzle [0071] 24 guide surface [0072] 25 side fin [0073] 26 first lateral surface of the rudder [0074] 27 second lateral surface of the rudder [0075] 28 free end/edge of the side fin [0076] 29 winglet [0077] 30 propeller [0078] 40 flow channel [0079] 50 guide surface designed as support strut [0080] F direction of travel [0081] P rotational axis of the propeller [0082] R rudder axis