U.S. patent application number 12/067077 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-23 for marine vessel.
This patent application is currently assigned to WARTSILA FINLAND OY. Invention is credited to Susanna Hannula, Karo Koskitanner, Oskar Levander.
Application Number | 20080261467 12/067077 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35151469 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080261467 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Levander; Oskar ; et
al. |
October 23, 2008 |
Marine Vessel
Abstract
The invention relates to a marine vessel with at least a first
cargo facility at a stern end and at least a second cargo facility
at a bow end, and having a deckhouse arranged between the first
cargo facility and the second cargo facility. In order to provide
for cost-effective propulsion and cargo transport in combination,
the propulsion system comprises a first propulsion unit and a
second propulsion unit forming a CRP propulsion system. The
machinery of the first propulsion unit and the machinery of the
second propulsion unit are located on top of each other under the
deckhouse.
Inventors: |
Levander; Oskar; (Turku,
FI) ; Hannula; Susanna; (Turku, FI) ;
Koskitanner; Karo; (Halikko, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SMITH-HILL AND BEDELL, P.C.
16100 NW CORNELL ROAD, SUITE 220
BEAVERTON
OR
97006
US
|
Assignee: |
WARTSILA FINLAND OY
Vaasa
FI
|
Family ID: |
35151469 |
Appl. No.: |
12/067077 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
July 10, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FI2006/050330 |
371 Date: |
March 27, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
440/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63H 5/10 20130101; B63H
23/10 20130101; B63B 11/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
440/4 |
International
Class: |
B63H 23/10 20060101
B63H023/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 20, 2005 |
FI |
20055502 |
Claims
1-6. (canceled)
7. A marine vessel having a stern end, a first cargo facility at
the stern end of the marine vessel, a second cargo facility forward
of the first cargo facility, and a deckhouse between the first
cargo facility and the seond cargo facility, the marine vessel
comprising a first propulsion unit and a second propulsion unit
together forming a contra-rotating propeller propulsion system, a
first power unit coupled to the first propulsion unit for driving
the first propulsion unit, and a second power unit coupled to the
second propulsion unit for driving the second propulsion unit,
wherein the first and second power units are positioned one above
the other in a space below the deckhouse.
8. A marine vessel according to claim 7, wherein the first power
unit, the second power unit and the deckhouse are located on top of
each other on respective decks of the marine vessel, and the first
power unit is located in a first engine room and the second power
unit is located in a second engine room.
9. A marine vessel according to claim 7, wherein the first power
unit is connected to the first propulsion unit by a first drive
train and the second power unit is connected to the second
propulsion unit by a second drive train.
10. A marine vessel according to claim 9, wherein the first
propulsion unit comprises a mechanical steerable thruster, and the
first power unit is situated below the deckhouse, over the second
power unit.
11. A marine vessel according to claim 10, wherein the second
propulsion unit comprises a shaft driven propeller.
12. A marine vessel according to claim 7, wherein the marine vessel
is a container ship, and the first cargo facility includes at least
one aft cargo hold for receiving containers and the second cargo
facility includes at least one front cargo hold.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a marine vessel with at
least a first cargo facility at a stern end of the marine vessel
and at least a second cargo facility at a bow end of the marine
vessel, in which marine vessel a deckhouse is arranged between the
first cargo facility and the second cargo facility, and which
marine vessel comprises a first propulsion unit and a second
propulsion unit which form a CRP propulsion system, according to
the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] In the following the terms "aft", "rearward", "front",
"forward" and similar expressions are to be understood in the
context of the stern of the marine vessel being considered the rear
of the marine vessel and the bow of the marine vessel being the
front of the marine vessel.
[0003] In cargo carrying marine vessels the cargo carrying capacity
is of course of great importance. Operating costs, particularly for
power generation, constitute another important factor. Modern
high-speed cargo vessels require a high amount of propulsion power,
but propeller blade loads may become critical especially when using
a single screw. Generally a single screw with a largest possible
diameter is desirable when seeking high propulsion efficiency. The
draught of a ship may however become a limiting factor.
[0004] An object of the present invention is to avoid the drawbacks
of known solutions and to provide a cargo carrying marine vessel
which maximises the cargo carrying capacity and provides an
efficient and redundant way to utilize power in the marine vessel.
This object is attained by a marine vessel according to claim
1.
[0005] The basic idea of the invention is to use a propulsion
system with enhanced hydrodynamic characteristics compared to a
single screw while maintaining a cargo carrying capacity which
remains more or less the same as with a single screw machinery
arrangement. This is realized by means of a first propulsion unit
and a second propulsion unit forming a CRP (Contra Rotating
Propeller) propulsion system, and by arranging the machinery for
both propulsion units on top of each other in the same compact
space below the deckhouse of the marine vessel.
[0006] The CRP propulsion system is efficient and fuel saving in
view of conventional systems and provides more power because power
is divided between the contra rotating propellers of the CRP
propulsion system. When using a CRP propulsion system the most
efficient hull form, comprising a single skeg, may be used.
Furthermore, the CRP propulsion system provides redundancy.
[0007] By arranging the machinery of both propulsion units, i.e.
comprising the first power unit of the first propulsion unit and
the second power unit of the second propulsion unit, on top of each
other below the deckhouse, more space allocation for the cargo is
achieved. Thus the machinery is arranged in the same compact space,
whereby ducting, cabling and installation of auxiliary equipment
are made cost-efficient and simple. In addition, stores, workshops
and other technical spaces may also be arranged within such a
column formed sphere below the deckhouse optimizing the use of
space on the vessel. Accommodation space may also be confined to
the deckhouse area.
[0008] Preferably the first power unit, located in a first engine
room, the second power unit, located in a second engine room, and
the deckhouse are located on top of each other on respective decks
of the marine vessel.
[0009] The first propulsion unit of the CRP propulsion system
comprises the first power unit, a first drive train and a first
propeller unit. The first propeller unit constitutes the front
propeller of the CRP propulsion system. The second propulsion unit
of the CRP propulsion system comprises the second power unit, a
second drive train and a second propeller unit. The second
propeller unit constitutes the aft propeller of the CRP propulsion
system.
[0010] The first propulsion unit advantageously comprises a
conventional mechanical propulsion arrangement, whereby the first
power unit may be an internal combustion engine, gas turbine, etc.,
and the first drive train may comprise a horizontal drive shaft
connecting to the front first propeller unit. The second propulsion
unit advantageously comprises a mechanical steerable thruster with
the second drive train comprising a so-called z-drive unit
connecting to the aft second propeller unit.
[0011] In this case it is advantageous to arrange the second power
unit below the deckhouse, over the first power unit.
[0012] The benefits of the present invention are highly noticeable
in connection with a container ship. The compact space arrangement
of the deckhouse on top of the engine rooms located vertically
below gives a high container loading capacity taking into account
the standardized measures of containers. The IMO (International
Maritime Organisation) rules of sight may also be fulfilled with
said high container loading capacity.
[0013] Consequently, this means that CRP propulsion can be used
without sacrificing cargo capacity.
[0014] In the following the present invention is described in more
detail, by way of example only, with reference to the attached
schematic drawing which shows an advantageous embodiment of the
present invention.
[0015] The drawing shows a marine vessel 1, in this embodiment a
container ship. The marine vessel 1 has a stern end indicated by
reference numeral 2 and a bow end indicated by reference numeral 3.
The marine vessel 1 is provided with at least a first cargo
facility 4 at the stern end 2 and at least a second cargo facility
5 at the bow end 3 of the marine vessel. The first cargo facility 4
is shown to include at least one aft cargo hold 41, in this case
three aft cargo holds for receiving containers 10. The second cargo
facility 5 only shows one front cargo hold 51 for receiving
containers 10. It is clear that more cargo holds may be provided at
the bow end 3 of the marine vessel 1. A deckhouse 6 is arranged
between the first cargo facility 4 and the second cargo facility 5,
in this embodiment between the most forward aft cargo hold 41 and
the most rearward front cargo hold 51. The marine vessel is also
provided with a propulsion system.
[0016] The propulsion system includes a first propulsion unit 8
including machinery comprising a first power unit 81 and a second
propulsion unit 9 including machinery comprising a a second power
unit 91, which propulsion units form a CRP (Contra Rotating
Propeller) propulsion system 7. CRP propulsion systems are known
per se, i.e. known to a person skilled in the art, and are
therefore not described in more detail in this connection.
[0017] The first propulsion unit 8 comprises a conventional
mechanical propulsion unit with a first power unit 81, e.g. an
internal combustion engine, a gas turbine, etc., which rotates a
front first propeller unit 84 by means of a first drive train 82
comprising a generally horizontally arranged main shaft 83. The
second propulsion unit 9 comprises a mechanical steerable thruster,
with a second power unit 91, which rotates a second propeller unit
98 by means of a second drive train 92 (forming a z-drive)
comprising a generally horizontally arranged first drive shaft 93,
a first angle transmission 94, a generally vertically arranged
second drive shaft 95, a second angle transmission 96, and a
generally horizontally arranged propeller shaft 97 connecting to
the second propeller unit 98. Basically in this CRP propulsion
system 7 the first propeller unit 84 and the second propeller unit
98 are positioned relatively near to each other, whereby the main
shaft 83 rotating the first propeller unit 84 and the propeller
shaft 97 rotating the second propeller unit 98 are parallel and in
alignment with each other. The main shaft 83 connecting to the
first propeller unit 84 and the first drive shaft 93 of the second
propulsion unit 9 may also be arranged basically in parallel on
separate decks towards the stern end 2 of the marine vessel 1.
[0018] In the following we shall discuss the machinery and space
arrangement for the first propulsion unit 8 and the second
propulsion unit 9.
[0019] In a marine vessel 1 like a container ship the deckhouse 6
usually is located in the stern end quarter of the ship with
respect to its length. In the drawing the deckhouse 6, preferably
including accommodation space, etc., extends above the loaded
containers 10 providing the bridge with sight according to
prevailing rules as discussed above. A second engine room 99, where
the second power unit 91 driving the mechanical steerable thruster
is located, is situated below the deckhouse 6, over a first engine
room 85, where the first power unit 81 driving the conventional
mechanical propulsion unit is located. In such an arrangement, the
deckhouse 6, the second engine room 99 and the first engine room 85
practically form a generally vertical column or column formed
sphere forming the ships operational area between the cargo holds,
which does not obstruct or limit the cargo facilities of the marine
vessel 1.
[0020] Furthermore, cabling, ducting and arrangements for auxiliary
equipment may be carried out and designed in a cost-effective and
simple manner in this compact operational area. Stores, workshops
and other technical spaces can thus also be rationally located
within this area with direct access to the pertinent equipment.
This in connection with the CRP propulsion system provides a most
efficient transport concept.
[0021] The drawing and the description related thereto are only
intended for clarification of the basic idea of the invention. The
invention may vary in detail within the scope of the ensuing
claims.
* * * * *