Drive Arrangement For A Cycloidal Marine Propulsion Unit, A Cycloidal Marine Propulsion Unit And A Method Of Operating Such A Drive Arrangement

A cycloidal marine propulsion unit, comprising a drive arrangement 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,
• wherein the at least two blade drives each include a respective blade drive power converter operationally coupled to a first common intermediate DC-link, and
• wherein the at least two blade drives are 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, and
• wherein said marine propulsion unit includes:
• a main rotary body having a central axis;
• a mounting body for supporting the rotary body on a hull of a marine vessel such that the rotary body is rotatable about said central axis with respect to the hull;
• a plurality of blades extending axially from the rotary body away from the hull, when in use, for rotation with the rotary body about the central axis, wherein each blade is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the rotary body, about respective blade axes generally parallel to the central axis, and
• a rotary coupling being arranged to provide electrical power transmission between the rotary body and the remaining marine vessel.