US 9,446,833 B2Granted

System and a method for control of the RPM of at least one main engine of a vessel

AssigneeDeif A/S

InventorEsper Flodgaard

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for control and reduction of the RPM of at least one main engine of a vessel, which main engine drives at least one first propeller for propulsion, which first propeller is pitch-regulated, which second thruster propeller is pitch-regulated. It is the object of the invention to reduce the RPM of one ore more main engines of a vessel and by increasing the pitch of the propellers to maintain constant propulsion, and by reducing the RPM of the main engines to re-duce the fuel consumption and in this way reduce pollution. The object can be fulfilled by a system analysing the RPM and pitch of the first main shaft propeller, which system analyses the RPM and the pitch of the second thruster propeller, which system based on said analyses performs downward regulation of the RPM of the main engine.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A control system which is configured for controlling and optimizing the RPM of at least one main engine of a vessel, which main engine is configured to drive at least one pitch regulated main propeller for propulsion, which main engine is configured to drive at least one main generator in such a way that reducing the speed of the main engine will reduce the frequency output of the main generator, which main generator is configured to drive at least one thruster motor, which thruster motor is configured to drive at least one thruster propeller that is pitch-regulated, wherein the at least one thruster motor is connected to the main generator in such a way that reducing the speed of the main engine will reduce the speed of the thruster propellers because the at least one thruster motor is operating with the frequency of the main generator connected to the main shaft and the control system is configured to perform an analysis of the RPM and pitch of the main shaft propeller, the RPM and the pitch of the thruster propeller, which control system is configured to operate based on said analysis and which control system is configured to receive a plurality of input from other control systems in the vessel, and to perform regulation of

the RPM of the main engine between a low and a high threshold level during normal operation of the vessel,
the RPM of the main engine by lowering the RPM of the main engine to a level below the low threshold RPM level during a period when the vessel is maintaining a constant position or a constant low speed, and
the pitch of at least the main propeller for compensating for the low RPM level of the main engine.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/436,361Filed 17 Oct 2013
Priority: DK 2012 7063618 Oct 2012
Published: US 2015/0247416 A13 Sep 2015
Granted: 20 Sep 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B63H 25/42
Steering; Slowing-down otherwise than by use of propulsive elements ; Dynamic anchoring, i.e. positioning vessels by means of main or auxiliary…:…
F02D 29/02
Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential…
F02D 41/0205
Circuit arrangements for generating control signals: using an auxiliary engine speed control
B63B 35/4413
Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices: floating drilling platforms, e.g.…