537results about "Power plants using propulsion unit combinations" patented technology

The disclosure relates to fluid working devices including reciprocating internal combustion engines, compressors and pumps. A number of arrangements for pistons and cylinders of unconventional configuration are described, mostly intended for use in reciprocating internal combustion IC engines operating without cooling. Included are toroidal combustion or working chambers, some with fluid flow through the core of the toroid, pistons reciprocating between pairs of working chambers, tensile valve actuation, tensile links between piston and crankshaft, energy absorbing piston-crank links, crankshafts supported on gas bearings, cylinders rotating in housings, injectors having components reciprocate or rotate during fuel delivery. In some embodiments pistons mare rotate while reciprocating. High temperature exhaust emissions systems are described, including those containing filamentary material, as are procedures for reducing emissions during cold start by means of valves at reaction volume exit. Compound engines having the new engines as a reciprocating stage are described. Improved vehicles, aircraft, marine craft and transmissions adapted to receive or be linked to the improved IV engines are also disclosed.

An unmanned, autonomous, waterborne vehicle (500) for marine use capable of operating on and below the surface of water, said vehicle (500) including an enclosed hull (501) having a payload bay (506), a hybrid propulsion system having energy collection means (504) in the form of a wing sail (503) covered with photovoltaic cells and energy storage means (511) for utilising at least solar energy and wind energy, a plurality of sensors (508, 514) for detecting predetermined environmental parameters and a communications system (509, 515) for transmitting data from said sensors (508, 515) to and for receiving command signals from one or more remote stations and / or cooperating vehicles.

An unmanned, autonomous, waterborne vehicle (500) for marine use capable of operating on and below the surface of water, said vehicle (500) including an enclosed hull (501) having a payload bay (506), a hybrid propulsion system having energy collection means (504) in the form of a wing sail (503) covered with photovoltaic cells and energy storage means (511) for utilizing at least solar energy and wind energy, a plurality of sensors (508, 514) for detecting predetermined environmental parameters and a communications system (509, 515) for transmitting data from said sensors (508, 515) to and for receiving command signals from one or more remote stations and / or cooperating vehicles.

A hybrid fuel / electric powered watercraft includes an electronic turning machine (ETM), and internal combustion engine, and a propulsion system, which are operatively connected to each other, preferably via one or more clutches. An electronic control unit (ECU) controls the ETM, clutch(es), and engine. At low speeds, the ECU disengages at least one clutch and solely uses the ETM to power the propulsion unit and propel the watercraft. At high speeds, the ECU engages the clutch and uses both the engine and the ETM or just the engine to power the propulsion system. When the watercraft's battery discharges, the ECU operates the ETM in a generator mode and runs the engine to charge the battery. The watercraft can also include a shore button feature that selectively limits / governs the speed of the watercraft. A clutch may be used to avoid driving the propulsion system when the engine is idling or being started.

A system and a method for providing power to a marine vessel and, more particularly to a tugboat is disclosed. The system includes diesel engines and generators and batteries which can be charged using power supplied by the generators, shore power or regenerated power. The tugboat is operated utilizing battery power only and the generators are used to provide additional power if needed or to recharge the batteries.

A power distribution system that can be used in naval ships and submarines includes a first power generation system including at least one power source for supplying power to a first service distribution system that includes at least one dc distribution busbar for carrying a distribution voltage and a distribution current and at least one switchboard that includes protective switchgear with contacts. A zonal power distribution sub-system includes a zonal power supply unit for supplying power to at least one electrical load and a zonal energy store connected to the at least one switchboard of the first service distribution system for supplying power to the zonal power supply unit. The at least one power source is regulated according to a power source foldback and stabilizing characteristic and a power source starting characteristic. The at least one electrical load is regulated according to a load shedding and stabilizing characteristic.

A boat for retrieving energy from a flowing stream of water, such as a river or tidal flow, which can be easily moved to a convenient location and which is capable of capturing a significant portion of the energy of the flowing stream. The boat has a bottom and two sides, forming an elongate hull with a bow and a stern at opposite ends, and means for anchoring the boat to hold it stationary in a stream of water. The boat has openable hinged members at the bow and stern to allow water to enter the interior of, and to flow through, the hull from one end to the other. Devices such as paddles are arranged inside the hull for converting energy of the water flowing through the hull into mechanical energy of a rotating shaft.

According to the present invention, a method and apparatus for generating power aboard a marine vessel is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a Rankine Cycle device that includes at least one of each of an evaporator, a turbo-generator that includes a turbine coupled with an electrical generator, a condenser, and a refrigerant feed pump; (b) disposing the one or more evaporators within an exhaust duct of a power plant of the marine vessel; (c) operating the power plant; and (d) selectively pumping refrigerant through the Rankine Cycle device, wherein refrigerant exiting the evaporator powers the turbine, which in turn powers the generator to produce power.

The invention provides an unmanned aerial vehicle mixed system carried by an unmanned ship. The system comprises the unmanned ship, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a mixed communication system. The unmanned ship serves as a water domain movable platform for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and mainly comprises a ship body, a ship-borne control system arranged on the ship body, a ship-borne power device and a ship-borne application device. The unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body and a vehicle-mounted coordinating system. The unmanned aerial vehicle body is provided with a vehicle-mounted navigation device, a vehicle-mounted obstacle-avoiding device, a vehicle-mounted control device, a vehicle-mounted power device and a vehicle-mounted application device. The mixed communication system comprises a ship-borne communication device and a vehicle-mounted communication device. The ship-borne control system of the unmanned ship and the vehicle-mounted control device of the unmanned aerial vehicle body exchange data through the mixed communication system; the ship-borne control system serves as the core for the mixed communication system, and the unmanned ship and the unmanned aerial vehicle are controlled uniformly by an internal bus and a communication board card to work in cooperation. By means of the mixed system, the unmanned ship and the unmanned aerial vehicle can effectively supplement each other in water domain and space domain functions, and meanwhile the disadvantages of the water domain unmanned ship during space domain perpendicular work are compensated for.

A regenerative fuel cell is combined with a combustion engine such as a Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) to create a closed-loop power generation system. Stored hydrogen and oxygen are used by the regenerative fuel cell, and by the combustion engine, in which the reaction of the hydrogen and oxygen produces water in the gas phase (steam). The steam is used to generate work from a turbine shaft, which is used to drive a propulsion system for the marine vessel. After the steam passes through the turbine, the steam is cooled back to liquid water by a condenser, and stored with the water produced by the regenerative fuel cell. The stored water can be converted back into hydrogen and oxygen by using electrical power external to the closed-loop system. After regeneration of the water into hydrogen and oxygen, the closed-loop power system would be ready for operation again.

The present invention provides a power distribution system that can be used in naval ships and submarines. The power distribution system includes a first power generation system including at least one power source (13,14,15) for supplying power to a first service distribution system. The first service distribution system includes at least one dc distribution busbar (25) for carrying a distribution voltage and a distribution current and at least one switchboard (16) that includes protective switchgear with contacts. A zonal power distribution sub-system is also provided and includes a zonal power supply unit (23) for supplying power to at least one electrical load and a zonal energy store (22) connected to the at least one switchboard (16) of the first service distribution system for supplying power to the zonal power supply unit (23). The at least one power source (13,14,15) is regulated according to a power source foldback and stabilising characteristic and a power source starting characteristic. The at least one electrical load is regulated according to a load shedding and stabilising characteristic.

An unmanned, autonomous, waterborne vehicle (500) for marine use capable of operating on and below the surface of water, said vehicle (500) including an enclosed hull (501) having a payload bay (506), a hybrid propulsion system having energy collection means (504) in the form of a wing sail (503) covered with photovoltaic cells and energy storage means (511) for utilising at least solar energy and wind energy, a plurality of sensors (508, 514) for detecting predetermined environmental parameters and a communications system (509, 515) for transmitting data from said sensors (508, 515) to and for receiving command signals from one or more remote stations and / or cooperating vehicles.

A hybrid propulsion system includes a main diesel engine for driving the marine turbine and an electric motor. The electric motor has a nominal output that constitutes at least 20% of the nominal output of the main diesel engine. The electric motor remains continuously switched on and maintains, together with a variable-pitch propeller, the main diesel engine at a favorable operating point. The combination of the main diesel engine and the electric motor also allows for a more economical design or operation of the propulsion system.

In one aspect of the present invention, a system for performing work having a hydraulic circuit comprising a length of hose a hydraulic fluid in the circuit in communication with the hose, a hydraulic actuator for doing the work, at least one compressible element disposed within the hose, and a mechanism for pressurizing the hydraulic circuit such that at least 50 foot pounds of energy is stored within the hose to perform the work.

A regenerative fuel cell is combined with a combustion engine such as a Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) to create a closed-loop power generation system. Stored hydrogen and oxygen are used by the regenerative fuel cell, and by the combustion engine, in which the reaction of the hydrogen and oxygen produces water in the gas phase (steam). The steam is used to generate work from a turbine shaft, which is used to drive a propulsion system for the marine vessel. After the steam passes through the turbine, the steam is cooled back to liquid water by a condenser, and stored with the water produced by the regenerative fuel cell. The stored water can be converted back into hydrogen and oxygen by using electrical power external to the closed-loop system. After regeneration of the water into hydrogen and oxygen, the closed-loop power system would be ready for operation again.

A multiple-energy power driving vessel is characterized by comprising a wind energy driving system, a wind power generation system, a water wheel power generation system, a wave energy power generation system, a solar power generation system, an electric energy driving system and a main vessel body. The water wheel power generation system is composed of a lifting device, a plurality of water wheels, a plurality of one-way clutches, a gear transmission, a current shunt and a power generator, wherein the current shunt divides a water wheel system into two cavities, each cavity only allows current in one direction to pass through, and the water wheels are arranged in the cavities and rotate under the push of the current. The one-way clutches are arranged between shafts of the water wheels and the gear transmission to ensure the gear transmission to rotate to the same direction, and the gear transmission is connected with the power generator to drive a rotor of the power generator to rotate to generate power. The lifting device is used for regulating the position of the water wheel system; when the vessel runs, the water wheel system rises above the water surface to decrease resistance; when the vessel berths, the water wheel system descends under the water surface, and power is generated by means of kinetic energy of the current.

An electric power generating equipment (10) is provided between an internal combustion engine (2) and a power transmission device (3), and an electric motor (9) is disposed at an area of the power transmission device. An output shaft (9a) of the electric motor (9) is disposed coaxially to any of rotary shafts of the power transmission device (3).

In view of the problem that it is difficult to achieve real-time optimal control for the traditional hybrid ship control method, the invention presents an energy management method for hybrid ships based on model predictive control by adopting the idea of model predictive control. A Markov model is selected to predict the demanded power of a hybrid ship, and power distribution is optimized with theobjective of minimum fuel consumption in the prediction horizon by using a dynamic programming method based on the principle of model predictive control. The energy management method can improve thefuel economy of hybrid ships, and has good real-time performance.

A propulsion system for watercraft for personal enjoyment that incorporates human power with electric motor assistance, energy storage and optional solar power to achieve increased watercraft speeds and / or reduced pedaling effort. Control electronics enable operator-adjustable electric motor assistance to the propulsion, thereby providing flexible pedal cadences and efforts and enjoyment for a wide variety of operators. An optional photovoltaic solar panel augments the power generation to extend travel time with motor assistance, and recharges the energy storage system. This invention enables a pleasure watercraft that is simultaneously lightweight, low cost, low maintenance, environmentally friendly with zero pollution, ultra-low noise, and thrilling to operate, while simultaneously providing a means of enjoyable exercise for operators of nearly all abilities.

A propulsion system includes a propulsor having a driveshaft, an electric machine coupled to the driveshaft of the propulsor, and a combustion engine having an output shaft. The propulsion system additionally includes a one-way clutch operable with at least one of the driveshaft of the propulsor and the output shaft of the combustion engine. The one-way clutch allows for a differential angular velocity of the driveshaft relative to the output shaft in a first circumferential direction and prevents a differential angular velocity of the driveshaft relative to the output shaft in a second circumferential direction.

The invention discloses a multi-energy-source hybrid ship electric propulsion system and an implementation method thereof. A power cell, solar energy and a fuel oil engine are used as power sources of the electric propulsion system. The power cell is used as a main power supply; and a solar photovoltaic cell and the fuel oil engine which drives a power generator are used as auxiliary power supplies. When a ship berths, the power cell is charged by using wharf shore power; when the ship normally runs, the power cell supplies power to the system; if the stored energy of the power cell is used up or the power cell fails during running, the fuel oil engine is automatically started to operate; and the fuel oil engine drives the coaxial power generator to generate power and charge the power cell so as to maintain the running of the ship when propelling the ship (the same motor is used as an electric motor during electric propulsion and is used as the power generator during propulsion of thefuel oil engine). The multi-energy-source hybrid ship electric propulsion system can realize zero discharge of waste gas and waste water of the ship, has relatively obvious effects of saving energy and expenditure and can ensure running safety of the ship and improve the continuous voyage performance of the ship.

A method of integrating, optimizing and combining in a marine hybrid system, the operation of one or more variable speed high voltage direct current (HVDC) generator(s), one or more energy storage units and a combination of one or more HVDC parallel hybrid and serial hybrid propulsion systems through use of an Energy Management Computer. One aspect of the invention involves the application of logic programming to automate the optimization and the operation of the Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) so that whenever the system requires their usage, they are operated at optimum efficiency conditions. For an ICE to operate at peak efficiency a combination of a large energy storage unit used as a buffer combined with a mixture of both a serial and a parallel hybrid system is used.

The invention discloses a double-diesel generating set and lithium battery hybrid power ship structure which comprises an electric propulsion system. The electric propulsion system comprises two diesel generating sets, a lithium battery pack and an electric motor, wherein the two diesel generating sets, the lithium battery pack and the electric motor are connected with a direct-current bus, the electric motor is also connected with a propeller, the direct-current bus is also connected with shore power, and a power controller receives power signals of the electric motor and electrical charge status signals of the lithium battery pack and sends power control signals to the two diesel generating sets and a DC / DC convertor. The invention further provides a control method of the double-diesel generating set and lithium battery hybrid power ship electric propulsion system. The structure and the method have the advantages that system configuration is optimized, and the capacity of the lithium battery pack is reduced under the condition of guaranteeing that a ship normally sails; under sail, a charging stage and a discharging stage of the lithium battery pack are divided, so that the lithium battery pack is protected and battery electrical charge status estimation is facilitated; it can be guaranteed that after being started, two diesels are located at the best exhaust and fuel efficiency working points all the time, and electric energy utilization efficiency of the diesel generating sets can be improved.

In a hybrid type marine propulsion device including a main engine and a motor, low fuel consumption is realized by a compact configuration and highly efficient drive control.A marine propulsion device includes a clutch 7 provided on an input shaft 6 of a main engine, a horizontal input / output shaft 8 connected to the clutch, a vertical shaft 11 connected to the input / output shaft through an upper bevel gear 9, a horizontal propeller shaft 13 connected to a lower end of the vertical shaft through a lower bevel gear 12, and a propeller 14 at the other end side of the propeller shaft, in which the propeller is revolved around the vertical shaft to set a propulsion direction, wherein a motor generator 20 is mounted on a floor 3, and connected directly to the other end side of the input / output shaft. In a low rotation region, motor propulsion is performed, and in a high rotation region, hybrid propulsion in which the main engine is assisted by the motor is performed.

The invention relates to a ship, especially a cargo ship, said ship comprising a plurality of Magnus rotors (10). According to the invention, an individually controlled electric motor (M) for rotating the Magnus rotor is associated with each of the Magnus rotors (10), and a converter (U) is associated with each electric motor (M), in order to control the speed and / or rotary direction of the electric motor (M).

An outboard motor is equipped with a centrifugal clutch located between the crankshaft of an engine and a rotor of an electric motor for, when the engine operates, transmitting its output to through the rotor to a propeller, and with a motor output transmission mechanism for, when the engine does not operate, transmitting the output of the motor to the crankshaft. The engine can therefore be started by the motor used to drive the propeller. As a result, there is no need to install a separate electric motor for engine starting, so that starting of the engine by electric power can be made possible with minimum increase in the size and cost of the outboard motor.

The invention discloses a multi-energy-source hybrid power system for a boat. The multi-energy-source hybrid power system comprises a main motive power system and an auxiliary motive power system, wherein the main motive power system is connected with a motive power load through a circuit, multi-energy-source motive power monitoring systems of the main motive power system and the auxiliary motive power system are connected through a circuit, and the work of the main motive power system and the auxiliary motive power system is monitored and controlled. In the boat navigation process, the output power of the main motive power system is higher than the power required by the boat motive power load, and the main motive power system stores the rest power into the auxiliary motive power system. When the output power of the main motive power system is lower than the power required by the boat motive power load, the main motive power system and the auxiliary motive power system simultaneously provide pushing power for the motive power load. The charging and discharging of a motive power battery realize the peak cutting and valley filling effects on a diesel and electric motor group. The peak power required by an electric network is simultaneously provided by the diesel and electric motor group, a solar battery, a wind power generator and the motive power battery, and the volume and the size of a diesel engine are reduced.

An azimuthing drive system is provided for marine vessels. The azimuthing drive system includes a propulsion pod that houses a propulsor, which is configured to rotate about a first axis and to be driven by a first shaft generally orthogonal to the first axis. The propulsion pod is configured to swivel about the first shaft. The drive system also includes a gearbox connected to drive the first shaft, a diesel engine connected to drive the gearbox via a second shaft, and an electric motor connected to drive the first shaft via the gearbox or directly, whereby propulsion loads are shared between the diesel engine and the electric motor.

A hybrid propulsion system includes a main diesel engine for driving the marine turbine and an electric motor. The electric motor has a nominal output that constitutes at least 20% of the nominal output of the main diesel engine. The electric motor remains continuously switched on and maintains, together with a variable-pitch propeller, the main diesel engine at a favorable operating point. The combination of the main diesel engine and the electric motor also allows for a more economical design or operation of the propulsion system.