Ships

Abstract

To provide a vessel that can navigate in a desired direction solely by the operation of its wind-powered propulsion system. [Solution] The vessel 1 is equipped with a plurality of rotor sails 10 (wind propulsion units) provided on the hull 11. The vessel 1 also generates a turning moment TM (see Figure 2(b)) using the plurality of rotor sails 10. By generating different thrusts in each rotor sail 10, such a vessel 1 generates different moments at each position around the ship's center of gravity G, making the moment unbalanced for the entire hull 11. As a result, the vessel 1 can generate a turning moment TM using the plurality of rotor sails 10 without relying on mechanical means such as propellers or rudders, and thereby perform a turn. Therefore, the vessel 1 can change the direction of the hull 11 to a desired direction using only the plurality of rotor sails 10.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a ship.

Background Art

[0008] The wind propulsion unit may be a rotor sail. By adjusting the direction and speed of rotation of the rotor sail, the desired thrust can be easily obtained. Therefore, when the control unit controls the turning motion, the control unit can easily generate a turning moment by using a rotor sail that is easy to control.

[0009] A vessel may have two turning modes: tacking and gybing. Tacking is easy to operate, but because it is a movement into the wind, there may be times when the vessel slows down during the movement. On the other hand, gybing leaves a longer wake, but because it is a movement into the leeward direction, the vessel's speed increases. In this way, a vessel can use tacking and gybing appropriately depending on the situation to navigate in a way that suits the circumstances.

[0010] A vessel may switch its turning mode between tacking and gybing based on sea conditions. In this case, the vessel can turn using the appropriate turning mode between tacking and gybing, depending on the sea conditions. This allows the vessel to navigate appropriately according to the situation.

[0011] The turning motion has an intermediate position, and the orientations of the multiple wind-powered propulsion units during the turning motion may be in opposite directions relative to the intermediate position. In this case, similar motion patterns can be created by oriented the wind-powered propulsion units in opposite directions before and after the reference intermediate position. This reduces the load required for the turning motion.

[0012] The hull may be equipped with multiple wind-powered propulsion units arranged in the longitudinal direction between the bow and stern. Since a ship has a longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction, the wind-powered propulsion units can be positioned far from the ship's center of gravity in the longitudinal direction. This makes it easier to generate a moment due to the thrust of each wind-powered propulsion unit. As a result, a turning moment can be easily generated around the ship's center of gravity.

[0013] A turning moment can be generated by making the lift generated by the wind propulsion unit at the distance furthest from the center of gravity of the hull stronger than the lift generated by the other wind propulsion units. In this case, the turning moment can be efficiently generated using the wind propulsion unit furthest from the center of gravity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vessel that can navigate in a desired direction solely by the operation of the wind power propulsion unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] (a) is a diagram illustrating the principle of a rotor sail, and (b) is a plan view of a ship. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing the system configuration of a ship. [Figure 4] (a) is a diagram showing the tucking motion, and (b) is a diagram showing the jibing motion. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the position of each track during a jibing maneuver. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the operation details of each rotor sail at each track position of jibing. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing each track position in tacking. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing the operation details of each rotor sail at each track position of tacking. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing a ship having a plurality of rigid sails. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing the operation details of each rotor sail at each track position of jibing. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing each track position in tacking. [Figure 12] It is a conceptual diagram showing the lateral force generated by each wind propulsion unit. [Figure 13] It is a conceptual diagram showing the lateral force generated by each wind propulsion unit.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the terms "front" and "rear" correspond to the advancing direction of the hull, the term "lateral" corresponds to the left - right (width) direction of the hull, and the terms "upper" and "lower" correspond to the up - down direction of the hull.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, the basic configuration of a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross - sectional view showing an example of a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ship 1 is a ship that transports petroleum - based liquid cargo such as crude oil and liquid gas, for example, an oil tanker. Note that the ship is not limited to an oil tanker, and may be various types of ships such as a bulk carrier for transporting ore or coal, an LNG ship, a car carrier, etc.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the vessel 1 comprises a hull 11, a propeller 12, and a plurality of wind propulsion units. In this embodiment, the vessel 1 comprises a plurality of rotor sails 10 as the plurality of wind propulsion units. The hull 11 has a bow 2, a stern 3, an engine room 4, and a cargo room 6. An upper deck 19 is provided on the upper part of the hull 11. The bow 2 is located on the forward side of the hull 11. The stern 3 is located on the aft side of the hull 11.

[0019] The propeller 12 mechanically generates thrust for the hull 11, and a screw propeller is used, for example. The propeller 12 is installed below the waterline (water surface of the sea W) at the stern 3 when propelled. Also installed below the waterline at the stern 3 is an azimuth propeller 15, which also functions as a rudder for adjusting the direction of propulsion. In the example shown in Figure 1, the ship 1 is equipped with multiple propellers 12A and 12B. The multiple propellers 12A and 12B are arranged to face each other in the longitudinal direction. Propeller 12A is positioned towards the bow relative to propeller 12B and is connected to the main engine 16. Note that there may be only one propeller 12. Alternatively, a ship 1 may be adopted that omits the propellers 12 and is propelled only by a wind power propulsion unit.

[0020] The engine room 4 is located adjacent to the bow of the stern section 3. The engine room 4 is a compartment for housing the main engine 16. Above the engine room 4 are the living quarters 22 and the funnel 23. The pump room 5 is located adjacent to the bow of the engine room 4. The pump room 5 is a compartment for housing pumps 17, etc. The cargo room 6 is located between the bow section 2 and the engine room 4. The cargo room 6 is a compartment for storing cargo. The cargo room 6 employs a double hull structure of outer plating 20 and inner bottom plate 21, and is divided into multiple cargo spaces 26 and multiple ballast tanks 27. The cargo spaces 26 are for loading cargo to be transported by the ship 1. The ballast tanks 27 store an amount of ballast water according to the size of the ship in order to adjust the draft, etc.

[0021] The rotor sail 10 is a mechanism that generates thrust by receiving wind force. Thus, the rotor sail 10 propels the hull 11 using wind power. The rotor sail 10 is installed on the upper deck 19 of the hull 11 in one or more locations (four in this case) in the forward, backward, left, and right directions. As shown in Figure 2(a), the rotor sail 10 comprises a cylindrical rotor sail 41 (main body) extending vertically and an electric motor that rotates the rotor sail 41. When wind WD blows into the rotor sail 41 from the side, the direction of rotation of the rotor sail 41 and the direction of wind WD are opposite at the rear, while the direction of rotation of the rotor sail 41 and the direction of wind WD coincide at the front. This creates a pressure difference between the front and rear of the rotor sail 41, generating a forward thrust PF (Magnus effect). As shown in Figure 2(b), when wind WD blows from the side of the hull 11, the thrust PF of each rotor sail 10 causes the hull 11 to move forward.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2(b), the hull 11 is provided with a plurality of rotor sails 10 (wind propulsion units) arranged in the longitudinal direction between the bow and stern. Here, they are referred to as the first rotor sail 10A, the second rotor sail 10B, the third rotor sail 10C, and the fourth rotor sail 10D, in order from the bow. The center of gravity G of the vessel 1 is set between the second rotor sail 10B and the third rotor sail 10C.

[0023] Figure 3 shows the system configuration of the vessel 1. As shown in Figure 3, the vessel 1 includes a control unit 30. The control unit 30 is configured, for example, by a computer system. The computer system physically includes, for example, a processor (arithmetic circuit), memory, a communication interface, and a data storage unit. The memory includes, for example, ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The data storage unit includes, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The control unit CU may be configured, for example, by a microcontroller or an integrated circuit.

[0024] The control unit 30 performs various calculations, for example, by executing a program stored in memory on the CPU. Through this process, the control unit 30 includes the functional elements shown in Figure 3. Specifically, the control unit 30 includes an information acquisition unit 31, a switching unit 32, a calculation unit 33, and a storage unit 34. The control unit 30 acquires detection information from the sensor 36. The sensor 36 detects, for example, the wind direction and wind volume of the wind WD (see Figure 2(b)). The sensor 36 also detects sea conditions. The control unit 30 transmits control signals to the rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D. The control unit 30 controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D. The control unit 30 can control each of the rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D independently. Therefore, the rotation direction and rotation speed are set individually for rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D.

[0025] In this embodiment, the ship 1 turns by generating a turning moment TM (see Figure 2(b)) using multiple rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D. Specifically, the control unit 30 generates a turning moment TM by intentionally making the thrust moments of each thrust generated by the rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D unbalanced around the ship's center of gravity G. In this way, the control unit 30 enables the ship 1 to change its course by generating a turning moment TM. The control unit 30 controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the multiple 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D with a time difference in order to maintain a state of "stable course," "unstable course / turning," and "stable course" over time.

[0026] Vessel 1 has two turning modes: tacking and gybing. Here, Figure 4(a) shows the tacking operation, and Figure 4(b) shows the gybing operation. In Figure 4, the target course that Vessel 1 is aiming for is D1. The side heading towards the target course D1 is referred to as "upstream," and the opposite side as "downstream." The terms "right" and "left" are used with respect to the target course D1. Vessel 1 moves toward the target course D1 as a whole by repeatedly performing tacking or gybing. Figure 4 shows the operation of one tacking or gybing. In one tacking or gybing, Vessel 1 moves from the starting position SP to the goal position GP. The goal position GP is set to the upstream position on the target course D1 relative to the starting position SP. In Figure 4, the wind direction WD is assumed to be from the upstream side to the downstream side on the target course D1.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4(a), in the tacking turning mode, the vessel 1 proceeds along a straight track SL1 that goes diagonally to the right upstream from the starting position SP. Next, the vessel 1 turns along a turning track RLA. Next, the vessel 1 proceeds along a straight track SL2 that goes diagonally to the left upstream. The turning track RLA turns in a counterclockwise arc of less than half a turn. The point where the vessel switches from the turning track RLA to the straight track SL2 is located upstream of the point where the vessel switches from the straight track SL1 to the turning track RLA. As shown in Figure 4(b), in the gybing turning mode, the vessel 1 proceeds along a straight track SL1 that goes diagonally to the right upstream from the starting position SP. Next, the vessel 1 turns along a turning track RLB. Next, the vessel 1 proceeds along a straight track SL2 that goes diagonally to the left upstream. The turning track RLB turns in a clockwise direction, tracing an arc of more than half a turn. The point where the track switches from the turning track RLB to the straight track SL2 is located downstream of the point where the track switches from the straight track SL1 to the turning track RLB. In Figure 4, an example is shown where the vessel 1 proceeds toward the target course D1 by detouring to the right, but the vessel 1 proceeds toward the target course D1 by detouring to the left. In this way, the vessel 1 proceeds toward the target course D1 by repeatedly performing detouring actions to the right and detouring to the left.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the information acquisition unit 31 acquires various information for controlling the ship 1. The information acquisition unit 31 acquires detection information detected by the sensor 36. In addition, the information acquisition unit 31 also acquires information related to sea conditions, such as weather forecasts.

[0029] The switching unit 32 switches the turning mode between tacking and gybing based on sea conditions. The switching unit 32 considers sea conditions such as weather, wind strength, wind direction and its change, wave height, wave period, and currents. For example, if the waves are calm, the switching unit 32 may switch to the tacking turning mode, which allows for quick turning. If the waves are rough and the risk of stalling is high, the switching unit 32 may switch to the gybing turning mode, which is less prone to stalling.

[0030] The calculation unit 33 performs various calculation processes in the control unit 30. The calculation unit 33 calculates the control content for each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D in order to execute the turning mode set by the switching unit 32. The calculation unit 33 reads the operation program for each turning mode stored in the storage unit 34 and performs calculations to execute the operation program. The calculation unit 33 transmits the control signals obtained from the calculations to each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D.

[0031] The memory unit 34 stores various information. The memory unit 34 stores operation programs for each turning mode. The memory unit 34 may store multiple operation programs depending on the wind direction and speed of the wind WD blowing on the vessel 1. The operation programs store the positions in the wake during tacking and gybing, and the rotation direction and rotation speed of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D.

[0032] Next, the control details in the gybing turning mode will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6. In Figures 5 and 6, each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D is assigned the sail numbers "1", "2", "3", and "4". Track positions P1 to P9 are set for the track. Track position P1 is set at any position on the straight track SL1. Track position P2 is set at the transition point from the straight track SL1 to the turning track RLB. Track position P2 is the position where the bearing operation begins ("bearing start"). Track position P3 is set near the upstream end of the turning track RLB, near where the vessel 1 is facing to the right. Track position P4 is the position where the bearing operation ends ("bearing end"). Track position P4 is set on the turning track RLB, where the vessel 1 is facing diagonally to the right towards the downstream side. Simultaneously, track position P4 is the position where the jibing motion, turning downwind, begins ("jibe start"). Track position P5 is set at the position in the turning track RLB where vessel 1 is completely facing downstream (same direction as wind WD). Track position P5 is the intermediate position in the jibing motion ("jibe in progress"). Track position P5 corresponds to the intermediate position in the turning motion of tracks SL1, RLB, and SL2. Track position P6 is set at the position in the turning track RLB where vessel 1 is facing diagonally to the left toward downstream. Track position P6 is the position where the jibing motion, turning downwind, ends ("jibe end"). Track position P7 is set near the position where vessel 1 is facing left toward the left, near the downstream end of the turning track RLB. Simultaneously, track position P7 is the position where the luffing motion begins ("luff start"). Track position P8 is set at the transition point from the turning track RLB to the straight track SL2. Track position P8 is the position where the luffing action ends ("end of luffing"). Track position P9 is set at any position on the straight track SL2.

[0033] Referring to Figure 6, the combinations of rotation direction and rotation speed of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at track positions P1 to P9 will be explained. These operations are an example of data stored in the memory unit 34. In Figure 6, the rotation speed is shown in three stages: "high," "medium," and "low," but control may be performed with even more stages of rotation speed.

[0034] As shown in Figure 6, at track positions P1 to P4, the rotation direction of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D is set to clockwise. At track position P1, the rotation speeds of the 1st to 3rd rotor sails 10A, 10B, and 10C are set to "high". The rotation speed of the 4th rotor sail 10D is set to "medium". At track position P2, the rotation speeds of the 1st to 3rd rotor sails 10A, 10B, and 10C are set to "high". The rotation speed of the 4th rotor sail 10D is set to "low". At track position P3, the rotation speeds of the 1st to 2nd rotor sails 10A and 10B are set to "high". The rotation speed of the 3rd rotor sail 10C is set to "medium". The rotation speed of the 4th rotor sail 10D is set to "low". At track position P4, the first rotor sail 10A will stop. The rotation speed of the second rotor sail 10B will be set to "high". The rotation speed of the third rotor sail 10C will be set to "medium". The rotation speed of the fourth rotor sail 10D will be set to "low".

[0035] At track position P5, the rotation direction of the first rotor sail 10A is set to counterclockwise, and the rotation speed is set to "low". The rotation direction of the fourth rotor sail 10D is set to clockwise, and the rotation speed is set to "low". The second and third rotor sails 10B and 10C are stopped.

[0036] At track positions P6-P9, the rotation direction of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D is set to counterclockwise. At track position P6, the fourth rotor sail 10D is stopped. The rotation speed of the third rotor sail 10C is set to "high". The rotation speed of the second rotor sail 10B is set to "medium". The rotation speed of the first rotor sail 10A is set to "low". At track position P7, the rotation speeds of the third and fourth rotor sails 10C and 10D are set to "high". The rotation speed of the second rotor sail 10B is set to "medium". The rotation speed of the first rotor sail 10A is set to "low". At track position P8, the rotation speeds of the second to fourth rotor sails 10B, 10C, and 10D are set to "high". The rotation speed of the first rotor sail 10A is set to "low". At track position P9, the rotation speeds of the first to third rotor sails 10A, 10B, and 10C are set to "high". The rotation speed of the fourth rotor sail 10D is set to "medium".

[0037] In the example shown in Figure 6, the orientations of the multiple wind-powered propulsion units during the turning motion are in opposite directions with respect to the intermediate position, track position P5. A reference line CL is set in a direction perpendicular to the wind direction WD with respect to track position P5 (see Figure 5). At this time, track positions P2 and P8 are paired with reference line CL, track positions P3 and P7 are paired with reference line CL, and track positions P4 and P6 are paired with reference line CL. In the turning track RLB, the rotation direction of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at track positions P2 to P4, which are before the intermediate position P5, is opposite to the rotation direction of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at track positions P6 to P8, which are after passing the intermediate position P5.

[0038] Here, the first rotor sail 10A and the fourth rotor sail 10D are in a symmetrical positional relationship with respect to the ship's center of gravity G, and the second rotor sail 10B and the third rotor sail 10C are in a symmetrical positional relationship with respect to the ship's center of gravity G (see Figure 2(b)). The behavior of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at any track position in the turning track RLB is the same as the behavior of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D that are in a symmetrical positional relationship at their corresponding track positions. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the behavior of the first rotor sail 10A at track position P4 is the same as the behavior of the fourth rotor sail 10D at its corresponding track position P6, and it comes to a stop. At track position P4, the behavior of the second rotor sail 10B is the same as that of the third rotor sail 10C at its corresponding track position P6, with a rotational speed of "high". At track position P4, the behavior of the third rotor sail 10C is the same as that of the second rotor sail 10B at its corresponding track position P6, with a rotational speed of "medium". At track position P4, the behavior of the fourth rotor sail 10D is the same as that of the first rotor sail 10A at its corresponding track position P6, with a rotational speed of "low". This relationship also holds between track positions P3 and P7, and between track positions P2 and P8.

[0039] Next, with reference to Figures 7 and 8, the control details in the tacking turning mode will be explained. Track positions P1, P3~P7, and P9 are set relative to the track. Track position P1 is set at any position in the straight track SL1. Track position P3 is set at the transition point from the straight track SL1 to the turning track RLA, and is the process of luffing the vessel 1 as a preliminary step to tacking. Track position P4 is the position where the tacking operation begins ("Tack Start"). Track position P4 is set in the turning track RLA where the vessel 1 is facing diagonally to the right towards the upstream side. Track position P5 is set in the turning track RLB where the vessel 1 is facing completely upstream (opposite direction to the wind WD). Track position P5 is an intermediate position in the tacking operation ("Tack In Progress"). Track position P5 corresponds to an intermediate position in the turning operation of tracks SL1, RLA, and SL2. Track position P6 is set to the position in the turning track RLA where vessel 1 is facing diagonally left towards the upstream side ("end of tack"). Track position P7 is the position where the turning mode ends ("bear"). Simultaneously, track position P7 is set to the transition position from the turning track RLA to the straight track SL2. Track position P9 is set to any position in the straight track SL2.

[0040] Referring to Figure 8, the combinations of rotation direction and rotation speed of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at track positions P1, P3 to P7, and P9 will be explained. These operations are an example of data stored in the memory unit 34. In Figure 8, the rotation speed is shown in three stages: "high," "medium," and "low," but control may be performed with even more stages of rotation speed.

[0041] As shown in Figure 8, at track positions P1, P3-P4, the rotation direction of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D is set to clockwise. At track position P1, the rotation speed of the 1st to 3rd rotor sails 10A, 10B, and 10C is set to "high". The rotation speed of the 4th rotor sail 10D is set to "medium". At track position P3, the rotation speed of the 3rd to 4th rotor sails 10C and 10D is set to "high". The rotation speed of the 2nd rotor sail 10B is set to "medium". The rotation speed of the 1st rotor sail 10A is set to "low". At track position P4, the 1st rotor sail 10A is stopped. The rotation speed of the 2nd rotor sail 10B is set to "medium". The rotation speed of the 3rd to 4th rotor sails 10C and 10D is set to "high".

[0042] At track position P5, the rotation direction of the first rotor sail 10A is set to counterclockwise, and the rotation speed is set to "low". The rotation direction of the fourth rotor sail 10D is set to clockwise, and the rotation speed is set to "low". The second and third rotor sails 10B and 10C are stopped.

[0043] At track positions P6-P7 and P9, the rotation direction of each rotor sail 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D is set to counterclockwise. At track position P6, the fourth rotor sail 10D is stopped. The rotation speed of the third rotor sail 10C is set to "medium". The rotation speeds of the first and second rotor sails 10A and 10B are set to "high". At track position P7, the rotation speeds of the first and second rotor sails 10A and 10B are set to "high". The rotation speed of the third rotor sail 10C is set to "medium". The rotation speed of the fourth rotor sail 10D is set to "low". At track position P9, the rotation speeds of the first to third rotor sails 10A, 10B, and 10C are set to "high". The rotation speed of the fourth rotor sail 10D is set to "medium".

[0044] In the example shown in Figure 8, the orientations of the multiple wind propulsion units during the turning motion are in opposite directions relative to the intermediate position, track position P5 (see Figure 7). A reference line CL is set in a direction perpendicular to the wind direction WD relative to track position P5. At this time, track positions P3 and P7 are paired with reference line CL, and track positions P4 and P6 are paired with reference line CL. In the turning track RLA, the rotation direction of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at track positions P3 to P4, which are before the intermediate position P5, is opposite to the rotation direction of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at track positions P6 to P7, which are after passing the intermediate position P5. The behavior of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D at any given track position in a turning track (RLA) is the same as the behavior of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D in a symmetrical positional relationship at a pair of track positions.

[0045] Next, the operation and effects of the vessel according to this embodiment will be described.

[0046] The vessel 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a plurality of rotor sails 10 (wind propulsion units) provided on the hull 11. The vessel 1 generates a turning moment TM (see Figure 2(b)) using the plurality of rotor sails 10. By generating different thrusts in each rotor sail 10, such a vessel 1 generates different moments at each position around the ship's center of gravity G, making the moment unbalanced for the entire hull 11. As a result, the vessel 1 can generate a turning moment TM using the plurality of rotor sails 10 and turn without relying on mechanical means such as propellers or rudders. Therefore, the vessel 1 can change the direction of the hull 11 to a desired direction using only the plurality of rotor sails 10. Thus, the vessel 1 can navigate in a desired direction solely by the operation of the rotor sails 10.

[0047] The wind propulsion unit may be a rotor sail. The rotor sail 10 can easily obtain the desired thrust by adjusting the direction and speed of rotation. Therefore, when the control unit 30 controls the turning, the control unit 30 can easily generate a turning moment using the rotor sail 10, which is easy to control. For example, rigid sails, which will be described later, are at risk of separation of the wind flow from the sail due to changes in wind direction and speed, so it is necessary to constantly fine-tune the angle of attack of the sail. If fine adjustments due to the influence of wind are not made properly, the sail will flap, or it will be subjected to reaction forces due to the influence of wind when loosening or tightening, so extra force is applied when controlling it, requiring countermeasures, and more precise skills are required when the operator operates it. On the other hand, the rotor sail 10 does not produce flapping or reaction forces like rigid sails, so it is easy to control and operate.

[0048] A vessel may have two turning modes: tacking and gybing. Tacking is easy to operate, but because it is a movement into the wind, there may be times when the vessel slows down during the movement. On the other hand, gybing leaves a longer wake, but because it is a movement into the leeward direction, the vessel's speed tends to accelerate. In this way, a vessel can use tacking and gybing appropriately depending on the situation to navigate in a way that suits the circumstances.

[0049] Vessel 1 may switch its turning mode between tacking and gybing based on sea conditions. In this case, Vessel 1 can turn using the appropriate turning mode between tacking and gybing, depending on the sea conditions. This allows Vessel 1 to navigate appropriately according to the situation.

[0050] The turning motion has an intermediate position, and the orientations of the multiple rotor sails 10 during the turning motion may be in opposite directions relative to the intermediate position. In this case, similar motion patterns can be created in which the orientations (directions of rotation) of the rotor sails 10 are opposite to each other before and after the reference intermediate position. This reduces the load required for the turning motion.

[0051] The hull 11 may be provided with a plurality of rotor sails 10 arranged in the longitudinal direction between the bow and stern. Since the vessel 1 has a longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction, the rotor sails 10 can be positioned far from the ship's center of gravity G in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, it is easier to generate a moment due to the thrust of each rotor sail 10. This makes it easy to generate a turning moment around the ship's center of gravity G.

[0052] For example, in the above embodiment, a rotor sail 10 was used as an example of a wind propulsion unit, but the type of wind propulsion unit is not particularly limited, and rigid sails, soft sails, or other types of sails may be used. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a ship 1 when a rigid sail 40 is used as the wind propulsion unit. Note that the diagram will be similar to Figure 9 when a canvas sail is used as the wind propulsion unit. The rigid sails 40 are designated as the first rigid sail 40A, the second rigid sail 40B, the third rigid sail 40C, and the fourth rigid sail 40D, in order from the bow. Figure 9(a) shows an example of the deployment direction of the rigid sail 40 when a thrust PF is generated forward when a wind WD is blowing from the left. Figure 9(b) shows an example of the deployment direction of the rigid sail 40 when a thrust PF is generated forward when a wind WD is blowing from the right.

[0053] Referring to Figure 10, the control details for the turning mode of a gybing maneuver using the rigid sail 40 will be explained. Note that the track positions P1 to P9 during gybing are the same as those shown in Figure 5. Referring to Figure 10, the deployment direction and deployment amount combinations of each rigid sail 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D at track positions P1 to P9 will be explained. These operations are examples of data stored in the memory unit 34. Note that in Figure 10, the deployment amount is shown in three stages: "large," "medium," and "small," but control may be performed with even more stages of deployment amount. The deployment amount is defined as the angle of the rigid sail 40 with respect to the left and right directions. Tightening the rigid sail 40 increases the deployment amount, and loosening it decreases the deployment amount.

[0054] As shown in Figure 10, at track positions P1 to P4, the deployment direction of each rigid sail 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D is set to the right. At track position P1, the deployment amount of the 1st to 3rd rigid sails 40A, 40B, and 40C is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "medium". At track position P2, the deployment amount of the 1st to 2nd rigid sails 40A and 40B is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 3rd rigid sail 40C is set to "medium". The deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "small". At track position P3, the deployment amount of the 1st to 2nd rigid sails 40A and 40B is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 3rd rigid sail 40C is set to "medium". The deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "small". At track position P4, the deployment amounts of the 1st to 4th rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are set to "small".

[0055] At track position P5, the deployment direction of the 1st and 2nd rigid sails 40A and 40B is set to the right, and the deployment amount is set to "small". The deployment direction of the 3rd and 4th rigid sails 40C and 40D is set to the left, and the deployment amount is set to "small".

[0056] At track positions P6 to P9, the deployment direction of each rigid sail 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D is set to the left. At track position P6, the deployment amount of the 1st to 4th rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D is set to "small". At track position P7, the deployment amount of the 3rd to 4th rigid sails 40C and 40D is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 1st to 2nd rigid sails 40A and 40B is set to "small". At track position P8, the deployment amount of the 1st to 4th rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D is set to "large". At track position P9, the deployment amount of the 1st to 3rd rigid sails 40A, 40B, and 40C is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "medium".

[0057] In the example shown in Figure 10, the orientations of the multiple sails during the turning maneuver are in opposite directions relative to the intermediate position, track position P5. In the turning track RLB, the deployment direction of the rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D at track positions P2 to P4, which are before the intermediate position P5, is opposite to the deployment direction of the rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D at track positions P6 to P8, which are after the intermediate position P5.

[0058] Next, referring to Figure 11, the control details for the turning mode of tacking when using the rigid sail 40 will be explained. Note that the track positions P1, P3~P7, and P9 during tacking are the same as those shown in Figure 7. Referring to Figure 11, the combinations of deployment direction and deployment amount for each rigid sail 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D at track positions P1, P3~P7, and P9 will be explained. These operation details are examples of data stored in the memory unit 34.

[0059] As shown in Figure 11, at track positions P1, P3-P4, the deployment direction of each rigid sail 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D is set to the right. At track position P1, the deployment amount of the 1st to 3rd rigid sails 40A, 40B, and 40C is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "medium". At track position P3, the deployment amount of the 3rd to 4th rigid sails 40C and 40D is set to "large". The deployment amount of the 2nd rigid sail 40B is set to "medium". The deployment amount of the 1st rigid sail 40A is set to "small". At track position P4, the deployment amount of the 1st rigid sail 40A is set to "small". The deployment amount of the 2nd rigid sail 40B is set to "medium". The deployment amount of the 3rd to 4th rigid sails 40C and 40D is set to "large".

[0060] At track position P5, the first to fourth rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are tightly compressed, causing them to deploy in a direction along the fore-aft axis.

[0061] At track positions P6-P7 and P9, the deployment direction of each rigid sail 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D is set to the left. At track position P6, the deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "small". The deployment amount of the 3rd rigid sail 40C is set to "medium". The deployment amounts of the 1st and 2nd rigid sails 40A and 40B are set to "large". At track position P7, the deployment amounts of the 1st to 4th rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are set to "large". At track position P9, the deployment amounts of the 1st to 3rd rigid sails 40A, 40B, and 40C are set to "large". The deployment amount of the 4th rigid sail 40D is set to "medium".

[0062] In the example shown in Figure 11, the orientations of the multiple sails during the turning maneuver are in opposite directions relative to the intermediate position, track position P5. In the turning track RLA, the deployment direction of the rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D at track positions P3-P4, which are before the intermediate position P5, is opposite to the deployment direction of the rigid sails 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D at track positions P6-P7, which are after the intermediate position P5.

[0063] Here, the lift of the wind propulsion unit at the distance furthest from the ship's center of gravity G of the hull 11 may be adjusted. For example, as shown in Figure 12, when the rotor sail 10D generates lift due to wind WD, the lateral component of this lift becomes the lateral force SF. The lift of the end rotor sails 10A and 10D is made smaller than the lift of the other rotor sails 10B and 10C. In this case, if the magnitude of the maximum lateral force SF (lateral force when the rotation speed is at its maximum) of the rotor sails 10B and 10C is shown by the dashed line ML extending in the longitudinal direction, the lateral force SF of the rotor sails 10A and 10D will be smaller than the maximum lateral force SF. In Figure 12, of the lateral forces SF of the rotor sails 10A and 10D, only the portion shown by the dashed line is smaller than the other lateral forces. Here, if we define the turning moment of each rotor sail 10 as "lateral force × distance from the ship's center of gravity G", then the sum of the turning moments of all rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D becomes the turning moment of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D. By creating a state where the turning moment of the hull 11 and the turning moments of the rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are not balanced, the hull 11 can be made to turn.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, a turning moment may be generated by making the lift of the wind propulsion unit at the distance furthest from the ship's center of gravity G greater than the lift of the other wind propulsion units. In this case, the turning moment can be efficiently generated using the wind propulsion unit furthest from the ship's center of gravity G. In the example shown in Figure 13(a), the lateral force SF of rotor sail 10A is reduced, and the lateral force SF of the rotor sail 10D on the opposite side is made greater than the other lateral forces SF. Here, the lateral force SF of rotor sail 10D is increased by the amount indicated by "SFa". As a result, the ship's hull 11 turns to the left due to the effect of the turning moment. In the example shown in Figure 13(b), the lateral force SF of rotor sail 10D is reduced, and the lateral force SF of rotor sail 10A on the opposite side is made greater than the other lateral forces SF. Here, the lateral force SF of rotor sail 10A is increased by the amount indicated by "SFa". As a result, the hull 11 turns to the right due to the effect of the turning moment.

[0065] Here, the method for adjusting the lift of rotor sails 10A and 10D is not particularly limited. In the case of rotor sails 10A and 10D, the lift of rotor sails 10A and 10D can be increased by designing them to rotate at a higher maximum speed than the maximum speed of rotor sails 10C and 10D. In this case, by controlling the rotation speed of rotor sails 10A and 10D, the operation shown in Figures 13(a) and 13(b) can be performed. Alternatively, the lift can be increased by increasing the output of rotor sails 10A and 10D. For example, the diameter and height dimensions of rotor sails 10A and 10D may be made larger than those of rotor sails 10B and 10C. In this case, even if the rotation speeds of rotor sails 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are the same, the output of rotor sails 10A and 10D is greater than that of rotor sails 10B and 10C, so a larger lift can be generated.

[0066] Furthermore, when rigid sails or canvas are used as the wind propulsion system, a large amount of lift can be generated by increasing the surface area of ​​the wind-receiving section. Also, when suction wings are used as the wind propulsion system, a large amount of lift can be generated by adjusting the amount of air drawn in at the trailing edge of the wing.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 30 operated the wind propulsion unit, but the operator may also operate it. In this case, the ship 1 may output the operation details of each wind propulsion unit at each track position, which are stored in the memory unit 34, to the operator via a monitor or the like.

[0068] The examples of operation shown in Figures 6, 8, 10, and 11 are merely examples and may be modified as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1...ship, 10...rotor sail (wind propulsion unit), 11...hull, 40...rigid sail (wind propulsion unit).

Claims

1. The hull and, The vessel comprises a plurality of wind propulsion units provided on the hull, A ship that turns by generating a turning moment using the aforementioned multiple wind-powered propulsion units.

2. The ship according to claim 1, wherein the wind propulsion unit is a rotor sail.

3. The vessel according to claim 1, wherein the turning operation has turning modes of tacking and gybing.

4. The vessel according to claim 3, wherein the turning mode is switched between tacking and gybing based on sea conditions.

5. The aforementioned turning motion has an intermediate position in the motion, The ship according to claim 1, wherein the orientations of the plurality of wind propulsion units during the turning operation are in opposite directions with respect to the intermediate position.

6. The vessel according to claim 1, wherein the hull is provided with a plurality of wind propulsion units arranged in the longitudinal direction between the bow and stern.

7. The vessel according to claim 1, wherein the lift force of the wind propulsion unit at the distance furthest from the center of gravity of the hull is greater than the lift force of the other wind propulsion units, thereby generating the turning moment.

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