Control device, control method for control device, and control program for control device

Abstract

To provide a technology for a controller capable of performing air lubrication in a case where an air lubrication effect can be suitably exhibited by taking into consideration balance of a reduced amount and an increased amount of consumed energy.SOLUTION: A controller 10 includes an air bubble control unit 20 for controlling an ejection mechanism 80 for ejecting air bubbles B from an air exit 84 provided in a hull 90. When hull resistance of the hull 90 fulfills a preset condition, the air bubble control unit 20 starts ejection of the air bubbles B or increases an ejection amount of the air bubbles B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, a control method for a control device, and a control program for a control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Ships equipped with air lubrication devices that provide an air lubrication effect are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a ship equipped with an air lubrication device that blows air from the bottom of the ship. This ship is equipped with an air blowing device that blows air from the bottom of the ship and a suppression means that suppresses a relative decrease in the thickness of the air layer that covers a predetermined area of ​​the bottom of the ship. This air blowing device is provided with air outlets in the center area, port side area, and starboard side area of ​​the bottom of the ship. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-056328 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Air lubrication systems have the effect of reducing hull resistance by blowing air bubbles onto the hull when in operation (hereinafter referred to as the "air lubrication effect"). This air lubrication effect reduces hull resistance, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the ship's propulsion system. However, air lubrication systems consume energy to blow out air when in operation. Therefore, rather than keeping the air lubrication system in operation all the time, it is desirable to operate the air lubrication system only when the total energy consumption reduction effect can be appropriately achieved, taking into account the balance between the reduction in energy consumption of the propulsion system and the increase in energy consumption of the air lubrication system.

[0005] For example, it is possible to start and stop the air lubrication device at the discretion of the operator, but in this case, the air lubrication effect may not always be properly exerted. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of properly exerting the air lubrication effect, the ship described in Patent Document 1 does not take sufficient measures.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and one of its objects is to provide a control device technique that can appropriately exhibit the air lubrication effect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, in one aspect of the present invention, a control device includes a bubble control unit that controls a spray mechanism that sprays bubbles from an air outlet provided on the hull. The bubble control unit starts spraying bubbles or increases the amount of bubbles sprayed when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition.

[0008] According to this aspect, when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition, the air lubrication effect can be utilized.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a control method for a control device, which includes a step of causing a control device that controls a spray mechanism that sprays air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull to start spraying air bubbles or increase the amount of air bubbles sprayed when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition.

[0010] According to this aspect, when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition, the air lubrication effect can be utilized.

[0011] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a control program for a control device that causes a computer to execute a step of, for a control device that controls a spray mechanism that sprays air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, starting spraying of air bubbles or increasing the amount of air bubbles sprayed when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition.

[0012] According to this aspect, when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition, the air lubrication effect can be utilized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a control device technique that can appropriately exert the air lubrication effect. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically showing a ship to which a control device according to the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism of FIG. 2 and the amount of energy used. FIG. [Figure 4] 3 is another diagram schematically showing an example of the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism of FIG. 2 and the amount of energy used. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the relationship between the output of the main engine and the amount of fuel consumption in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism of FIG. 2 and the resistance of the hull. FIG. [Figure 7] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device of FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device of FIG. 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The following explains the terms used in this specification. In this specification, the hull's speed through the water is simply referred to as "hull speed," and the hull's current draft is simply referred to as "draft." The hull's frictional resistance against the water is referred to as "hull resistance," and the current actual hull resistance is referred to as "actual hull resistance." Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, increasing the amount of air bubbles being ejected includes starting to eject air bubbles, and decreasing the amount of air bubbles being ejected includes stopping the ejection of air bubbles. Furthermore, when the ejection mechanism is ejecting air, it is sometimes referred to as "when ejecting," and when it is not ejecting air, it is sometimes referred to as "when not ejecting."

[0016] In this specification, the balance between the amount of energy saved by air lubrication and the amount of energy used for air lubrication is referred to as "energy balance." When the amount of energy saved exceeds the amount of energy used, the energy balance is said to be "good" or "positive," and when the amount of energy used exceeds the amount of energy saved, the energy balance is said to be "bad" or "negative." A good energy balance is said to be an appropriate demonstration of the air lubrication effect. An improved energy balance is said to be "improved." Energy consumption can be converted by multiplying fuel consumption by a specified coefficient.

[0017] First, an overview of the control device according to the present invention will be described. The control device according to the present invention includes an air bubble control unit that controls a spray mechanism that sprays air bubbles from an air outlet provided on the hull. The air bubble control unit starts spraying air bubbles or increases the amount of air bubbles sprayed when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition. With this configuration, the air lubrication effect can be controlled depending on whether the predetermined condition is met.

[0018] As an example, the control device may include a resistance calculation unit that calculates the hull resistance of the hull, and the air bubble control unit may be configured to start spraying air bubbles or increase the amount of air bubbles sprayed when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is greater than a reference value. In this case, the air lubrication effect can be utilized when the hull resistance is large. Note that the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit may be the actual hull resistance or the estimated hull resistance.

[0019] For example, the resistance calculation unit may be configured to calculate the hull resistance based on at least one of the hull speed, the weather and sea conditions the hull is encountering, the hull draft, and the hull rudder angle, thereby enabling the hull resistance to be calculated with high accuracy.

[0020] For example, the hull may have a main engine that rotates a propeller, and the resistance calculation unit may be configured to further calculate the hull resistance based on the current output of the main engine. In this case, the hull resistance can be calculated with even higher accuracy.

[0021] For example, the bubble control unit may have a determination unit that determines the reference value based on information about the friction resistance of the hull against water that has been preset for the hull. In this case, the reference value can be determined according to the characteristics of the hull.

[0022] For example, the hull may have a main engine that rotates a propeller, and may be configured to determine the reference value based on at least one of the output of the main engine, the fuel consumption of the main engine, and the amount of energy used by the jet mechanism. In this case, the reference value can be determined with high accuracy using this information.

[0023] For example, the reference value may be determined based on the current draft of the ship, in which case the influence of the draft can be reduced.

[0024] For example, the reference value may be determined based on the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism and the amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism, which depends on the draft. In this case, the influence of the draft can be further reduced.

[0025] For example, the reference value may be determined based on the relationship between the fuel consumption of the main engine and the output of the main engine, which can reduce the influence of wear on the components of the main engine.

[0026] For example, the bubble control unit may be configured to stop the emission of bubbles or reduce the amount of bubbles emitted when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is smaller than a second reference value. In this case, the emission of bubbles can be stopped at an appropriate timing.

[0027] As an example, the control device may be configured to determine the second reference value based on the current amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism, in which case the second reference value can be determined depending on the current amount of energy used.

[0028] For example, the bubble control unit may be configured to increase or decrease the amount of bubbles emitted depending on the current draft of the hull, thereby making it possible to make a determination in response to changes in the draft.

[0029] For example, the control device may further include a transmitter that transmits information about the bubble ejection state of the ejection mechanism to an external device, thereby notifying an operator of the bubble ejection state.

[0030] As an example, the control device may further include a first calculation unit that calculates the amount of energy reduction that would occur if bubbles were ejected by the ejection mechanism based on the current ship speed of the hull, and a second calculation unit that calculates the amount of energy consumed to operate the ejection mechanism. The bubble control unit may be configured to start ejecting bubbles or increase the amount of bubble ejection when the amount of energy reduction calculated by the first calculation unit is greater than the amount of energy used calculated by the second calculation unit. In this case, the energy balance is determined using the amount of energy reduction of the main engine and the amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism, thereby improving the accuracy of the determination.

[0031] As an example, the hull may have a main engine that rotates a propeller, and the first calculation unit may include a reduction rate calculation unit that calculates a fuel consumption reduction rate according to the ship speed and the draft of the hull, and a fuel consumption amount calculation unit that calculates the current fuel consumption of the main engine according to the current rotation speed of the main engine and the state of fuel supply to the main engine, and may be configured to calculate the energy reduction amount according to the calculated fuel consumption reduction rate and the current fuel consumption. In this case, since the energy reduction amount is calculated according to the fuel consumption reduction rate and the current fuel consumption, calculation errors are small.

[0032] As an example, the ejection mechanism may include an engine, a generator driven by the engine, and a compressor that compresses air using the power generated by the generator and supplies it to the air outlet, and the second calculation unit may be configured to calculate the amount of energy used based on the amount of fuel supplied to the engine, the power generated by the generator, or the power driving the compressor. Furthermore, from this information, the amount of fuel consumed by the generator engine required to generate compressed air in the compressor is calculated using the formula: (power driving the compressor / power generating efficiency of the generator / engine efficiency). In this case, the accuracy of calculating the amount of energy used is improved.

[0033] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modifications, identical or equivalent components and members are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted where appropriate. The dimensions of the members in the drawings are enlarged or reduced as appropriate for ease of understanding. Some members that are not important for explaining the embodiments will be omitted from the drawings.

[0034] Furthermore, separate components that share something in common are distinguished by prefixing their names with "first," "second," etc., and these are omitted when referring to them collectively. Furthermore, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components.

[0035] Among the embodiments disclosed in this specification, those that are comprised of multiple objects may be integrated, and conversely, those that are comprised of a single object may be separated into multiple objects. Regardless of whether they are integrated, it is sufficient that they are configured to achieve the object of the invention.

[0036] Among the embodiments disclosed in this specification, those in which multiple functions are provided in a distributed manner may have some or all of the multiple functions integrated together, and conversely, those in which multiple functions are provided in a distributed manner may have some or all of the multiple functions integrated together. Regardless of whether the functions are integrated or distributed, it is sufficient that the configuration can achieve the object of the invention.

[0037] [First embodiment] A control device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a ship 1 to which a control device 10 according to the present invention is applied. In this embodiment, the ship 1 includes a hull 90, the control device 10, a propulsion mechanism 70, and a jetting mechanism 80. The propulsion mechanism 70 is a mechanism that generates a propulsive force that propels the hull 90. The jetting mechanism 80 constitutes an air lubrication mechanism that generates an air lubrication effect that reduces hull resistance by, for example, jetting air bubbles B from air outlets 84 provided on the bottom of the hull 90.

[0038] Fig. 2 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates the control device 10 of this embodiment. Each block illustrated in Fig. 2 and the block diagrams described below can be realized in terms of hardware using elements such as a computer processor, CPU, and memory, as well as electronic circuits and mechanical devices, and in terms of software using a computer program, etc. However, the functional blocks illustrated here are realized by the cooperation of these elements. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various ways by combining hardware and software.

[0039] The control device 10 comprises a bubble control unit 20, a propulsion control unit 30, a command receiving unit 36, a resistance calculation unit 32, a transmission unit 34, an information acquisition unit 45, and a memory unit 47. The bubble control unit 20 controls a jetting mechanism 80 that jets bubbles B from an air outlet 84 provided in the hull 90. The propulsion control unit 30 controls the propulsion force of a propulsion mechanism 70 that propels the hull 90. The command receiving unit 36 ​​receives a command signal that commands the magnitude of the propulsion force of the propulsion mechanism 70. The information acquisition unit 45 acquires various input information, which will be described later. The memory unit 47 stores the acquired various input information in chronological order, and stores each reference value and each threshold value, which will be described later. The resistance calculation unit 32 and the transmission unit 34 will be described later.

[0040] In the control device 10, either the propulsion control unit 30 or the bubble control unit 20 may be controlled in accordance with the control of the other. In this case, the ejection mechanism 80 and the propulsion mechanism 70 can be linked together, thereby improving the energy balance of the hull 90.

[0041] (propulsion mechanism) The propulsion mechanism 70 may be any mechanism capable of propelling the hull 90, and in this embodiment, a diesel engine (hereinafter referred to as the "main engine 74") is provided as the prime mover 79, and propulsion force is obtained by rotating a propeller 75 using the main engine 74. To operate the main engine 74, the propulsion mechanism 70 consumes fuel in an amount corresponding to the rotation speed and torque of the main engine 74. The propulsion mechanism 70 is provided with a speed governor 77 that suppresses fluctuations in the rotation speed of the main engine 74. The speed governor 77 is also referred to as a governor, and adjusts the amount of fuel supplied to mitigate changes in the rotation speed of the main engine 74 when the rotation speed changes in response to load fluctuations.

[0042] (Propulsion control unit) The propulsion control unit 30 controls the main engine 74. The propulsion control unit 30 of this embodiment is installed on the bridge of the vessel 1 or the like, and controls the main engine 74, such as increasing / decreasing the rotation speed or stopping it, based on operation input from an operating device (hereinafter referred to as the "remote control unit 50") that remotely controls the main engine 74. The remote control 50 has an operating handle 51 as an operating unit that commands the magnitude of the propulsive force of the propulsion mechanism 70. The remote control 50 transmits a command signal C1 to the control device 10 that commands the magnitude of the propulsive force according to the position of the operating handle 51 (hereinafter referred to as the "handle position P"). The handle position P exemplifies the operating state of the operating unit.

[0043] The operating handle may be any type that allows an operator to input operations to the control device, and there are no limitations on its form. For example, the operating handle may or may not include a movable operating part. For example, the operating handle may detect commands from the touch position on a touch panel.

[0044] The control device 10 of this embodiment includes a command receiving unit 36 ​​that receives a command signal C1. The propulsion control unit 30 changes the propulsion force of the propulsion mechanism 70 based on the command signal C1 received by the command receiving unit 36. The operator can change the propulsion force of the propulsion mechanism 70 within a predetermined range, including zero, forward, and reverse, by changing the position of the operating handle 51 of the remote control 50.

[0045] (Gushing mechanism) The jetting mechanism 80 is a mechanism that jets bubbles B into the water from air outlets 84 provided on the bottom or the like of the hull 90 while the vessel is sailing. A layer of air formed by the bubbles B jetted from the air outlets 84 covers part of the hull 90, thereby reducing the hull resistance. The jetting mechanism 80 of this embodiment has an engine 81 for driving a generator 82, and a compressor 83 driven by the power generated by the generator 82.

[0046] (Bubble control unit) By ejecting bubbles B, it is possible to reduce the hull resistance and the energy consumption of the propulsion mechanism 70, but at the same time, energy is consumed for the ejection. Therefore, it is important to eject bubbles B while considering the balance between the reduction and increase in energy consumption. For this reason, it is desirable to control the ejection mechanism 80 depending on whether a predetermined condition related to the balance of energy consumption is satisfied. Therefore, the bubble control unit 20 of this embodiment controls the ejection mechanism 80 to start ejecting bubbles B or to increase the amount of bubbles B ejected when the predetermined condition is satisfied. In other words, bubbles B are ejected when the air lubrication effect can be appropriately exerted.

[0047] The energy consumption of the jetting mechanism 80 of this embodiment will be described. The bubble control unit 20 controls the jetting mechanism 80 between a state in which the engine 81, generator 82, and compressor 83 are operated to jet bubbles B, and a state in which the engine 81 is stopped to not jet bubbles B. The jetting mechanism 80 consumes a predetermined amount of fuel to operate the engine 81 during jetting. Hereinafter, the amount of fuel consumed is multiplied by a predetermined coefficient and converted to the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80.

[0048] In this embodiment, the propulsion mechanism 70 has a main engine 74 that rotates a propeller 75. There are no limitations on the configuration of the propeller 75, and it may be, for example, a fixed-pitch propeller or a variable-pitch propeller. The propeller 75 in this example is a variable-pitch propeller 72 that changes the blade angle W of the propeller blades 73 in response to a blade angle command from the propulsion control unit 30. The variable-pitch propeller 72 has a blade angle setting unit 71 that changes the blade angle W in response to control by the propulsion control unit 30. The blade angle setting unit 71 detects the current actual blade angle (hereinafter referred to as the "actual blade angle W2") and performs feedback control using the actual blade angle W2 to achieve the blade angle W in accordance with the blade angle command (hereinafter referred to as the "target blade angle W1").

[0049] When the controllable pitch propeller 72 is provided, the propulsion force of the propulsion mechanism 70 can be changed by changing the blade angle W while operating the main engine 74 at a constant rotation speed. If the main engine 74 is operated at a rotation speed that consumes relatively little fuel, the amount of fuel consumed by the main engine 74 can be reduced.

[0050] In this example, the propulsion control unit 30 has a preset combinator curve that defines the relationship between the rotation speed command (hereinafter referred to as "target rotation speed N1") for the main engine 74 and the blade angle command for the propeller blades 73, which corresponds to the handle position P of the operating handle 51 of the remote controller 50. The combinator curve defines the relationship between each handle position P of the operating handle 51 and the target rotation speed N1 and target blade angle W1, such that when the handle position P is STOP, the target rotation speed N1 = 80 rpm and the target blade angle W1 = 0 deg, and when the handle position P is N / FMAX, the target rotation speed N1 = 120 rpm and the target blade angle W1 = 25 deg.

[0051] In addition, in order to mitigate the effects of sudden changes in the wing angle, the propulsion control unit 30 also has a control that changes the target wing angle W1 at a preset speed (hereinafter referred to as the ``CPP wing angle change speed'') even if the handle is operated suddenly.

[0052] The propulsion mechanism 70 has a limiter 60 that performs limiter control to protect the main engine 74. The limiter 60 may be equipped with limiter mechanisms based on various principles. In this embodiment, the limiter 60 is equipped with an ALC limiter 69 that performs limiter control to protect the main engine 74 from overload. The ALC limiter 69 automatically reduces the output of the main engine 74 when the current actual load (hereinafter referred to as the "actual load") of the main engine 74 exceeds a preset target load.

[0053] The ALC limiter 69 of this embodiment compares the target load and actual load of the main engine 74, and if the actual load is higher than the target load (hereinafter referred to as an "overload state"), executes control (hereinafter referred to as "ALC (Automatic Load Control) control") to reduce the blade angle of the propeller blades 73. Reducing the blade angle through ALC control prevents the main engine 74 from becoming overloaded.

[0054] An example of a predetermined condition will be described. When the hull resistance is small, the energy reduction effect due to the air lubrication effect becomes relatively small, resulting in a poor energy balance. For this reason, it is desirable to utilize the air lubrication effect when the actual hull resistance R2 is large. Therefore, this embodiment is provided with a resistance calculation unit 32 that calculates the actual hull resistance R2 of the hull 90. Furthermore, the air bubble control unit 20 is configured to start ejecting air bubbles B or increase the amount of air bubbles B ejected when the actual hull resistance R2 calculated by the resistance calculation unit 32 is greater than the reference value R1.

[0055] The actual hull resistance R2 is expected to change depending on the ship speed, atmospheric and sea condition information, draft, and rudder angle. The atmospheric and sea condition information includes information on tides, wind, and course. Therefore, in order to improve calculation accuracy, it is desirable to calculate the actual hull resistance R2 taking these conditions into account. Therefore, in this embodiment, the resistance calculation unit 32 is configured to calculate the actual hull resistance R2 based on at least one of the ship speed of the hull 90, the atmospheric and sea condition information encountered by the hull 90, the draft of the hull 90, and the rudder angle of the hull 90. The ship speed, atmospheric and sea condition information, draft, and rudder angle of the hull 90 are collectively referred to as hull environmental information. The atmospheric and sea condition information may be visually determined by the operator and input to the control device 10.

[0056] The resistance calculation unit 32 may use a machine learning model 322 that receives ship speed, atmospheric and sea state information, draft, and rudder angle as input and outputs actual hull resistance R2. As an example, this machine learning model 322 can be generated by machine learning (supervised learning) using ship speed, atmospheric and sea state information, draft, and rudder angle measured during sea trials or during a voyage as input and actual hull resistance R2 as output. Alternatively, the resistance calculation unit 32 may calculate actual hull resistance R2 by table processing using a pre-created table for the ship speed, atmospheric and sea state information, draft, and rudder angle. Alternatively, the resistance calculation unit 32 may be configured to calculate actual hull resistance R2 by taking into account information about hull fouling such as barnacle adhesion.

[0057] From the viewpoint of improving the calculation accuracy of the actual hull resistance R2, it is desirable to calculate it taking into account the current output of the main engine 74 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "actual output"). Therefore, in this embodiment, the resistance calculation unit 32 is configured to further calculate the actual hull resistance R2 based on the current output of the main engine 74. The output of the main engine 74 may be the rotation speed of the main engine 74, or the output torque of the main engine 74, or may be shaft horsepower (dynamic power acting on the propeller shaft 78) calculated from these. The current output of the main engine 74 can be acquired by acquisition means based on known principles.

[0058] From the viewpoint of improving the calculation accuracy of the resistance calculation unit 32, it is desirable to use a reference value R1 that matches the characteristics of each individual hull 90. Therefore, in this embodiment, a determination unit 33 is provided that determines the reference value R1 based on information about the frictional resistance of the hull against water that has been preset for the hull 90. As an example, this information about frictional resistance is the preset frictional resistance of the hull against water (hereinafter referred to as the "reference hull resistance"). In the example of FIG. 2, the determination unit 33 is provided in the air bubble control unit 20, but this is not limited to this, and the determination unit 33 may be provided anywhere. The reference hull resistance may be a reference resistance value set for the target hull by design, or may be a reference resistance value measured during sea trials or during a voyage.

[0059] The determination unit 33 may determine the reference value R1 by performing table processing using a pre-created table for the characteristics of each hull 90. The characteristics of each hull 90 may be characteristics determined by design, or may be characteristics measured for each hull 90 during sea trials or during a voyage.

[0060] From the viewpoint of improving the calculation accuracy of the resistance calculation unit 32, it is desirable to use a reference value R1 that is consistent with parameters that may affect the calculation accuracy. Examples of such parameters include the output of the main engine 74, the fuel consumption of the main engine 74, and the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 is configured to determine the reference value R1 based on at least one of the output of the main engine 74, the fuel consumption of the main engine 74, and the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80.

[0061] If the draft of the hull 90 changes, the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 may change, potentially reducing the calculation accuracy. For this reason, it is desirable to acquire the change in the draft of the hull 90 and use a reference value R1 that matches the acquired change in draft. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 is configured to further determine the reference value R1 based on the current draft of the hull 90. Note that, in this specification, determining a value includes initially determining a value when there is no previously determined value, and updating a value when there is a previously determined value.

[0062] As the draft of the hull 90 deepens, the water depth of the air outlet 84 deepens and the water pressure it receives from seawater increases. When the water pressure around the air outlet 84 is high, the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 to jet out the same amount of air increases. Figure 3 is a diagram that schematically shows an example of the relationship between the amount of air jetted by the jetting mechanism 80 and the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80. As shown in this diagram, the relationship between the amount of air jetted and the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 changes depending on the draft of the hull 90. For the same amount of air to be jetted out, the amount of energy used is greater when the draft is deep than when the draft is shallow.

[0063] For this reason, it is desirable to acquire the draft of the hull 90 and use the reference value R1 that matches the acquired draft. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 is further configured to determine the reference value R1 based on the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism 80 and the amount of energy used, which depends on the draft.

[0064] When the components of the jetting mechanism 80 wear out, the amount of air ejected by the jetting mechanism 80 decreases, or the amount of energy used to eject the same amount of air increases. Figure 4 is a diagram that schematically shows an example of the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the jetting mechanism 80 and the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80. As shown in this diagram, the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the jetting mechanism 80 and the amount of energy used changes depending on the wear of the components of the jetting mechanism 80. For the same amount of air to be ejected, the amount of energy used increases when the wear of the components is large compared to when the wear of the components is small.

[0065] For this reason, it is desirable to acquire the wear state of the components of the jetting mechanism 80 and use a reference value R1 that matches the acquired wear state. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 is further configured to determine the reference value R1 based on the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the jetting mechanism 80 and the amount of energy used, which corresponds to the wear state of the components of the jetting mechanism 80.

[0066] As an example, the wear state of a component of the ejection mechanism 80 may be the ratio of the length of time the component has been in use to the predetermined life span of the component. A relatively short length of time is considered to be low wear, and a relatively long length of time is considered to be high wear. In other words, the wear state may be determined as a parameter corresponding to the past operating period of the ejection mechanism 80. The wear state of the component may also be determined based on information obtained from the ejection mechanism 80 during sea trials or during a voyage.

[0067] When components of the main engine 74 wear out, the output of the main engine 74 decreases or the amount of fuel consumed to obtain the same output increases. Figure 5 is a diagram that schematically shows an example of the relationship between the output of the main engine 74 and the amount of fuel consumed. As shown in this diagram, the relationship between the output of the main engine 74 and the amount of fuel consumed by the main engine 74 changes depending on the wear of the components of the main engine 74. For the same output, fuel consumption increases when the wear of the components is large compared to when the wear is small.

[0068] For this reason, it is desirable to acquire the wear state of the components of the main engine 74 and use a reference value R1 that matches the acquired wear state. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 is configured to further determine the reference value R1 based on the relationship between the fuel consumption of the main engine 74 and the output of the main engine 74.

[0069] For example, the wear state of a component of the main engine 74 may be the ratio of the length of time the component has been in use to the predetermined life span of the component. A relatively short length of time is considered to be low wear, and a relatively long length of time is considered to be high wear. The wear state of the component may be determined based on information obtained from the main engine 74 during sea trials or during a voyage.

[0070] If the hull resistance decreases while bubbles B are still being ejected, the energy reduction effect will decrease and the energy balance will worsen. For this reason, it is desirable to reduce the ejection of bubbles B when the hull resistance decreases. Therefore, in this embodiment, the bubble control unit 20 is configured to stop the ejection of bubbles B or reduce the amount of bubbles B ejected when the actual hull resistance R2 calculated by the resistance calculation unit 32 is smaller than the second reference value Q1.

[0071] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism 80 and the hull resistance. As shown in this diagram, the actual hull resistance R2 gradually increases, and the jetting mechanism 80 enters the jetting state when the actual hull resistance R2 in the non-jetting state reaches the reference value R1 as indicated by the arrow V. Also, the actual hull resistance R2 gradually decreases, and the jetting mechanism 80 enters the non-jetting state when the actual hull resistance R2 in the jetting state reaches the second reference value Q1 as indicated by the arrow Y.

[0072] As shown in Figure 6, a dead zone is provided between the second reference value Q1 and the reference value R1. Without such a dead zone, the jetting mechanism 80 may repeatedly start and stop in a short period of time, which may increase the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 or accelerate deterioration of the jetting mechanism 80. For this reason, in order to avoid the jetting mechanism 80 starting and stopping in a short period of time, the second reference value Q1 is set smaller than the reference value R1 by the size of a predetermined dead zone. The size of the predetermined dead zone can be determined by simulation or experiment.

[0073] The actual energy balance is important from the viewpoint of improving the calculation accuracy of the resistance calculation unit 32. For this reason, it is desirable to acquire the current amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 and use the second reference value Q1 that matches the acquired current amount of energy used. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 is configured to determine the second reference value Q1 based on the current amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80. The current amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 can be acquired based on the fuel consumption of the engine 81, the power generated by the generator 82, and the driving power of the compressor 83. Note that the second reference value Q1 may be determined by a factor other than the determination unit 33.

[0074] As described above, the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 increases or decreases depending on the draft of the hull 90. In other words, the branch point of the energy balance changes depending on the draft. Therefore, in this embodiment, the bubble control unit 20 is configured to increase or decrease the amount of bubbles B jetted depending on the current draft of the hull 90. For example, the amount of bubbles B jetted may be decreased when the draft is deep, or increased when the draft is shallow, or vice versa.

[0075] It is desirable that the operator be able to steer the boat in accordance with the ejection state of bubble B. Therefore, this embodiment further includes a transmitter 34 that transmits information related to the bubble ejection state of the ejection mechanism 80 to the outside. In the example of Fig. 2, the transmitter 34 transmits information related to the bubble ejection state to an external display 85 for display to notify the operator of the ejection state of bubble B.

[0076] The operation S110 of the control device 10 of this embodiment configured as above will now be described. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation S110 of the control device 10.

[0077] When operation S110 is started, the control device 10 acquires at least one of the hull environment information of the hull 90, including the hull speed, weather and sea condition information, draft, and rudder angle (step S111).

[0078] After executing step S111, the control device 10 acquires the output of the main engine 74 (step S112).

[0079] After executing step S112, the control device 10 calculates the actual hull resistance R2 based on the acquired hull environmental information and output (step S113).

[0080] After executing step S113, the control device 10 acquires at least one related information of the output of the main engine 74, the fuel consumption amount, and the amount of energy used by the jetting mechanism 80 (step S114).

[0081] After executing step S114, the control device 10 determines the reference value R1 based on the related information acquired in step S114 (step S115).

[0082] After executing step S115, the control device 10 determines whether the actual hull resistance R2 is greater than the reference value R1 (step S116).

[0083] If the actual hull resistance R2 is equal to or less than the reference value R1 (N in step S116), the control device 10 ends the operation S110.

[0084] If the actual hull resistance R2 is greater than the reference value R1 (Y in step S116), the control device 10 starts ejecting bubbles B or increases the amount of bubbles B ejected (step S117).

[0085] After step S117 is executed, step S110 ends. The above steps are merely examples, and various modifications are possible.

[0086] The above is the description of the first embodiment.

[0087] Second to fourth embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the drawings and descriptions of the second to fourth embodiments, the same components and members as those of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the first embodiment.

[0088] [Second embodiment] A control device 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a block diagram that schematically shows the control device 10 of this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the control device 10 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a first calculation unit 35, a second calculation unit 37, a reduction rate calculation unit 38, and a fuel consumption calculation unit 39, and therefore these differences will be mainly described.

[0089] It is important to improve the accuracy of the determination of the energy balance. To improve the accuracy of the determination, it is desirable to determine the energy balance using the energy reduction amount D of the main engine 74 and the energy usage amount U of the jet mechanism 80.

[0090] Therefore, this embodiment further includes a first calculation unit 35 that calculates the amount of energy reduction D when bubbles B are ejected by the ejection mechanism 80 based on the current ship speed of the hull 90, and a second calculation unit 37 that calculates the amount of energy U consumed to operate the ejection mechanism 80.

[0091] The bubble control unit 20 is configured to start ejecting bubbles B or increase the amount of bubbles B ejected when the energy reduction amount D calculated by the first calculation unit 35 is greater than the amount of energy used U calculated by the second calculation unit 37.

[0092] In order to reduce calculation errors, it is desirable to predict the fuel consumption reduction rate W, which is the reduction rate of the fuel consumption of the main engine 74 when ejection is performed compared to when ejection is not performed, and calculate the energy reduction amount D using this fuel consumption reduction rate W and the current fuel consumption amount G.

[0093] The fuel consumption reduction rate W varies depending on the ship speed and the draft of the hull 90. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first calculation unit 35 includes a reduction rate calculation unit 38 that calculates the fuel consumption reduction rate W in accordance with the ship speed and the draft of the hull 90, and a fuel consumption amount calculation unit 39 that calculates the current fuel consumption G of the main engine 74 in accordance with the current rotation speed of the main engine 74 (hereinafter referred to as "rotation speed N2") and the fuel supply state F to the main engine 74. As an example, the first calculation unit 35 can calculate the fuel consumption reduction rate W for the ship speed and draft of the hull 90 by performing table processing using a table created in advance.

[0094] The fuel supply state F may be a command value for fuel supply to the main engine 74. As an example, the fuel supply state F to the main engine 74 can be acquired from the speed governor 77. The speed governor 77 in this example includes a rack and pinion (not shown) and is configured to supply the main engine 74 with an amount of fuel according to the rack position, and the fuel supply state F can be determined based on the rack position.

[0095] The bubble control unit 20 is configured to calculate the energy reduction amount D according to the fuel consumption reduction rate W calculated by the reduction rate calculation unit 38 and the current fuel consumption amount G calculated by the fuel consumption amount calculation unit 39. For example, the energy reduction amount D can be calculated by multiplying the fuel consumption reduction rate W by the current fuel consumption amount G and then multiplying the result by a predetermined coefficient. In addition, the energy reduction amount D can be calculated by performing table processing using a previously created table for the fuel consumption reduction rate W and the current fuel consumption amount G.

[0096] From the viewpoint of reducing calculation errors, it is desirable to calculate the amount of energy used U based on the amount of fuel, the generated power, or the drive power of the compressor. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second calculation unit 37 is configured to calculate the amount of energy used U based on the amount of fuel supplied to the engine 81, the generated power of the generator 82, or the drive power of the compressor 83. As an example, the amount of energy used U can be calculated by multiplying the amount of fuel supplied to the engine 81, the generated power of the generator 82, or the drive power of the compressor 83 by a predetermined coefficient.

[0097] The operation S120 of the control device 10 of this embodiment configured as above will now be described. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation S120 of the control device 10.

[0098] When the operation S120 is started, the control device 10 acquires the vessel speed and draft of the hull 90, and calculates the fuel consumption reduction rate W according to the vessel speed and draft (step S121).

[0099] After executing step S121, the control device 10 acquires the rotation speed N2 of the main engine 74 and the fuel supply state F to the main engine 74, and calculates the current fuel consumption G of the main engine 74 based on the rotation speed N2 and the fuel supply state F (step S122).

[0100] After executing step S122, the control device 10 calculates the energy reduction amount D based on the calculated fuel consumption reduction rate W and the current fuel consumption amount G (step S123). As an example, the control device 10 can obtain the fuel consumption reduction amount by multiplying the current fuel consumption amount G by the fuel consumption reduction rate W, and calculate the energy reduction amount D by multiplying the fuel consumption reduction amount by a predetermined coefficient.

[0101] After executing step S123, the control device 10 calculates the amount of energy used U (step S124).

[0102] After executing step S124, the control device 10 determines whether the energy reduction amount D is greater than the amount of energy used U (step S125). If the energy reduction amount D is equal to or less than the amount of energy used U (N in step S125), the control device 10 ends operation S120.

[0103] If the amount of energy reduction is greater than the amount of energy used U (Y in step S125), the control device 10 starts to eject bubbles B or increases the amount of ejected bubbles B (step S126).

[0104] After step S126 is executed, step S120 ends. The above steps are merely examples, and various modifications are possible.

[0105] This concludes the description of the second embodiment.

[0106] [Third embodiment] A third embodiment of the present invention is a control method for the control device 10. This control method includes a step in which the control device 10, which controls the ejection mechanism 80 that ejects bubbles B from an air outlet 84 provided in the hull 90, starts ejecting bubbles or increases the amount of bubbles ejected when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0107] According to this embodiment, the same actions and effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0108] [Fourth embodiment] The fourth embodiment of the present invention is a control program 100 (computer program) for the control device 10. This control program 100 causes the computer of the control device 10, which controls the jetting mechanism 80 that jets bubbles B from an air outlet 84 provided in the hull 90, to execute a step of starting jetting of bubbles or increasing the amount of jetted bubbles when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0109] These functions of the control program 100 may be installed in the storage (e.g., memory unit 47) of the control device 10 as an application program in which a plurality of modules corresponding to the functional blocks of the control device 10 are implemented. The control program 100 may be read into the main memory of a processor (e.g., CPU) of a computer incorporated in the control device 10 and executed.

[0110] According to this embodiment, the same actions and effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0111] The above describes in detail examples of embodiments of the present invention. The above-described embodiments merely illustrate specific examples of implementing the present invention. The contents of the embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes, such as changes, additions, and deletions of components, are possible within the scope of the inventive concept defined in the claims. In the above-described embodiments, content that allows such design changes is described using notations such as "in the embodiment" or "in the embodiment," but this does not mean that design changes are not permitted in content that does not have such notations.

[0112] [Variations] The following describes modified examples. In the drawings and descriptions of the modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the embodiment.

[0113] In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the propulsion mechanism 70 obtains propulsive force by rotating the propeller 75 using the prime mover 79, but the present invention is not limited to this. The propulsion mechanism may be any mechanism that can propel the hull, and may be, for example, a mechanism that obtains propulsive force by discharging gas or the like and using the reaction force.

[0114] In the description of the embodiment, an example has been given in which the prime mover 79 is a diesel engine, but this is not limiting. The prime mover may be, for example, an internal combustion engine other than a diesel engine, an external combustion engine, an electric motor, or the like.

[0115] In order to improve calculation accuracy, the resistance calculation unit 32 may be configured to calculate the actual hull resistance based on a combination of two, three, or four of the hull speed, the weather and sea conditions encountered by the hull 90, the draft of the hull 90, and the rudder angle of the hull 90.

[0116] From the viewpoint of determining an appropriate reference value, the determination unit 33 may be configured to determine the reference value based on a combination of two or three of the output of the main engine 74, the fuel consumption of the main engine 74, and the amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism 80.

[0117] The above-described modified examples have the same functions and effects as the respective embodiments.

[0118] Any combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. A new embodiment resulting from the combination has the combined effects of the combined embodiments and modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 10 control device, 20 air bubble control unit, 32 resistance calculation unit, 33 determination unit, 34 transmission unit, 35 first calculation unit, 37 second calculation unit, 38 reduction rate calculation unit, 39 fuel consumption calculation unit, 74 main engine, 75 propeller, 80 ejection mechanism, 81 engine, 82 generator, 83 compressor, 84 air outlet, 90 hull, 100 control program.

Claims

1. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a resistance calculation unit that calculates a hull resistance based on at least one of the hull speed, information on the weather and sea conditions that the hull is encountering, the hull draft, and the hull rudder angle, The hull has a main engine that rotates a propeller, the air bubble control unit starts ejection of the air bubbles or increases the amount of ejection of the air bubbles when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is greater than a reference value; The resistance calculation unit further calculates the hull resistance based on the current output of the main engine.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the bubble control unit includes a determination unit that determines the reference value based on information about a frictional resistance of the hull with respect to water that is preset for the hull.

3. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a resistance calculation unit that calculates the hull resistance, The hull has a main engine that rotates a propeller, the air bubble control unit starts ejection of the air bubbles or increases the amount of ejection of the air bubbles when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is greater than a reference value; the air bubble control unit has a determination unit that determines the reference value based on information about the frictional resistance of the hull with water that is preset for the hull, The determination unit further determines the reference value based on at least one of an output of the main engine, a fuel consumption amount of the main engine, and an amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism.

4. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a resistance calculation unit that calculates the hull resistance, the air bubble control unit starts ejection of the air bubbles or increases the amount of ejection of the air bubbles when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is greater than a reference value; the air bubble control unit has a determination unit that determines the reference value based on information about the frictional resistance of the hull with water that is preset for the hull, The control device wherein the determination unit further determines the reference value based on the current draft of the hull.

5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the determination unit further determines the reference value based on a relationship between an amount of air ejected by the ejection mechanism according to the draft and an amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism.

6. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a resistance calculation unit that calculates the hull resistance, the air bubble control unit starts ejection of the air bubbles or increases the amount of ejection of the air bubbles when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is greater than a reference value; the air bubble control unit has a determination unit that determines the reference value based on information about the frictional resistance of the hull with water that is preset for the hull, The determination unit further determines the reference value based on a relationship between a fuel consumption amount of the main engine and an output of the main engine.

7. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a resistance calculation unit that calculates the hull resistance, the air bubble control unit starts ejection of the air bubbles or increases the amount of ejection of the air bubbles when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is greater than a reference value; the air bubble control unit stops the ejection of the air bubbles or reduces the amount of ejection of the air bubbles when the hull resistance calculated by the resistance calculation unit is smaller than a second reference value; The bubble control unit determines the second reference value based on the current amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism.

8. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a transmitter that transmits information about the bubble ejection state of the ejection mechanism to an external device, The bubble control unit is a control device that starts the emission of the bubbles or increases the amount of the bubbles emitted when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition.

9. an air bubble control unit that controls a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in the hull; a first calculation unit that calculates an amount of energy reduction when bubbles are ejected by the ejection mechanism based on a current ship speed of the hull; a second calculation unit that calculates an amount of energy consumed to operate the ejection mechanism; Equipped with The bubble control unit is a control device that starts the emission of bubbles or increases the amount of bubbles emitted when the amount of energy reduction calculated by the first calculation unit is greater than the amount of energy used calculated by the second calculation unit.

10. The hull has a main engine that rotates a propeller, 10. The control device according to claim 9, wherein the first calculation unit includes a reduction rate calculation unit that calculates a fuel consumption reduction rate in accordance with the ship speed and the draft of the hull, and a fuel consumption amount calculation unit that calculates a current fuel consumption amount of the main engine in accordance with a current rotation speed of the main engine and a fuel supply state to the main engine, and calculates the energy reduction amount in accordance with the calculated fuel consumption reduction rate and the current fuel consumption amount.

11. the ejection mechanism includes an engine, a generator driven by the engine, and a compressor that compresses air using electric power generated by the generator and supplies the compressed air to the air outlet, The control device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the second calculation unit calculates the amount of energy used based on the amount of fuel supplied to the engine, the power generated by the generator, or the driving power of the compressor.

12. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the bubble control unit increases or decreases the amount of bubbles ejected depending on the current draft of the hull.

13. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided on a hull having a main engine that rotates a propeller, calculating a hull resistance based on at least one of a hull speed, information on weather and sea conditions encountered by the hull, a draft of the hull, and a rudder angle of the hull; and a step of starting to eject air bubbles or increasing the amount of air bubbles ejected when the calculated hull resistance is greater than a reference value, A control method for a control device, wherein the calculating step further calculates the hull resistance based on a current output of the main engine.

14. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided on a hull having a main engine that rotates a propeller, calculating the hull resistance; determining a reference value based on information about the hull's predetermined frictional resistance to water; and a step of starting to eject bubbles or increasing the amount of ejected bubbles when the calculated hull resistance is greater than the reference value, A control method for a control device, wherein the determining step further determines the reference value based on at least one of an output of the main engine, a fuel consumption amount of the main engine, and an amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism.

15. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, calculating the hull resistance; determining a reference value based on information about the hull's predetermined frictional resistance to water; and a step of starting to eject bubbles or increasing the amount of ejected bubbles when the calculated hull resistance is greater than the reference value, A control method for a control device, wherein the determining step further determines the reference value based on the current draft of the hull.

16. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, calculating the hull resistance; determining a reference value based on information about the hull's predetermined frictional resistance to water; and a step of starting to eject bubbles or increasing the amount of ejected bubbles when the calculated hull resistance is greater than the reference value, The control method for a control device, wherein the determining step further determines the reference value based on a relationship between fuel consumption of the main engine and an output of the main engine.

17. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, calculating the hull resistance; determining a second reference value based on a current amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism; a step of starting the emission of the bubbles or increasing the amount of the emitted bubbles when the calculated hull resistance is greater than a reference value; If the calculated hull resistance is smaller than the second reference value, stopping the emission of the bubbles or reducing the amount of the bubbles emitted; A control device comprising:

18. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, a step of starting to eject bubbles or increasing the amount of ejected bubbles when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition; transmitting information about the bubble ejection state of the ejection mechanism to an external device; A control method for a control device comprising:

19. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, a first calculation step of calculating an amount of energy reduction when bubbles are ejected by the ejection mechanism based on a current ship speed of the hull; a second calculation step of calculating an amount of energy consumed to operate the ejection mechanism; a step of starting to emit bubbles or increasing the amount of emitted bubbles when the calculated amount of energy reduction is greater than the calculated amount of energy used; A control method for a control device comprising:

20. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided on a hull having a main engine that rotates a propeller, calculating a hull resistance based on at least one of a hull speed, information on weather and sea conditions encountered by the hull, a draft of the hull, and a rudder angle of the hull; and when the calculated hull resistance is greater than a reference value, starting to eject air bubbles or increasing the amount of air bubbles ejected. A control program for a control device, wherein the calculating step further calculates the hull resistance based on the current output of the main engine.

21. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided on a hull having a main engine that rotates a propeller, calculating the hull resistance; determining a reference value based on information about the hull's predetermined frictional resistance to water; causing a computer to execute a step of starting to eject air bubbles or increasing the amount of air bubbles ejected when the calculated hull resistance is greater than the reference value; A control program for a control device, wherein the determining step further determines the reference value based on at least one of the output of the main engine, the fuel consumption of the main engine, and the amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism.

22. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, calculating the hull resistance; determining a reference value based on information about the hull's predetermined frictional resistance to water; and when the calculated hull resistance is greater than the reference value, starting to eject air bubbles or increasing the amount of air bubbles ejected. A control program for a control device, wherein the determining step further determines the reference value based on the current draft of the hull.

23. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, calculating the hull resistance; determining a reference value based on information about the hull's predetermined frictional resistance to water; and when the calculated hull resistance is greater than the reference value, starting to eject air bubbles or increasing the amount of air bubbles ejected. a control program for a control device, wherein the determining step further determines the reference value based on a relationship between fuel consumption of the main engine and output of the main engine.

24. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, calculating the hull resistance; determining a second reference value based on a current amount of energy used by the ejection mechanism; a step of starting the emission of the bubbles or increasing the amount of the emitted bubbles when the calculated hull resistance is greater than a reference value; A control program for a control device that causes a computer to execute the following steps: if the calculated hull resistance is smaller than the second reference value, stopping the emission of the bubbles or reducing the amount of the bubbles emitted.

25. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, a step of starting to eject bubbles or increasing the amount of ejected bubbles when the hull resistance of the hull satisfies a preset condition; and a step of transmitting information regarding the bubble ejection state of the ejection mechanism to an external device.

26. A control device for controlling a jetting mechanism that jets air bubbles from an air outlet provided in a hull, a first calculation step of calculating an amount of energy reduction when bubbles are ejected by the ejection mechanism based on a current ship speed of the hull; a second calculation step of calculating an amount of energy consumed to operate the ejection mechanism; A control program for a control device that causes a computer to execute the steps of: starting to emit bubbles or increasing the amount of bubbles emitted when the calculated amount of energy reduction is greater than the calculated amount of energy used.

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