cargo ship

Abstract

To provide a cargo ship which uses fuel such as ethanol.SOLUTION: A cargo ship 1 comprises multiple cargo holds 11 to load cargoes, a bridge 3 provided on a deck in a bow part of a hull 2 and comprising a housing area, a propulsion unit 4 provided in a stern part of the hull 2 and composed of a pod propulsion unit, a fuel tank 12 disposed outside of the hull 2 in the width direction, to store ethanol or methanol as the fuel of the propulsion unit 4, and included in a single hull, and a pump 7 to take in water from an outboard direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cargo ship for carrying cargo. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, cargo ships that transport cargo are known. For example, a bulk carrier that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by improving cargo handling efficiency has been disclosed (see Patent Document 1). Furthermore, many cargo ships use fossil fuels as fuel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-180692 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, from the perspective of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which are of concern due to their impact on the global environment, there is a demand for cargo ships that use fuels other than fossil fuels. An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a cargo ship that uses fuel such as ethanol. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A cargo ship according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of cargo holds for loading cargo, a structure provided on the deck at the bow of the hull and equipped with living quarters, a propulsion device provided at the stern of the hull and consisting of pod propulsors, a fuel tank arranged on the outside in the width direction of the hull, storing ethanol or methanol as fuel for the propulsion device and constructed with a single hull, and a pump for taking in water from outside the ship. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cargo ship that uses ethanol or the like as fuel can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a cargo ship according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the internal configuration of the hull according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram showing a cargo hold portion of a cargo ship according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of an electrohydraulic pump according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of an electric pump according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the internal configuration of a pump space according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the configuration of a cargo ship according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a top view showing the internal configuration of a hull according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the configuration of a cargo ship according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a top view showing the internal configuration of a hull according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a cargo ship 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view showing the internal configuration of a hull 2 ​​according to this embodiment. The dotted line in FIG. 2 represents the shape of the bottom of the ship. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a cargo hold 11 of the cargo ship 1 according to this embodiment. Note that identical parts in the drawings are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted where appropriate.

[0009] The cargo ship 1 is a ship that carries cargo. The cargo ship 1 may be a bulk carrier or a tanker, but may be any ship that carries any type of cargo. For example, the cargo ship 1 may be a car carrier or a container ship. Here, the cargo ship 1 will be described mainly as a ship type that adopts the layout of a bulk carrier or a tanker.

[0010] The cargo ship 1 is a ship that uses ethanol as fuel. The fuel is not limited to high-purity ethanol, but may be bioethanol produced from plants. Furthermore, methanol may be used as fuel instead of ethanol. In the following description, the fuel is assumed to be ethanol. Furthermore, although it is desirable for the cargo ship 1 not to use fossil fuels, fossil fuels may be used in part. For example, fossil fuels may be used for equipment (auxiliary machinery, etc.) other than the main engine for generating propulsion power. Here, the cargo ship 1 is described as a ship that sails on the ocean, but it may also be a ship that sails on rivers or lakes.

[0011] The cargo ship 1 comprises a hull 2, a bridge 3, a propulsion unit 4, a generator 5, two liquefaction units 6, and a plurality of pumps 7. The hull 2 ​​includes a plurality of cargo holds 11, two fuel tanks 12, an engine room 13, a plurality of ballast tanks 14, and two pump spaces 15.

[0012] The bridge 3 is provided on the deck in the bow section of the cargo ship 1. The bridge 3 is a structure that includes living quarters for the crew. The bridge 3 is provided so as not to be located directly above the cargo holds 11. Because the bridge 3 is provided in the bow section, it may be smaller than a typical bridge provided in the stern section of a ship. By providing the bridge 3 in the bow section, forward visibility is improved, more space can be provided on the deck in the stern section to install equipment, and the cargo space can be raised.

[0013] Here, the bow portion may be the portion located on the bow side of the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided, or the portion located on the bow-most side when the cargo ship 1 is divided into thirds in the longitudinal direction, or any other portion that a person skilled in the art would recognize as the bow portion. Similarly, the stern portion may be the portion located on the stern side of the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided, or the portion located on the stern-most side when the cargo ship 1 is divided into thirds in the longitudinal direction, or any other portion that a person skilled in the art would recognize as the stern portion.

[0014] The propulsion unit 4 is mounted on the lower part of the stern of the hull 2. The propulsion unit 4 is a pod propulsion unit. The pod propulsion unit is pod-shaped (cocoon-like) and has a propeller attached. The propeller is rotated by a motor built into the pod propulsion unit. This generates the propulsion force for the cargo ship 1. The pod propulsion unit rotates horizontally relative to the hull 2, thereby changing the direction of travel of the cargo ship 1 in any direction. Therefore, the pod propulsion unit acts as a rudder, so there is no need to provide a rudder. Furthermore, by using a pod propulsion unit as the propulsion unit 4, the engine room 13 can be made smaller compared to ships that use heavy oil-fired engines to generate propulsion force.

[0015] The propulsion device 4 may be a single-screw ship employing single-screw pod propulsion with one pod propeller, or a twin-screw ship employing twin-screw pod propulsion with two pod propellers. By employing twin-screw pod propulsion, the main engine can be doubled, ensuring safe navigation of the cargo ship 1. Furthermore, by making the cargo ship 1 a twin-screw ship, the stern section of the cargo ship 1 is wider than that of a single-screw ship, allowing for more space to install equipment in the stern section.

[0016] The generator 5 is mounted on the deck at the stern of the hull 2. The generator 5 is a generator that uses ethanol as fuel. The generator 5 supplies the generated electricity to the propulsion device 4. In other words, the generator 5 is the power source for the propulsion device 4. The generator 5 may also supply power to devices other than the propulsion device 4. For example, the generator 5 is a diesel generator, but any generator that uses ethanol as fuel may be used.

[0017] The liquefaction device 6 is provided above the fuel tank 12 or the cargo hold 11. The liquefaction device 6 cools and re-liquefies the vaporized ethanol stored in the fuel tank 12 with fresh water or seawater. Re-liquefying the vaporized ethanol inside the fuel tank 12 prevents the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 from increasing excessively, and prevents the ethanol gas from escaping into the atmosphere. Note that the device is not limited to the liquefaction device 6, and any device may be provided as long as it can prevent the internal pressure of the fuel tank 12 from becoming excessive. For example, instead of the liquefaction device 6, a safety valve that functions as a vent to release vaporized ethanol inside the fuel tank 12 to the outside may be provided.

[0018] The pumps 7 are provided in the pump spaces 15 on the bow and stern sides adjacent to the cargo holds 11. The pumps 7 may also be provided in the fuel tanks 12. All of the pumps 7 may be provided in either the pump spaces 15 on the bow or stern sides. The pumps 7 are devices for taking in seawater (natural water) from outside the ship for use on board. The pumps 7 are generally rod-shaped and extend vertically, sucking up water vertically from the ship's bottom. The pumps 7 function as vertical piping through which the sucked water flows. Therefore, the pumps 7 can be installed in narrow spaces (e.g., the length of the cargo ship 1 or the width direction perpendicular to the length) as long as there is enough space to extend vertically from the bottom of the ship to the deck. For example, the pumps 7 may be submerged pumps (deepwell or submerged pumps, etc.) in which the drive parts (impeller, etc.) are submerged. The pumps 7 may be any pumps that can be installed in a limited space such as the pump spaces 15. Thus, submersible pumps as well as floor standing pumps may be provided.

[0019] For example, the water (seawater) taken in by the pump 7 is used as follows: First, it is used as cooling water to cool various equipment such as the generator 5. Second, it is constantly circulated through pipes laid throughout the entire ship and used as water for fire extinguishing. Third, it is used as water to be stored in the ballast tanks 14. Note that each pump 7 may be used for one or more of the above three purposes, or for a purpose other than the above three purposes.

[0020] Two configuration examples of the pump 7 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Note that the configurations described here are simplified for the sake of convenience, and may not strictly match the configuration of an actual pump.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of an electric hydraulic pump 7a according to this embodiment. The pump 7a includes a control unit 71a, a motor 72a, an impeller 73a, and piping 74a. The control unit 71a is provided on the upper part of the pump 7a. The motor 72a and the impeller 73a are provided on the lower part of the pump 7a and are submerged in water when in use.

[0022] The motor 72a is a hydraulic motor. The control unit 71a controls the motor 72a using hydraulic pressure. When the motor 72a is driven, an impeller 73a connected to the rotary shaft of the motor 72a rotates. Water is sucked up by the rotation of the impeller 73a and discharged from the top of the pump 7a (for example, above the deck) through a pipe 74a.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of an electric pump 7b according to this embodiment. Pump 7b includes a control unit 71b, a motor 72b, an impeller 73b, and piping 74b. Note that control unit 71b may not be part of pump 7b, but may be a separate device from pump 7b. Motor 72b is provided on the top of pump 7b. Impeller 73b is provided on the bottom of pump 7b and is submerged in water when in use.

[0024] Motor 72b is an electric motor. Control unit 71b controls motor 72b. When motor 72b is driven, impeller 73b connected to the rotary shaft of motor 72b rotates. Water sucked up by the rotation of impeller 73b passes through pipe 74b and is discharged from the top of pump 7b (for example, above the deck).

[0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, by using a pump with a long axis that extends vertically, piping space for the pump 7 inside the hull 2 ​​can be eliminated, and the size of the pump space 15 can be reduced.

[0026] The cargo holds 11 serve as containers for loading cargo to be transported by the cargo ship 1. The cargo holds 11 may also be tanks. The compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are installed occupies most of the cargo ship 1, centered on the longitudinal center of the cargo ship 1. The cargo stored in the cargo holds 11 may be gas, liquid, or solid. The cargo ship 1 can increase its cargo carrying capacity by increasing the total capacity of all the cargo holds 11.

[0027] The fuel tanks 12 are located at the outermost positions in the width direction of the hull 2 ​​of the cargo ship 1, and are provided on both sides of the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided. Specifically, the fuel tanks 12 are provided outside each of the two cargo holds 11 located furthest aft. The fuel tanks 12 have a single hull structure. The fuel tanks 12 are tanks that store ethanol, which is the fuel for the cargo ship 1. Here, the fuel stored in the fuel tanks 12 is ethanol. Even if ethanol leaks into the ocean, it has little impact on the environment. Therefore, the fuel tanks 12 can have a single hull structure. Note that in order to increase the loading capacity of the fuel tanks 12, for reasons such as ensuring cruising range, a compartment in which the fuel tanks 12 are provided may be added to part of the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided or to the ballast tank 14.

[0028] The engine room 13 is a room where equipment related to the navigation of the cargo ship 1 is installed. For example, in the engine room 13, equipment for operating or controlling the propulsion device 4 is installed.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the ballast tanks 14 are provided on both sides and at the bottom of the ship so as to surround the cargo hold 11. Therefore, the cargo hold 11 has a double hull structure with the ballast tanks 14 provided on the outside. The ballast tanks 14 are tanks that store water (ballast water) inside and control the attitude of the cargo ship 1.

[0030] The pump spaces 15 are provided on the bow and stern sides, adjacent to the compartments where the cargo holds 11 are provided. Specifically, the bow-side pump space 15 is provided adjacent to the bow side of the cargo hold 11 located furthest to the bow. The stern-side pump space 15 is provided adjacent to the stern side of the cargo hold 11 located furthest to the stern. For example, the pump space 15 may be a cofferdam provided between the compartments where the cargo holds 11 are provided and other compartments on the tanker. Therefore, the pump space 15 may be provided anywhere as long as it is provided adjacent to the compartments where the cargo holds 11 are provided.

[0031] The pump space 15 may be a space that is narrow horizontally, as long as there is space extending vertically from the bottom of the ship to the deck. In other words, the pump space 15 may be located anywhere as long as the vertically extending pump 7 can be installed. Therefore, by using dead space with little utility value in the hull 2 ​​as the pump space 15, the limited space in the hull 2 ​​can be used effectively. For example, by making the cargo ship 1 a twin-screw ship, the space on the stern side of the hull 2 ​​will be larger than in a single-screw ship. This makes it easier to secure the pump space 15 on the stern side of the hull 2.

[0032] The internal configuration of the pump space 15 on the stern side will be described with reference to Figure 6. The pump space 15 on the bow side has the same configuration as the pump space 15 on the stern side, except that there are no fuel tanks 12 on either side.

[0033] Fuel tanks 12 are located on both sides of the pump space 15 on the stern side. A simple cavity may be provided instead of the fuel tanks 12. A high sea chest (intake) 31 is provided at the bottom of the port (or starboard) side of the pump space 15 to pass through the fuel tanks 12 and take in water (e.g., seawater) from the outside (e.g., the sea). In addition, another low sea chest 31 is provided at the bottom of the pump space 15.

[0034] When taking water into the ship, either the high sea chest 31 or the low sea chest 31 is opened. Usually, the low sea chest 31 attached to the bottom of the ship is opened. When the cargo ship 1 is in shallow water, opening the sea chest 31 attached to the bottom of the ship may result in mud and other debris being taken into the ship along with the water. In such a case, the high sea chest 31 attached to the side of the hull 2 ​​is opened.

[0035] The water taken in from the sea chest 31 to the pump space 15 is filtered by the strainer 33. This removes debris and other contaminants from the taken in water. The filtered water is sent to the bottom of the ship where the pump 7 is installed. The pump 7 pumps the filtered water up to the deck 32 located above the pump space 15. The water pumped up by the pump 7 passes through a piping network installed on the deck and is supplied to various locations on the ship (such as the ballast tank 14) for various purposes.

[0036] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a cargo ship 1 that uses ethanol as fuel and has the same output and maximum cargo capacity as a cargo ship of the same size that uses heavy oil as fuel.

[0037] Here, to obtain the same output as a cargo ship fueled by heavy oil, an ethanol-fueled cargo ship 1 requires about twice the amount of fuel, and therefore the fuel tank 12 needs to have about twice the capacity of a fuel tank fueled by heavy oil.

[0038] By installing the bridge 3 in the bow section, new space is secured on the deck in the stern section. This allows the generator 5 and other equipment to be installed on the deck. By using pod thrusters as the propulsion devices 4 of the cargo ship 1, the size of the engine room installed in the stern section is reduced. By making the fuel tanks 12 a single-hull structure, the installation space is smaller than that of a double-hull structure. This allows the fuel tanks 12 to be installed on both sides of the cargo hold 11. In this way, the capacity of the fuel tanks 12 can be increased while securing a compartment for the cargo hold 11.

[0039] Furthermore, by using a pump (for example, a submersible pump) that is rod-shaped and extends vertically overall as the pump 7 for taking in water, and that has the function of vertically extending piping through which the sucked up water flows, the pump space 15 in which the pump 7 is installed can be made smaller than a pump room in which a floor-mounted pump is installed.

[0040] (Second embodiment) Fig. 7 is a side view showing the configuration of a cargo ship 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a top view showing the internal configuration of a hull 2A according to this embodiment. The dotted line in Fig. 8 represents the shape of the ship's bottom.

[0041] The cargo ship 1A is similar to the cargo ship 1 of the first embodiment except that instead of the hull 2 ​​of the cargo ship 1 of the first embodiment, a hull 2A is provided in which the pump space 15 is combined into one and its position is changed.

[0042] The pump space 15 is provided in a compartment where a cargo hold 11 is provided. Specifically, the pump space 15 is provided between the cargo hold 11 located furthest aft and the cargo hold 11 adjacent to this cargo hold 11 on the bow side. The pump space 15 may be provided anywhere in the compartment where a cargo hold 11 is provided. For example, by providing the pump space 15 between two adjacent cargo holds 11, it may also serve as a partition separating the two cargo holds 11.

[0043] The cofferdam 16 is a space provided between the compartment in which the cargo hold 11 is installed and other compartments. The cofferdam 16 is provided depending on the type of cargo hold 11, but it does not have to be provided. In addition, any equipment may be installed in the cofferdam 16.

[0044] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, it is possible to ensure a larger area for each pump space 15 compared to the pump space 15 according to the first embodiment.

[0045] The cargo ship 1A has a shape in which the bow and stern sides are narrower than the central portion in the longitudinal direction. In order to increase the cargo carrying capacity, the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided is located in the central portion where the cargo holds 11 are wider. For this reason, if the pump spaces 15 are provided on the bow and stern sides, it is difficult to ensure that the pump spaces 15 are wide, especially in the width direction, and the number of pumps 7 provided in each pump space 15 is reduced. Therefore, by providing the pump spaces 15 in the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided, the number of pumps 7 provided in each pump space 15 can be increased.

[0046] Furthermore, the pump space 15 may be provided anywhere in the compartment in which the cargo holds 11 are provided. For example, the pump space 15 can be provided between two adjacent cargo holds 11, with little effect on the arrangement of the cargo holds 11. This allows the cargo holds 11 to be arranged arbitrarily without considering the position of the pump space 15. Although one pump space 15 is preferable, two or more pump spaces 15 may be provided.

[0047] (Third embodiment) Fig. 9 is a side view showing the configuration of a cargo ship 1B according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a top view showing the internal configuration of a hull 2B according to this embodiment. The dotted line in Fig. 10 represents the shape of the ship's bottom.

[0048] The cargo ship 1B is the cargo ship 1 according to the first embodiment, except that a hull 2A is provided instead of the hull 2. The hull 2A is the hull 2 ​​according to the first embodiment, except that a pump room 17 in which a pump 7B is installed is provided instead of the pump space 15 in which a pump 7 is installed. Other points are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0049] The pump room 17 is provided under the bottom of a part of the cargo hold 11B located at the stern side. A pump 7B is installed in the pump room 17. For example, the pump 7B is a floor-mounted type. The pump 7B may be of any type.

[0050] The bottom surface of the cargo hold 11B located above the pump chamber 17 has a portion below which the pump chamber 17 is located and a portion below which the pump chamber 17 is not located. The bottom surface where the pump chamber 17 is located is higher than the bottom surface where the pump chamber 17 is not located. The bottom surface where the pump chamber 17 is located has a slope SL so that the bottom surface side where the pump chamber 17 is not located is lower.

[0051] By providing the slope SL, gravity acts to move cargo loaded on the bottom surface where the pump chamber 17 is located toward the bottom surface where the pump chamber 17 is not located. As a result, if the cargo is liquid or powdery, when the amount of cargo in the cargo hold 11B decreases, all of the cargo will accumulate on the bottom surface where the pump chamber 17 is not located. This makes it easy to remove all of the cargo stored in the cargo hold 11B without leaving any behind.

[0052] According to this embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, by providing a pump chamber 17 instead of the pump space 15 of the first embodiment, a floor-mounted pump 7B can be provided. This allows the use of a pump 7B of a different type from the pump 7 of the first embodiment.

[0053] It is to be understood that additional advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1...cargo ship, 2...hull, 3...bridge, 4...propulsion unit, 5...generator, 6...liquefaction unit, 7...pump, 11...cargo hold, 12...fuel tank, 13...engine room, 14...ballast tank, 15...pump space.

Claims

1. a plurality of cargo holds for loading cargo; A structure provided on the deck of the bow portion of the hull and equipped with a living area; a propulsion device provided at the stern of the hull and configured with pod propulsors; A fuel tank arranged on the outer side of the hull in the width direction, storing ethanol or methanol as fuel for the propulsion device, and configured as a single hull; A pump that takes in water from outside the ship A cargo ship characterized by comprising:

2. The pump has a rod shape that extends vertically overall and has the function of a vertically extending pipe through which the sucked water flows.

2. The cargo ship according to claim 1 .

3. The pump shall be installed in a pump space adjacent to the cargo hold.

3. The cargo ship according to claim 2,

4. The pump shall be installed in a pump space adjacent to the compartment in which the cargo hold is installed.

3. The cargo ship according to claim 2,

5. The pump is provided in a pump space provided in the compartment in which the cargo hold is provided.

3. The cargo ship according to claim 2,

6. The pump is provided in a pump space provided between two adjacent cargo holds.

3. The cargo ship according to claim 2,

7. The pump is installed in a pump room located under the cargo hold and is a floor-standing type.

2. The cargo ship according to claim 1 .

8. The propulsion device is composed of two pod thrusters.

2. The cargo ship according to claim 1 .

9. A generator that generates electricity using ethanol or methanol stored in the fuel tank as fuel and supplies the electricity to the propulsion device.

2. The cargo ship of claim 1, further comprising:

10. The generator is provided on the deck of the stern portion of the hull.

10. The cargo ship according to claim 9,

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