Ship thrust augmentation device

Abstract

To provide a thrust enhancing device capable of actively converting wind pressure from the front of a ship into propulsive force and ensuring sufficient visibility ahead of the ship. [Solution] A superstructure 3 is provided in the forward part of the upper deck 2 of the ship S, and a wind guide slope 7 that slopes downward toward the front is formed at the front end of the bow of the ship, and a lift generating plate 10 that generates upward, forward-facing lift is installed on the upper surface of the upper deck 2 at the bow. The lift generating plate 10 has an airfoil-shaped cross section and is installed in a position on the inclined deck 6 where wind from the front of the hull flows above the superstructure 3. The lift generating plate 10 can convert wind from the front into thrust for the ship S. Because the lift generating plate 10 is installed on the upper surface of the upper deck 2, its height can be reduced, ensuring a wide downward and forward visibility from the bridge.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a thrust enhancer for a ship, and more particularly to a thrust enhancer for converting wind pressure from the front to the rear of a ship into thrust for the ship. [Background technology]

[0002] Car carriers have a high freeboard and a large wind pressure area in front of the hull. Container ships have a larger wind pressure area when they carry a large number of containers. Large passenger ships with large superstructures also have a large wind resistance above the water surface. Various technologies have been developed for these large ships to reduce wind pressure and save energy.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional device for reducing wind pressure on ships in general. In this conventional technology, as shown in Fig. 9, an accommodation area 110 is provided near the front of the upper deck 102 of a ship, and a bow windscreen 120 is provided at the bow. The bow windscreen 120 is configured lower than the upper end of the accommodation area 110, and an intermediate level windscreen 121 is provided at the front upper part of the intermediate level accommodation area 111 of the accommodation area 110. This prior art explains that wind resistance to the front of the accommodation space 110 can be reduced by adjusting the separation of the air flow that hits the accommodation space with the intermediate windscreen 121.

[0004] However, even if the above-mentioned conventional technology can reduce wind resistance, it cannot convert wind pressure into thrust for the ship. Another problem is that the view forward of the bow from the bridge, located at the top level forward of the accommodation area 110, is obstructed by the intermediate windscreen 121 and the bow windscreen 120. In this case, the sea surface near the bow cannot be seen from the bridge, which hinders the safe operation of the ship. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-111209 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a thrust enhancing device that can actively convert wind pressure from the front of a ship into propulsive force and ensure sufficient forward visibility of the ship. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The thrust enhancing device for a ship of the first invention is provided in a forward portion of an upper deck of a ship, and a superstructure is provided rearward of a bow portion, A windscreen is provided along the outer edge of the bow except for the front end, the forward end of the bow The portion where the windscreen is not provided The bow section has a wind guide slope that slopes downward toward the front. On the upper surface of the upper deck, at a position where the wind from the front of the hull collected by the wind guide slope is directed upward to the upper part of the superstructure, and a lift generating plate that generates upward and forward lift. 。 No. 2 The thrust enhancing device for a vessel of the present invention is 1 In the present invention, the lift generating plate is The upper deck extension where the windscreen is not installed The wind guiding slope is located immediately behind the wind guiding slope. No. 3 The thrust enhancing device for a vessel of the present invention is 1 In the present invention, the forward portion of the bow has a rear end of the wind guide slope and The upper deck and Between the two, an inclined deck is formed that slopes downward toward the front end of the bow, and the lift generating plate is installed on the upper surface of the inclined deck. No. 4 The thrust enhancing device for a ship of the present invention comprises: 2 or 3 In the present invention, the lift generating plate is formed to have an airfoil-shaped cross section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] No. 1According to the invention, the wind from the front of the vessel Wind guide slope The airflow is straightened by the wind and becomes a laminar flow that flows towards the superstructure, reducing wind resistance. Moreover, the lift generating plate located in the laminar flow effectively generates upward lift in the forward direction. This allows for energy savings during navigation. In addition, the line of sight from the bridge is lowered, ensuring a wide downward and forward field of view. No. 2 According to the invention ,wind The guide slope increases the air volume, Installed on the upper surface of the upper deck extension Air flows above and below the lift generating plate, effectively generating upward lift in the forward direction. No. 3 According to the invention, the inclined deck is cut diagonally at the top of the tip of the bow, which allows for a large amount of wind to be collected and also allows for the height of the lift generating plates to be lowered, ensuring a wide forward view from the bridge, especially downward forward. No. 4 According to the present invention, since the lift generating plate has an airfoil-shaped cross section, a high lift can be generated over a wide range of angles of attack. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a front portion of a car carrier S equipped with a thrust enhancement device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a lift generating plate 10 is removed from FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is an explanatory diagram of the lift generating action of the lift generating plate 10 shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a perspective view of the front portion of a car carrier S equipped with a thrust enhancing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the front part of the car carrier S shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a front view showing the front part of the car carrier S shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is an explanatory diagram of the lift generating action of the lift generating plate 10 shown in FIGS. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the forward visibility of the car carrier S of the present invention. [Figure 9]FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a wind resistance reduction structure according to a conventional technique. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment is applied to a car carrier among ships, and the symbol S will be used below to indicate ships in general or the car carrier of this embodiment. In the drawings shown below, the dimensions, positional relationships, and shapes are merely examples and are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0011] (First embodiment) In Figures 1 and 2, S is a car carrier and 1 is the hull (Figure 1 shows only the forward part of the hull 1, including the bow, rather than the entire hull 1). A superstructure 3 is provided in the forward part of the upper deck 2 of the hull 1. This superstructure 3 is also called the accommodation area, and a bridge that controls ship operation is generally provided at the top floor at the forward end of the superstructure 3.

[0012] The bow 4 of the hull 1 is an upright bow, and the area above the waterline (freeboard) is rectangular in plan view. In order to reduce propulsion resistance below the waterline, the bow is narrow at the tip and gradually widens toward the rear.

[0013] Figure 2 shows the bow section with the lift generating plate 10, which will be described later, removed. As shown in the figure, a wind guide slope 7 that slopes downward toward the front is formed at the front end of the hull 1, i.e., the front end of the bow section 4. The upper deck 2 extends from the superstructure 3 to the upper edge (rear edge) of the wind guide slope 7, but the upper deck extension 2a, where the windscreen 5 is not provided, is horizontal and at the same height as the upper deck 2.

[0014] A windscreen 5 is provided along the outer edge of the bow 4 of the hull 1. This windscreen 5 is a windbreak outer plate stretched along the upper edge of the bow 4. However, as mentioned above, the windscreen 5 is not provided in the part where the wind guide slope 7 is formed.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, a lift generating plate 10 that generates upward and forward lift is installed on the upper surface of the upper deck 2 in the bow section. The installation position of the lift generating plate 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is on the upper surface of the upper deck and between the superstructure 3 and the bow section 4. 1 and 3, the lift generating plate 10 is installed on the upper surface of the upper deck extension 2a of the upper deck 2, immediately behind the wind guide slope 7. This position also allows wind from the front of the hull to flow above the superstructure 3. The thrust enhancement device of this embodiment is composed of the lift generating plate 10 and the wind guide slope 7.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the lift generating plate 10 is supported on the upper deck extension 2a by a support frame 11. There are no particular restrictions on the length or shape of the legs of the support frame 11, as long as it can support the lift generating plate 10 on a post erected on the upper surface of the upper deck extension 2a. The lift generating plate 10 may be fixedly attached to the support frame, or may be attached so that the angle of attack of the lift generating plate 10 can be variably adjusted. When the lift generating plate 10 is fixedly attached, it is easy to maintain high attachment strength. Also, if the lift generating plate 10 has a structure that allows the angle of attack to be varied, it is easy to adjust the lift generation to maximize it.

[0017] There are no particular restrictions on the material of the lift generating plate 10, but it is preferable to use a material that has sufficient strength and excellent workability, such as steel or FRP (fiber reinforced plastic). Among FRPs, CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) is more preferable because of its high rigidity and strength.

[0018] The lift generating plate 10 is preferably of an airfoil cross section, as this generates a large lift. Any airfoil shape can be used as long as it has a shape that reduces pressure on the upper surface of the wing and increases pressure on the lower surface of the wing. However, among the cross-sectional airfoil shapes, the NACA 4418 airfoil shape is particularly preferable. The No. 4418 airfoil shape established by the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) is known to have a high lift-to-drag ratio over a wide range of angles of attack.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the wind guide slope 7 is inclined downward toward the front end of the bow 4, so that it can collect wind from the front, increase the wind volume, and further direct the wind above and below the lift generating plate 10. As a result, the wind from the front of the ship S is rectified into a laminar flow as it passes between the lift generating plate 10 and the upper deck extension 2a, and at the same time, the wind on the upper surface of the lift generating plate 10 is also rectified.

[0020] The lift generating plate 10 has an airfoil cross section, and generates lift Df when installed in a laminar flow Fl. This lift Df is very large because it is generated by the synergistic effect of the lift generating plate 10 having a cross section with a high lift-to-drag ratio and the laminar airflow Fl. The vertical component of this lift Df provides buoyancy to the ship S, and the horizontal component (forward) provides thrust to the ship S. This allows energy savings to be achieved while the ship S is sailing.

[0021] In the present invention, as shown in Figure 3, the wind straightened by the lift-generating plate 10 flows above the superstructure 3, thereby reducing the wind pressure of the wind hitting the superstructure 3. The distance D from the front wall of the superstructure 3 to the center of the lift-generating plate 10 is set so that the lift-generating plate 10 directs the wind above the superstructure 3.

[0022] The bottom surface of the lift-generating plate 10 may be installed parallel to the upper surface of the upper deck extension 2a, or may be inclined relative to the upper deck extension 2a so that the front end of the lift-generating plate 10 is lowered and the rear end is raised. In this case, wind is more likely to flow above the superstructure 3.

[0023] (Second embodiment) A thrust enhancing device according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the bow of the ship S is formed with an inclined deck 6 that slopes downward from the front toward the front end of the bow. In other words, in the present invention, the upper part of the tip of the bow is cut at an angle. Furthermore, a wind guide slope may or may not be provided continuing from the front end of the inclined deck 6.

[0024] A lift generating plate 10 that generates upward and forward lift is installed on the inclined deck 6. The thrust enhancing device of this embodiment is composed of this lift generating plate 10 and the inclined deck 6.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, when the lift-generating plate 10 is installed on the inclined deck 6, the wind from the front of the ship S is rectified into a laminar flow as it passes between the lift-generating plate 10 and the inclined deck 6. At the same time, the wind on the upper surface of the lift-generating plate 10 is also rectified. In addition, the lift-generating plate 10 functions to direct the wind blowing from the front to the rear of the hull on the inclined deck 6 above the superstructure 3.

[0026] In this embodiment as well, when the lift generating plate 10 is placed in a laminar flow Fl, a lift Df is generated. This lift Df has a higher value when the lift generating plate 10 has an airfoil cross section. In this embodiment, a synergistic effect occurs between the lift generating plate 10 having a cross section with a high lift-to-drag ratio and the laminar airflow Fl, resulting in an extremely large lift Df. This lift force Df can provide buoyancy to the ship S through its vertical component and thrust to the ship S through its horizontal component (forward). This allows energy savings to be achieved while the ship S is sailing.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ of the inclined deck 6 (intersecting plane with the upper deck 2) based on the distance D from the front wall of the upper structure 3 to the center of the lift generating plate 10. The fore-and-aft width d of the inclined deck 6 decreases as the inclined deck 6 approaches the bow 4 and increases as the inclined deck 6 moves away from the bow 4. The size of this fore-and-aft width d is a factor that determines the fore-and-aft width of the lift generating plate 10 to be installed, i.e., the magnitude of the lift Df, so an optimal value can be set based on the magnitude of the lift Df to be obtained.

[0028] The bottom surface of the lift generating plate 10 may be installed parallel to the upper surface of the inclined deck 6, but the lift generating plate 10 may also be installed inclined relative to the inclined deck 6 with the front end of the lift generating plate 10 pointing higher than the rear end. In this case, a larger volume of wind can be rectified by the lift generating plate 10 and the inclined deck 6.

[0029] (Effects of the present invention) 1: Wind pressure reduction effect When wind tunnel tests were conducted on the invention of the applicant's earlier application (Patent Application No. 2023-71626) (a structure in which a lift-generating plate is installed on the deck forward of the superstructure), it was confirmed that the lift-generating plate 10 with an airfoil cross-section is effective in reducing the wind pressure resistance acting on a model ship caused by wind from the front of the hull by approximately 3 to 8% more than a lift-generating plate of the same size with a rectangular cross-section.

[0030] As described above, wind resistance can be reduced by installing the lift generating plate 10 with an airfoil cross section. Moreover, the lift Df generated by the lift generating plate 10 can be converted into propulsive force for the ship S.

[0031] 2.Improved forward visibility In the present invention, the lift generating plate 10 is installed on the upper deck extension 2a at the tip of the upper deck 2 or on the inclined deck 6, so the height of the upper surface of the lift generating plate 10 can be lowered. As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the line of sight L (solid line) visible from the bridge becomes lower. In other words, the angle at which it intersects with the horizon becomes deeper. This ensures a wide forward field of view, particularly a wide field of view downward and forward. This effect is the same in both the first and second embodiments of this specification.

[0032] In Figure 8, the lift generating plate 10' indicated by the two-dot chain line is installed on the deck forward of the superstructure 3, as adopted in the invention of the applicant's prior application (Patent Application No. 2023-71626). In this configuration, the installation height of the lift generating plate 10' is high, so the line of sight L' (two-dot chain line) visible from the bridge is also high (the angle at which it intersects with the horizon is shallower), and the field of view forward of the bow becomes distant. In the prior art shown in Figure 9, the height of the intermediate windscreen 121 is high and its installation position is close to the bridge, so it is believed that ensuring forward visibility was not taken into consideration. In contrast to the above, the thrust enhancing device of the present invention has the effect of providing good forward visibility. [Industrial Applicability]

[0033] The thrust enhancing device of the present invention can be applied to container ships and large passenger ships other than the car carrier S, and can also be applied to all types of ships. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1. Hull 2 Upper Deck 3 Superstructure 4 Fore part 6 Sloped deck 10 Lift generating plate

Claims

1. A superstructure is provided in the forward part of the upper deck of the ship, aft of the bow, A windscreen is provided along the outer edge of the bow except for the front end, A wind guide slope that slopes downward toward the front is formed in a portion of the front end of the bow where the windscreen is not provided, A lift generating plate that generates upward and forward lift is installed on the upper surface of the upper deck in the bow section at a position where the wind from the front of the hull collected by the wind guide slope is directed above the superstructure. A thrust enhancing device for a ship.

2. The lift generating plate is installed on the upper surface of the upper deck extension portion where the windscreen is not provided, immediately behind the wind guide slope.

2. The thrust enhancing device for a vessel according to claim 1.

3. a sloped deck inclined downward toward the front end of the bow is formed between the rear end of the wind guide slope and the upper deck at a forward portion of the bow, The lift generating plate is installed on the upper surface of the inclined deck.

2. The thrust enhancing device for a vessel according to claim 1.

4. The lift generating plate is formed in an airfoil-shaped cross section.

4. A thrust enhancing device for a vessel according to claim 1, 2 or 3.

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