Propulsion systems, ships, and control methods

Abstract

To provide a propulsion system capable of obtaining a hybrid propulsion system in a simple structure.SOLUTION: A propulsion system loaded on a vessel including an internal engine, a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal engine, a control unit for controlling the internal engine includes: a battery capable of being charged and discharged; an electric motor driven by the battery; a second propeller rotationally driven by the electric motor; a tilt device for tilting up and tilting down the propulsion device including the second propeller; a controller for controlling the electric motor, charging and discharging of the battery, and tilting up and tilting down of the tilt device; the electric motor carries out power generation by rotation of the second propeller; the controller charges the electric power generated by the electric motor to the battery; and the controller tilts up the propulsion device when a prescribed condition is fulfilled.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a propulsion system, a ship, and a control method.

Background Art

[0002] A general hybrid propulsion system for ships includes an engine and an electric motor as drive sources for a propeller, and drives the propeller by the engine or the electric motor to propel the ship. In a general hybrid propulsion system, a clutch mechanism for switching the connection and disconnection between the engine or the electric motor and the propeller, a speed reducer or a speed increaser for matching the rotational speeds of the electric motor and the engine, etc. are required, and the structure tends to become complicated.

[0003] As a related technology, Patent Document 1 discloses that in a ship including a main propulsion machine including an engine-driven propeller, an auxiliary propulsion machine including a motor-driven propeller, and a control unit, when the main propulsion machine is switched from a neutral state to a forward state with the auxiliary propulsion machine tilted down, the control unit controls the auxiliary propulsion machine to tilt up. In the propulsion system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the control unit comprehensively controls the main propulsion machine and the auxiliary propulsion machine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A hybrid propulsion system with a simple structure is required.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a propulsion system, a ship, and a control method that can solve the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The propulsion system of the present disclosure is a propulsion system mounted on a ship comprising an internal combustion engine, a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, further comprising a rechargeable battery, an electric motor driven by the battery, a second propeller rotationally driven by the electric motor, a tilt device for tilting the second propeller up and down, and a controller for controlling the electric motor, the charging and discharging of the battery, and the tilt device, wherein the electric motor generates electricity through the rotation of the second propeller, the controller charges the battery with the electricity generated by the electric motor, and the controller controls the tilt device to tilt the second propeller up when predetermined conditions are met. Furthermore, if the vessel is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine, and the second propeller is tilted up, and the battery charge level is below a predetermined first threshold, and the vessel's speed is below a predetermined second threshold, the second propeller is tilted down.

[0008] The vessel of this disclosure comprises an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system comprising an internal combustion engine, a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, and the above-mentioned propulsion system. 。

[0009] Furthermore, the control method disclosed herein relates to a ship having a first propulsion system comprising an internal combustion engine and a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a second propulsion system comprising a rechargeable battery, an electric motor driven by the battery, a second propeller rotationally driven by the electric motor, and a tilt device for tilting the second propeller up and down, wherein the electric motor generates electricity through the rotation of the second propeller, the electricity generated by the electric motor charges the battery, and when predetermined conditions are met, the tilt device is controlled to tilt the second propeller up. Furthermore, if the vessel is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine, and the second propeller is tilted up, and the battery charge level is below a predetermined first threshold, and the vessel's speed is below a predetermined second threshold, the second propeller is tilted down. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the propulsion system, vessel, and control method described above, a hybrid propulsion system with a simple structure can be realized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is the first figure showing an example of a vessel equipped with a propulsion system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a second figure showing an example of a vessel equipped with a propulsion system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a third figure showing an example of a vessel equipped with a propulsion system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a typical hybrid propulsion system for a ship. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing an example of a propulsion system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a diagram explaining tilt-up. [Figure 7] This is a first flowchart showing an example of propulsion system control according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a second flowchart showing an example of propulsion system control according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] <Embodiment> The propulsion system and its control for the vessel according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. (Configuration of the propulsion system) Figures 1 and 2 show an example of the schematic configuration of the hybrid propulsion system 1 of the vessel 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the hybrid propulsion system 1 comprises an electric motor-driven propulsion system 2 and an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3.

[0013] The electric motor-driven propulsion system 2 comprises an electric motor 21, a propeller 22, a shaft 23 connecting the two, a controller 200, etc., and is a system that obtains thrust for the ship 100 by the electric motor 21 rotating the propeller 22 through the shaft 23. The electric motor-driven propulsion system 2 is an outboard motor. The propulsion system 2 may be positioned one on each side of the ship 100, as shown in Figure 1(a), or it may be positioned only on the right side (or left side), as shown in Figure 1(b). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2, the propulsion system 2 may be positioned behind (or in front of) the propulsion system 3 on the lateral centerline of the ship 100. Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 3, the propulsion system 2 may be configured such that the electric motor 21 is fixed to the hull and the propeller is rotated via the propeller shaft 23. In this configuration, the position of the propeller 22 can be changed vertically by a propeller lifting device 23a. For example, when the propeller lifting device 23a lifts the propeller 22 upward, the propeller 22 is lifted to the position shown by the dashed line. If the propeller 22 and propeller shaft 23 are not lifted by the propeller lifting device 23a, they are positioned at the position shown by the solid line. The number and position of the propulsion systems 2 installed on the ship 100 are not limited to those illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. The controller 200 controls the propulsion systems 2. The controller 200 controls the propulsion systems 2 independently, without interfering with or being interfered with by the propulsion systems 3.

[0014] The internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3 includes an internal combustion engine 31 such as a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, or a gas turbine, a clutch system 32, a shaft 34, a propeller 33, a controller 30, etc. The internal combustion engine 31 rotationally drives the propeller 33 through the shaft 34 to obtain the propulsion force of the ship 100. A clutch system 32 is provided on the shaft 34. For example, the clutch system 32 includes a clutch 321 that switches between disconnecting and connecting power and a speed reducer 322. The propulsion system 3 is arranged on the center line in the left-right direction of the ship 100. The internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3 may be an inboard engine or an outboard engine. The controller 30 controls the propulsion system 3. The controller 30 does not interfere with the propulsion system 2 and is not interfered with by the propulsion system 2, and independently controls the propulsion system 3. Thus, the hybrid propulsion system 1 of this embodiment is composed of the completely independent propulsion system 2 and propulsion system 3 both structurally and in terms of control.

[0015] For comparison, an example of a typical ship's hybrid propulsion system is shown in Figure 4. The hybrid propulsion system 4 includes an engine 41, an electric motor 42, a coupling system 43, a propeller 44, and a shaft 45. The coupling system 43 includes an engine-side engagement / disengagement clutch 431, an engine-side reduction gear 432, a gear 433 coaxially connected to the propeller 44 and shaft 45, an electric motor-side engagement / disengagement clutch 435, and an electric motor-side reduction gear 434. The engine 41 is connected to the engagement / disengagement clutch 431 and reduction gear 432 via shaft 47. The electric motor 42 is connected to the engagement / disengagement clutch 435 and reduction gear 434 via shaft 46. The engine-side reduction gear 432 and gear 433 mesh, and the electric motor-side reduction gear 434 and gear 433 mesh. For example, when the propeller 44 is driven by engine 41, the engine 41 and reduction gear 432 are coupled by engagement / disengagement clutch 431, and the electric motor 42 and reduction gear 434 are disconnected by engagement / disengagement clutch 435. By driving engine 41, the reduction gear 432 and gear 433 are rotated through shaft 47, and the propeller 44 is rotated through shaft 45. When the propeller 44 is driven by electric motor 42, the engine 41 and reduction gear 432 are disconnected by engagement / disengagement clutch 431, and the electric motor 42 and reduction gear 434 are coupled by engagement / disengagement clutch 435. By driving electric motor 42, the reduction gear 434 and gear 433 are rotated through shaft 46, and the propeller 44 is rotated through shaft 45. Thus, in a typical hybrid propulsion system 4, a mechanism (coupling system 43) is required to switch between the engine 41 and electric motor 42 as the drive source for a single-shaft propeller 44. The linking system 43 tends to be complex and costly.

[0016] In contrast, in the hybrid propulsion system 1 of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, each of the electric motor-driven propulsion system [2] and the internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system [3] is structurally independent and is controlled separately by individual controllers, so the control is also independent. For example, one or more electric motor-driven propulsion systems [2] can be easily introduced retroactively into a ship

[100] equipped with an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system [3]. By introducing the propulsion system [2], a ship equipped only with an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system [3] can be changed to a ship

[100] equipped with a hybrid propulsion system [1]. Also, since a complex power transmission device such as a coupling system

[43] is not required, a hybrid propulsion system can be introduced at a relatively low cost. Since the propulsion system [2] and the propulsion system [3] are not connected, a hybrid propulsion system [1] with a simple structure can be realized.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of an electric motor-driven propulsion system [2] according to the embodiment. The propulsion system [2] includes an electric motor

[21] that rotationally drives a propeller

[22] , a propeller

[22] , a shaft

[23] that connects the electric motor

[21] and the propeller

[22] , a propulsion device

[20] that houses the electric motor

[21] and the propeller

[22] , etc., a tilt device

[24] for tilting up or tilting down the propulsion device

[20] , a rechargeable battery

[25] that serves as a power source for the electric motor

[21] and an inverter

[26] , an inverter

[26] that converts the DC power supplied by the battery

[25] into AC power and controls the rotational speed of the electric motor

[21] , a controller

[200] , and a display device

[27] . The electric motor

[21] can function as a generator by the rotation of the propeller

[22] and charge the battery

[25] via the inverter

[26] .

[0018] The controller

[200] includes a signal acquisition unit

[201] , a control unit

[202] , a command reception unit

[203] , and an output unit

[204] . The signal acquisition unit

[201] acquires a signal including the rotational speed of the electric motor

[21] from the electric motor

[21] (or the inverter

[26] ), a signal including the ship speed of the ship

[100] from a speed sensor or the like provided on the ship

[100] , a signal including the charge rate of the battery

[25] from the battery [div], etc.

[0019] The control unit 202 controls the charging and discharging of the battery 25, the inverter 26, and the tilt device 24. For example, when the ship 100 is sailing using only the propulsion system 3, the propeller 22 rotates (rotates along with) the ship 100 as it sails. The rotation of the propeller 22 causes the electric motor 21 to rotate and generate electricity. The control unit 202 charges the battery 25 with the electricity generated by the electric motor 21 (regenerative operation). For example, when the ship 100 is sailing near a port and wants to switch to quieter operation, the controller 30 stops the internal combustion engine 31, and the control unit 202 discharges the battery 25 and drives the electric motor 21 at a desired rotational speed via the inverter 26. This switches the operation of the ship 100 to operation using the propulsion system 2. Also, for example, when the ship 100 is sailing using the propulsion system 3, if the propulsion device 20 (Figure 2) is submerged in water while sailing, it creates resistance and results in inefficient operation. In such cases, the control unit 202 controls the tilt device 24 to tilt up the propulsion unit 20. Figure 6 shows the propulsion unit 20 in a tilted-down and tilted-up state. The left side of Figure 5 shows the propulsion unit 20 in a tilted-down state. Even when the ship 100 is driven by an electric motor-driven propulsion system 2 or by an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3, if the battery 25 is charged by regenerative braking, the control unit 202 controls the tilt device 24 to tilt down the propulsion unit 20. The right side of Figure 6 shows the propulsion unit 20 in a tilted-up state. When the ship 100 is driven by an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3 and regeneration is not performed (for example, when it would create resistance to the navigation of the ship 100 or when the charge rate exceeds a threshold), the control unit 202 controls the tilt device 24 to tilt up the propulsion unit 20. By tilting up the propulsion device 20, the resistance that hinders the propulsion of the ship 100 can be reduced.For example, when operating a ship 100 with an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3 and regenerative braking is being performed, the control unit 202 controls the ship 100 by tilting up the propulsion device 20 when the ship's speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, and by tilting down the propulsion device 20 when conditions such as the battery 25's charge level being below the upper limit are met and the ship's speed is below the threshold, thereby charging the battery 25. In the example in Figure 6, the propulsion device 20 is raised above the water surface when tilted up, but the propeller does not need to be completely out of the water when tilting up. For example, in the propulsion system 2 illustrated in Figure 3, the propeller 22 is lifted upward by the propeller lifting device 23a to perform the tilt-up, raising the propeller 22 and shaft 23 to the position of the dashed line in Figure 3. At this time, even if the propeller 22 is in the water, it is sufficient if it is in a position where the water flow does not directly hit the propeller 22.

[0020] The command receiving unit 203 receives various commands and threshold values ​​from the user. For example, the command receiving unit 203 receives user instructions to drive / stop the electric motor 21 and instructions for the motor speed, and outputs the received instruction information to the control unit 202. The control unit 202 operates the electric motor 21 based on the instruction information. For example, the command receiving unit 203 receives user instructions to tilt up or tilt down, and outputs the received instruction information to the control unit 202. The control unit 202 controls the tilt device 24 based on the instruction information to tilt up or tilt down the propulsion device 20. The command receiving unit 203 also receives settings such as a threshold for ship speed, a threshold for the rotation speed of the electric motor 21, and a threshold for the charge level, which are conditions for tilting up the propulsion device 20. The command receiving unit 203 outputs the received threshold values ​​to the control unit 202. The control unit 202 receives and stores the threshold values ​​and uses the stored threshold values ​​for the control shown in Figures 7 and 8 (described later).

[0021] The output unit 204 outputs information about the propulsion system 2 and the ship 100 to the display device 27. For example, the output unit 204 displays information such as the ship's speed, the charge level of the battery 25, the rotational speed of the propeller 22 and electric motor 21, and whether the propulsion device 20 is tilted up or tilted down on the display device 27.

[0022] (operation) Figure 7 shows an example of the control method for the tilt device 24 of this embodiment when the ship 100 is operated solely by the internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3. The control unit 202 determines whether the user has given an instruction to tilt up or tilt down (step S1). If an instruction to tilt up is given (step S1; tilt up), the control unit 202 controls the tilt device 24 to tilt up the propulsion device 20 (step S6), and does not perform regeneration by the electric motor 21. If an instruction to tilt down is given (step S1; tilt down), the control unit 202 controls the tilt device 24 to tilt down the propulsion device 20 (step S5), and performs regeneration by the electric motor 21. If the tilt down occurs in step S5, the control unit 202 determines whether the ship speed exceeds a predetermined threshold 1 (step S2). The threshold 1 is set to a speed at which the degree to which the movement of the ship 100 is hindered by the tilt down of the propulsion device 20 is above a certain level. Threshold 1 may be set for each vessel 100 and sea conditions. If the ship speed exceeds threshold 1 (step S2; Yes), the control unit 202 tilts up the propulsion device 20 (step S7). If the ship speed is less than or equal to threshold 1 (step S2; No), the control unit 202 determines whether the motor rotation speed due to the accompanying rotation exceeds a predetermined threshold 2 (step S3). Threshold 2 is set as the upper limit of the rotation speed due to the accompanying rotation of the electric motor 21. If the motor rotation speed exceeds threshold 2 (step S3; Yes), the control unit 202 tilts up the propulsion device 20 (step S7). This prevents over-rotation of the propeller 22, which rotates due to the accompanying rotation when the ship 100 is moving with the internal combustion engine 31, and prevents the electric motor 21 and inverter 26 from failing as a result. If the rotation speed of the electric motor 21 is less than or equal to threshold 2 (step S3; No), the control unit 202 determines whether the charge level of the battery 25 exceeds a predetermined threshold 3 (step S4). Threshold 3 is set to, for example, the upper limit of the charge level of the battery 25. If the charge level exceeds threshold 3 (step S4; Yes), the control unit 202 tilts up the propulsion device 20 (step S7). This prevents the charge level of the battery 25 from exceeding the upper limit.If the charge level of the battery 25 is below the threshold of 3 (step S4; No), the control unit 202 continues regeneration by the electric motor 21 and returns to the determination in step S2. According to the control of the tilt device 24 illustrated in Figure 7, it is possible to charge the battery 25 while avoiding failure of the electric motor 21 or the battery 25 and without hindering the progress of the ship 100.

[0023] Furthermore, even if the propulsion system 20, which has been tilted down by the user's instruction, is tilted up based on the determination in steps S2 to S4 of Figure 7, control may be performed to restart regenerative charging depending on the subsequent ship speed and the charge level of the battery 25. An example of this control is shown in Figure 8. The processing in steps S1 to S7 is the same as in Figure 7, so the explanation is omitted. After tilting up (step S7) based on the determination results of steps S2 to S4, the control unit 202 determines whether the ship speed exceeds threshold 1 (step S8). If the ship speed exceeds threshold 1 (step S8; Yes), the processing from step S8 is repeated. If the ship speed is less than or equal to threshold 1 (step S8; No), the control unit 202 determines whether the charge level of the battery 25 exceeds threshold 3 (step S9). If the charge level exceeds threshold 3 (step S9; Yes), the process returns to the determination in step S8. If the charge level of the battery 25 is below the threshold of 3 (step S9; No), the control unit 202 tilts down the propulsion device 20 (step S5) and performs regeneration using the electric motor 21. The process from step S2 onward is then carried out. According to the control shown in Figure 8, when operating the ship 100 with the propulsion system 3, the opportunity to charge the battery 25 by regeneration can be maximized by controlling the tilt-up and tilt-down of the propulsion device 20 according to the conditions.

[0024] (effect) In typical ship hybrid propulsion systems, the propeller is driven by a combination of an engine and an electric motor. This presents challenges such as the need for a complex structure, as shown in the coupling system in Figure 4, which requires mechanisms to connect the electric motor, a reduction gear or speed increaser to match the rotational speed of the electric motor and the engine, and a mechanism to disconnect the driving force from the engine when the propeller is driven solely by the electric motor.

[0025] In contrast, the hybrid propulsion system 1, which includes the propulsion system 2 of this embodiment, can provide the following effects. (1) Without using a complex power transmission device, an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system 3 and an electric motor-driven propulsion system 2 can be installed on the ship 100. (2) During docking and undocking, the system can operate using only the propeller 22 powered by the electric motor 21, which has high propulsion torque even at low rotational speeds. (3) When navigating within the harbor, the vehicle can be operated using only the quiet electric motor 21. (4) When the ship 100 is operated by the internal combustion engine 31, the propeller 22 directly connected to the electric motor 21 rotates along with it, causing the electric motor 21 to rotate and allowing the electric motor 21 to be used as a generator. By using the electric motor 21 as a generator, it becomes possible to use it as an onboard power source and to charge the battery 25. (5) When the ship is moving at a relatively low speed, such as when docking or leaving the dock or navigating in a port, the propulsion system 20 can be automatically tilted down and used for propulsion of the ship 100. In addition, when the ship is propelled by the internal combustion engine 31, the electric motor 21 is used as a generator to regenerate electricity, but if the situation becomes such that it affects the cruising speed due to the propulsion force of the internal combustion engine 31, the propulsion system 20 that is being used for regeneration can be automatically tilted up. (6) If the rotational speed of the electric motor 21, which is regenerating power using the thrust from the internal combustion engine 31, exceeds a limit, the propulsion system 20 is automatically tilted up. This prevents the electric motor 21 from failing. (7) If the amount of electricity being regenerated from the electric motor 21, which is propelled by the internal combustion engine 31, is added to the battery 25, the propulsion system 20 is automatically tilted up. This prevents the battery 25 from failing. Also, if the ship speed and motor rotation speed conditions are met but the charge level is insufficient, the propulsion system 20 is automatically tilted down to charge the battery 25.

[0026] In the above embodiment, the propulsion system 2 is used when the ship speed is relatively slow, such as when docking or leaving the berthing or navigating in a port. When the ship speed is high, the propulsion device 20 is tilted down to charge while the ship is driven by the propulsion system 3. When the ship speed exceeds a threshold 1, the propulsion device 20 is tilted up to prevent obstruction of movement. However, for example, when the ship speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, the propulsion device 20 may be tilted down to drive the electric motor 21, and the ship 100 may be driven using both the propulsion system 2 and the propulsion system 3 as power sources. In this case, when the propulsion system 2 is driven for the purpose of amplifying the thrust of the propulsion system 3 by adding a speed increaser or the like, the propeller 22 may be rotated at a higher speed. Alternatively, a mechanism may be added that allows switching between two batteries, one for low speed and one for high speed, and connected to the shaft 23. When the propulsion system 2 is driven for the purpose of amplifying the thrust of the propulsion system 3, the two high-speed batteries may be used to rotate the propeller 22 at a higher speed. Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 4, the inverter 26 is not essential; the electric motor 21 may be driven directly by the battery 25.

[0027] As described above, several embodiments relating to this disclosure have been explained, but all of these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents.

[0028] <Note> The propulsion system, vessel, and control method described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows:

[0029] (1) A propulsion system according to the first embodiment is a propulsion system mounted on a ship comprising an internal combustion engine, a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, comprising a rechargeable battery, an electric motor driven by the battery, a second propeller rotationally driven by the electric motor, a tilt device for tilting up and tilting down the propulsion system including the second propeller, and a controller for controlling the electric motor, the charging and discharging of the battery, and the tilt device, wherein the electric motor generates electricity by the rotation of the second propeller, the controller charges the battery with the electricity generated by the electric motor, and the controller controls the tilt device to tilt up the second propeller when predetermined conditions are met. This makes it possible to realize a hybrid propulsion system with a simple structure, which can regenerate electricity through the rotation of the propellers in the propulsion system, charge the battery, and reduce the resistance to the ship's movement.

[0030] (2) A propulsion system according to a second embodiment is the propulsion system of (1), wherein the controller tilts up the propulsion device when the ship's speed exceeds a predetermined first threshold while the ship is sailing solely by the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine. This reduces the resistance to the ship's movement.

[0031] (3) The fourth propulsion system is the propulsion system of (1), wherein the controller tilts up the propulsion device when the rotational speed of the electric motor exceeds a predetermined second threshold while the vessel is sailing solely by the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine. This prevents electric motor failure.

[0032] (4) A fourth propulsion system is the propulsion system of (1), wherein the controller tilts up the propulsion device when the charge level of the battery exceeds a predetermined third threshold while the vessel is underway due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine. This helps prevent battery failure.

[0033] (5) The fifth propulsion system is the propulsion system of (2) to (4), wherein the controller tilts down the propulsion device when the ship is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine, the second propeller is tilted up, the charge level of the battery is below a predetermined third threshold, and the ship's speed is below a predetermined first threshold. This allows the battery to be charged.

[0034] (6) A vessel according to the sixth embodiment comprises an internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system comprising an internal combustion engine, a first propeller rotated by the internal combustion engine, and a control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, and the propulsion system described in any one of (1) to (5).

[0035] (7) A control method according to the seventh embodiment is a ship having a first propulsion system comprising an internal combustion engine and a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a second propulsion system comprising a rechargeable battery, an electric motor driven by the battery, a second propeller rotationally driven by the electric motor, and a tilt device for tilting up and tilting down the propulsion system including the second propeller, wherein the rotation of the second propeller causes the electric motor to generate electricity, the electricity generated by the electric motor is used to charge the battery, and when predetermined conditions are met, the tilt device is controlled to tilt up the second propeller. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 100...Ship, 1...Hybrid propulsion system, 2...Propulsion system, 21...Electric motor, 22...Propeller, 23...Shaft, 24...Tilt device, 25...Battery, 26...Inverter, 27...Display device, 200...Controller, 201...Signal acquisition unit, 202...Control unit, 203...Command reception unit, 204...Output unit, 3...Propulsion system, 30...Controller, 31...Internal combustion engine, 32...Clutch system, 321...Clutch, 322...Reduction gear, 33...Propeller, 34...Shaft, 4...Hybrid propulsion system, 41...Engine, 42...Electric motor, 43...Coupling system, 431, 435...Engagement / Disengagement Clutch, 432, 434...Reduction Gear, 433...Gear, 44...Propeller, 45, 46, 47...Shaft

Claims

1. A propulsion system mounted on a ship, comprising an internal combustion engine, a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, A rechargeable battery, The electric motor is powered by the aforementioned battery, A second propeller, which is rotationally driven by the aforementioned electric motor, A tilt device for tilting the second propeller up and tilting it down, A controller that controls the electric motor, the charging and discharging of the battery, and the tilt device, Equipped with, The electric motor generates electricity through the rotation of the second propeller, The controller charges the battery with the power generated by the electric motor. When a predetermined condition is met, the controller controls the tilt device to tilt up the second propeller. When the vessel is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine, and the second propeller is tilted up, and the battery charge level is below a predetermined first threshold, and the vessel's speed is below a predetermined second threshold, the second propeller is tilted down. Propulsion system.

2. The controller tilts up the second propeller when the ship's speed exceeds the second threshold while the ship is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine. The propulsion system according to claim 1.

3. The controller tilts up the second propeller when the rotational speed of the electric motor exceeds a predetermined third threshold while the vessel is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine. The propulsion system according to claim 1.

4. The controller tilts up the second propeller when the battery charge level exceeds the first threshold while the vessel is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine. The propulsion system according to claim 1.

5. An internal combustion engine-driven propulsion system comprising an internal combustion engine, a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, and a control unit for controlling the internal combustion engine, A propulsion system according to claim 1 or claim 2, A ship equipped with the following features.

6. A first propulsion system comprising an internal combustion engine and a first propeller rotationally driven by the internal combustion engine, A second propulsion system comprising a rechargeable battery, an electric motor driven by the battery, a second propeller rotationally driven by the electric motor, and a tilt device for tilting the second propeller up and down, In a vessel equipped with, The rotation of the second propeller generates electricity for the electric motor, the electricity generated by the electric motor charges the battery, and when predetermined conditions are met, the tilt device is controlled to tilt the second propeller up. When the vessel is sailing due to the rotational drive of the first propeller by the internal combustion engine, and the second propeller is tilted up, and the battery charge level is below a predetermined first threshold, and the vessel's speed is below a predetermined second threshold, the second propeller is tilted down. Control method.

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