Wind power assisted propulsion system for ship with air intake and discharge control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wind power assisted propulsion system for a ship capable of adjusting an angle of attack and increasing lift by operating one of two blowers according to a direction of wind blowing from the front during sailing of the ship to suck air through one of suction ports on both sides and adjusting and discharging a discharge direction of the air at a discharge port at the rear end. The wind power assisted propulsion system for a ship according to the present invention comprises: a wing body unit installed on the upper surface of a deck of the ship, the wing body unit having a first suction port and a second suction port formed on both sides thereof to be open to the outside for allowing air to flow in, and having a first discharge port and a second discharge port formed on both sides of the rear end thereof to be open to the outside for discharging air; a first blowing module installed inside the wing body unit to suck external air through the first suction port and discharge the air to the outside through the first discharge port; a second blowing module installed inside the wing body unit to suck external air through the second suction port and discharge the air to the outside through the second discharge port; a discharge control module for selectively opening and closing the first discharge port and the second discharge port according to operation of the first blowing module and the second blowing module; a wind direction detection module for detecting the direction of wind blowing from the front of the ship; and a control module for operating one of the first blowing module and the second blowing module according to the direction of wind detected by the wind direction detection module, and operating the discharge control module to open one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port and close the other.

Description

Wind-assisted propulsion system for ships with air intake and exhaust control

[0001] The present invention relates to an auxiliary propulsion device for a ship, and more particularly, to a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship that is installed on the deck of a ship and generates lift by the wind blowing during navigation to increase the propulsion power of the ship.

[0002] The shipping industry is actively pursuing the use of wind energy as a means of responding to marine environmental regulations and assisting ship propulsion.

[0003] Wind-powered ships typically utilize wind propulsion as auxiliary power while maintaining the existing fuel system.

[0004] Wind propulsion devices that utilize wind energy can be categorized into rotor sails, wing sails, and kites.

[0005] A rotor sail is a system that vertically installs a cylindrical pillar on the deck of a ship and rotates it to generate propulsive force through the pressure difference caused by the wind. It is a technology that propels a ship by utilizing the Magnus Effect. The Magnus Effect refers to the phenomenon that when a sphere or cylinder rotates and passes through a fluid, the pressure is bent from the side of high pressure to the side of low pressure, which generates a force that moves forward. Therefore, the Magnus Effect generates a transverse force due to the fluid flowing into a cylinder that rotates around its own length, direction, and axis, and the transverse force acts perpendicular to the direction of the inflow to generate propulsive force.

[0006] A wing sail is a system that obtains propulsion by receiving wind while facing a fixed direction with an airfoil-shaped cross-section. A pillar or support is installed on the upper deck of a ship, and an airfoil that receives the wind can be installed on this pillar or support. The airfoil can be rotated to the angle that maximizes the wind reception by means of a hydraulic actuator or the like.

[0007] These airfoils can be arranged with their leading and trailing edges aligned with the column or support. When the airfoil is rotated by an actuator and positioned at a location where it receives maximum wind force, it generates lift by absorbing the wind, and this lift can generate maximum thrust.

[0008] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0045860 discloses a variable wing sail for a ship that adjusts the angle of a flap formed on the side by arranging an actuator inside the wing sail, and controls lift by changing the direction of the flap according to the wind direction.

[0009] However, the above-mentioned variable wing sail has a limitation in increasing lift because it increases lift according to the angle adjustment of the flap, and there is a problem in that it is difficult to actively control the angle of the flap according to changes in wind direction.

[0010] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problem, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, which can adjust the angle of attack by operating one of two blowers according to the direction of the wind blowing from the front during navigation of a ship, sucking in air through one of the intake ports on either side, and adjusting the discharge direction of the air from the discharge port at the rear, thereby increasing the lift.

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a wing body which is installed on the upper surface of the deck of a ship, and has a first intake port and a second intake port formed to be open to the outside on both sides through which air is introduced, and a first discharge port and a second discharge port formed to be open to the outside on both sides of the rear end through which air is discharged; a first blowing module which is installed inside the wing body and sucks in outside air through the first intake port and then sucks in outside air through the first discharge port; a second blowing module which is installed inside the wing body and sucks in outside air through the second intake port and then sucks in outside air through the second discharge port; an exhaust control module which selectively opens and closes the first discharge port and the second discharge port according to the operation of the first blowing module and the second blowing module; a wind direction detection module which detects the direction of wind blowing from the front of the ship; And, it may include a control module that operates one of the first blowing module and the second blowing module according to the direction of the wind detected by the wind direction detection module, and operates the discharge control module to open one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port and close the other.

[0012] The above discharge control module may include a rotational shaft installed between the first discharge port and the second discharge port, a discharge control plate that rotates around the rotational shaft and closes one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port, and a control panel driving member that operates by a control signal transmitted from the control module to transmit rotational force to the rotational shaft or the discharge control plate.

[0013] The first blowing module may include a first suction passage installed inside the wing body to communicate with the first suction port of the wing body, a first discharge passage installed to communicate with the first discharge port, a first impeller installed between the first suction passage and the first discharge passage to suck air through the first suction passage and discharge it through the first discharge passage, and a first fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the first impeller.

[0014] The second blowing module may include a second suction passage installed in communication with the second suction port of the wing body inside the wing body, a second discharge passage installed in communication with the second discharge port, a second impeller installed between the second suction passage and the second discharge passage to suck in air through the second suction passage and discharge it through the second discharge passage, and a second fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the second impeller.

[0015] The above wing body portion may have a cross-sectional shape of any one of an elliptical, streamlined, and airfoil shape.

[0016] A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a mesh-shaped boundary layer screen installed in the first and second suction ports of the wing body so as to be connected to the side surface of the wing body.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship comprises: a wing body which is installed on the upper surface of the deck of a ship, and has a first intake port and a second intake port formed to be open to the outside on both sides through which air is introduced, and a first discharge port and a second discharge port formed to be open to the outside on both sides of the rear end through which air is discharged; a first blowing module which is installed inside the wing body and sucks in outside air through the first intake port and then discharges it to the outside through the first discharge port; a second blowing module which is installed inside the wing body and sucks in outside air through the second intake port and then discharges it to the outside through the second discharge port; an exhaust control plate which is installed to rotate about a rotational axis between the first discharge port and the second discharge port and closes either the first discharge port or the second discharge port depending on the rotational direction; a control panel driving member which transmits rotational force to the rotational axis or the exhaust control plate; a wind direction detection module which detects the direction of wind blowing from the front of the ship; And, it may include a control module that operates one of the first blowing module and the second blowing module according to the direction of the wind detected by the wind direction detection module, and applies a control signal to the control panel driving member to rotate the discharge control panel to open one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port and close the other.

[0018] The first blowing module may include a first suction passage installed inside the wing body to communicate with the first suction port of the wing body, a first discharge passage installed to communicate with the first discharge port, a first impeller installed between the first suction passage and the first discharge passage to suck air through the first suction passage and discharge it through the first discharge passage, and a first fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the first impeller.

[0019] The second blowing module may include a second suction passage installed in communication with the second suction port of the wing body inside the wing body, a second discharge passage installed in communication with the second discharge port, a second impeller installed between the second suction passage and the second discharge passage to suck in air through the second suction passage and discharge it through the second discharge passage, and a second fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the second impeller.

[0020] A mesh-shaped boundary layer screen may be installed in the first and second suction ports of the wing body so as to be connected to the side of the wing body.

[0021] According to the present invention, by detecting the wind blowing from the front side of the ship while the ship is sailing, the first blowing module or the second blowing module is selectively operated to control the direction of air discharge from the rear end of the wing body, thereby adjusting the angle of attack to increase lift, and by reducing the vortex generated at the rear end of the wing body, the lift can be further increased.

[0022] Figure 1 is a side view of a ship to which a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are cross-sectional views showing the configuration and operation of a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for controlling a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration and operation example of a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various different forms and is therefore not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the drawings, irrelevant parts have been omitted for clarity of description, and similar parts have been assigned similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

[0028] Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected (connected, contacted, or coupled)" to another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly connected," but also cases where it is "indirectly connected" with another part in between. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies that it may include other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0029] The terminology used herein is merely used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, it should be understood that the terms "comprises" or "has" indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] Additionally, while terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first component could be referred to as a "second component," and similarly, a second component could also be referred to as a "first component."

[0031] Meanwhile, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning within the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0032]

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a wind-assisted propulsion system (100) for a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a wing body (110) installed on the upper surface of the deck of a ship, a first blowing module (140) and a second blowing module (150) installed inside the wing body (110), a discharge control module (130) that selectively opens and closes a first discharge port (121) and a second discharge port (122) at the rear end of the wing body (110), a wind direction detection module (170) that detects the direction of the wind blowing from the front of the ship, and a control module (160) that controls the operation of the first blowing module (140), the second blowing module (150), and the discharge control module (130) according to the direction of the wind blowing from the front of the ship.

[0034] The above wing body (110) may be formed in the shape of a vertically elongated, hollow column, and may be installed on the upper surface of the deck of a ship. The wing body (110) may be formed in the shape of a column with a streamlined cross-section, but may also have a cross-section such as an oval or airfoil shape. The rear end of the wing body (110) may have a shape in which the width decreases as it goes rearward.

[0035] On both sides of the wing body (110), intake ports (111, 112) for air intake are formed to be open to the outside. For convenience, the intake port formed on one side of the wing body (110) will be referred to as the first intake port (111), and the intake port formed on the other side on the opposite side will be referred to as the second intake port (112).

[0036] The first suction port (111) and the second suction port (112) may be formed to be open at a certain section along the circumferential direction on both sides of the wing body (110). The first suction port (111) and the second suction port (112) may be formed in a single curved shape along the circumferential direction, but may also be formed in the form of multiple divided holes along the circumferential direction.

[0037] A mesh-shaped boundary layer screen (115) may be installed in the first suction port (111) and the second suction port (112) so as to be connected to the side surface of the wing body (110). The boundary layer screen (115) may be connected to the side surface of the wing body (110) and may minimize the occurrence of vortices immediately outside the first suction port (111) or the second suction port (112) when air is not introduced through the first suction port (111) or the second suction port (112).

[0038] On both sides of the rear end of the wing body (110), a first discharge port (121) and a second discharge port (122) for discharging air introduced through the first suction port (111) or the second suction port (112) by the first blowing module (140) or the second blowing module (150) may be formed to be open to the outside.

[0039] The first discharge port (121) and the second discharge port (122) are closed by the discharge control panel (131) of the discharge control module (130), and air is discharged through the discharge port that is not closed.

[0040] The first discharge port (121) and the second discharge port (122) can be connected to the first discharge path (142) of the first blowing module (140) and the second discharge path (152) of the second blowing module (150), respectively.

[0041] The first blowing module (140) is installed in the wing body (110) and sucks in external air through the first suction port (111) and then discharges it to the outside through the first discharge port (121). In addition, the second blowing module (150) is installed symmetrically on one side of the first blowing module (140) and sucks in external air through the second suction port (112) and then discharges it to the outside through the second discharge port (122).

[0042] The first blowing module (140) may include a first suction passage (141) installed in communication with the first suction port (111) inside the wing body (110), a first discharge passage (142) installed in communication with the first discharge port (121), a first impeller (143) installed between the first suction passage (141) and the first discharge passage (142) to suck in air through the first suction passage (141) and discharge it through the first discharge passage (142), and a first fan motor (144) that operates by a control signal transmitted by a control module (160) to rotate the first impeller (143).

[0043] The second blowing module (150) may be configured in the same manner as the first blowing module (140). For example, the second blowing module (150) may include a second suction passage (151) installed to communicate with the second suction port (112), a second discharge passage (152) installed to communicate with the second discharge port (122), a second impeller (153) installed between the second suction passage (151) and the second discharge passage (152) to suck in air through the second suction passage (151) and discharge it through the second discharge passage (152), and a second fan motor (154) that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module (160) to rotate the second impeller (153).

[0044] The above first impeller (143) and second impeller (153) can be configured by applying a known fan such as an axial fan or a centrifugal fan. Alternatively, instead of the impeller and fan motor, an air compressor or air pump can be applied as a means for sucking in and discharging air, thereby sucking in external air, compressing it, and then discharging it.

[0045] The first suction path (141) and the second discharge path (152) of the first blowing module (140), and the second suction path (151) and the second discharge path (152) of the second blowing module (150) may be provided with valves that control the flow of air by being opened and closed by the control module (160).

[0046] The wind direction detection module (170) can be configured by applying a known wind direction sensor. The wind direction detection module (170) detects the wind direction in real time while the ship is sailing and transmits a detection signal to the control module (160).

[0047] The discharge control module (130) is configured to receive a control signal from the control module (160) according to wind direction information detected by the wind direction detection module (170) and close either the first discharge port (121) or the second discharge port (122). The discharge control module (130) may include a rotation shaft (132) installed between the first discharge port (121) and the second discharge port (122), a discharge control plate (131) that rotates around the rotation shaft (132) and closes either the first discharge port (121) or the second discharge port (122), and a control panel drive member (133) that operates by a control signal transmitted from the control module (160) to transmit rotational force to the rotation shaft (132) or the discharge control plate (131).

[0048] The discharge control plate (131) is coupled to the rotation shaft (132) and rotates together with the rotation shaft (132), or is coupled to be rotatable relative to the rotation shaft (132), so that the rotation shaft (132) is fixed while only the discharge control plate (131) rotates around the rotation shaft (132).

[0049] In this embodiment, the control panel drive member (133) is configured as a motor that is directly connected to the rotation shaft (132) from the outside of the wing body (110) or indirectly connected through a power transmission mechanism such as a gear or belt to transmit rotational force to the rotation shaft (132), but may be configured by applying a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder in addition to the motor.

[0050]

[0051] The wind-assisted propulsion system (100) having such a configuration generates lift in the wing body (110) by the wind blowing from the front side of the ship while the ship is sailing, thereby increasing the propulsive power of the ship. That is, in the wind-assisted propulsion system (100) of the present invention, low pressure is formed on the side of the wing body (110) that sucks air, and high pressure is formed on the opposite side that does not suck air, thereby generating lift from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. That is, since lift is formed toward the side that sucks air, the propulsive power of the ship can be increased.

[0052] At this time, the discharge control panel (131) rotates according to the direction of the wind blowing from the front of the ship to close either the first discharge port (121) or the second discharge port (122), and either the first blowing module (140) or the second blowing module (150) operates to discharge air through the open discharge port, thereby increasing the angle of attack of the wing body (110) according to the wind direction, thereby increasing the lift. In addition, this effect is the same as the effect of attaching a virtual flap to the end of the airfoil.

[0053] For example, as shown in Fig. 3, when the wind blows from the left side of the drawing, the wind direction detection module (170) detects this and sends a detection signal to the control module (160). The control module (160) transmits a control signal to the control panel driving member (133) according to the wind direction detected by the wind direction detection module (170), thereby rotating the discharge control panel (131) around the rotation axis (132) to close the second discharge port (122).

[0054] At this time, the control module (160) applies a control signal to the first fan motor (144) of the first blowing module (140) to rotate the first impeller (143).

[0055] When the first impeller (143) rotates, air is sucked in through the first suction port (111) and the first suction path (141) and then discharged through the first discharge path (142) and the first discharge port (121).

[0056] Conversely, when the wind blows from the right side of the drawing as shown in FIG. 4, the control module (160) controls the air discharge direction by causing the discharge control panel (131) to close the first discharge port (121) and the second impeller (153) of the second blowing module (150) to rotate so that air is sucked in through the second suction port (112) and the second suction path (151) and then discharged through the second discharge path (152) and the second discharge port (122).

[0057] In this way, the angle of attack can be adjusted to increase lift by adjusting the air discharge direction by opening the first discharge port (121) or the second discharge port (122) according to the direction of the wind blowing from the left and right sides of the wing body (110).

[0058] In addition, the air discharged from the first discharge port (121) or the second discharge port (122) can further increase lift by reducing the vortex generated at the rear of the wing body (110).

[0059] FIG. 6 illustrates a wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to another embodiment of the present invention. The wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship according to this embodiment is configured such that the discharge control plate (131) of the discharge control module (130) is installed on the inside of the rear end of the wing body (110), and a rotation shaft (132) is installed in the middle portion of the discharge control plate (131). In addition, the outer portion of the discharge control plate (131) is formed to extend outside the first discharge port (121) and the second discharge port (122), so that the discharge control plate (131) can serve to guide air discharged through the first discharge port (121) or the second discharge port (122).

[0060] When the discharge control plate (131) opens the first discharge port (121), the inner part of the discharge control plate (131) contacts the peripheral part of the second discharge port (122) to limit rotation, and when the discharge control plate (131) opens the second discharge port (122), the inner part of the discharge control plate (131) contacts the peripheral part of the first discharge port (121) to limit rotation.

[0061] Although the detailed description of the present invention described above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art or having ordinary knowledge in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and technical scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims to be described later.

[0062] The present invention can be applied to a wind-assisted propulsion device for a ship that increases the propulsion power of a ship by generating lift by the wind blowing during the ship's voyage.

Claims

1. A wing body installed on the upper surface of the deck of a ship, having a first intake port and a second intake port formed to be open to the outside on both sides through which air is introduced, and a first discharge port and a second discharge port formed to be open to the outside on both sides of the rear end through which air is discharged; A first blowing module installed inside the wing body to suck in external air through the first intake port and then discharge it to the outside through the first discharge port; A second blowing module installed inside the wing body to suck in external air through the second intake port and then discharge it to the outside through the second discharge port; A discharge control module that selectively opens and closes the first discharge port and the second discharge port according to the operation of the first blowing module and the second blowing module; A wind direction detection module that detects the direction of the wind blowing from the front of the ship; and A control module that operates one of the first blowing module and the second blowing module according to the direction of the wind detected by the wind direction detection module, and operates the discharge control module to open one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port and close the other; A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, including:

2. In the first paragraph, the discharge control module comprises a rotation shaft installed between the first discharge port and the second discharge port, a discharge control plate that rotates around the rotation shaft and closes one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port, and a control panel drive member that operates by a control signal transmitted from the control module to transmit rotational force to the rotation shaft or the discharge control plate. A wind power-assisted propulsion system for a ship.

3. In the first paragraph, the first blowing module, A first suction passage installed in the interior of the wing body to communicate with the first suction port of the wing body, a first discharge passage installed to communicate with the first discharge port, a first impeller installed between the first suction passage and the first discharge passage to suck in air through the first suction passage and discharge it through the first discharge passage, and a first fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the first impeller; A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, including:

4. In the first or third paragraph, the second blowing module, A second suction passage installed in the interior of the wing body to communicate with the second suction port of the wing body, a second discharge passage installed to communicate with the second discharge port, a second impeller installed between the second suction passage and the second discharge passage to suck in air through the second suction passage and discharge it through the second discharge passage, and a second fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the second impeller; A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, including:

5. A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, wherein the wing body part has a cross-sectional shape of any one of an elliptical shape, a streamlined shape, and an airfoil shape, in the first or second paragraph.

6. A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, further comprising a mesh-shaped boundary layer screen installed in the first and second suction ports of the wing body so as to be connected to the side of the wing body.

7. A wing body installed on the upper surface of the deck of a ship, having a first intake port and a second intake port formed on both sides to allow air to flow in and open to the outside, and a first discharge port and a second discharge port formed on both sides of the rear end to allow air to flow out and open to the outside; A first blowing module installed inside the wing body to suck in external air through the first intake port and then discharge it to the outside through the first discharge port; A second blowing module installed inside the wing body to suck in external air through the second intake port and then discharge it to the outside through the second discharge port; A discharge control plate installed to rotate around a rotation axis between the first discharge port and the second discharge port and closing one of the first discharge port and the second discharge port depending on the direction of rotation; A control panel driving member that transmits rotational force to the above-mentioned rotating shaft or the above-mentioned discharge control panel; A wind direction detection module that detects the direction of the wind blowing from the front of the ship; and A control module that operates either the first blowing module or the second blowing module according to the direction of the wind detected by the wind direction detection module, and applies a control signal to the control panel driving member to rotate the discharge control panel to open either the first discharge port or the second discharge port and close the other; A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, including:

8. In the 7th paragraph, the first blowing module, A first suction passage installed in the interior of the wing body to communicate with the first suction port of the wing body, a first discharge passage installed to communicate with the first discharge port, a first impeller installed between the first suction passage and the first discharge passage to suck in air through the first suction passage and discharge it through the first discharge passage, and a first fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the first impeller; A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, including:

9. In the 7th or 8th paragraph, the second blowing module, A second suction passage installed in the interior of the wing body to communicate with the second suction port of the wing body, a second discharge passage installed to communicate with the second discharge port, a second impeller installed between the second suction passage and the second discharge passage to suck in air through the second suction passage and discharge it through the second discharge passage, and a second fan motor that operates by a control signal transmitted by the control module to rotate the second impeller; A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, including:

10. A wind-assisted propulsion system for a ship, further comprising a mesh-shaped boundary layer screen installed in the first and second suction ports of the wing body so as to be connected to the side of the wing body in accordance with paragraph 7.

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