Gas-layer drag reduction system applied to large ship, and ship

Abstract

A gas-layer drag reduction system applied to a large ship, and a ship. The gas-layer drag reduction system (100) comprises: a gas supply system (200), a pressure stabilizing system (300), a gas injection system (400), a monitoring system (500), and an intelligent management system (600), wherein the gas injection system (400) is configured to inject a gas into water by means of the bottom of a ship and form a stable gas layer at the bottom of the ship; the monitoring system (500) is configured to monitor operation information, gas state information, navigation environment information, ship state information and gas-layer state information of the gas-layer drag reduction system (100); the intelligent management system (600) is configured to receive feedback signals of the gas supply system (200), the pressure stabilizing system (300), the gas injection system (400) and the monitoring system (500), and send control signals to the gas supply system (200), the pressure stabilizing system (300), the gas injection system (400) and the monitoring system (500); and the intelligent management system (600) is also configured to control the gas-layer drag reduction system (100) to perform signal interaction with a ship system (110), so as to implement intelligent control. Therefore, the gas-layer drag reduction system (100) is suitable for large ships.

Description

Air layer drag reduction system for large ships and ships

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411192278.3, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on August 28, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of marine technology, for example to an air layer drag reduction system and a ship applicable to large ships. Background Technology

[0003] Air layer drag reduction technology refers to a new type of energy-saving technology that uses an air layer drag reduction device to inject an appropriate amount of gas into the bottom of the ship to form and maintain a thin air layer at the bottom of the ship, effectively isolating the bottom of the ship from the water, reducing the wet surface area of ​​the bottom of the ship, thereby reducing the frictional resistance of the ship and significantly reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

[0004] Currently, air layer drag reduction systems are mostly used in small and medium-sized ships, while their application in large and super-large ships is relatively limited. Furthermore, when applying air layer drag reduction systems to large and super-large ships, there are still challenges in achieving deep-water, large-scale, and intelligent applications. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an air layer drag reduction system and a vessel for use on large ships, in order to solve the application problems faced by air layer drag reduction systems and make the air layer drag reduction system applicable to large and super-large ships.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, an air layer drag reduction system for large ships is provided, comprising: an air supply system, a pressure stabilization system, a jet system, a monitoring system, and an intelligent management system;

[0007] The gas supply system is located inside or outside the ship's cabins and is configured to provide the gas layer drag reduction system with a preset flow rate and preset pressure. The input end of the pressure stabilization system is connected to the output end of the gas supply system via a gas path, and the output end of the pressure stabilization system is connected to the input end of the jet system via a gas path. The pressure stabilization system is configured to transmit, control, and stabilize the gas supplied by the gas supply system and deliver the gas to the jet system. The jet system is located at the bottom of the ship and is configured to inject gas into the water through the bottom of the ship to form a stable gas layer at the bottom. The monitoring system is configured to monitor the operating information of the gas layer drag reduction system, gas status information, navigation environment information, ship status information, and gas layer status information.

[0008] The air supply system, pressure stabilization system, jet system, and monitoring system are all connected to the intelligent management system. The intelligent management system is configured to receive feedback signals from the air supply system, pressure stabilization system, jet system, and monitoring system, and send control signals to the air supply system, pressure stabilization system, jet system, and monitoring system. At the same time, the intelligent management system is configured to control the air layer drag reduction system to interact with the ship's systems to achieve intelligent control, making the air layer drag reduction system suitable for large ships.

[0009] In some embodiments, the intelligent management system includes an optimized energy-saving operation subsystem, an equipment management subsystem, a data monitoring subsystem, and a centralized processing subsystem; the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem includes an adaptive control module, an optimal energy efficiency control module, and a comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module; the equipment management subsystem includes an equipment operating status monitoring module and an alarm module;

[0010] Ship systems include inherent ship systems and air layer drag reduction service supplementary systems; inherent ship systems are general equipment configurations for ships, including ship operation management system, power management system, ship / equipment operation monitoring system, environmental monitoring system and alarm monitoring system;

[0011] The intelligent management system is configured to receive ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data sent by the ship system, and based on the ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data, combined with the operation data of the air layer drag reduction system, the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem generates the preferred energy efficiency control mode for the current navigation state.

[0012] In some embodiments, the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem integrates three control technologies; wherein, the adaptive control module adopts air layer drag reduction adaptive control technology based on flight state and environment, the optimal energy efficiency control module adopts optimal energy efficiency evaluation technology, and the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module adopts comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management technology.

[0013] The data monitoring subsystem, the energy-saving operation optimization subsystem, and the equipment management subsystem are all connected to the centralized processing subsystem, and the centralized processing subsystem interacts with the ship system for data and command exchange.

[0014] The centralized processing subsystem is configured to query the ship's operation management system for start / stop and the power management system for high-power operation, so as to control the start or stop of the air layer drag reduction system based on the response of the power management system and the start / stop command issued by the ship's operation management system.

[0015] The centralized processing subsystem is also configured to receive data from the data monitoring subsystem, the energy-saving operation optimization subsystem, and the equipment management subsystem, and send control signals based on the data generated by the optimization decisions of the adaptive control module and the optimal energy efficiency control module to adjust the operating status of the equipment in the air layer drag reduction system, and adjust the operating status of the ship's adjustable equipment based on the comprehensive optimization decision instructions of the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module.

[0016] The centralized processing subsystem is also configured to receive data from the environmental monitoring system, ship / equipment operation monitoring system and air layer drag reduction service supplement system in the ship system, in order to determine the ship's navigation environment, navigation status and the operating status of marine equipment, and send energy efficiency data and equipment adjustment instructions to the ship / equipment operation monitoring system to adjust the operating status of the ship's adjustable equipment;

[0017] The centralized processing subsystem is also configured to send alarm signals to the ship's alarm monitoring system based on data sent by the alarm module and equipment operation status monitoring module in the air layer drag reduction system.

[0018] In some embodiments, the gas supply system includes a gas supply module, a power supply module, and a gas supply control module;

[0019] The gas supply module includes gas supply equipment; wherein a preset number of gas supply equipment are installed in or outside the ship's cabin in a preset arrangement.

[0020] The power supply module includes a power supply device and a gas supply equipment drive device. The power supply device is configured to provide power to the gas supply module and the gas supply control module. The drive form of the gas supply equipment drive device includes frequency conversion drive or soft start drive. The gas supply equipment drive device is configured to drive the gas supply module to start, and suppress harmonic interference and instantaneous starting current.

[0021] Both the gas supply module and the power supply module are communicatively connected to the gas supply control module. The gas supply control module is configured to receive feedback signals from the gas supply module and the power supply module, and to control the gas supply module and the power supply module.

[0022] In some embodiments, the gas supply system further includes a cooling module, a fresh air module, a vibration reduction and noise reduction module, and a condensate drainage module;

[0023] The cooling module and the fresh air module are powered by the power module; the fresh air module includes a fresh air supply system based on an axial fan, which is configured to provide air supply to the air supply module and to cool the compartments and equipment in the air supply module.

[0024] The cooling module is configured to cool the exhaust gas from the air supply equipment and the air supply module equipment using a preset cooling method. The preset cooling method includes water cooling and air cooling. The water cooling method uses cooling pipes equipped with pressurization components, and the cooling pipes for the water cooling method are separate from the cooling pipes of the ship system. The air cooling method is achieved through an air supply unit, which includes an axial flow fan.

[0025] The vibration reduction and noise reduction module adopts a combination of vibration reduction and noise reduction components and preset suppression measures. The vibration reduction and noise reduction components include at least one of the following: sound insulation cotton lining the inner wall of the sealed box-type encapsulated air supply equipment; vibration isolators arranged at the bottom of the air supply equipment; silencers arranged on the pipelines connected to the air supply equipment; damping lining the floor of the air supply equipment compartment; sound insulation cotton and damping layer lining the walls of the air supply equipment compartment; vortex silencers arranged inside the air transmission pipeline; and vibration isolation supports, damping layers, and sound insulation cotton arranged on the air transmission pipeline. The vibration reduction and noise reduction module is configured to reduce the vibration or noise generated during the operation of at least one of the air supply equipment and the air circuit.

[0026] The condensate discharge module includes at least one of a vent valve and a bypass pipeline installed on the gas line connected to the gas supply module, configured to discharge condensate in the gas line;

[0027] Both the cooling module and the fresh air module are connected to the air supply control module. The air supply control module is configured to receive feedback signals from the cooling module and the fresh air module and control the cooling module and the fresh air module.

[0028] In some embodiments, the pressure stabilizing system includes a multi-stage gas transmission pipeline, a pressure stabilizing chamber, and a valve control module and a regulator disposed on the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline;

[0029] The valve control module and regulator are configured to regulate the internal pressure and flow rate of multi-stage gas transmission pipelines;

[0030] The valve control module includes: various valves and valve control systems arranged on multi-stage gas pipelines, which realize part of the adaptive control function of the gas layer drag reduction system based on the ship's navigation environment and navigation state;

[0031] The input end of the pressure stabilizing chamber is connected to the output end of the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline, and the output end of the pressure stabilizing chamber is connected to the input end of the jet system. The pressure stabilizing chamber reduces the speed, rectifyes, and stabilizes the pressure of the gas within itself, and then transmits the gas to the jet system, ensuring that the gas is evenly injected into the water. The pressure stabilizing chamber employs pre-designed anti-corrosion and anti-fouling measures. The pre-designed anti-corrosion measures include: using pre-designed anti-corrosion materials and applying anti-corrosion coatings internally / externally; the pre-designed anti-fouling measures include: installing a sediment cleaning device and opening the bottom of the chamber to remove sediment.

[0032] The internal anti-corrosion coating includes increasing the cavity size and adopting an internal coating structure, so that the internal coating trolley can coat the inside of the pressure stabilizing cavity during the construction phase and during the regular maintenance phase.

[0033] In some embodiments, the regulator includes a throttling orifice plate, and the preset corrosion-resistant material includes a nickel-chromium alloy or polyethylene;

[0034] The internal coating structure includes mounting boxes at both ends of the pressure stabilizing cavity, or a top cover is opened on the top of the pressure stabilizing cavity;

[0035] The sediment cleaning device includes a high-pressure water flushing device.

[0036] In some embodiments, the jet system includes a hull cavitation chamber, a cavitation chamber enclosure, a longitudinal baffle, a jet nozzle, a gas layer activation device, and cavitation chamber bow and stern appendages;

[0037] Bottom air cavities are low-pressure areas located on the flat bottom of the outer side of the ship's bottom plate. They are designed to allow gas to adhere inside the bottom air cavities, form an air layer, and remain stable.

[0038] A cavitation cofferdam is set around the edge of the bottom of the ship, forming a cavitation vent on the bottom of the ship; longitudinal baffles are set at intervals along the width of the ship at the bottom of the ship; and the gas layer activation device is set along the width of the ship on the side downstream of the jet hole near the stern of the ship.

[0039] At least one of the cavitation bulkhead and the longitudinal baffle has a pre-defined discontinuous arrangement along the length of the vessel.

[0040] In some embodiments, the preset discontinuous arrangement forms include rigid connection of discontinuous gaps, elastic connection of discontinuous gaps, and staggered arrangement of discontinuous gaps.

[0041] The intermittent gap rigid connection includes connecting the two ends of a rigid connection member between at least one of a cavitation enclosure and a longitudinal baffle; wherein the rigid connection member is connected in a non-linear manner.

[0042] The intermittent gap elastic connection includes connecting the two ends of a flexible connecting member between at least one of a cavity enclosure and a longitudinal baffle; wherein the flexible connecting member is linear or non-linear.

[0043] The staggered arrangement of discontinuous gaps includes setting discontinuous patches along the width of the vessel on the discontinuous side of at least one of a discontinuous cavitation cofferdam and a longitudinal baffle; wherein the two ends of the discontinuous patches are welded to the toe ends of the keel at the bottom of the vessel; the discontinuous patches have a predetermined length range, and the discontinuous patches and at least one of the cavitation cofferdam and the longitudinal baffle have a predetermined distance range in the width of the vessel.

[0044] In some embodiments, the preset length range of the intermittent patch is L1+800 to 1600 mm; where L1 represents the intermittent length.

[0045] The preset distance range is 50 to 200 millimeters.

[0046] According to another aspect of this application, a ship is provided, including a ship system and an air layer drag reduction system for large ships as described in any embodiment of the first aspect, wherein the ship system and the air layer drag reduction system are communicatively connected. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure and control strategy of an air layer drag reduction system and a ship system applied to a large ship according to an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem structure of an intelligent management system for air layer drag reduction system applied to large ships according to an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the air supply system in an air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a pressure stabilization system in an air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a ship according to an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 7 is a bottom view of another ship bottom structure provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of an intermittent gap rigid connection according to an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of another intermittent gap rigid connection provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 10 is a partially enlarged structural schematic diagram of a rigid connection with discontinuous gaps according to an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an intermittent gap elastic connection according to an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of another type of intermittent gap elastic connection provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 13 is a partially enlarged structural schematic diagram of an intermittent gap elastic connection provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 14 is a partially enlarged structural schematic diagram of another intermittent gap elastic connection provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of another ship according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, for example, including processes, methods, systems, products, or devices that, in addition to comprising the series of steps or units shown in the embodiments of this application, may also include processes, methods, systems, products, or devices that do not explicitly list such series of steps or units, or other steps or units inherent to such processes, methods, systems, products, or devices.

[0063] As described in the background section, applying air-layer drag reduction systems to large and ultra-large vessels presents challenges compared to their application to small and medium-sized vessels, including issues related to deeper water, larger scale, and increased intelligence. Regarding deeper water, large and ultra-large vessels operating in deep draft and high back pressure conditions require addressing the air supply issue to establish a suitable and efficient supply method. Furthermore, maintaining a stable and efficient air layer at the hull level is crucial for ensuring energy savings. For larger scale, applying these systems to large and ultra-large vessels necessitates overcoming the limitations of the effective operating distance of the air layer at the hull, minimizing the number of nozzles and air consumption, and reducing modifications to the hull design. The increased complexity of the larger systems also needs to be addressed to improve overall vessel control efficiency. Finally, intelligent application of air-layer drag reduction systems to large and ultra-large vessels requires a complete solution to ensure their controllability and overall system efficiency.

[0064] This application proposes the following solutions in its embodiments:

[0065] This application provides an air-layer drag reduction system for large ships, making it suitable for large and super-large vessels. These ships typically have large dimensions and load capacities, for example, a total length greater than 200 meters, a beam greater than 30 meters, or a deadweight tonnage greater than 200,000 tons. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air-layer drag reduction system for large ships provided in this application. As shown in Figure 1, the air-layer drag reduction system 100 includes: an air supply system 200, a pressure stabilization system 300, a jet system 400, a monitoring system 500, and an intelligent management system 600.

[0066] The gas supply system 200 is installed inside or outside the ship's cabin and is configured to provide gas with a preset flow rate and preset pressure to the air layer drag reduction system 100. The input end of the pressure stabilizing system 300 is connected to the output end of the gas supply system 200 through a gas path, and the output end of the pressure stabilizing system 300 is connected to the input end of the jet system 400 through a gas path. The pressure stabilizing system 300 is configured to transmit, control, and stabilize the gas provided by the gas supply system 200 and deliver the gas to the jet system 400. The jet system 400 is installed at the bottom of the ship and is configured to inject gas into the water through the bottom of the ship to form a stable air layer at the bottom of the ship. The monitoring system 500 is configured to monitor the operating information of the air layer drag reduction system, gas status information, navigation environment information, ship status information, and air layer status information.

[0067] The air supply system 200, pressure stabilizing system 300, jet system 400, and monitoring system 500 are all communicatively connected to the intelligent management system 600. The intelligent management system 600 is configured to receive feedback signals from the air supply system 200, pressure stabilizing system 300, jet system 400, and monitoring system 500, and to send control signals to the air supply system 200, pressure stabilizing system 300, jet system 400, and monitoring system 500. At the same time, the intelligent management system 600 is configured to control the air layer drag reduction system 100 to interact with the ship system 110 to achieve intelligent control and make the air layer drag reduction system 100 suitable for large ships, such as large and ultra-large ships.

[0068] In some embodiments, the preset flow rate and preset pressure of gas can be differentially adjusted based on parameters such as ship tonnage, ship draft, speed and navigation environment to accurately adapt to the gas supply requirements of the gas layer drag reduction system 100.

[0069] For example, the large and super-large ships proposed in this application embodiment may include ships with a deadweight tonnage of up to 400,000 tons or ships with a total length greater than 200 meters. Applying the air-layer drag reduction system 100 to large and super-large ships allows for corresponding improvements to the air supply system 200, pressure stabilization system 300, jetting system 400, and intelligent management system 600, based on the characteristics of large and super-large ships compared to small and medium-sized ships, to ensure the safety and energy efficiency of the air-layer drag reduction system 100 in large and super-large ships. The air supply system 200 supplies air to the air-layer drag reduction system 100, and the gas maintains a stable pressure after flowing through the pressure stabilization system 300. The gas is then ejected into the water through the jetting system 400 from the bottom of the ship, forming a stable air layer at the bottom of the ship. This effectively isolates the bottom of the ship from the water, reducing frictional resistance between the bottom of the ship and the water, thereby effectively reducing the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of large and super-large ships.

[0070] During the operation of the air layer drag reduction system 100, the monitoring system 500 continuously monitors and measures the status of the air layer drag reduction system 100, the gas, and the air layer, and can feed back the measured data to the intelligent management system 600 in real time. For example, the monitoring system 500 may include a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, and a temperature sensor installed on the gas path, respectively configured to monitor the pressure, flow rate, and temperature of the gas flowing through the gas path; the monitoring system 500 may also include an air layer status monitor installed on the bottom of the ship, configured to monitor the maintenance length and coverage status of the air layer at the bottom of the ship, and feed back the relevant monitoring data to the intelligent management system 600, thereby enabling the intelligent management system 600 to better regulate the various functional systems in the air layer drag reduction system 100, enabling large and ultra-large ships to achieve good energy-saving effects.

[0071] The air layer drag reduction system 100 can also interact with the ship system 110 through the intelligent management system 600. For example, the intelligent management system 600 can interact with the corresponding sensors installed in the ship system 110 for monitoring the ship's motion attitude, navigation environment, ship's shaft power, and main engine fuel consumption, etc., to obtain relevant monitoring data. Furthermore, the intelligent management system 600 can adjust the corresponding functional systems in the air layer drag reduction system 100 according to the relevant monitoring data, which is conducive to the intelligent control of the air layer drag reduction system 100 and can effectively solve the application problems faced in applying the air layer drag reduction system 100 to large and ultra-large ships.

[0072] The air-layer drag reduction system 100 provided in this embodiment supplies gas to the system via an air supply system 200. The gas flows through a pressure stabilizing system 300 to achieve pressure pre-stabilization before injection. Then, an injection system 400 injects the gas into the water through the bottom of the ship, thus realizing the application of air-layer drag reduction technology. During the operation of the air-layer drag reduction system 100, a monitoring system 500 monitors the status of each device, gas, and air layer within the system and feeds the monitored data back to an intelligent management system 600. Simultaneously, the intelligent management system 600 can also receive data monitored by corresponding sensors installed in the ship system 110. Based on the data monitored by the air-layer drag reduction system 100 and the data interacted with the ship system 110, the intelligent management system 600 can intelligently control the air-layer drag reduction system 100, thereby effectively solving the application challenges faced by the air-layer drag reduction system 100 in large and ultra-large ships, and enabling its application in large and ultra-large ships.

[0073] Optionally, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure and control strategy of an air layer drag reduction system and ship system applied to a large ship according to an embodiment of this application, and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem of the intelligent management system applied to an air layer drag reduction system of a large ship according to an embodiment of this application. Based on the above embodiments, and in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3, the intelligent management system 600 includes an optimized energy-saving operation subsystem 601, an equipment management subsystem 602, a data monitoring subsystem 603, and a centralized processing subsystem 604; the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem 601 includes an adaptive control module 611, an optimal energy efficiency control module 612, and a comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module 613; the equipment management subsystem 602 includes an equipment operation status monitoring module 621 and an alarm module 622.

[0074] The ship system 110 includes the ship's inherent system 111 and the air layer drag reduction service supplement system 112; the ship's inherent system 111 is a general configuration equipment for the ship, including the ship operation management system 1111, the power management system 1112, the ship / equipment operation monitoring system 1113, the environmental monitoring system 1114, and the alarm monitoring system 1115.

[0075] The intelligent management system 600 is configured to receive ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data sent by the ship system 110, and generate the preferred energy efficiency control mode under the current navigation state by the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem 601 based on the ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data and combined with the operation data of the air layer drag reduction system 100.

[0076] The optimized energy-saving operation subsystem 601 integrates three core control technologies: the adaptive control module 611 adopts air layer drag reduction adaptive control technology based on flight state and environment, the optimal energy efficiency control module 612 adopts optimal energy efficiency evaluation technology, and the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module 613 adopts comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management technology.

[0077] In some embodiments, the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem 601 achieves coordinated optimization control between the air layer drag reduction system 100 and the ship through the following methods: Based on air layer drag reduction adaptive control technology using navigation state and environment, multiple sensors are used to monitor and collect multi-dimensional parameters such as ship motion attitude, speed, navigation environment, ship shaft power, and main engine fuel consumption. The collected data is input to the adaptive control module 611. Based on the historical database and the air layer drag reduction system decision function, a parameter mapping relationship is established with the ship navigation data and system operation data. Real-time output of adjustment commands for optimal control parameters such as air supply flow rate, valve opening adjustment commands, and jet orifice opening and closing commands is generated to achieve adaptive adjustment of the air layer drag reduction system 100; Optimization of energy efficiency assessment. The technology utilizes the optimized energy efficiency control module 612, based on a historically constructed evaluation system encompassing multi-dimensional indicators such as air layer drag reduction system energy consumption, ship propulsion energy consumption, and fuel consumption, as well as verified energy efficiency evaluation methods. It searches for the optimal parameter combination based on optimization decision data to achieve dynamic updates of energy efficiency evaluation results. The comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management technology, through the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module 613, uses big data analysis to mine parameters of ship engines, propellers, and air layer drag reduction systems. It establishes a comprehensive ship energy efficiency model that includes multiple factors such as ship navigation status, environmental conditions, and air layer drag reduction system operating status. It combines the decision results of the former two to generate comprehensive optimization commands, and coordinates the adjustment of air layer drag reduction system parameters and ship adjustable equipment status.

[0078] The data monitoring subsystem 603, the energy-saving operation optimization subsystem 601, and the equipment management subsystem 602 are all connected to the centralized processing subsystem 604, and the centralized processing subsystem 604 interacts with the ship system 110 for data and commands.

[0079] The centralized processing subsystem 604 is configured to perform start / stop queries on the ship's overall operation management system 1111 and high-power queries on the power management system 1112, so as to control the start or stop of the air layer drag reduction system 100 based on the response of the power management system 1112 and the start / stop commands issued by the ship's overall operation management system 1111. The centralized processing subsystem 604 is also configured to receive data sent by the data monitoring subsystem 603, the energy-saving operation optimization subsystem 601, and the equipment management subsystem 602, and send control signals based on the data generated by the optimization decisions of the adaptive control module 611 and the optimal energy efficiency control module 612, so as to adjust the operating status of the equipment in the air layer drag reduction system 100, and based on the comprehensive optimization decisions of the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module 613. The policy command adjusts the operating status of the ship's adjustable equipment; the centralized processing subsystem 604 is also configured to receive data sent by the environmental monitoring system 1114, the ship / equipment operation monitoring system 1113, and the air layer drag reduction service supplement system 112 in the ship system 110 to determine the ship's navigation environment, navigation status, and the operating status of the ship's equipment, and send energy efficiency data and equipment adjustment commands to the ship / equipment operation monitoring system 1113 to adjust the operating status of the ship's adjustable equipment; the centralized processing subsystem 604 is also configured to send alarm signals to the alarm monitoring system 1115 of the ship system 110 based on the data sent by the alarm module 622 and the equipment operation status monitoring module 621 in the air layer drag reduction system 100.

[0080] For example, when applying the drag reduction system 100 to large and very large ships, setting up a reasonable and efficient management system is key to the long-term use of the drag reduction system 100. However, the increase in ship size will bring new problems to the management system. For example, when applied to large and very large ships, the number of devices and parameters that the drag reduction system 100 needs to monitor and control increases significantly, thereby greatly increasing the complexity of the management system and reducing its overall efficiency. In addition, the drag reduction system 100 applied to large and very large ships becomes huge, and the operation of the system will have a significant impact on the ship system 110, such as the impact on hardware equipment and software control.

[0081] Based on the aforementioned new challenges, the intelligent management system 600 integrates a core management system into the air layer drag reduction system 100 and couples the ship system 110 with the air layer drag reduction system 100 to achieve intelligent management of the air layer drag reduction system 100. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the adaptive control module 611, the optimal energy efficiency control module 612, and the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module 613 in the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem 601 serve as functional modules for implementing the core control technologies of the intelligent management system 600, achieving corresponding functions through these three core control technologies. For example, the adaptive control module 611 applies air layer drag reduction adaptive control technology based on navigation status and environment to adaptively regulate the air layer drag reduction system 100 according to the ship's navigation status data and surrounding environmental data; and the optimal energy efficiency control module 612 applies optimal energy efficiency evaluation technology to make intelligent judgments and perform optimal energy efficiency management of the air layer drag reduction system 100 and its equipment. For example, the controllable equipment may include air compressors, axial flow fans, valves, pressurization units, and cooling systems. By applying integrated energy efficiency optimization management technology through the integrated energy efficiency optimization management module 613, long-term monitoring of existing drag-reduction vessels is conducted. Key parameters of the ship's engine, propellers, and drag-reduction devices are systematically analyzed to comprehensively consider the drag-reduction system 100 and the ship system 110, achieving overall ship energy efficiency optimization. For example, key parameters may include the ship's navigation status, navigation environment, main engine operating conditions, fuel consumption, shaft power, jet flow rate, and jet pressure. The ship's inherent system 111 and the drag-reduction service supplement system 112 in the ship system 110 transmit ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data to the drag-reduction system 100. Furthermore, the ship's inherent system 111 receives relevant data from the drag-reduction system 100 and interacts with it, thereby achieving overall ship energy efficiency optimization.

[0082] For example, referring to Figure 2, the joint control strategy of the air layer drag reduction system 100 coupled with the ship system 110 is as follows: The centralized processing subsystem 604 in the intelligent management system 600 queries the ship operation management system 1111 to start and stop the system. If the feedback signal from the ship operation management system 1111 indicates that the air layer drag reduction system 100 is allowed to operate, the centralized processing subsystem 604 controls the air layer drag reduction system 100 to start; if the feedback signal from the ship operation management system 1111 indicates that the air layer drag reduction system 100 is prohibited from operating, the centralized processing subsystem 604 controls the air layer drag reduction system 100 to stop starting. In addition, the centralized processing module 640 sends a high-power query signal to the power management system 1112 to start the equipment in the air layer drag reduction system 100. If the power management system 1112 sends a feedback signal indicating that the current operating power of the ship is too high, the centralized processing subsystem 604 controls the air layer drag reduction system 100 not to start; if the power management system 1112 sends a feedback signal indicating that the current operating power of the ship allows the air layer drag reduction system 100 to start, the centralized processing subsystem 604 controls the air layer drag reduction system 100 to start.

[0083] For example, continuing to refer to Figure 2, the centralized processing subsystem 604 in the intelligent management system 600 can also receive data monitored by the environmental monitoring system 1114, the ship / equipment operation monitoring system 1113, and the air layer drag reduction service supplement system 112 in the ship system 110, thereby determining the ship's navigation environment, status, and the operating status of marine equipment. It can also receive data monitored by the data monitoring subsystem 603 at various locations in the air layer drag reduction system 100, and simultaneously receive optimization decision data from the adaptive control module 611 and the optimal energy efficiency control module 612, based on the received data. The received data is sent to the adaptive control module 611 and the optimal energy efficiency control module 612 to control the operating status of each device in the air layer drag reduction system 100. The comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module 613 manages the comprehensive energy efficiency of the ship and the air layer drag reduction system 100 and sends relevant energy efficiency data and equipment adjustment instructions to the ship / equipment operation monitoring system 1113. This facilitates the coordinated application of the air layer drag reduction system 100 and the whole ship, improves the overall system efficiency, and enables ships using the air layer drag reduction system 100 to achieve optimal energy-saving operation.

[0084] Referring to Figure 2, due to the significant differences in ship operating parameters under different loading conditions of large ships, such as draft, load, and displacement, it is necessary to dynamically adjust the alarm thresholds of each device in the air layer drag reduction system 100 according to the ship's loading conditions to ensure the safety of the air layer drag reduction system 100 during operation in large and ultra-large ships. The centralized processing subsystem 604 receives data from the ship / equipment operation monitoring system 1113 and the air layer drag reduction service supplement system 112 in the ship system 110. The alarm module 622 of the air layer drag reduction system 100 dynamically adjusts the alarm thresholds of each device in the air layer drag reduction system 100 according to the ship's loading conditions. It analyzes and judges the data sent by the equipment operation status monitoring module 621. When a fault occurs in the equipment in the air layer drag reduction system 100, it sends an alarm signal to the alarm monitoring system 1115 of the ship system 110, thereby ensuring the reliability of the equipment during operation and improving the engineering adaptability of the equipment.

[0085] The air layer drag reduction system for ships provided in this embodiment, by coupling the air layer drag reduction system 100 with the ship system 110 and setting an intelligent management system in the air layer drag reduction system 100, allows the air layer drag reduction system 100 and the ship system 110 to improve the overall system efficiency and reduce the system complexity applied to large ships by following the corresponding joint control strategy.

[0086] Optionally, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the air supply system in an air layer drag reduction system for large ships provided in an embodiment of this application. Based on the above embodiments, as shown in Figure 4, the air supply system 200 includes an air supply module 210, a power supply module 220, and an air supply control module 230.

[0087] The gas supply module 210 includes gas supply equipment 211; wherein a preset number of gas supply equipment 211 are arranged in a preset manner inside or outside the ship's cabin.

[0088] The power supply module 220 includes a power supply device 221 and a gas supply equipment drive device 222. The power supply device 221 is configured to provide power to the gas supply module 210 and the gas supply control module 230. The drive form of the gas supply equipment drive device 222 includes frequency conversion drive or soft start drive. The gas supply equipment drive device 222 is configured to drive the gas supply module 210 to start, and suppress harmonic interference and instantaneous starting current.

[0089] Both the gas supply module 210 and the power supply module 220 are communicatively connected to the gas supply control module 230. The gas supply control module 230 is configured to receive feedback signals from the gas supply module 210 and the power supply module 220, and to control the gas supply module 210 and the power supply module 220.

[0090] For example, when the drag reduction system 100 is applied to large and super-large ships, the increased size of the ships leads to greater draft and wider bottom areas. Therefore, the air supply system in the drag reduction system 100 needs to provide a large air supply flow rate and high air supply pressure. However, if the air supply flow rate and pressure of the air supply system are directly increased, for large ships with a deadweight tonnage of, for example, 200,000 to 400,000 tons, the power consumption of the air supply system will be close to 50% of the total power of the ship's electrical system, and it will also cause significant interference to the ship's electrical system. When the air supply system operates at high power, the heat dissipation is large, and the temperature of the compartment will increase sharply, affecting the normal operation of the equipment in the compartment. It will also generate mechanical vibration and large environmental noise, which will have a significant impact on the life of the people on board and the structural strength of the ship. In addition, the exhaust temperature can reach 150 to 300 degrees Celsius, which can easily cause high-temperature gas and gas path injuries, damage to gas path coatings and monitoring and control instruments, etc.

[0091] Based on the aforementioned problems of conventional gas supply systems applied to large and ultra-large ships, the gas supply system provided in this embodiment has been improved. To meet the requirements of large gas supply volume and high gas pressure, the gas supply module 210 includes a preset number of gas supply devices 211, which are arranged in a preset manner inside or outside the ship's cabins. For example, the gas supply devices 211 may include air compressors, and the preset number may include a small number or a large number. A small number of gas supply devices 211 may include 1 to 4 high-power, high-volume gas supply devices 211, while a large number of gas supply devices 211 may include 5 to 15 low-power, low-volume gas supply devices 211. The preset arrangement may include centralized or distributed systems. The preset number and preset arrangement of the gas supply devices 211 can be combined according to ship management requirements, ship space, and power limitations to meet the gas supply needs of the air layer drag reduction system 100 applied to large and ultra-large ships. For example: a small number of gas supply devices 211 can be arranged in a centralized manner. This method is relatively convenient for managing the gas supply devices 211, but it has a greater impact on the ship's electrical grid and requires a large, contiguous area for arrangement, resulting in a loss of gas supply efficiency. Alternatively, a large number of gas supply devices 211 can be arranged in a centralized manner. This method is relatively convenient for managing the gas supply devices 211 and has less impact on the ship's electrical grid, but it requires a larger, contiguous area for arrangement, placing greater demands on ship space and resulting in a loss of gas supply efficiency. Or... A small number of gas supply devices 211 can be arranged in a distributed manner. Although this method is more inconvenient to manage and has a greater impact on the ship's electrical grid, it has lower space requirements and only requires multiple small areas for arrangement, and the gas supply efficiency loss is small. Alternatively, a large number of gas supply devices 211 can be arranged in a distributed manner. Although this method is more inconvenient to manage, it has less impact on the ship's electrical grid, lower space requirements, and can be flexibly arranged in any location inside or outside the cabin as needed, and the gas supply efficiency loss is small.

[0092] For example, the gas supply module 210 further includes a gas booster unit 212; the gas booster unit 212 is disposed at the output end of the gas supply device 211, and is configured to dynamically boost and regulate the gas pressure. The gas booster unit 212 may include gas boosters, booster pumps, and gas booster systems, etc., and different installation methods are adopted according to different boosting methods. Optionally, a gas booster is used, which is installed in the gas line. Optionally, a gas booster system is used, in which the gas booster pump and related components are encapsulated in a fixed frame or box, and / or encapsulated in a closed frame or box, which is compact and easy to use; wherein, the pressure gauge, valve, and pressure regulator are all panel mounted; the output pressure is adjusted by setting the pressure regulator, and when the set pressure is reached, the gas booster pump automatically stops until the pressure drops and the gas booster pump resumes operation. Based on a comprehensive consideration of parameters such as the exhaust pressure of the gas supply device 211, the working pressure requirement of the gas layer drag reduction system 100, and the gas line diameter, the gas booster is optimized in design, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of the gas layer drag reduction system 100. It can be equipped with a gas boosting system to boost compressed air in multiple stages. It is gas-driven, does not use electricity, and does not produce sparks, making it suitable for flammable and explosive working environments.

[0093] For example, the gas supply module 210 further includes a gas pressure stabilizing unit 213, which is disposed at the output end of the gas boosting unit 212. The gas pressure stabilizing unit 213 is configured to pre-stabilize the gas and then transmit the gas to the bottom of the ship through a gas path. The gas pressure stabilizing unit 213 may include a high-pressure gas storage tank or an air cylinder, which pre-stabilizes the compressed gas to meet the working pressure, and then transmits the pressure-stabilized gas to the bottom of the ship.

[0094] For example, the power module 220 may include a power supply device 221 and a gas supply equipment drive device 222. The power supply device 221 may include a marine generator, a shaft-driven generator, or special power generation equipment. The gas supply equipment drive device 222 may include a variable frequency drive device, a fixed frequency drive device, a harmonic processor, and a soft starter. The harmonic processor is configured to suppress harmonics generated by the variable frequency drive, reducing harmonic interference to the ship's power grid after the gas supply equipment 211 starts using the variable frequency drive. The gas supply equipment 211 can be driven by either a variable frequency drive or a soft starter. The variable frequency drive will generate harmonic interference, which the harmonic processor can suppress to some extent. The soft starter can suppress excessive instantaneous starting current to some extent.

[0095] Optionally, based on the above embodiments and referring to Figure 4, the air supply system 200 further includes a cooling module 240, a fresh air module 250, a vibration reduction and noise reduction module 260, and a condensate drainage module 270.

[0096] The cooling module 240 and the fresh air module 250 are powered by the power module 220; the fresh air module 250 includes a fresh air supply system based on an axial fan, configured to provide air supply to the air supply module 210 and to cool the compartments and equipment at the air supply module 210.

[0097] The cooling module 240 is configured to cool the exhaust gas of the air supply device 211 and the air supply module 210 equipment in a preset cooling mode. The preset cooling mode includes water cooling and air cooling. The water cooling mode uses cooling pipes equipped with pressurization components, and the cooling pipes of the water cooling mode are set separately from the cooling pipes of the ship system. The air cooling mode is achieved through an air supply device, which includes an axial flow fan.

[0098] The vibration reduction and noise reduction module 260 adopts a combination of vibration reduction and noise reduction components and preset suppression measures. The vibration reduction and noise reduction components include at least one of the following: sound insulation cotton lining the inner wall of the sealed box-type encapsulated air supply equipment 211; vibration isolators arranged at the bottom of the air supply equipment 211; silencers arranged on the pipeline connected to the air supply equipment 211; damping lining the floor of the air supply equipment 211 compartment; sound insulation cotton and damping layer lining the walls of the air supply equipment 211 compartment; vortex silencers arranged inside the air transmission pipeline; and vibration isolation supports, damping layers, and sound insulation cotton arranged on the air transmission pipeline. The vibration reduction and noise reduction module 260 is configured to reduce the vibration or noise generated during the operation of at least one of the air supply equipment 211 and the air path.

[0099] The condensate drain module 270 includes at least one of a vent valve and a bypass line disposed in the gas line connected to the gas supply equipment 211 and the gas pressure stabilizing unit 213, configured to drain condensate from the gas line.

[0100] Both the cooling module 240 and the fresh air module 250 are communicatively connected to the air supply control module 230. The air supply control module 230 is configured to receive feedback signals from the cooling module 240 and the fresh air module 250 and control the cooling module 240 and the fresh air module 250.

[0101] For example, the fresh air module 250 may include a fresh air supply system based on an axial flow fan. By configuring a high-flow-rate axial flow fan, it can meet the demand for a large flow of air and provide heat dissipation and cooling for the air supply compartment and equipment. The cooling module 240 may be water-cooled or air-cooled. Water cooling can use fresh water or seawater. When using water cooling, a pressurization component needs to be installed on the cooling pipes; an independent small cooling circulation system can be constructed; or it can be connected to the ship's cooling system as an independent circulation pipe, separating the water-cooled cooling pipes from the ship's cooling pipes. This helps prevent air leakage from the cooling module 240 into the ship's cooling system water pipes, thus avoiding disruption to the normal operation of the ship's equipment. For the water-cooled air supply system, a pressurization component can be configured to ensure that the cooling module 240 meets the normal operating requirements under specific operating conditions. For example, the pressurization component may include various forms such as a booster.

[0102] For example, the vibration reduction and noise reduction module 260 can reduce air noise and ship structural noise caused by vibration by combining vibration reduction and noise reduction components with reasonable suppression measures. Vibration reduction and noise reduction measures may include the following: encapsulating the air supply equipment 211 in a sealed box with sound insulation cotton lining the inner wall; installing at least one of vibration dampers and vibration isolators at the bottom of the air supply equipment 211; installing silencers on the air intake and exhaust pipes of the air supply equipment 211; laying damping on the floor of the compartment where the air supply equipment 211 is located and laying at least one of sound insulation cotton and damping layers on the walls; installing vortex silencers inside the air passage; and installing at least one of vibration isolation brackets, damping, and sound insulation cotton outside the air passage. In addition, by rationally designing the diameter and length of the air inlet and exhaust pipes of the gas supply equipment 211, and rationally designing the diameter, bend position and length of the gas transmission pipeline, and based on the noise signal characteristics of the gas supply equipment 211 and the gas transmission pipeline, at least one of the following can be rationally selected as vibration reduction and noise reduction components: vibration isolator, silencer, damping layer, sound insulation cotton, eddy current silencer, vibration isolation bracket and sound insulation cotton. This can effectively improve the vibration or noise generated during the operation of the gas supply equipment 211 and at least one of the gas circuits.

[0103] For example, the condensate discharge module 270 discharges condensate in the gas path through at least one of the vent valve and the bypass pipeline in the gas path, so as to prevent condensate generated after the high temperature gas is cooled from depositing in the gas path and affecting the normal operation of the measurement and control instruments arranged in the gas path.

[0104] The drag reduction system for ships provided in this embodiment improves the air supply module 210, power supply module 220, air supply control module 230, cooling module 240, fresh air module 250, vibration reduction and noise reduction module 260 and condensate discharge module 270 in the air supply system. This improves the air supply system so that when applied to large and super-large ships, it can provide a large air supply flow and high air supply pressure, and reduce temperature, vibration and noise.

[0105] Optionally, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a pressure stabilizing system provided in an embodiment of this application for use in a drag reduction system for large ships. Based on the above embodiments, as shown in Figure 5, the pressure stabilizing system 300 includes a multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310, a pressure stabilizing chamber 320, and a valve control module 311 and a regulator 312 disposed on the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310.

[0106] The input end of the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310 in the pressure stabilizing system 300 is connected to the output end of the gas supply module 210 in the gas supply system 200. The valve control module 311 and regulator 312 are configured to regulate the internal pressure and flow rate of the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310. The valve control module 311 includes various valves and a valve control system arranged on the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310 to achieve some functions of adaptive control of the air layer drag reduction system based on the ship's navigation environment and flight state. The input end of the pressure stabilizing chamber 320 is connected to the output end of the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310, and the output end of the pressure stabilizing chamber 320 is connected to the input end of the jet system 400. The pressure stabilizing chamber 320 decelerates, rectifies, and stabilizes the gas pressure within itself. The gas is then transmitted to the jet system 400, allowing it to flow evenly into the water. The pressure stabilizing chamber 320 employs pre-designed anti-corrosion and anti-fouling measures. The pre-designed anti-corrosion measures include: using pre-designed anti-corrosion materials and applying an internal anti-corrosion coating. The pre-designed anti-fouling measures include: installing a sediment cleaning device and opening a hole at the bottom of the chamber to remove sediment. The internal anti-corrosion coating includes increasing the chamber size and adopting an internal coating structure, allowing the internal coating trolley to coat the inside of the pressure stabilizing chamber 320 during the construction phase and during regular maintenance.

[0107] For example, the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 is a long and narrow cavity located on the inner side of the bottom plate of the ship's hull along the width direction, and is a key component of the air layer drag reduction system. The bottom plate corresponding to the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 has multiple evenly arranged jet nozzles 450, and the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 is connected to a multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310. The pressure stabilizing cavity 320 can decelerate, rectify, and stabilize the gas, ensuring that the gas is evenly injected into the water from the bottom jet nozzles 450, thereby forming and maintaining a uniform and stable air layer on the ship's bottom. The inner side of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 communicates with the jet nozzles 450, and the cavity is filled with seawater for a long time; the outer side may be placed in a ballast water tank, and when ballast water is added to the ballast water tank, the outer side of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 is also immersed in seawater for a considerable period of time. Furthermore, large and super-large ships generally operate on ocean routes, often sailing in tropical regions, and their docking time is unpredictable, potentially lasting 2 to 3 months. Therefore, the pressure stabilizing chamber 320 and gas pipelines have high corrosion resistance requirements.

[0108] Corrosion resistance of the voltage stabilizing chamber 320 is achieved through the materials used, the internal coating, and the corresponding engineering implementation. For example, the voltage stabilizing chamber 320 can be constructed using a pre-designed anti-corrosion material with strong anti-corrosion properties, such as a nickel-chromium alloy or polyethylene (PE). Internal coating of the voltage stabilizing chamber 320 involves applying an anti-corrosion coating to the inside of the chamber to enhance its corrosion resistance. For subsequent maintenance of the internally coated voltage stabilizing chamber 320, the internal anti-corrosion coating needs to be applied periodically according to the anti-corrosion and anti-fouling cycle, and deposits need to be cleaned. Therefore, to facilitate construction and cleaning of the voltage stabilizing chamber 320, an internal coating structure and a cleaning structure can be provided. For example, the internal coating structure includes a pressure stabilizing cavity 320. While meeting the specified strength requirements, the cavity size of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 is increased to facilitate internal coating. Mounting boxes are provided at both ends of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 to allow the internal coating trolley to enter and complete the internal coating process. Alternatively, a top cover can be provided on the top of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 to facilitate internal coating by the internal coating trolley. For example, the sediment cleaning device includes a high-pressure water flushing device. The high-pressure water flushing device is used to flush the cavity to clean the interior of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320. The opening at the bottom of the pressure stabilizing cavity 320 can be a large-area hole to allow the flushed sediment to drain out.

[0109] For large and very large ships, multi-diameter gas transmission pipelines are typically used to ensure the operational requirements of the gas layer drag reduction system and reduce energy loss. However, this presents challenges in engineering implementation and construction. To address these issues, the pressure stabilization system 300 provided in this embodiment employs a standardized multi-diameter gas transmission pipeline 310. By installing a valve control module 311 and a regulator 312 on the multi-diameter gas transmission pipeline 310, the internal pressure and flow rate of the pipeline are adjusted. This ensures that the gas flow rate and pressure requirements of the gas layer drag reduction system for the main and branch pipelines are met, resulting in homogenized gas flow within the pipeline and minimizing energy loss. Simultaneously, it also reduces construction difficulty. For example, the regulator 312 may include a throttling orifice plate.

[0110] The gas layer drag reduction system for ships provided in this embodiment is equipped with a valve control module 311 and a regulator 312 for the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline 310 with a standardized diameter, and the pressure stabilizing chamber 320 is protected against corrosion and fouling. This helps to reduce the difficulty of construction and makes the pressure stabilizing system 300 in the gas layer drag reduction system applicable to large and ultra-large ships.

[0111] Optionally, Figure 6 is a bottom view structural diagram of a ship's bottom provided in an embodiment of this application. Based on the above embodiments, as shown in Figure 6, the jet system 400 includes a bottom air cavitation 420, an air cavitation cofferdam 430, a longitudinal baffle 440, a jet nozzle 450, an air layer activation device 410, and air cavitation bow and stern appendages 470.

[0112] A bottom air cavitation 420 is located on the flat bottom portion of the outer side of the ship's bottom plate. It forms a low-pressure area through bow and stern appendages and air cavitation cofferdams. It is designed to allow gas to adhere inside the bottom air cavitation 420, forming a gas layer and maintaining stability. Air cavitation cofferdams 430 are arranged around the edge of the ship's bottom, forming the bottom air cavitation 420. Longitudinal baffles 440 are spaced along the ship's width direction on the bottom of the ship. A gas layer activation device 410 is arranged along the ship's width direction on the side downstream of the jet nozzle 450 near the stern of the ship. At least one of the air cavitation cofferdams 430 and longitudinal baffles 440 has a pre-defined discontinuous arrangement along the ship's length direction.

[0113] For example, the jet system, as a core component of the air layer drag reduction system, faces limitations in air layer length and strength when applied to large and super-large ships. The effective operating distance of the jet system in conventional air layer drag reduction systems is only 5-20 meters. For large and super-large ships, this results in insufficient coverage of the air layer along the ship's length. Adding jet nozzles 450 only along the ship's length would increase construction difficulty and economic costs, and increasing the jet volume might worsen energy-saving effects. Furthermore, large and super-large ships exhibit a certain degree of deformation in both length and width directions. Due to the ship's strength and deformation, the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440 may fracture or tear from the hull plate, potentially causing safety hazards. Based on these issues, this embodiment reduces construction difficulty and economic costs by incorporating an air layer activation device 410, and improves safety by setting the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440 in a pre-defined intermittent arrangement. The gas layer activation device 410 can locally adjust the pressure field at a corresponding location to activate the tail end of the gas layer, thereby extending the gas layer coverage length. The gas layer activation device 410 can take various forms, such as an external convex body, an internal concave component, or a local blowing / suction device, and the arrangement position and number of the gas layer activation device 410 can be arranged as needed according to the flow field characteristics at the bottom of the ship.

[0114] For example, the preset discontinuous arrangement forms include rigid connection of discontinuous gaps, elastic connection of discontinuous gaps, and staggered arrangement of discontinuous gaps. Figure 7 is a bottom view structural diagram of another ship bottom provided by an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 is a structural diagram of a rigid connection of discontinuous gaps provided by an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 is a structural diagram of another rigid connection of discontinuous gaps provided by an embodiment of this application; and Figure 10 is a partially enlarged structural diagram of a rigid connection of discontinuous gaps provided by an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 shows the location of the discontinuities provided on the air cavitation enclosure and the longitudinal baffle; Figures 8 to 10 show structural diagrams of the rigid connection of discontinuous gaps. The rigid connection of the discontinuous gap 460 includes connecting both ends of the rigid connection component 461 between at least one of the discontinuities of the air cavitation enclosure 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440; wherein the rigid connection component 461 is connected in a non-linear form. The rigid connecting component 461 is made of the same material as the air pocket cofferdam 430 or the longitudinal baffle 440. Both ends of the rigid connecting component 461 are rigidly connected to at least one of the break points of the air pocket cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 by welding or other means. Since the rigid connecting component 461 cannot be bent, it is given a preset curvature, meaning that the rigid connecting component 461 is connected in a non-linear form between at least one of the breaks in the air pocket cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440. Compared to the conventional continuous and straight air pocket cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440, the rigid connecting component 461 with the preset curvature allows at least one of the air pocket cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 to withstand the effects of ship strength and deformation, which helps reduce the possibility of breakage and tearing from the bottom plate, thus improving safety.

[0115] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an intermittent gap elastic connection provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of another intermittent gap elastic connection provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 13 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of an intermittent gap elastic connection provided in an embodiment of this application; and Figure 14 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of yet another intermittent gap elastic connection provided in an embodiment of this application. Figures 7 and 11 to 14 show schematic diagrams of the intermittent gap elastic connection. The intermittent 460 gap elastic connection includes connecting both ends of a flexible connecting member 462 between at least one of a cavity enclosure 430 and a longitudinal baffle 440; wherein the flexible connecting member 462 is linear or non-linear. Figure 13 shows a non-linear flexible connecting member 462, and Figure 14 shows a linear flexible connecting member 462. The flexible connecting component 462 can be made of non-metallic soft materials such as PE. When both ends of the flexible connecting component 462 are connected to the break point of at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440, the connection must be fixed and airtight. Since the flexible connecting component 462 itself can be bent and has a certain degree of elasticity, whether the flexible connecting component 462 is straight or non-straight, at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 can withstand the influence of ship strength and deformation, which helps to reduce the possibility of breakage and tearing with the bottom plate, and improves safety.

[0116] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of a bottom structure of a ship provided in an embodiment of this application. The staggered arrangement of intermittent gaps includes placing intermittent patch plates 463 along the ship's width direction on one side of at least one of the intermittent air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440; wherein, both ends of the intermittent patch plates 463 are welded to the toe ends of the ribs at the bottom of the ship; the intermittent patch plates 463 have a predetermined length range, and the intermittent patch plates 463 and at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440 are at a predetermined distance range in the ship's width direction. By placing intermittent patch plates 463 along the ship's width direction at a predetermined distance range from the interruption of at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440, with both ends of the intermittent patch plates 463 welded to the toe ends of the ribs at the bottom of the ship, and with the height of the intermittent patch plates 463 equal to the height of at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440, the gas layer or gas can be prevented from escaping. For example, the preset length range of the intermittent patch 463 is L1+800 to 1600 mm; where L1 represents the discontinuity length, which can be determined based on the flow field characteristics at the bottom of the ship; the preset distance range is 50 to 200 mm. If the length of the intermittent patch 463 is too short, gas layer or gas escape may occur; if the length of the intermittent patch 463 is too long, it may result in material waste. If the distance between the intermittent patch 463 and at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 is too large, air layer or gas escape may occur; if the distance between the intermittent patch 463 and at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 is too small, it is inconvenient for construction, and there is still a possibility that the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 may break or tear from the bottom plate.

[0117] In some embodiments, depending on the actual scenario requirements, rigid connecting components 461, flexible connecting components 462, or intermittent patch plates 463 can be flexibly selected for arrangement at at least one of the intermittent air cavity enclosure 430 and longitudinal baffle 440. For example, the intermittent parts of the air cavity enclosure 430 can be connected by all rigid connecting components 461, partially by rigid connecting components 461 and partially by flexible connecting components 462, partially by rigid connecting components 461 and partially by intermittent patch plates 463, partially by flexible connecting components 462 and partially by intermittent patch plates 463, or the intermittent parts can be connected by a mixture of rigid connecting components 461, flexible connecting components 462, and intermittent patch plates 463, etc. The longitudinal baffle 440 can be connected by all rigid connecting parts 461, partially by rigid connecting parts 461 and partially by flexible connecting parts 462, partially by rigid connecting parts 461 and partially by intermittent patch plates 463, partially by flexible connecting parts 462 and partially by intermittent patch plates 463, or by a combination of rigid connecting parts 461, flexible connecting parts 462 and intermittent patch plates 463 at the discontinuities. In other embodiments, all discontinuities of the air cavitation enclosure 430 are connected by rigid connecting members 461, while all discontinuities of the longitudinal baffle 440 are connected by flexible connecting members 462; or, the discontinuities of the air cavitation enclosure 430 are connected by a combination of rigid connecting members 461 and flexible connecting members 462, while the discontinuities of the longitudinal baffle 440 are connected by a combination of flexible connecting members 462 and discontinuity patch 463, etc. In actual arrangement, it can be flexibly adjusted according to specific usage scenarios, stress conditions and structural requirements to achieve the best application effect.

[0118] In some embodiments, the position and width of the discontinuity 460 provided on at least one of the cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 are related to various factors such as ship length, draft, thickness of bottom steel plate and speed. Therefore, the discontinuity 460 of the appropriate width needs to be provided at the corresponding position of at least one of the cavitation cofferdam 430 and the longitudinal baffle 440 according to the actual situation of the ship, so as to ensure that the air layer drag reduction system can be applied to large and ultra-large ships.

[0119] The air layer drag reduction system for ships provided in this embodiment can effectively extend the air layer coverage length by adding an air layer activation device 410 and improving the connection form of at least one of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440, and can effectively reduce the possibility of breakage of the air cavitation cofferdam 430 and longitudinal baffle 440 and tearing with the bottom plate, thereby improving the safety of large and super-large ships.

[0120] This application also provides a ship. In this embodiment, the ship can be a large or very large ship, such as a ship with a total length greater than 200 meters, a beam greater than 30 meters, or a deadweight tonnage greater than 200,000 tons. This ship has the same beneficial effects as the air-layer drag reduction system described in any of the above embodiments, namely, by realizing data interaction between the air-layer drag reduction system and the ship system through the intelligent management system in the ship's air-layer drag reduction system, intelligent control of the air-layer drag reduction system can be achieved. This effectively solves the application problems faced by air-layer drag reduction systems in large and very large ships, enabling the application of air-layer drag reduction systems in large and very large ships.

Claims

1. An air-layer drag reduction system for large ships, comprising: Gas supply system, pressure stabilization system, jetting system, monitoring system, and intelligent management system; The gas supply system is located inside or outside the ship's cabin and is configured to provide gas with a preset flow rate and preset pressure to the air layer drag reduction system. The input end of the pressure stabilizing system is connected to the output end of the gas supply system via a gas path, and the output end of the pressure stabilizing system is connected to the input end of the jet system via a gas path. The pressure stabilizing system is configured to transmit, control, and stabilize the gas supplied by the gas supply system and deliver the gas to the jet system. The jet system is located at the bottom of the ship and is configured to inject gas into the water through the bottom of the ship to form a stable air layer at the bottom. The monitoring system is configured to monitor the operating information of the air layer drag reduction system, gas status information, navigation environment information, ship status information, and air layer status information. The gas supply system, the pressure stabilizing system, the jetting system, and the monitoring system are all communicatively connected to the intelligent management system. The intelligent management system is configured to receive feedback signals from the gas supply system, the pressure stabilizing system, the jetting system, and the monitoring system, and to send control signals to the gas supply system, the pressure stabilizing system, the jetting system, and the monitoring system. At the same time, the intelligent management system is configured to control the air layer drag reduction system to interact with the ship's systems to achieve intelligent control, making the air layer drag reduction system suitable for large ships.

2. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 1, wherein, The intelligent management system includes an optimized energy-saving operation subsystem, an equipment management subsystem, a data monitoring subsystem, and a centralized processing subsystem; the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem includes an adaptive control module, an optimal energy efficiency control module, and a comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module; the equipment management subsystem includes an equipment operation status monitoring module and an alarm module; The ship system includes the ship's inherent systems and the air layer drag reduction service supplementation system; the ship's inherent systems are general-purpose equipment for ships, including the ship operation management system, power management system, ship / equipment operation monitoring system, environmental monitoring system, and alarm monitoring system; The intelligent management system is configured to receive ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data sent by the ship system, and, based on the ship navigation monitoring data and navigation energy efficiency monitoring data, and in conjunction with the operating data of the air layer drag reduction system, generate the preferred energy efficiency control mode for the current navigation state by the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem.

3. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 2, wherein, The optimized energy-saving operation subsystem integrates three control technologies: the adaptive control module adopts air layer drag reduction adaptive control technology based on flight state and environment, the optimal energy efficiency control module adopts optimal energy efficiency evaluation technology, and the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module adopts comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management technology. The data monitoring subsystem, the energy-saving operation optimization subsystem, and the equipment management subsystem are all communicatively connected to the centralized processing subsystem, and the centralized processing subsystem interacts with the ship system in terms of data and commands. The centralized processing subsystem is configured to perform start / stop queries on the ship operation management system and high-power queries on the power management system, so as to control the start or stop of the air layer drag reduction system according to the response of the power management system and the start / stop command issued by the ship operation management system. The centralized processing subsystem is also configured to receive data sent by the data monitoring subsystem, the optimized energy-saving operation subsystem, and the equipment management subsystem, and send control signals based on the data generated by the optimization decisions of the adaptive control module and the optimal energy efficiency control module to adjust the operating status of the equipment in the air layer drag reduction system, and adjust the operating status of the ship's adjustable equipment based on the comprehensive optimization decision instructions of the comprehensive energy efficiency optimization management module. The centralized processing subsystem is also configured to receive data from the environmental monitoring system, the ship / equipment operation monitoring system, and the air layer drag reduction service supplement system in the ship system to determine the ship's navigation environment, navigation status, and the operating status of marine equipment, and to send energy efficiency data and equipment adjustment instructions to the ship / equipment operation monitoring system to adjust the operating status of the ship's adjustable equipment. The centralized processing subsystem is further configured to send an alarm signal to the alarm monitoring system of the ship system based on the data sent by the alarm module and the equipment operation status monitoring module in the air layer drag reduction system.

4. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 1, wherein, The gas supply system includes a gas supply module, a power supply module, and a gas supply control module; The gas supply module includes gas supply equipment; wherein a predetermined number of the gas supply equipment are arranged in a predetermined manner inside or outside the ship's cabin. The power module includes a power supply device and a gas supply equipment drive device. The power supply device is configured to provide electrical energy to the gas supply module and the gas supply control module. The drive form of the gas supply equipment drive device includes frequency conversion drive or soft start drive. The gas supply equipment drive device is configured to drive the gas supply module to start, and suppress harmonic interference and instantaneous starting current. Both the gas supply module and the power supply module are communicatively connected to the gas supply control module. The gas supply control module is configured to receive feedback signals from the gas supply module and the power supply module, and to control the gas supply module and the power supply module.

5. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 4, wherein, The gas supply system also includes a cooling module, a fresh air module, a vibration reduction and noise reduction module, and a condensate drainage module; The cooling module and the fresh air module are powered by the power module; the fresh air module includes a fresh air supply system based on an axial fan, configured to provide air supply to the air supply module and to dissipate heat and cool the compartment and equipment at the air supply module. The cooling module is configured to cool the exhaust gas from the gas supply equipment and the gas supply module equipment using a preset cooling method; wherein, the preset cooling method includes water cooling and air cooling, the water cooling method uses cooling pipes equipped with pressurization components, and the cooling pipes of the water cooling method are separately set from the cooling pipes of the ship system; the air cooling method is achieved through an air supply device, the air supply device including an axial flow fan; The vibration reduction and noise reduction module adopts a combination of vibration reduction and noise reduction components and preset suppression measures. The vibration reduction and noise reduction components include at least one of the following: a sealed box-type encapsulated air supply equipment with sound insulation cotton lining the inner wall; a vibration isolator arranged at the bottom of the air supply equipment; a silencer arranged on the pipeline connected to the air supply equipment; a damping layer laid on the floor of the air supply equipment compartment; a sound insulation cotton lining and a damping layer laid on the walls of the air supply equipment compartment; a vortex silencer arranged inside the air transmission pipeline; and a vibration isolation support, a damping layer, and a sound insulation cotton arranged on the air transmission pipeline. The vibration reduction and noise reduction module is configured to reduce the vibration or noise generated during the operation of at least one of the air supply equipment and the air path. The condensate discharge module includes at least one of a vent valve and a bypass pipeline installed on the gas line connected to the gas supply module, and is configured to discharge condensate in the gas line. Both the cooling module and the fresh air module are communicatively connected to the air supply control module. The air supply control module is configured to receive feedback signals from the cooling module and the fresh air module, and to control the cooling module and the fresh air module.

6. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 1, wherein, The pressure stabilization system includes multi-stage gas transmission pipelines, a pressure stabilization chamber, and valve control modules and regulators installed on the multi-stage gas transmission pipelines; The valve control module and the regulator are configured to regulate the internal pressure and flow rate of the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline; The valve control module includes: various valves and valve control systems arranged on multi-stage gas pipelines, to realize some functions of adaptive control of the gas layer drag reduction system based on the ship's navigation environment and navigation state. The input end of the pressure stabilizing chamber is connected to the output end of the multi-stage gas transmission pipeline, and the output end of the pressure stabilizing chamber is connected to the input end of the jet system. The pressure stabilizing chamber decelerates, rectifies, and stabilizes the gas within itself, and then transmits the gas to the jet system, ensuring that the gas is evenly sprayed into the water. The pressure stabilizing chamber employs pre-designed anti-corrosion and anti-fouling measures. The pre-designed anti-corrosion measures include: using pre-designed anti-corrosion materials and applying anti-corrosion coatings internally / externally. The pre-designed anti-fouling measures include: installing a sediment cleaning device and opening the bottom of the chamber to remove sediment. The internal anti-corrosion coating includes increasing the cavity size and adopting an internal coating structure, so that the internal coating trolley can coat the inside of the pressure stabilizing cavity during the construction phase and during the regular maintenance phase.

7. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 6, wherein, The regulator includes a throttling orifice plate, and the preset anti-corrosion material includes nickel-chromium alloy or polyethylene; The internal coating structure includes mounting boxes at both ends of the voltage stabilizing cavity, or a top cover is opened on the top of the voltage stabilizing cavity. The sediment cleaning device includes a high-pressure water flushing device.

8. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 1, wherein, The jet system includes a hull cavitation chamber, a cavitation chamber baffle, a longitudinal baffle, jet nozzles, a gas layer activation device, and cavitation chamber bow and stern appendages; The hull air pocket is a low-pressure area set on the flat bottom part of the outer side of the ship's bottom plate, and is designed to allow gas to adhere inside the hull air pocket to form an air layer and remain stable. The cavitation enclosure is arranged around the edge of the bottom of the ship, and the cavitation enclosure forms the bottom cavitation; the longitudinal baffles are spaced apart along the width of the ship at the bottom of the ship, and the gas layer activation device is arranged along the width of the ship on the side downstream of the jet hole near the stern of the ship. At least one of the cavitation bulge and the longitudinal baffle has a pre-defined discontinuous arrangement along the length of the ship.

9. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 8, wherein, The preset discontinuous arrangement forms include rigid connection of discontinuous gaps, elastic connection of discontinuous gaps, and staggered arrangement of discontinuous gaps; The intermittent gap rigid connection includes connecting both ends of the rigid connection member between at least one of the intermittent cavitation enclosure and the longitudinal baffle; wherein the rigid connection member is connected in a non-linear manner; The intermittent gap elastic connection includes connecting both ends of a flexible connecting member between at least one of the intermittent air cavitation enclosure and the longitudinal baffle; wherein the flexible connecting member is linear or non-linear. The staggered arrangement of the intermittent gaps includes setting an intermittent patch plate along the width of the ship on the interrupted side of at least one of the interrupted air cavitation bulkhead and the longitudinal baffle; wherein, both ends of the intermittent patch plate are welded to the toe ends of the keel at the bottom of the ship; the intermittent patch plate has a preset length range, and the intermittent patch plate and at least one of the air cavitation bulkhead and the longitudinal baffle plate have a preset distance range in the width of the ship.

10. The air layer drag reduction system for large ships according to claim 9, wherein, The preset length range of the discontinuous patch is L1+800~1600 mm; where L1 represents the discontinuity length. The preset distance range is 50 to 200 millimeters.

11. A vessel, comprising a vessel system and an air layer drag reduction system for a large vessel as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the vessel system and the air layer drag reduction system of the vessel are communicatively connected.

Images