Electromotive Sail Drive Lubricant Circulation for Stable Motor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromotive sail drives face challenges in cooling electromotive motors efficiently and cost-effectively, as traditional cooling mechanisms like heat exchangers are expensive and complex.
Innovation Solution
An electromotive sail drive system that includes an electromotive motor, a drive unit, and a pump to circulate lubricant oil within the drive unit, utilizing the oil's cooling properties to maintain stable motor output over time without the need for a dedicated cooling medium or mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat exchanger is used as a cooling mechanism for the electromotive motor, then the cooling effectiveness is improved, but the cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant oil performs multiple functions: it lubricates the drive unit components and simultaneously serves as a cooling medium for the electromotive motor. By integrating these two functions into a single system, the patent eliminates the need for a separate heat exchanger and dedicated cooling mechanism, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining effective cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the lubrication system and cooling system into a unified lubricant circulation system. The lubricant oil that naturally circulates through the drive unit is routed to absorb heat from the electromotive motor, combining what would traditionally be separate systems into one integrated solution
2Reliability
If a dedicated cooling mechanism is implemented for the electromotive motor, then the motor output stability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant oil system serves itself by simultaneously providing lubrication and cooling functions. The same oil that lubricates the drive unit components absorbs heat from the electromotive motor during its natural circulation, eliminating the need for separate cooling infrastructure and reducing overall system complexity while ensuring stable motor operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for efficient and cost-effective cooling of the electromotive motor, enabling stable long-term operation by leveraging the lubricant oil's cooling capabilities, thus simplifying the cooling process.
Implementation Method 1
a pump that circulates, via the electromotive motor, a lubricant oil inside the drive unit
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] Provide an electromotive sail drive that, with a simple configuration, realizes cooling of an electromotive motor thereby to make it possible to drive the electromotive motor with output stable for a long time, and also provide a ship provided with the electromotive sail drive. [Solution] An electromotive sail drive includes: an electromotive motor; a drive unit that is driven by the electromotive motor; and a pump that circulates, via the electromotive motor, a lubricant oil inside the drive unit.