Marine Drive Power Limiting for Torque Imbalance

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Solution Overview

Problem

In marine vessels with multiple drives, sudden power imbalances can occur due to fault conditions, leading to dangerous steering torques and potential damage, as existing systems do not account for power limit restrictions across drives.

Innovation Solution

A method and system where a synchronizing power limit is imposed on non-faulted marine drives to balance power output, ensuring equal power reduction across drives, with the operator required to remove the restriction affirmatively once the imbalance is mitigated.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a power limit restriction is imposed on a faulted marine drive, then the reliability of that drive is improved, but a power imbalance occurs between drives causing dangerous steering torques

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive reliabilityVSAvoidsteering torque imbalance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by proactively imposing a synchronizing power limit on non-faulted drives before dangerous power imbalances can develop. When a fault condition is detected on one drive, the control system automatically limits the power output of all other drives to match the restricted power level, preventing the emergence of harmful steering torques caused by power imbalance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where control modules continuously monitor the operational status of all marine drives through communication networks. Upon detecting a fault condition on one drive, the system receives feedback about the power limit restriction and automatically adjusts the power output of non-faulted drives accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains power balance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the power output of non-faulted drives is reduced to balance power, then the power imbalance is eliminated, but the overall productivity of the vessel is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower balanceVSAvoidvessel speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies beforehand cushioning by preparing and implementing power limit restrictions on non-faulted drives in advance, before the vessel's operational conditions deteriorate. By proactively synchronizing power limits across all drives when a fault is detected, the system prevents dangerous power imbalances from developing while maintaining optimal overall power output, thus cushioning against both safety risks and excessive productivity loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS9868501B1Method and system for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel

Publication Date: 2018.01.16 BRUNSWICK CORP

AI summary

A method for controlling propulsion of two or more marine drives in a marine vessel includes detecting a fault condition relating to a first marine drive, and determining, at a first control module associated with the first marine drive, a power limit restriction for the first marine drive based on the fault condition. The method further includes communicating the power limit restriction with the first control module on a CAN bus of the marine vessel, and receiving the power limit restriction at a second control module associated with a second marine drive. The power output of the second marine drive is then reduced based on the power limit restriction for the first marine drive.