Marine Suspension Roll Moment Control for Planing Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-hulled marine vessels experience imbalance in longitudinal roll force distribution during semi-planing or planing modes, leading to instability and potential roll and warp motions, as existing suspension systems are designed for stationary or displacement modes and fail to adapt effectively to changing operational conditions.

Innovation Solution

A suspension system with adjustable roll moment distribution and stiffness, utilizing hydraulic or electro-mechanical actuators and fluid amplifiers, allows for dynamic adjustment of roll forces to align with the resultant pressure forces, maintaining stability within a specified longitudinal distance, even during dynamic conditions like wave interactions and changes in load or speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the suspension system is designed for stationary or displacement mode with fixed roll moment distribution, then the roll forces are balanced when the vessel is stationary, but the suspension system exhibits imbalance in longitudinal roll force distribution during semi-planing or planing mode

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroll force distribution balanceVSAvoidadaptability to different operational modes
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The suspension system employs adjustable roll moment distribution that can be dynamically changed based on operational mode. The system transitions from a fixed configuration suitable for displacement mode to an adjustable configuration that adapts to semi-planing and planing modes, allowing the roll forces to remain balanced across different vessel operating conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the roll moment distribution parameter according to operational mode. By adjusting this parameter, the system optimizes the longitudinal distribution of roll forces for each specific mode (displacement, semi-planing, planing), thereby maintaining stability and preventing imbalance during transitions between operational states

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the roll moment distribution is fixed for displacement mode operation, then the suspension system is simple to control, but it fails to adapt to changing operational conditions in semi-planing or planing modes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to operational mode changes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The suspension system incorporates dynamic adjustability of roll moment distribution, enabling it to adapt to changing operational conditions. The system can modify its characteristics in response to different modes (displacement, semi-planing, planing) while maintaining manageable control through automated or semi-automated adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the suspension system uses adjustable roll moment distribution and stiffness with hydraulic actuators, then it maintains stability during dynamic conditions, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability during dynamic conditionsVSAvoidsuspension system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes hydraulic actuators to provide adjustable roll moment distribution and stiffness. The hydraulic system enables precise control of suspension characteristics during dynamic conditions such as wave interactions and mode transitions, enhancing reliability while managing complexity through efficient fluid-based actuation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Data Source

PatentEP3152106B1Control of marine suspension systems
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 NAUTI CRAFT PTY LTD
  • EP3152106B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3152106B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3152106B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A suspension system for a marine vessel, the marine vessel including a body portion at least partially supported relative to at least a left hull and a right hull by the suspension system, the left and right hulls being moveable relative to each other and the body, the suspension system including resilient supports between the body portion and the left and right hulls. The suspension system providing at least a roll stiffness being arranged to provide a roll moment distribution (RMD) of the suspension system wherein roll forces effectively act at a position disposed within a longitudinal distance along the marine vessel from a steady state position of the resultant pressure forces acting on the left and right hulls when the marine vessel is operating in a planing or semi-planing mode. The longitudinal distance can be 20% or less of a waterline length of one of the at least a left and a right hull at design load in displacement mode.