SHIP RUDDER AND SHIP PROVIDED THEREWITH

• US 20100186648A1
• Filed: 10/08/2007
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aloys Wobben
• Original Assignee: Aloys Wobben
• Inventors: Holtkamp, Dirk, Wobben, Aloys, Rohden, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/39.300
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/066 Arrangements of two or more rudders; Steering gear therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/388 with varying angle of attack over the height of the rudder blade, e.g. twisted rudders
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/38 Rudders

Abstract

A twisted rudder blade for a ship having a twist that is adapted to the configuration of the flow of the water in the region of the rudder blade if no propeller in operation is disposed in front of the rudder blades in the direction of travel of the ship.

Claims

1. A ship comprising:

at least one twisted rudder blade arranged for controlling the ship, wherein a twist of the blade is adapted to a configuration of the flow of water in the region of the rudder blade if no propeller in operation is disposed in front of the rudder blades in the direction of travel of the ship.

2. A ship according to claim 1 wherein there are provided at least two twisted rudder blades laterally displaced with respect to a keel line of the ship, wherein the twist of each rudder blade is adapted to a configuration, caused by the geometry of a hull of the ship, of the flow of water in the region of the respective rudder blade.

3. A ship according to claim 1 wherein the twisted rudder blades has an angle of incidence towards a keel line of the ship so that the rudder blade faces towards the keel line in the direction of flow in forward travel of the ship.

4. A ship according to claim 1 wherein an angle of incidence relative to a keel line of the rudder blade decreases with an increasing distance from a hull of the ship.

5. A ship according to claim 1 wherein an angle of incidence or twist angle of the rudder blade is between 2 degrees and 20 degrees.

6. A ship according to claim 1 wherein an angle of incidence or twist angle of the rudder blade is between 10 degrees and 20 degrees in the region near a hull of the ship and between 2 degrees and 5 degrees in the region remote from the hull.

7. A ship according to claim 1 wherein two twisted rudders blades are respectively arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of a keel line.

8. A ship according to claim 1 wherein at least one Magnus rotor is provided as a drive for the ship.

9. A twisted rudder blade having a twist that is adapted to a configuration of the flow of water in the region of a mounting location of the rudder blade on a ship if no propeller in operation is disposed in front of the rudder blades in the direction of travel of the ship.

10. A twisted rudder blade according to claim 9 wherein the twisted rudder blade is adapted to be laterally displaced with respect to a keel line of the ship, and wherein the configuration of the flow is caused by the geometry of a hull of the ship.

11. A rudder device adapted to be mounted on a hull of a ship laterally displaced from a keel line thereof, the device comprising:

a rudder blade having a twist that is adapted to a configuration of a flow of water in a region of the rudder blade when the ship is traveling forward and the configuration of the flow of water is substantially independent of the operation of a propeller and an angle of incidence that varies over a height of the rudder blade, the angle of incidence directed towards the keel line throughout the height so that the rudder blade faces towards the keel line in the direction of the flow.

12. The rudder device of claim 11 wherein the angle of incidence relative to the keel line of the rudder blade decreases over the height of the rudder blade with increasing distance from the hull.

13. The rudder device of claim 11 wherein the angle of incidence relative to the keel line is up to 20 degrees in the region near the hull and up to 5 degrees in the region remote from the hull.