VESSEL COMPRISING A ROTOR HAVING A FLAP ARRANGED NEAR THE ROTOR

• US 20150274272A1
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jorn Paul Winkler
• Original Assignee: Jorn Paul Winkler
• Inventors: WINKLER, Jrn Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,540,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/02 using Magnus effect
• CPC Class Codes: F15D 1/12 by influencing the boundary layer use of materials, e.g. to reduce surface friction C09K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/5236 Renewable or hybrid-electric solutions

Abstract

The invention relates to vessel (1) comprising a hull (3) and a deck (2), a substantially cylindrical rotor (6) having a peripheral wall (8) rotatable with respect to the deck (2) around a longitudinal center line (20), the rotor (6) being mounted on the deck (2) in such a manner that in an operational state the rotor (6) is substantially vertically oriented, characterized in that a flap (18) is arranged near the rotor (6) extending substantially in a plane which is parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor (6), and the length of the flap chord (Rfc) is between 20%-90% of the rotor (6) diameter (Dr), wherein the position of the flap (18) can be adjusted with reference to the longitudinal center line (20).

Claims

1. Vessel comprising a hull and a deck, a substantially cylindrical rotor having a peripheral wall rotatable with respect to the deck around a longitudinal center line, the rotor being mounted on the deck in such a manner that in an operational state the rotor is substantially vertically oriented, wherein a flap is arranged near the rotor extending substantially in a plane which is parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor, and the length of the flap chord is between 20%-90% of the rotor diameter, wherein the position of the flap can be adjusted with reference to the longitudinal center line.

2. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein the flap comprises an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the flap being guided along a circular trajectory supported on the deck, the center of the circular trajectory being aligned with the longitudinal center line of the rotor.

3. Vessel according to claim 2, wherein the flap is hingedly connected to the rotor at a position on the longitudinal center line above or at the upper end of the rotor via the upper end of the flap.

4. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein the flap comprises an upper end and a lower end, the flap being hingedly connected near the lower end of the rotor at a position on the longitudinal center line via the lower end of the flap or the flap being hingedly connected to the rotor near the upper end of the rotor at a position on the longitudinal center line via the upper end of the flap.

5. Vessel according to claim 4, wherein the other flap end is also hingedly connected near the respective rotor end close to that other flap end, at a position on the longitudinal center line to the rotor.

6. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein the flap comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge.

7. Vessel according to claim 6, wherein the leading edge of the flap is positioned at a distance (D) from the peripheral wall of the rotor of between 0-1 meters.

8. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein the flap is provided with flap positioning means that allow the flap to be positioned in such a way that the chord of the flap is at an angle α

of between 30°

-60°

from the apparent wind.

9. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein the flap is a wedge flap.

10. Vessel according to claim 1, wherein the wedge flap chord length is between 10%-70% of the rotor diameter.

11. Vessel according to claim 6, wherein the wedge flap comprises side walls joining in the trailing edge having a maximum angle of 150°

with respect to each other relative to their joining position at the trailing edge.

12. Vessel according to claim 6, wherein the flap comprises a winglet on the flap trailing edge.

13. Vessel according to claim 12, wherein the winglet transversally extends away from the flap chord about 0.5-1 meter at each side of the flap trailing edge.

14. Vessel according to claim 12, wherein the winglet extends substantially perpendicular to the flap chord.

15. Method of operating the rotor according to claim 1 comprising the step of orienting the flap such that the flap chord has an angle β

between 45°

-60°

relative to the longitudinal center line.