Ship power-receiving structure, ship power-supplying device and ship power-supplying method

• US 9,742,202 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Niizuma, Motonao
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): HTUN, WIN Z
• Application Number:
  US14/483,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/00 Use of propulsion power plant or units on vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 3/04 from power plant other than propulsion power plant
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/42 for ships or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A power-receiving structure is provided in a ship and includes a power-receiving coil capable of wirelessly receiving electric power from a power-supplying coil on a land-side and an outer wall surface-forming section forming an outer surface of side of the ship, and the power-receiving coil is provided on an inside of the ship from the outer wall surface-forming section, and an electromagnetic field-transmissive section formed of a material through which an electromagnetic field propagates is provided in an opposing portion to the power-receiving coil in the outer wall surface-forming section. According to the present invention, the power-receiving coil is not protruded from the outer surface of side of the ship and can wirelessly receive electric power from the power-supplying coil on the land-side through the electromagnetic field-transmissive section. Accordingly, the power-receiving coil does not disturb the navigation of the ship and is not required to be pulled into the ship after the supply of the electric power to the ship is finished.

Claims

1. A power-supplying device configured to supply electric power to a ship having a power-receiving structure,

the power-receiving structure provided in a ship, comprising:

a power-receiving coil capable of wirelessly receiving electric power from a power-supplying coil on a land-side; and

an outer wall surface-forming section forming an outer surface of side of the ship,

wherein the power-receiving coil is provided on an inside of the ship from the outer wall surface-forming section, and

an electromagnetic field-transmissive section formed of a material through which an electromagnetic field propagates is provided in an opposing portion to the power-receiving coil in the outer wall surface-forming section,

the power-supplying device comprising;

a power-supplying coil, provided on a land-side, configured to supply electric power to the power-receiving coil through the electromagnetic field-transmissive section;

a supply power measuring section configured to measure electric power supplied to the power-supplying coil;

a receiving section configured to receive, from a ship-side, a measured value of electric power received from the power-supplying coil by the power-receiving coil;

an efficiency calculating section configured to calculate a plurality of times an average value of efficiency of electric power transmission from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil based on the supplied electric power measured by the supply power measuring section and the measured value of the electric power received by the receiving section;

a moving device, provided on the land-side, configured to move the power-supplying coil; and

a control device configured to control the moving device to move the power-supplying coil based on the average value calculated by the efficiency calculating section, thereby adjusting a position of the power-supplying coil with respect to the power-receiving coil.

2. The power-supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the material of the electromagnetic field-transmissive section is plastic.

3. The power-supplying device according to claim 2, wherein the plastic is fiber reinforced plastic.

8. A power supplying method using the power-supplying device according to claim 1, the method comprising:

a first step of disposing the power-supplying coil with respect to the power-receiving coil when the ship is moored;

a second step of temporarily supplying electric power from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil through the electromagnetic field-transmissive section; and

a third step of calculating an average value of efficiency of the electric power transmission from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil in the second step by the efficiency calculating section,

wherein the first to third steps are repeated a predetermined number of times while a position of the power-supplying coil with respect to the power-receiving coil is changed, and

the power-supplying coil is disposed, by the control device, in a position of the power-supplying coil where the highest average value calculated in the third step is obtained and electric power is continuously supplied from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil in this state.

9. A power supplying method using the power-supplying device according to claim 1, comprising

a calculating step of calculating an average value of efficiency of the electric power transmission from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil by the efficiency calculating section while continuously supplying electric power from the power-supplying coil to the power-receiving coil while the ship is moored,

wherein the calculating step is repeated a predetermined number of times while a position of the power-supplying coil is changed by the moving device, and

the power-supplying coil is disposed, by the control device, in a position of the power-supplying coil where the highest average value calculated in the calculating step is obtained.

4. A power-supplying device configured to supply electric power to a ship having a power-receiving structure,

the power-receiving structure provided in a ship, comprising:

a power-receiving coil capable of wirelessly receiving electric power from a power-supplying coil on a land-side; and

an outer wall surface-forming section forming an outer surface of side of the ship,

wherein the power-receiving coil is provided on an inside of the ship from the outer wall surface-forming section, and

an electromagnetic field-transmissive section formed of a material through which an electromagnetic field propagates is provided in an opposing portion to the power-receiving coil in the outer wall surface-forming section,

the power-supplying device comprising;

a power-supplying coil, provided on a land-side, configured to supply electric power to the power-receiving coil through the electromagnetic field-transmissive section;

a support supporting the power-supplying coil; and

a suction device attached to the support,

wherein the suction device adheres to an installation area of an outer surface of a side of the ship in a state in which the power-supplying coil opposes to the power-receiving coil through the electromagnetic field-transmissive section, and

the installation area is made more smooth than an area outside of the installation area.

5. The power-supplying device according to claim 4, wherein the suction device is a vacuum cup, and further comprising:

a tube configured to exhaust the vacuum cup;

an exhaust valve which turns ON/OFF the exhaust; and

a rope switch which sends an electrical command to turn ON/OFF the exhaust valve.

6. The power-supplying device according to claim 5, wherein the rope switch sends the electrical command to the exhaust valve in response to a relative position of the power-supplying coil and the power-receiving coil.

7. The power-supplying device according to claim 4, further comprising a billing device,

wherein the suction device is a vacuum cup, and further comprising:

a tube configured to exhaust the vacuum cup; and

an exhaust valve which turns ON/OFF the exhaust;

wherein the exhaust valve is controlled by an electrical command from the billing device.