Voith Schneider Propeller
The Voith-Schneider drive ( Voith-Schneider propellers, VSP ) is a ship drive, in which the thrust can be set arbitrarily in the size and direction without the speed is changed. The control is effected by adjusting the slope of the direction ahead - back (ride) and by hiring transverse to the vessel ( rowing ). This type of control gives the ship the highest maneuverability and allows for very fine dosage of thrust and extremely rapid change of thrust direction without changing the speed. If the ship is equipped with two or more VSP, the ship can move in any direction, even sideways ( traverse ).
The Voith-Schneider drive was invented by Ernst Schneider. Developed and produced it is in Heidenheim and St. Pölten since 1926 by the company Voith.
Technology
The wings of the Voith-Schneider propulsion move on a circular path and must take one additional superimposed pivoting movement.
VSP operate at very low speeds. They are only about 25 percent of the speed of screw propellers comparable size and performance. With the low speed high torque are connected, making a robust construction necessary, which, however, a disadvantage involves increased weight with it.
VSP will be built up to four megawatts of power and have wings circle diameter on up to four meters. The blade length is performed with a length of up to 82 percent of the vane circle diameter. The drive is usually by diesel engines or electric motors for maritime and inland waterway vessels.
A major difference of the Voith-Schneider propeller compared to the screw propeller is the position of the rotation axis relative to the direction of thrust. While are largely identical with the screw propeller axis of rotation and direction of thrust, they are perpendicular to each other at the VSP. Therefore, there is no preferred direction of thrust for the VSP. The Voith-Schneider drive is a variable-pitch propeller, which allows a continuous variation of thrust with respect to magnitude and direction. Such as wave blocks, ship rudder, pods, stems etc. - - As the VSP generated simultaneously drive and control forces, additional annexes are not required for vessels with VSP.
The rectangular beam area of a Voith -Schneider drive is twice as large as the one screw at a given installation conditions approximately.
Development
Under the name of 2D propulsor Bauhaus Luftfahrt has extended the Voith-Schneider - concept for aircraft and patented. A centrally to the VSP wings arranged, rotating cylinder generates additional lift. This will be possible without conventional helicopter rotor blades with four transverse blade wheels.
Use
Because of its excellent properties to increase the maneuverability of ships and its very good controllability of the Voith-Schneider drive for towed vehicles, double-ended ferries, passenger ships, buoy layers, floating cranes, offshore supply vessels, Bugsteuermodulen and such vehicles will be used that require high maneuverability or against wind, current and waves on the spot can be kept to (dynamic positioning ). In inland shipbuilding Voith -Schneider drive also comes with the drive by pushing organizations in the application. Particular use is the propeller in minesweepers. During World War II minesweepers were equipped in the Capella class with two Voith Schneider drives.
Pictures
Ferry " Breslau " at the side parking in Brunsbuttel
Literature (selection )
- Kurt Benz: The Voith-Schneider propeller as a ship model drive. Scholz, Wolfsburg 1980, ISBN 3-922414-10-9.
- Theodor Vieweg: The VSP - drive in the ship model. Neckar -Verlag, Villingen- Schwenningen, 1983, ISBN 3-7883-0187-2.
- Birgit Jürgens, Werner Fork: Fascination Voith-Schneider propeller. History and technology. Koehler Verlag, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 3-7822-0854-4.