SCHOTTEL Combi Drive – A new propulsion system for the power range from 1,900kW to 3,800kW
With power ratings of up to 6000 kW, SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers (SRP) have proven themselves world-wide for over five decades as mechanical azimuth drives for all sectors of the shipping world and the offshore industry. The optimized-efficiency version of the Rudderpropeller, the SCHOTTEL Twin-Propeller (STP), has likewise achieved extraordinary success. In addition, for the power range from 1MW to 5MW, the company supplies a diesel-electric pod drive, the SCHOTTEL Electric Propulsor (SEP). SCHOTTEL engineers are now developing a new concept that combines the main technical and economic criteria of both mechanical Rudderpropellers and pod drives: the SCHOTTEL Combi Drive (SCD).
In contrast to pod drives with an electric motor inside the underwater pod, the motor in the new propulsion system will be integrated vertically into the support tube of the Rudderpropeller. This arrangement of the electric motor means that the new concept is similar to that of a Rudderpropeller with a vertical power input (“L system”). Moreover, neither an above-water gearbox nor a cardan shaft will be required, making the system extremely compact and easy for the shipyard to install in the vessel. This very small space requirement will be particularly advantageous, for example, in the case of offshore supply vessels, whose hull design means that space in the stern is limited in any event. Further potential applications are RoPax and double-ended ferries, tankers, container ships and yachts.
The SCHOTTEL Combi Drive will be based on the successful Rudderpropeller types SRP 1515, SRP 2020 and SRP 3030, with their proven mechanical components, and will cover the power range from 1,900kW to 3,800kW with propeller diameters from 2,500mm to 3,500mm. The azimuth steering can be implemented using either hydraulic or electric motors. The new drive will be available as single propeller version with nozzle or twin propeller version.
As a recognized propulsion specialist, SCHOTTEL has extensive expertise in the fields of mechanical engineering, hydrodynamics and electrical systems and their respective interactions. The company is thus confident that this innovative and very compact drive will continue to build on the success of traditional SCHOTTEL products and their reputation for cost-effectiveness and reliability.