[Steirer]

I have been thinking of installing a Diesel Electric Motor in an 86Ft Explorer yacht I am going to have built.

Fast Electric Yacht Systems, Inc. (FEYS) located in Houston, Texas offers a new method of yacht propulsion, using a very old idea – Diesel Electric.

I really do not know if this will work or not. May I have some ideas or suggestions please.

[AMG]

You may find some information here;
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/te...ropulsion.html

[PeterG]

As additional information you might want to look into the ELFA Hybrid Marine Propulsion System from Siemens www.sea.siemens.com/marine - I'm not affiliated with them just interested in diesel electric and hybrid systems.



- Peter

[MacMcL]

Passage Maker magazine had some stories last year where a traditional trawler was repowered DE - pretty interesting stuff. The article also discussed in depth the two or three companies who were then producing equipment for DE marine use.

[tri - star]

To Steiver:

Yes - NO QUESTION.
Just ask anybody involved with commercial shipping.
If fact, I've been told that the very first application
of such an engine on the water, was done with a
diesel/electric system.
Because, way back then, there were no gearboxs that
could sustain the torque loads of a diesel !

So we are hardly breaking new ground here - in terms
of industrial applications.
Yachts, are a slightly different situation. Diesel/ Elec. is
somewhat rare. Only due to, previously, to a lack of
interest, not because of any technical concerns.

Now, partly due to HYBRID synergistic Toyotas, there
is a lot of interest being expressed in hybrid yayhts.
All same: Diesel/Electric !

No suprise then, that we have a number of hybrid,
concept vessels presently in developement.......

Cheers !

[TSI AV]

Hi,

Diesel-electric ? Good.

1. As tri-star mentioned, the first "engine on water" application was electric. If I'm not mistaken, Saint - Petersburg, Russia. Early in 1900s ? That boat could make appx. 2 knts... DC current was used, provided by batteries...

Good sides, basicaly:
1. Diesel engine(s) can be placed, whereever You like and how do You like.
2. No reduction gears needed. Even if You have multiple engines / 1 propeller.
3. As usual, (but not always), with such installations diesel engine runs at constant RPM, what is very good for it.
4. No steering gears needed, if AZIPOT / AZIMUTH systems are in use.
5. Smooth control over propulsion, I think one of the best.
6. Total weight of propulsion unit will be less.

Not so good sides, basicaly:

1. They say, "too complicated". This will depend on developer / manufacturer. You know.. inverters, converters, again inverters...
2. Possibility of very strong electr. / magnetical fields.
3. Depends on a power, probably highly-experienced personnel will be needed to maintain whole thing.
Not usual marine engineers.Trained electrical engineer will be "in charge"...

So, that was my point of view.
Hope, this info will be useful for You.

P.S. I worked on ice-breaker, that ship was diesel-electric, 12000 kW. There are 4 main diesel generators AC, 4 propulsion DC el. motors., 4 converters.
So, I remember, that 1 m-thick ice was not a problem...

rgds,

Andrei

[lurker]

Another added benefit of diesel electric is the option of using azipod drive. Probably not something you want on a 86 footer though.

I think there are better systems than the FYES offering. It uses two electric motor per shaft with a reduction gearbox. I think a better system is one motor per shaft with no gearbox. You won't need a gearbox per se if you have the right motor for your applicatoin.

FYES claim that less engine room is required, you have to be careful though, becasue this is not exactly true. If you look at the their engine room layout. You will see that they use one generator only. And in the second case, with 3 smaller props, the generator is right on top of the drive shaft. This makes the engine room really tight and perhap some parts/components harder to get to. So really those are apple to orange comparisons. With a twin generator, twin shaft, one motor per shaft design. The actual space required for the installation should be similar to a conventional system, though layout option will be far more flexible. Less if azipod drives are used.

http://www.feys.org/Advantages/Each/Design.htm

Also I would prefer to have a twin main generator setup, it's nice to have redundency and flexibility.

[Ju52]

see

http://www.ossapowerlite.com/

[tri - star]

To Steirer:

You will be happily suprised to know that right in
our own backyard - someone is in the process of
doing, what you are contemplating.
A yard on Vancouver Is. ( Whose name escapes me
at the moment.) is installing a D/E system into an
Ex. yacht.
- By OSSA.
The same company mentioned by Ju52, who I
think is pointing you in the right direction.

As OSSA is also on our short list, for vessels we are
in the process of designing at the moment.

BECAUSE:

Peter G. mentions Siemans. If they are good enough
for the German Navy......
However, in Canada, the closest man. representative I
could locate, after hours on the net - and the phone
.....was in the distant......landlocked prairies.
Whereapon, they attempted to sell me medical supplies!

Dont get me wrong, I'm sure their brushless motors
are excellent. But they ARE a very large company and
will not get too excited about selling a couple of - to
them - dinky, low hp engines. To some boat guy.......

Whereas the guys at OSSA, were very happy to give
me straight and through answers to my tech. queries.

lurker questions the FYES system.
To which I concur:
As given that:
- A well designed D/E system, eliminates gearbox(s)....
REDUCING weight, complexity and inherently,
INCREASING reliability and adding precious floorspace
to the engine room.
( All of these, of particular concern with yachts.)
Then why includ gearboxs in their systems ?!

Cheers !