Stage of Development Today
We have built and tested 12 prototypes up to the Mark 5 mod 2. The Mark 5 is a horizontal configuration with a single blade. The Mark 4 is a vertical configuration with dual blades. Both are almost equally efficient with the Mark 5 better suited for shallow draft and barge propulsion applications and the Mark 4 better suited for high maneuverability.
The prototypes are radio controlled and the motor controller gathers 15 points of performance information from rpm to wattage during the test event.
The drives are mounted in a barge-type hull 3’ by 2’ weighing roughly 60 lbs with an outboard rudder and towing eyes suitable for testing bollard pull which is measured using a digital strain gage.
The most recent testing was done in the ocean in a quiet bay off a public dock/boat launch. Pull & push testing was accomplished using safety and tow lines. The events were video documented and an underwater video was taken as well.
Possibility to inspect a test unit.
This prototype is available for inspection and observation.
The next prototype (the Mark 6) will be an adjustable pitch dual, vertical blade unit to illustrate the performance and virtues of that mechanism. It will be configured as an “Outboard” clamp-on unit with a hull more suited to high speed and will be driven by an 80 hp electric motor.
Changing the “Old Mind”
The technology introduces a group of improvements that make it readily welcome within the field. They are as follows;
- Dramatically reduced cost of boating/shipping through;
- Fuel costs reduced to 20% for the same performance as traditional propulsion. The ROI and fuel payback makes the investment in an easy decision.
- Construction costs in ships or larger boats because of the elimination of rudders and shafts and power sources that would be 1/5 of that of traditional devices it replaces.
- It allows unprecedented maneuverability as the device is direct-reversing or steerable 360º. In inboard configurations, the operator points a dial in the direction desired and dials in the speed and they are good to go. With a pair of SolidWater thrusters, the vessel can be rotated in place or driven sideways, desirable for docking in crowded marinas.
- The Prop allows the versatility of a tug (high pull) or a race boat (High speed) in one single unit. Traditional props are engineered for a single purpose and aren’t very efficient when used for other purposes.
- It is quiet without cavitation or prop wake. This allows more passenger/crew comfort but it also allows for an environmentally friendly vessel, friendly in marinas where wakes are prohibited and friendly when working with wildlife and fish as it is less likely to scare them away. During testing we had a harbor seal come right up to it while running.
- A SolidWater Prop is environmentally friendly on a global scale with a dramatic reduction in atmospheric pollutants such as CO2
It boils down to an easier to learn and use, cheaper, to build and run, a more pleasant, more productive, and more socially acceptable experience which makes the technology an easy sell to traditional minds.
Technical Question/Answers
The material of the blade(s) need to be made of the most rigid material available. It needs to not flex during its cycle. The prototypes use carbon fiber but bronze, titanium, and stainless steel will work but this is the same requirement for traditional props. They use bronze and stainless because they need to be machined but since we need a plate shape with no complex machining, we can use rigid plastics like carbon fiber. Lightweight material design enhances performance. Cathodic or galvanic electrochemical reactions are important design considerations as well. Materials should be chosen for their resistance to corrosion and reaction to dissimilar metals in the marine environment. This is no different than traditional maritime device design.
- The toughness of the blade is critical to prevent fracturing at the drive connection point over millions of cycles. We have two proprietary strain relief technologies but people’s lives may depend on the durability of the device so toughness and durability are important design considerations.
- Elasticity is to be minimized. Any longitudinal blade flex will cause noise and inefficiency. This too is the same as in traditional props.
- 3D Shape is the most important design consideration. All the driving surfaces must be exactly to spec. The design objective is to keep the flow speed the same on both surfaces. You are not going for the lift but flow uniformity. I have a 2-hour technical presentation suitable for engineers that cover the details.
- Length or specifically high aspect ratio, length to width is ideal for efficiency. This is the same as in traditional props.
- Protection cage or duct or nozzle or anti-capsize keel-plate are all appropriate to this technology if the circumstances demand it. It can produce enough thrust under sidewise tow to capsize a tug. The blade will be damaged if slammed against a hard bottom while thrusting and a Kort-type nozzle can reduce vibration and increase thrust. These precautions, however, are not necessary if they are designed correctly, to begin with. I would like to point out that our technology delivers all the virtues of the Voith Schneider Propellor without the limitations of frailty and inefficiency.
Speed, and performance at high speed are limited by the hull shape, length and displacement, however, the SolidWater technology is quite capable in a standard configuration of outperforming a racing prop or jet drive. It would be a suitable propelling device for all vessel types from canoes to container ships including displacement hulls for their seaworthiness, planing hulls for their inexpensive speed, hydrofoils for very high-speed ferries and even barges for their cargo-carrying shallow draft features.
The timing of breaks (service intervals?) We would design for a four-year maintenance cycle with an annual inspection review. Our original design allowed for changing blades at sea if necessary but we have demonstrated that even though we expect vessels to have at least dual props, a single dual bladed unit will work quite well with only one blade remaining.
Tidal stream control, and slow speed are not challenges for this prop. Our most advanced design will detect the speed of water flowing near the prop and adjust the prop pitch accordingly. This gives the prop the ability to troll,
Performance obstacles and disadvantages to be solved are negligible at this point. We have not come across any potential technological obstacles to our development. We have amassed considerable data from our earlier prototypes and our next steps are;
- Bring in our fluid dynamicist/mathematician to convert our numbers to the appropriate algorithms and software computational devices.
- Survey our customer candidates to determine the ideal model specs and features for our two base products
- Bring our engineers in to flush out the final design and software for optimization, to perform structural analysis, acoustics, nonlinear materials, multi-body dynamics, deformation, and fatigue testing on the model to enhance performance and formulate final specs
- Build the production prototype and start market and staffing activation
- Have the units performance-tested at Carderock Naval Laboratory Testing Facility
- Deliver to Early Adopters and Strategic Partners
Total time of testing and conditions for testing amounts to over 100 hours both in a 10,000-gallon test tank and in the ocean in calm circumstances. Though we have tested prototypes to the Mark V mod 1, we have actually tested 11 different models as we would make significant changes from a mod 5 and a mod 6 for example.
Business:
Admiral Fluidics is seeking to license to an appropriate company, different markets, and locations that we do not intend to develop. Admiral Fluidics is an Incubator and intends to manufacture 3 models for the commercial ship market, a one-megawatt equivalent and eventually a 5 and 10-megawatt equivalent units. These will all be dual, vertical bladed units similar to the Mark 4. Ships will utilize 2 and 3 units per ship of a size to give the best performance and control.
If a licensee wants a specific nonOTC unit developed we will look after that for them to their specifications. That licensee will look after their own marketing but we can attend to the sourcing and subbing out of the final product or parts of it.
Marketing – Competitors Performance Issues
The Voith-Schneider propeller had unexpectedly poor speed performance because of the thick chord of the prop necessary for high pulling performance but this, in retrospect, was to be expected. Our prop doesn’t have this issue because our prop is not a foil shape and is not dependent upon a narrow lift shape to work.
The Voith Schneider also had difficulty keeping the course of the ship but this is a function of the props ability to track and have the center of thrust loading ahead of the prop which it can’t do by its very design, however, ours will track and be agile, the result of our azimuthing and blade position-ability relative to the center of thrust. Our blades can be positioned and locked for towing giving partial drag or no drag depending on what is needed for the conditions.
Mechanical transmission,
The SolidWater™ system can be driven by a rotating shaft connected inside the ship via an angled gear or by a direct drive electric motor. The engines that provide the rotating or electrical power can be located a distance from the prop canister itself. The shaft and the electric motor are not in the water creating drag or corrosion like in a pod. The only parts of the prop in the water are the blades. The motor, gear, and linkage are within the hull in a canister that is accessible from the top which extends above the waterline allowing the device to be serviced at sea.
Environmental considerations
The intended environmental and humanitarian outcomes are as follows;
- Dramatic reduction in atmospheric carbon and sulfur compounds which contribute to global warming. See this link for the scale of the issue.
- The technology facilitates a dramatic reduction in bunker quality fuel use and allows for alternative fuel use. One large ship uses 380 tons of fuel per day. Our technology could reduce that to 75 tons per ship per day. There are 90,000 large ships like this operational at any given time. Just sixteen of these ships produce more atmospheric carbon than all the cars in the world.
- The technology is quiet and the props produce no wake. This makes for friendly marina neighbors and better interaction with wildlife or a more productive fishing or diving expedition.
- The technology facilitates Jobs in the middle-income sector. Perhaps 5,000 direct jobs and 45,000 indirect jobs such as installation and retrofits. When you consider auxiliary markets for the technology such as outboards and submarines and yachts, those numbers go way up. Rolls Royce Marine’s Azipod and the Voith Schneider Water Tractor are competitors and serve as examples.
The technology rejuvenates the consumer marine industry with inexpensive, quiet, nonpolluting sports vessels.
Since smaller engines, transmissions, etc. are needed to deliver the same performance, the cost of ships and boats is greatly reduced and since the technology can be retrofitted to older ships they can be more easily recycled and updated.
The lower cost of operations allows shipping of things like water where it was too expensive to do previously.
And of course, since the technology delivers incredible ROI as it pays for itself in less than a year in fuel savings alone, the business structure is strong and profitable.
The fact that our technology is needed worldwide, it improves export exchange as well.
For more information contact Dave@Horrigancorp.com
Future Insights 