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EP-4737306-A1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BLADE PITCH CONTROL OF CYCLOIDAL MARINE PROPULSION SYSTEM

EP4737306A1EP 4737306 A1EP4737306 A1EP 4737306A1EP-4737306-A1

Abstract

A blade pitch control system for a cycloidal marine propulsion system is provided. The cycloidal marine propulsion system comprises a rotating wheel, and a plurality of rotating blades attached to the rotating wheel and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel. The blade pitch control system comprises at least one rotating wheel position sensor, configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of a measured position of the rotating wheel, a wheel position estimation unit, configured to determine an estimated position of the rotating wheel based upon the sensor signal of the at least one rotating wheel position sensor; and a blade pitch determining unit, configured to determine a blade pitch set point for at least one of the plurality of rotating blades based upon the estimated position of the rotating wheel. Determining the estimated position of the rotating wheel comprises a data processing of the sensor signal.

Inventors

  • LIU, BIN
  • FRANSSON, Peter
  • PELJO, Veli-Pekka

Assignees

  • ABB SCHWEIZ AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241030

Claims (15)

  1. A blade pitch control system (100) for a cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000), the cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000) comprising a rotating wheel (20), and a plurality of rotating blades (30a-d) attached to the rotating wheel (20) and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel (20), the blade pitch control system (100) comprising: at least one rotating wheel position sensor (110, 211), configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of a measured position of the rotating wheel (20), a wheel position estimation unit (120), configured to determine an estimated position of the rotating wheel based upon the sensor signal of the at least one rotating wheel position sensor (110, 211); and a blade pitch determining unit (130), configured to determine a blade pitch set point for at least one of the plurality of rotating blades (30a-d) based upon the estimated position of the rotating wheel; wherein determining the estimated position of the rotating wheel comprises a data processing of the sensor signal.
  2. The blade pitch control system (100) of claim 1, wherein the measured position is indicative of a polar angle of the rotating wheel (20).
  3. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing comprises a storing of the sensor signal.
  4. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing comprises a smoothing of the sensor signal.
  5. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing comprises a filtering of the sensor signal.
  6. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing comprises an extrapolating of the sensor signal.
  7. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of rotating wheel position sensors (110, 211); and wherein the data processing comprises sensor fusion of the plurality of rotating wheel position sensors (110, 211).
  8. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing comprises analyzing the sensor signal to identify a type of noise overlaying the sensor signal of the rotating wheel (20).
  9. The blade pitch control system (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the blade pitch control system (100) further comprises a noise sensor (220) configured to sense a background noise signal present at the rotating wheel position sensor (110); and wherein the data processing comprises a deconvolution of the sensor signal.
  10. A cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000) comprising a rotating wheel (20), a plurality of rotating blades (30a-d) attached to the rotating wheel (20) and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel (20), and a blade pitch control system (100) according to any of the preceding claims.
  11. A marine vessel comprising a cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000) according to claim 10.
  12. A method (400) of determining a blade pitch set point of a rotating blade of a cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000), the cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000) comprising a rotating wheel (20) and a plurality of rotating blades (30a-d) attached to the rotating wheel (20) and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel (20), the method (300) comprising: receiving (410) a sensor signal indicative of a measured position of the rotating wheel from at least one rotating wheel position sensor (110, 211); determining (420) an estimated position of the rotating wheel based upon the sensor signal of the at least one rotating wheel position sensor (110, 211); and determining (430) the blade pitch set point for at least one of the plurality of rotating blades based upon the estimated position of the rotating wheel (20); wherein determining the estimated position of the rotating wheel comprises a data processing of the sensor signal.
  13. The method (400) of claim 12, wherein the data processing comprises at least one of a storing, a smoothing, a filtering, or an extrapolating of the sensor signal.
  14. The method (400) of any of claims 12 to 13, wherein the data processing comprises analyzing the sensor signal to identify a type of noise overlaying the sensor signal of the rotating wheel.
  15. A method of controlling a cycloidal marine propulsion system (1000) according to claim 10, using a blade pitch information obtained from a blade pitch control system (100) according to any of claims 1-9.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system for controlling a blade pitch in a cycloidal marine propulsion system. Further embodiments relate to a method for controlling a blade pitch in a cycloidal marine propulsion system. BACKGROUND Cycloidal marine propulsion systems provide an efficient way to propel marine vessels. Further, cycloidal marine propulsion systems allow for an improved maneuverability of marine vessels. In cycloidal marine propulsion systems, a rotating wheel with rotatable blades attached to the rotating wheel provides thrust. A direction and amount of the thrust may be controlled via a rotating speed of the rotating wheel and via a pitch of the rotatable blades. In the cycloidal marine propulsion system, the pitch of the rotating blades may be controlled individually. The pitch of the rotating blades is determined based upon the position of the rotating wheel. For an efficient operation of the cycloidal marine propulsion system, ensuring a correct pitch of each of the rotating blades at every position of the rotating wheel is essential. In particular, the pitch of the rotating blades is controlled based upon the position of the rotating wheel. The position of the rotating wheel is typically determined by at least one position sensor. A sensor signal of the at least one position sensor, being indicative of a measured position of the rotating wheel, is employed to set a blade pitch set point or a blade pitch function. Inaccuracies in the sensor signal, leading to the sensor signal misrepresenting the position of the rotating wheel, may result in the blade pitch not being set accurately and may thus be associated with a reduced efficiency, disturbances and higher wear and tear of the cycloidal marine propulsion system. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In the view of the foregoing, the present disclosure is directed to a blade pitch control system for a cycloidal marine propulsion system and a method of determining a blade pitch set point of a rotating blade of a cycloidal marine propulsion system. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a blade pitch control system for a cycloidal marine propulsion system is provided. The cycloidal marine propulsion system comprises a rotating wheel, and a plurality of rotating blades attached to the rotating wheel and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel. The blade pitch control system comprises at least one rotating wheel position sensor, configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of a measured position of the rotating wheel, a wheel position estimation unit, configured to determine an estimated position of the rotating wheel based upon the sensor signal of the at least one rotating wheel position sensor; and a blade pitch determining unit, configured to determine a blade pitch set point for at least one of the plurality of rotating blades based upon the estimated position of the rotating wheel. Determining the estimated position of the rotating wheel comprises a data processing of the sensor signal. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a cycloidal marine propulsion system comprising a rotating wheel, a plurality of rotating blades attached to the rotating wheel and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel, and a blade pitch control system according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a marine vessel comprising a cycloidal marine propulsion system with a cycloidal marine propulsion system comprising a blade pitch control system according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of determining a blade pitch set point of a rotating blade of a cycloidal marine propulsion system is provided. The cycloidal marine propulsion system comprises a rotating wheel and a plurality of rotating blades attached to the rotating wheel and individually rotatable with respect to the rotating wheel. The method comprises receiving a sensor signal indicative of a measured position of the rotating wheel from at least one rotating wheel position sensor; determining an estimated position of the rotating wheel based upon the sensor signal of the at least one rotating wheel position sensor; and determining the blade pitch set point for at least one of the plurality of rotating blades based upon the estimated position of the rotating wheel. Determining the estimated position of the rotating wheel comprises a data processing of the sensor signal. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of controlling a cycloidal marine propulsion system, using a blade pitch information obtained from a blade pitch control system according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. According to some embodiments, the cycloidal marine propulsion system is configured to propel a marine vessel. The marine vessel comprises sea