Forces and Velocity Measurements in Ship Propulsion Systems

Abstract

Pod drives are modern outboard ship propulsion systems with a motor encapsulated in a watertight pod. The motor’s shaft is connected directly to one or two propellers. The whole unit hangs from the stern of the ship and rotates azimuthally, thus providing thrust and steering. In the past decade pod drive propulsion has developed to be a reliable and serious alternative to conventional ship propulsion, especially for cruiser liners [1,2]. The overall efficiency of the system is determinant for the economical success of the vessel and for this reason it is necessary to improve the efficiency of the propulsor recurring to non-conventional solutions.