seatec - Finnish marine technology review 1/2017 | Page 40

Azipod propulsion – electric podded azimuth thrusters designed by ABB Group – has been on the market for 25 years . In this design , the ship ’ s propeller is connected directly to the motor shaft , with no tradional propeller shaft .

” Within the last two years , new and improved products have been added to the product family ,” says Marketing Manager Antti Lehtelä from ABB .
According to him , the new products have been designed to be utilised in connection with both high and low power Azipod devices .
” In 2015 , a compact-sized Azipod thruster was launched . It is called Azipod D and it has proved to yield a better efficiency than its predecessors .”
” With this new propulsion model , power levels up to 7 MW ( megawatts ) can be reached , either with asynchronous or permanent-magnet electric motors . The product is particularly suited to offshore applications .”
The trick is in the motor cooling system . Based partially on water cooling and partially on internal air-circulation , the motor frame will yield more power and a better hydrodynamic efficiency than previously .
In time , Azipod D is expected to replace ABB ’ s older ” C ” version .
NOZZLES TO IMPROVE HYDRODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY
ABB launched another innovation for a more powerful Azipod model in 2016 : the XL version of the Azipod XO , utilising a linear flow propeller ( LFP ) Azipod .
” In this version , the propeller is surrounded by a nozzle module equipped with guiding plates , so that the water flow photo : STEERPROP LTD .
” The new compact Steerprop CRP ECO LM combines an integrated permanent-magnet ( PM ) motor with the high efficiency of contra-rotating propellers ( CRP ) to bring the fuel economy to a whole new level ,” says hydrodynamist Hannu Jukola from Steerprop Ltd .
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