Controlling A Marine Vehicle Propulsion System

Abstract

A method for controlling a marine vehicle propulsion system is disclosed. The propulsion system includes a cyclorotor propeller, an actuator arrangement, and a controller. The method includes receiving, by the controller, a request including at least one force request and/or at least one torque request; determining, by the controller, values for a set of control parameters based on the request; and controlling, by the actuator arrangement receiving the values for the set of control parameters from the controller, the cyclorotor propeller based on the values received.

1 . A method for controlling a marine vehicle propulsion system, the propulsion system comprising a cyclorotor propeller, an actuator arrangement, and a controller, the method including:
 receiving, by the controller, a request comprising at least one force request and/or at least one torque request;   determining, by the controller, values for a set of control parameters based on the request; and   controlling, by the actuator arrangement receiving the values for the set of control parameters from the controller, the cyclorotor propeller based on the values received.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of control parameters comprises at least one thrust magnitude parameter including at least one of: a rotational speed and an eccentricity, and at least one thrust direction parameter comprising at least one of: a yaw angle and an offset angle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the values for the set of control parameters is performed using an optimization method constrained by the request received and a pre-determined set of constraints for the set of control parameters. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the optimization method comprises maximizing hydrodynamic efficiency of the cyclorotor propeller. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the maximizing hydrodynamic efficiency of the cyclorotor propeller comprises:
 determining values for operating condition parameters including at least a current vessel velocity; and   obtaining, from a pre-determined feasibility solution set, feasible thrust values corresponding to the request and the values for the operating condition parameters determined.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the request comprises at least a thrust magnitude request and a thrust direction request, and wherein the pre-determined feasibility solution set is a first feasibility solution set. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the determining the values for the set of control parameters comprises:
 obtaining, from the first feasibility solution set, a maximum feasible thrust magnitude corresponding to the values for the operating condition parameters and the thrust direction request;   determining a first rotational speed value, a first eccentricity value, and a first angle value based on at least the thrust direction request, the thrust magnitude request, the maximum feasible thrust magnitude obtained, and the pre-determined set of constraints, wherein the first angle value is a first yaw angle value or a first offset angle value, and wherein the first rotational speed value, the first eccentricity value, and the first angle value maximize the hydrodynamic efficiency of the cyclorotor propeller; and   setting the first rotational speed value, the first eccentricity value, and the first angle value as the values for the set of control parameters.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises determining the first feasibility solution set by:
 determining a thrust direction range and a plurality of thrust direction values included in the thrust direction range;   determining, per a thrust direction value of the plurality of thrust direction values determined, a maximum feasible thrust magnitude value based on at least the thrust direction value, the values for the operating condition parameters, and the pre-determined set of constraints;   storing, in the first feasibility solution set, the plurality of thrust direction values and the values for the operating condition parameters; and   storing, in the first feasibility solution set, per a thrust direction value of the plurality of thrust direction values, the maximum feasible thrust magnitude value determined corresponding to the thrust direction value and the values for the operating condition parameters.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the request comprises at least a sway force request, a surge force request, and a yaw torque request, and the pre-determined feasibility solution set is a second feasibility solution set. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determining the values for the set of control parameters comprises:
 determining a current available power;   obtaining, from the second feasibility solution set, a set of feasibility constraints corresponding to the values for the operating condition parameters and the current available power, wherein the set of feasibility constraints includes a maximum feasible sway force, a minimum feasible sway force, a maximum feasible surge force, a minimum feasible surge force, a maximum feasible yaw torque, and a minimum feasible yaw torque;   determining a second rotational speed value, a second eccentricity value, and a second angle value based on at least the sway force request, the surge force request, the yaw torque request, the set of feasibility constraints obtained, and the pre-determined set of constraints, wherein the second angle value is a second yaw angle value or a second offset angle value, and wherein the second rotational speed value, the second eccentricity value, and the second angle value maximize the hydrodynamic efficiency of the cyclorotor propeller   setting the second rotational speed value, the second eccentricity value, and the second angle value as the values for the set of control parameters.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises determining the second feasibility solution set by:
 determining an electrical power consumption of the cyclorotor propeller and a generated force of the cyclorotor propeller;   determining the set of feasibility constraints based on the electrical power consumption of the cyclorotor propeller, the generated force of the cyclorotor propeller, the current available power, the values for the operating condition parameters, and the pre-determined set of constraints,   storing, in the second feasibility solution set, the current available power and the values for the operating condition parameters;   storing, in the second feasibility solution set, the set of feasibility constraints corresponding to the current available power and the values for the operating condition parameters.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 displaying, to a user of the propulsion system via a user interface, the pre-determined feasibility solution set as a feasibility map.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the request further comprises a mode request and the pre-determined set of constraints for the control parameters is determined based on the mode request. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the optimization method comprises minimizing a factor of the cyclorotor propeller. 
     
     
         15 . A propulsion system for a marine vehicle, comprising a cyclorotor propeller, an actuator arrangement, and a controller;
 the controller comprising one or more processors and one or more memories including computer program code;   the one or more memories and the computer program code being configured to, with the one or more processors, cause at least the controller to receive a request including at least one force request and/or at least one torque request, and determine values for a set of control parameters based on the request; and   the actuator arrangement being configured to at least control the cyclorotor propeller based on the values for the set of control parameters received from the controller.   
     
     
         16 . A propulsion apparatus comprising a cyclorotor propeller, the cyclorotor propeller including at least one cyclorotor propeller wheel with at least two controllable blades attached to the wheel, wherein the propulsion apparatus is configured to:
 receive a request including at least one force request and/or at least one torque request;   determine values for a set of control parameters based on the request; and   control the cyclorotor propeller based on the values determined for the set of control parameters.