Taking inspiration from a whale’s tail, ABB today introduced a new propulsion system concept for the marine industry, with plans to roll out the first prototype in 2025.
The new propulsion concept, which mimics the movements of a whale tail, features a main electric motor that powers a large wheel rotating at a moderate 30-80 rounds per minute. Vertical blades, each controlled by an individual motor and control system, extend from the wheel. The combined motion of the wheel and blades generates propulsion and steering forces simultaneously, enabling what ABB described as ground-breaking operational efficiency and precision for ships.
The Swiss technology group named the innovative concept ABB Dynafin, which it said took over a decade of research, development, and testing. It will initially come in the power range of 1–4 MW per unit, for medium-sized and smaller vessels, including ropax ferries, offshore wind support vessels, and yachts, with reduced vibrations and noise levels and “superior maneuverability, and positioning performance”.
Citing a study by OSK-ShipTech, ABB said the technology has verified savings in propulsion energy consumption of up to 22% compared to conventional shaftline configuration. “This can deliver significant savings in fuel consumption and help to avoid emissions.”
“ABB Dynafin shows what is possible when marine engineers pursue radical innovation and progress, inspired by the interplay of evolution and technology,” said Juha Koskela, president at ABB Marine and Ports. “This solution is all about operational efficiency and emissions avoidance, leveraging innovations from the brightest minds in marine and propulsion engineering.”
Taking inspiration from a whale’s tail? There is need to be more truthful to self. How about VSP?
Agree, looks like VSP in use since 1930s! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voith_Schneider_Propeller
Pardon my ignorance on technical matters, but don’t whales spend most of their time swimming underwater? Will the crew be required to wear snorkels?
it is a “Voith-Schneider” style right ? would it be possible from Splash to give some more insights ?
Is the Voith-Schneider patent no more active ?
as a note, i don’t see how it relates to a whale.. whale tail is horizontal right ?
Thanks.
They meant these fins would kill much more whales than normal propellers.
Yeah it looks like a Voith Schneider propeller. The fins had a flat end. The ABB’s design has a curved design which is far from a whale’s tail fins as we can see in the animation. Back then this propeller was used mainly on tugboats. So they have to upscale the mechanism to bigger vessel in order to achieve the advantage of better performance over the current propeller with rudder method.