LANGUAGE
DEUTSCH
ENGLISH
SUOMI
中文
한국어
VEM makes a contribution to environmentally friendly ferries
Making ships more environmentally friendly is not that easy, especially when a ferry from 1965 needs to be converted. A long-time partner of VEM also faced this challenge when they had to equip a ferry with electric drive systems. A project for which the system integrator brought a competent electrical machine manufacturer on board.
Combine tradition and modernity - emission-free retrofit projects in shipping transport
The almost 400 ton passenger and car ferry can transport up to 450 passengers and 27 cars on a trip across Lake Maggiore. Previously it was powered by two diesel engines with an output of 310 kW each. But it wasn't just the old and less environmentally friendly drive systems that were replaced. The entire propeller system was redesigned. The maintenance-sensitive controllable pitch propellers have given way to highly efficient fixed pitch propellers. The drive characteristics are now represented by the variable-speed drives. And this with significantly increased efficiency, especially in the partial load range. This also reduced the complexity of the entire system. A decisive advantage for the operator of the shipping fleet. Through the use of battery and hybrid technology, a significant reduction in fuel consumption was achieved.
The batteries are charged via a shore connection. So not only did the ship's conversion have to be coordinated, the ferry also had to be completely converted in terms of its connections and interfaces.
VEM cooperates successfully in shipbuilding
It was a challenging task for everyone involved to equip a ferry that was over 50 years old with an electric drive. A completely newly integrated DC system now regulates the power flow between the battery, driving system and other consumers on board.
The VEM factory in Wernigerode took over the production of two identical water jacket-cooled permanent magnet motors for the ferry. The motors directly drive the propeller shaft. This meant that the gearboxes could be eliminated - an important step in terms of optimizing efficiency. The very compact design of the new drives is ideal for retrofitting, as deck heights and installation space are often limited.
VEM - A German brand at the highest level
The cooperation partner at the traditional German company was completely right in his request. The VEM group of companies develops and manufactures generators and engines for small and large ships worldwide. Propeller engines are manufactured in the factories with an output of up to 40 megawatts.
The water-cooled permanent magnet motor series was recently completely redesigned by VEM. The development goals were standardization and suitability for a variety of ship applications. A wide speed range is possible thanks to the permanent magnet technology and the required converters. This is precisely where the full advantages of permanent magnet technology come into play - the extremely high efficiency in the partial load range with minimal installation space. VEM thus provided an optimal solution for the project. The water jacket-cooled design also helped reduce noise emissions. This was another goal of the customer. VEM PM motors are available in both horizontal and vertical versions over a wide performance range.
The VEM Group's decades of experience in the development of customer-specific drives was a guarantee of success for this retrofit project. The rotor geometries had to be completely redeveloped and their further assembly optimized. The use of pocket magnets ensures extreme longevity of the components and repeatedly proves the high quality standards of VEM motors.
