Voith Turbo

The Voith Schneider Propeller

Current Applications and New Developments
Dr.-Ing. Jens-Erk Bartels, Dr.-Ing. Dirk Jrgens
2 Introduction
3 Design of the
Voith Schneider Propeller
5 The hydrodynamic principle of
thrust generation
9 Hydrodynamic characteristics
of Voith Schneider Propellers
12 Hydrodynamic calculation
methods for Voith Schneider
Propellers
13 Ships with Voith Schneider
Propellers
16 Ship Assistance with Voith
Water Tractors
18 Voith Water Tractors as
escort ships
19 Voith Turbo Fin (VTF)
21 Mine Countermeasure Vessels
(MCMV) with VSP
22 Voith Cycloidal Rudder (VCR)
26 Bibliography
1
2
Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP)
are used primarily for ships that
have to satisfy particularly demand-
ing safety and manoeuvrability
requirements. Unique to the Voith
Schneider Propeller is its vertical
axis of rotation. The thrust is gener-
ated by separately oscillating,
balanced propeller blades. Due to
its physical operating principle and
its design, thrust adjustments can
be done very quickly. The VSP, a
controllable-pitch propeller, permits
continuously variable thrust adjust-
ment through 360. Combining
steering and propulsion. Rapid,
step-less thrust variation according
to X/Y coordinates improves ship
handling.
Voith Schneider Propellers operate
at a comparatively low revolutional
speed and are therefore notable for
their long service life and very low
maintenance requirements. Cur-
rently, VSPs are used primarily on
Voith Water Tractors (VWT), double-
ended ferries (DEF), mine counter-
measure vessels (MCMV), passen-
ger ships, buoy layers and floating
cranes. The development of the
Voith Water Tractor (VWT) is
significant and has dramatically in-
creased the safety of tug opera-
tions. When escorting ships carry-
ing hazardous cargo, the Voith
Water Tractor achieves the highest
assistance forces for a wide speed
range due to its optimum design.
Specifically designed VWTs enable
escort duties to be carried out saf-
ely, even at high speeds. The Voith
Water Tractor marked the introduc-
tion of indirect steering to ship
assistance.
Recently, the systematic use of
Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD) has provided a more detailed
understanding of the flow physics of
the Voith Schneider Propeller.
Combined with the use of modern
development tools (3D-CAD, FEM),
CFD is opening up new prospects
for accelerated development work.
Continuous improvements in the
VSPs hydromechanical properties
Introduction
Figure 1: Voith Schneider Propeller incorporated into a ships hull
Design of the
Voith Schneider Propeller
Figure 2: General comparison between Voith
Schneider Propeller and screw propeller
will bring in new applications for
this type of propeller. The Voith
Schneider Propeller is based on an
invention by Ernst Schneider dating
from 1925. The Voith company took
up the idea and, working with the
inventor, brought it to maturity. By
1927, the propeller was sufficiently
advanced for a test boat to be
produced. The idea behind the Voith
Water Tractor and its practical
implementation are associated with
Voith engineer Wolfgang Baer.
Development of the VWT started in
1952.
The following sections describe the
construction of the Voith Schneider
Propeller, the physical principle
behind its operation and examples
of its application. They also de-
scribe recent developments such as
the Voith Cycloidal Rudder and the
Voith Turbo Fin.
The Voith Schneider Propeller
generates thrust by means of pro-
filed blades that project from the
bottom of the ship and rotate about
a vertical axis. The blades are
mounted in a rotor casing that is
flush with the bottom of the ship
(Figure 1).
Superimposed on the rotary motion
of the blades about the common
vertical axis is a local oscillating
motion about the respective axis of
each blade's shaft. To generate the
oscillating motion, a kinematic
mechanism is used to control the
blades relative to the blade circle
tangent as they revolve as a result,
directional thrust is obtained.
Since the VSP simultaneously
generates propulsion and steering
forces, there is no need for addi-
tional appendages such as pro-
peller brackets, rudders, pods,
shafts etc.
A significant difference between
the Voith Schneider Propeller and
the screw propeller is the direction
of the axis of rotation relative to the
direction of thrust. In the case of
screw propellers, the axis of rota-
tion and the direction of thrust are
identical with the VSP they are
perpendicular to one another
(Figure 2).
Thus the Voith Schneider Propeller,
has no preferential direction of
thrust and allows infinite variation in
the magnitude and direction of
thrust.
Figure 3 shows a 3D-CAD illustration
of a type R5 Voith Schneider Pro-
peller. The sectioned view (Figure 4)
illustrates its construction. The en-
ergy required to generate the thrust
is supplied to the rotor casing (1) via
the flanged-on reduction gear (7) and
the bevel gear (6). Gland bearings
or special roller bearings are used
to support the blade shaft. The rotor
casing is axially supported by the
thrust plate (10) and centered radi-
ally by the roller bearing (11). Due
to the kinematic system (3), the
blades (2) perform an oscillating
3
4
motion. The amplitude and phase
of the blades' motion is determined
by the position of the steering cen-
ter and hence the magnitude and
direction of thrust are varied by
means of the control rod (4).
The control rod is actuated by two
orthogonally arranged servo motors
(5). The propulsion servo motor is
used to adjust the pitch for longitu-
dinal thrust (forward and reverse
motion of the ship). The rudder
servo motor is used for transverse
thrust (motion to port and starboard).
The two servo motors permit steer-
ing according to Cartesian X/Y coor-
dinates (identical with the principal
axes of the ship), controlled changes
in thrust are possible via the thrust-
free condition ("from zero"). For ex-
ample, its direction can be changed
from full ahead to full astern at a
constant speed of rotation without
creating disturbing transverse
forces.
The division into propulsion thrust
and steering forces, i.e. steering
according to Cartesian coordinates,
makes handling the ship an easily
understood and user-friendly pro-
cess for the helmsman.
Fitting the Voith Schneider Propeller
with mechanical controls for the
servo motors and an oil pump (12)
flanged to the input gear results in
a self-contained propulsion and
manoeuvring system which, apart
from the torque input, requires no
other source of power.
The step-less nature of the con-
trollable pitch Voith Schneider
Propeller, which is not direction-
dependent, is made possible by a
technically sophisticated kinematic
system. Various mechanical kine-
matic systems and hydraulic blade
actuating systems were developed
and used in the course of develop-
ment [1]. The current generation of
VSPs is fitted exclusively with the
robust crank-type kinematic system.
Figure 5 illustrates the kinematic
principle of the VSP.
If the centre of the lower spherical
bearing (steering centre) is at
the centre of the rotor casing, the
blades are not angled relative to
the tangent to the blade circle
(Figure 6a). If the lower spherical
bearing is moved away from the
centre of the rotor casing by the
actuation of one or both servo mo-
tors and the lever action of the
control rod, the blades are set at
an adjustable angle to the tangent
of the path as they revolve.
The maximum angle of attack of the
blades increases with the excentric-
ity. Since the blades are very largely
balanced, that is to say the result-
ant force due to the hydrodynamic
effect and inertia acts in the region
of the extended shaft axis, the
excentricity can be varied very
quickly and with little power from
the servo motors, thanks to the
considerable leverage effect of the
control rod (Figure 5).
Figure 3: VSP type R5,
(3D-CAD drawing)
Figure 4: Sectioned view of type R5
Voith Schneider Propeller
Figure 5: Kinematic principle of the
Voith Schneider Propeller
This technical solution is the basis
for the rapid and sensitive variation
in thrust of Voith Schneider Pro-
pellers. For reasons of design, the
mechanical excentricity, i.e. the
position of the lower spherical
bearing (Figure 5) is very much
less than that of the position of the
hydrodynamic steering centre N
or N', which will be explained below
(Figure 7).
Due to the controllable pitch of the
Voith Schneider Propeller, it can be
operated at a constant speed.
However, it is customary to vary the
speed and pitch to optimize energy
utilization. Voith Schneider Pro-
pellers are currently available for
input power up to 4100 kW. The
blade orbit diameter varies within
a range from 1.2 m to 3.8 m. VSPs
are manufactured with four, five or
six blades.
The blades of the Voith Schneider
Propeller move along a circular
path while simultaneously perform-
ing a superimposed pivoting mo-
tion.
The perpendiculars of the chords
of the profiles intersect at a single
point, the steering centre N, as the
blades revolve. Figure 8 shows the
movements of the blades a) for an
observer standing on the propeller
and moving with it and b) for a sta-
tionary observer.
The excentricity e also referred to
as pitch of the Voith Schneider
Propeller is defined as:
The pitch of the Voith Schneider
Propeller can be varied within a
range e _< 0.8. Propellers with a
pitch e >1 are known as trochoidal
propellers. The Kirsten-Boeing
propeller is a special case, with
a pitch of e = 1.
e =
ON
D/2
Figure 7: Velocities at the blade in
zero-thrust condition
The hydrodynamic principle
of thrust generation
Figure 6: a) Centre of the kinematic system is identical to the centre of the rotor casing
b) Excentricity between the centre of the kinematic system and the centre
of the rotor casing
a) b)
The advance coefficient () of the
VSP is the ratio of the inflow veloc-
ity of the propeller (VA) to the circum-
ferential velocity u of the blades (u):
The circumferential velocity u at the
blade circle, with rotor speed (n) and
blade orbit diameter (D), is given by:
The motion of the blade relative to
a stationary observer, as illustrated
in Figure 8 right, arises from the
superimposition of the rotary move-
ment and a straight line represent-
ing the forward motion of the ves-
sel. The blade follows a curve of a
cycloid. The rolling radius of the
cycloid is *D/2. In one revolution,
the propeller travels a distance
*D* in the direction of motion of
the ship. Because the blades travel
along a cycloidal path, the Voith
Schneider Propeller is also referred
to as a cycloidal propeller.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the inflow
conditions in the zero thrust condi-
tion. In each angular position, the
water flows in at a zero lift angle,
i.e. there is no hydrodynamic lift.
The drag for the profiles are negli-
gible in these analyses.
To generate thrust, the blades are
set at an angle relative to their
path. To achieve this, the steering
centre is adjusted from N to N'.
Because the water flows in at an
angle of attack , there is a hydro-
dynamic lift force (A) and drag force
(W) on the blade. The drag force
has two components: the induced
drag and the profile drag. Figure 9
illustrates the generation of thrust.
The steering centre is varied by
means of the kinematic system
(Figure 5).
The VSP employs a two-stage
thrust generation. As they revolve,
the blades produce forces in the
desired direction of thrust both in
the forward and rearward half of the
rotor. Figure 10 shows individual
blade positions that contribute to
thrust generation. Since the profiles
are moving in opposite directions
in the front and rear halves of the
rotor, the VSP gives rise to hydro-
dynamic effects comparable to the
interactions familiar from contra-
rotating propellers [3].
Figure 11 shows the forces acting
on the propeller in selected blade
positions. There is continuous vari-
ation in the lift during each revolu-
tion owing to the non-stationary
inflow to the propeller blades. The
force-components acting trans-
versely to the desired direction of
thrust cancel each other out, while
the force-components in the direc-
tion of thrust add up over the cir-
cumference of the propeller.
5
6
Figure 8: Illustration of law of intersecting perpendiculars
and the cycloidal path of the VSP
Figure 9: Forces on the blade for
two angular positions

=
V
A
u
u =
.
D
.
n
a) b)
Figure 12 shows the lift conditions
as a function of the cycloidal path
for a stationary observer.
The physical principle involved in
the generation of thrust by the Voith
Schneider Propeller is that of hy-
drodynamic lift. Thrust generation
differs in a fundamental way from
that represented by the flow con-
ditions of a paddle-wheel blade,
where resistance forces are the
decisive factor in thrust generation.
The thrust of the propeller is per-
pendicular to the line ON (in bollard
pull conditions) or to the line NN'
(in open water condition). By shift-
ing the steering centre N or N' it is
possible to produce thrust in any
direction.
Figure 13 shows the effect of
changing the steering centre N'.
If it is moved toward the centre of
the rotor from one particular ob-
served starting point (Figure 13a),
for example, the thrust is reduced
(Figure 13b). Giving the steering
centre a negative value x reverses
the direction of thrust (Figure 13c).
Simply by adjusting the steering
centre, it is thus possible to reverse
the thrust without suffering the
effects of unwanted transverse
forces.
The zero-thrust condition can be
selected at any time, making the
ship very safe to handle.
Voith Schneider Propellers operate
at very low number of revolutions
only about 25 % of the number of
revolutions of screw propellers of
comparable size and power. The
reasons for the low speeds can be
summarized as follows:

In certain installation conditions,

the rectangular swept area of a
VSP is approximately twice as
large as that of a screw propeller
(Figure 14).
Figure 10: Blade positions
for thrust generation
Figure 11: Forces on the blade
in various angular positions
Figure 12: Lift generation at a blade
as a function of the cycloidal path
7
8
N
N N
Figure 13: Influence of the position of the steering centre N
on the direction and magnitude of thrust (a-f)
a) b) c)
N
N N
d) e) f)

The blades are arranged at the

outer periphery of the rotor. The
resulting inflow due to the rota-
tion of the rotor and the speed
of the ship is constant over the
vertical length of the blades. With
screw propellers, the inflow in-
creases with the radius of the
propeller.

The flow conditions at the blade

are non-stationary. They permit
larger effective angles of attack
without flow separation [4].

The VSP generates the thrust

in two stages in the front and
rear half of the rotor in a man-
ner similar to contra-rotating
propellers (Figure 10).
The low speed is associated with
high torques, which call for robust
design, although there is the disad-
vantage of greater weight.
The advantages of the low speeds
are:

Long service life, especially for

the bearings and seals.

Reduced vulnerability to obsta-

cles such as driftwood and ice.
The blade generally strikes such
obstacles with its leading edge,
which means that the blade then
has the maximum moment of
resistance relative to the direc-
tion of attack of the applied
force.

Low hydroacoustic signatures.

Components with very high

safety factors.
Figure 14: Comparison of the swept area
from a Voith Schneider Propeller and from
a screw propeller at a given draught
.

T
0,5
.

.
D
.
L
.
u
2
k
S
=
k
D

4
.
M

.
D
2.
L
.
u
2
k
D
=
T

.
n
2.
D
3.
L
k
T
=
M

.
n
2.
D
4.
L
k
Q
=
k
S

.
J =
k
T
= 0,5
.

2.
k
S
k
Q
= k
D

.

2
4

O
=
2
.

.
J
k
D

k
S

O
=
Voith definition Coefficients by
analogy with screw
propellers
Conversion
Advance
coefficient
Thrust
coefficient
Torque
coefficient
Open-water
efficiency
Circumferential velocity of VSP blades
V
A

.
n
.
D
=
n
.
D
J =
V
A
u =
.
n
.
D
Table 1: Hydrodynamic coefficients for the VSP
To illustrate the effect of rotational
speed on the characteristics of the
VSP, an analogy may be drawn with
the diesel engine (low-speed, medi-
um-speed and high-speed). There
too, rotational speed has a decisive
effect on the technical parameters.
The hydrodynamic characteristics
of Voith Schneider Propellers are
represented by dimensionless coef-
ficients which, as a result of the
historical development of the sys-
tem, differ by constant factors from
those of screw propellers. A brief
summary and corresponding con-
version factors to the coefficients
for the VSP, based on a comparison
with screw propellers, are given in
Table 1. In the dimensionless repre-
sentation, it is useful to incorporate
the blade length L into the corre-
sponding coefficients for thrust and
torque.
The Reynolds number for Voith
Schneider Propellers, based on the
mean chord length c of a profile, is
defined as follows:
where n is the kinematic viscosity.
Owing to the low number of revo-
lutions of Voith Schneider Pro-
pellers, the Reynolds number ob-
tained for a model propeller in pro-
pulsion tests is relatively low. It is
therefore necessary to correct the
results obtained with the model,
and this can be done with meas-
ured values obtained by the Ham-
burg Ship Model Basin (HSVA) [5]
or with validated correction factors
obtained more recently by Compu-
tational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
The hydrodynamic properties of
Voith Schneider Propellers are
primarily influenced by the following
parameters:

Blade angle of attack during

revolution

Profile geometry

Ratio of chord length c to blade

circle diameter D, (c/D)

Relative thickness of the profile

Blade shaft position

Ratio of blade length L to blade

orbit diameter D, (L/D)

Shape of blade outline

Design of the blade ends

With Voith Schneider Propellers,
the ends of the blades can be op-
timized in a technically simple and
very effective way (by using end
plates or making the ends elliptical
or swept back for example) to re-
duce the induced drag. Figure 15
shows a VSP blade with an end
plate.
Figure 16 shows as example an
open water diagram for a modern
Voith Schneider Propeller. The
propeller has been optimized for
these conditions.
.
V
A
2
+ u
2
Re =
c

Hydrodynamic characteristics
of Voith Schneider Propellers
Figure15: VSP blade
with end plate
9
10
0,8
0,6
0,4
0,2
0
0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9

k
S
,

k
D
,

K
D
K
S
Selected results from model scale
tests are shown in Figures 17, 18
and 19 [6]. The measurements
were obtained with a model pro-
peller on which the ratio of blade
length to blade orbit diameter is just
L/D = 0.5 and the ratio of chord
length c to blade circle diameter is
c/D = 0.176. The major differences
between this model propeller and
the modern VSP are in the adjust-
ment of the blades, the blade pro-
file, the relative blade length and
the relative profile thickness. Higher
efficiency is achieved with modern
VSPs.
The thrust coefficients (Figure 17)
and figures for efficiency (Figure
18) are a function of the advance
coefficient and pitch e. There is
a qualitative shift in the coefficients
as a function of and e, as is famil-
iar from screw propellers with vari-
able pitch. As the pitch increases,
so does efficiency.
The effect of the number of blades
is illustrated in Figure 19. The
smaller the number, the higher the
efficiency. On today's VSPs, the
number of blades is much less
significant since the hydrodynamic
interactions between the blades
on the front and rear halves of the
rotor are reduced by modification
of the blade angle curve.
The profiles of Voith Schneider
Propellers are optimized for each
particular application. On a VWT,
the bollard pull is optimized. High-
lift profiles are therefore used on
these ships. These correspond
very largely to HSVA profiles [7]
but have a modified leading and
trailing edge. On VSPs optimized
for conditions in open waters, con-
vex blades are often used. On
these propellers, the relative profile
thickness is less than on tugs.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

e = 0.4
e = 0.6
e = 0.5
e = 0.7
e = 0.8
e = 0.9
e = pitch
Figure 16: Open-water diagram of a modern
5-blade Voith Schneider Propeller; Re = 5.9
10
6
to 7.3 10
6
; L/D =1.0; c/D =0.18
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0

e = 0.4
e = 0.5
e = 0.6
e = 0.7
e = 0.8
e = 0.9
e = pitch
Figure 17: Thrust coefficient of a
6-blade model propeller as a function of
pitch e, Re = 1.2 10
5
-2.1 10
5
[6]
Figure 18: Open water efficiency of a
6-blade model propeller as a function
of pitch e, Re = 1.2 10
5
-2.1 10
5
[6]
VA/U = 0,8
VA/U = 1,0
VA/U = 0,0
VA/U = 0,4
K
S
y
K
S
x
-2,0 -1,5 -1,0 -0,5 0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0
1,0
0,5
0,5
1,0
1,5
2,0
0,9
0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9

k
S
,

(2-blade)

(6-blade)

(3-blade)
k
S
(6-blade)
k
S
(3-blade)
k
S
(2-blade)
The side thrust of Voith Schneider
Propellers increases with the in-
crease of the advance coefficient.
Figure 20 shows a corresponding
diagram for various advance coeffi-
cient and steering angles. As the
advance ratio increases, that is to
say as the speed of the ship in-
creases and the propeller speed
remains the same, the steering
forces also increase, as do the
torques. Because the VSP is ad-
justable, it is possible to achieve
a high steering force by means of
a very rapid change in pitch.
For tests with models at towing
tanks, Voith Turbo Marine can sup-
ply model propellers with 5 or 6
blades and diameters of 160 mm
and 200 mm.
As with the calculation of flows
around screw propellers, various
methods have been developed
for Voith Schneider Propellers:

Simple calculation methods

based on the theorem of mo-
mentum and simple, steady-state
methods of hydrofoil theory [8].
These methods are simple to
manipulate but yield inaccurate
values when the pitch is rela-
tively large and do not allow
assessments of local hydrody-
namic values, such as pressures
and forces as a function of the
angle of revolution.

Methods based on the extended

lifting line theory [9],[10], with all
the free vortices moving at a
constant velocity and exclusively
in the direction of inflow. Variable
inflow in the direction of the
chord is not taken into account.
It is possible to calculate local
forces and torques.

Discrete-time vortex lattice meth-

ods make it possible to allow for
variable inflow in the direction of
the chord and for the steady-state
nature of the flow [11]. The posi-
tion of the free vortices is calcu-
lated for each time step. Accuracy
is comparable with that of vortex-
lattice methods for screw propel-
lers [12]. One ad vantage is the
small amount of computing time
required, relative to the capacity
of today's computers. On the
other hand, there is the disad-
vantage that viscous effects can
only be taken into account by us-
ing the outflow condition formu-
lated by Kutta and Joukowski,
with global corrections.

Calculation methods which in

volve solving the Reynolds-aver-
aged Navier-Stokes equations
(RANSE). By adapting commer-
cial codes for solving the RANSE,
it is possible to calculate flows
around Voith Schneider Pro-
Figure 20: Effect of advance ratio on the steering
forces of a Voith Schneider Propeller
Figure 19: Thrust coefficient and efficiency of a
VSP model propeller as a function of the number
of blades, Re = 1.2*10
5
-2.1*10
5
[6]
11
12
pellers very accurately. There is
very good agreement between
the calculations and measure-
ments. This method is also re
ferred to as CFD (Computational
Fluid Dynamics).
A brief description of how the flow
around Voith Schneider Propellers
is calculated by solving the Reyn-
olds-averaged Navier Stokes equa-
tions is given below. The flow
around Voith Schneider Propellers
is calculated by solving the Reyn-
olds-averaged Navier-Stokes equa-
tions. Turbulent effects are taken
into consideration by using state
of the art turbulence models. Voith
uses the COMET Software.
It is based on the Finite Volume
Method, which ensures conserva-
tive handling of all flow variables.
A detailed description of the theory
is given in [13]. Figure 21 shows
one example of a mesh for solving
the RANSE. It divides the flow
volume around a Voith Schneider
Propeller into discrete elements.
Figure 22 shows a calculated pres-
sure distribution. This shows that
high levels of thrust are generated,
especially in the second half of the
rotor. Although the effective angles
of attack should be smaller in the
second half of the rotor owing to
the induced velocities of the first
half, the pressure distributions tell
a different story. The reason for this
is to be found in the approximately
30 % shaft position of the VSP
blade.
The higher velocities in the region
of the profile's trailing edge in the
second half of the rotor give rise to
high lift and even pressure distribu-
tion, as can be seen especially in
Figure 23. It shows the calculated
pressure distribution for a Voith
Schneider Propeller with a nozzle
plate. Like the nozzle for screw
propellers, the nozzle plate has the
effect of increasing thrust at bollard
pull conditions.
This section describes examples
of the use of Voith Schneider Pro-
pellers on VWTs, double-ended
ferries and mine countermeasure
vessels. Examples of other applica-
tions are given in [1].
Hydrodynamic calculation methods for
Voith Schneider Propellers
Figure 21: Global calculation mesh and detail of the profile mesh
for solving the RANSE, applied to a Voith Schneider Propeller
Figure 22: Calculated pressure
distribution at the blades of a VSP
Ships with
Voith Schneider Propellers
Figure 24: Speeds in which
assistance may be required
6.1 Voith Water Tractor (VWT)
Ship-handling operations are an
important link between land and
sea transportation.
Ship-handling tugs are increasingly
playing a key role in ensuring the
safety of incoming merchant ves-
sels right up until they are able to
tie up at the terminal jetty. New dan-
gers and risks due to the increasing
size of seagoing ships, the huge in-
crease in the transportation of haz-
ardous substances such as crude
oil, LNG and chemicals, and narrow
channels in many harbors have
made safety in ship assistance a
decisive factor in risk assessment
as applied to terminals and the en-
vironment.
In the currently understood sense,
assistance to ships is necessary
when a freighter's own systems
cannot provide sufficient manoeu-
vrability at low speed. It is also re-
quired in emergencies when, due
possibly to the failure of the steer-
ing or propulsion system, a seago-
ing ship goes out of control and
poses a risk to itself, to other ship-
ping, to installations on land and to
the environment.
Figure 24 illustrates when and
where assistance from the ship-
handling tug may be necessary.
The efficiency of a ship's rudder in-
creases approximately in proportion
to the square of the speed. Con-
versely, its steering capacity falls
very rapidly as the speed of the ship
decreases. Depending on the size
and type of ship and on wind, and
current conditions or conditions in
a particular area, it may be neces-
sary to provide assistance at rela-
tively high speeds of as much as
6-8 knots. The Voith Water Tractor
(Figure 25) covers all the above
aspects. Thanks to the two possible
methods of operation direct and
indirect the VWT can assist a ship
safely over a wide range of speeds.
Its introduction has fundamentally
eliminated the dangers associated
with stern-propulsion tugs when used
to assist ships. The distinguishing
feature of the Voith Water Tractor
is that the propellers are located in
the bow section, where they are
protected by an integrated nozzle
plate. Other important elements are
the aft stabilising fin with the towing
gear mounted above it, and the cen-
trally mounted, logical controls
(Figure 26).
Bow steering i.e. location of the
propellers in the bow section was
chosen for the Voith Water Tractor

to enable the interactive hydro-

dynamic forces between the tow
and the tractor to be counter-
acted, even at high speeds

to obtain a stable equilibrium

between the two forces acting on
the tractor propeller thrust and
towing force
Tugs fast forward have a relatively
low efficiency, and this falls as the
speed at which assistance is pro-
vided increases. One reason for this
Figure 23: Pressures at a VSP
with guard plate
13
14
is that a considerable proportion of
the tug's power output is required to
maintain its own speed. Another rea-
son is that the force supplied by the
tug is applied at or close to the hy-
dro-dynamic centre of gravity of the
seagoing ship, without any effective
leverage. However, in some ship-
ping areas it is impossible to avoid
using a tug fast forward. When
making fast, the interactive forces
between the seagoing vessel and
the ship-handling vessel are ex-
tremely critical.
There can be significant negative
pressure due to the hydrodynamic
interactions between the ships'
hulls, especially when the two ves-
sels are close together. In addition,
there is a risk to the stability of the
ship-handling vessel from the trans-
verse component of the tow-rope
pull. With its propulsion arranged
forward, a Voith Water Tractor can
carry out this assistance manoeu-
vre safely. This was demonstrated
by systematic tests on models car-
ried out in the 1960s by the Ham-
burger Ship Model Basin
(HSVA) [14].
An important consideration when
providing assistance to a ship is
the protection afforded to the pro-
pellers from unwanted contact at
the side and from bottom contact.
The nozzle plate arranged under
the tips of the propeller blades to
increase propeller thrust under
bollard pull conditions serves si-
multaneously to provide them with
reliable protection.
Another important aspect is the
redundancy of the propulsion sys-
tem, which is intended to eliminate
the need to break off assistance im-
mediately if one of the drivelines
fails. In this context, system redun-
dancy means not just the presence
of two propulsion systems but also
requires independent operation of
these systems.
It is the special feature of the Voith
Schneider Propeller with its ability
to supply variable thrust according
to X/Y coordinates that are identical
with the ship's coordinate system
which opens up this option.
The steering characteristics of the
Voith Schneider Propellers ensure
that the Voith Water Tractor can be
steered in an equivalent way with
one or two propellers, i.e. there is
a fall-back option but no change in
the handling characteristics.
Thanks to the forward position of
the propulsion system, the towing
gear on the Voith Water Tractor can
be positioned well aft so that the
two main forces propeller thrust
and tow-rope pull acting on the
ship are directed away from its cen-
tre of rotation, and a constant sta-
ble equilibrium is established be-
tween these forces a significant
safety feature compared with stern-
propulsion tugs.
Figure 25: Escort Voith Water Tractor "Tanerliq",
2 VSP 36 GII/270, P = 2 x 3460 kW
Figure 26: Characteristic features of
the Voith Water Tractor
People are a significant component
in any safety system. Experience
shows that a very high percentage
of accidents are due to human er-
ror. The way in which people oper-
ate safety systems is therefore very
important. The steering provided by
the Voith Schneider Propeller meets
this safety requirement. The logical
arrangement of the control on the
bridge permits intuitive steering in
any situation. There is no need for a
change in approach when switching
from operation fast forward to oper-
ation fast aft, from the direct to the
indirect method or from one to two
propellers. This prevents serious
errors due to stress
in emergency situations.
With its relatively large skeg pro-
peller guard and nozzle plate, the
Voith Water Tractor is equipped with
two hydrofoil systems that have a
damping effect on its movements
due to swell. The skeg reduces the
rolling motion and the guard plate
damps pitching and heave motions.
The vertically arranged, rotating
VSP blades likewise have a damp-
ing effect on the swell-induced
motion of the ship.
The skeg and the active VSP
blades of the Voith Water Tractor
ensure good directional stability.
Since all seagoing ships are driven
and steered from the stern, it
makes the most sense to place
an assistance vessel at the ship's
stern when replacing or supple-
menting these systems. Thanks to
the equilibrium between the tow-
rope pull and the propeller thrust,
the Voith Water Tractor can operate
behind the ship while secured to
the tow-rope.
If the VWT has to produce forces
opposed to the direction of motion
of the seagoing ship while in this
position, the VSPs are subjected
to a negative approach flow. They
then operate with a negative ad-
vance coefficient. The propellers
may also be subjected to severe
additional loads by the propeller
wash of the ship to be manoeu-
vered. Such complex flow condi-
tions pose relatively few problems
for the VSP because:

the VSP has a vertical axis, and

the rotating propeller wash has
less effect on the inflow to the
blades than in the case of inter-
action between two screw
propellers

the VSPs large wash area evens

out such effects

the pitch control allows precise

adaptation to a variable
approach flow and thus prevents
overloading of the propulsion
system
This enables engine power to be
converted immediately into active
braking force in any phase. Here
too, the operating redundancy of
the systems guarantees safety,
Q
K
V [kn]
PQ
e2
e1
G
B
V [kn]
FP
PQ
Q
PL L
LWQ
Ib Ia
FQ Fender
AP
C
F
S
L
Figure 27: Forces in the direct method - pushing a seagoing vessel
15
16
Figure 29: Stability and remaining
freeboard in the direct method
1,50
1,45
1,40
1,35
1,30
1,25
1,20
0 5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85
F
r
e
e
b
o
a
r
d

[
m
]
Alpha [*]
1,55
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Alpha [*]
FS-total [t]-0.00kn
FS-total [t]-1.00kn
FS-total [t]-2.00kn
FS-total [t]-3.00kn
FS-total [t]-4.00kn
FS-total [t]-5.00kn
FS-total [t]-6.00kn
F
o
r
c
e
s

[
t
]
ensuring that assistance operations
are not put at risk if one of the pro-
pulsion systems fails, even at high
speeds.
For steering at low speed, i.e. to
supplement the rudder force of
the seagoing ship, the installed
power of the Voith Water Tractor
is employed via the thrust of the
propellers the direct method.
The forces that arise while pushing
a seagoing ship are illustrated in
Figure 27.
While the optimum position of the
Voith Water Tractor for pushing at a
speed of 0 is 90 to the axis of the
seagoing ship, as would be ex-
pected, this changes with increas-
ing speed, and the angles of inci-
dence become smaller (Figure 28).
The diagrams in Figures 28 and 29
are based on the following ship's
parameters:

Lwl = 33.50 m
B = 10.50 m
Thull = 2,8 m
D = 4,2 m
Disp. = 598 t
GM = 210 m

2*VSP 32R6/210
PB = 2*2450 kW
Due to the hydrodynamic action of
the fin, the Voith Water Tractor is ca-
pable of maintaining the maximum
steering force from a speed of zero
to about 6 kn, the maximum practi-
cable speed for the direct method.
Whereas the Voith Water Tractor
leans into the flow initially with in-
creasing speed, as would be ex-
pected, leading to a reduction in
the freeboard, the ship is already
beginning to right itself at a speed
of about 4 kn (Figure 29). This ef-
fect is governed by the high trans-
verse propeller thrust required. At
higher speeds in the direct method,
therefore, the freeboard increases
to beyond that when the ship is
Figure 28: Steering forces in the direct method
Ship Assistance
with Voith Water Tractor
C
F
S
L
C
F
S
L
V = 0 - 2 : kn
C
F
S
L
= 90
V = 0 - 2 : kn
C
F
S
L
= 60
V = 0 - 2 : kn
C
F
S
L
= 50

C
F
S
L
C
F
S
L
V = 0 - 2 : kn
C
F
S
L
= 80

floating upright. The assistance ma-

noeuvres can therefore be carried
out with a high degree of safety
within the speed range outlined.
Figure 30 shows the optimum push
positions of a Voith Water Tractor
as a function of speed.
The direct method cannot be used
at higher speeds because the force
required to drive the tractor itself
reduces the tow-rope pull accord-
ingly and, depending on the speed,
there is only a reduced tow-rope
force available. The Voith Water
Tractor therefore marked the intro-
duction of the indirect method.
In this method, the hydrodynamic
lift forces of the ship's hull and the
fin are introduced into the ship via
the towing rope (Figure 31). In the
indirect operating method, the pro-
pellers are essentially used only as
steering gear to position the Voith
Water Tractor's hull at the correct
optimum angle of attack and to
adjust the port- or starboard-side
steering position relative to the
ship. As a result, the maximum
steering or braking forces are ef-
fectively generated to meet the re-
quirements for assistance [15]. In
this application, a heeling moment
on the Voith Water Tractor is con-
sciously accepted and increases as
the square of the speed. The design
of a Voith Water Tractor must take
account of this moment-related re-
quirement by optimizing the princi-
pal dimensions, the shape parame-
ters, weight distribution, dynamic
stability and arrangement of the
towing winch.
Serious accidents with tankers have
led to a demand for safe escort
vessels.
Following the most severe tanker
accident to date, that of the "Exxon
Valdez" off Alaska, safe escort
ships were prescribed by law in
hazardous waters such as Prince
William Sound, the Strait of Juan
de Fucca, San Francisco Bay
etc. All tankers with a dead weight
of above 5,000 tDW must be es-
corted by a suitable tug [16].
In many sea areas where escort
ships are required, such as Valdez,
Alaska and Placentia Bay, New-
foundland, Canada, attempts have
been made to describe the complex
behavior of the Voith Water Tractor
escort together with a tanker. In
various risk scenarios involving the
parameters of the largest tankers
entering these areas and extreme
weather conditions, permitted turn-
ing circles were laid down as limits
within which the tanker had to be
brought under control if the steering
or main engines of the tanker failed
[17], [18].
In Scandinavia, on the other hand,
the maximum steering forces to be
produced by an escort tug to se-
cure an at-risk tanker are defined
in complex risk assessments for
individual terminals. Tugs designed
for such escort duties are given an
"Escort Rating Number (n, v)",
Figure 30: Optimum push positions of a
Voith Water Tractor as a function of speed
v [kn]
F
B
F
S
F
y
F
T
F
Ty
F
Tx
Fx
T
x
T
y
T

Figure 31: Forces acting on a

Voith Water Tractor in indirect method
17
18
which expresses the maximum
steering force (n) in tonnes at an
escort speed (v) in knots [19]. As
with the requirement for the maxi-
mum time to put the helm over from
hard to port to hard to starboard,
the escort tug must be able to
change position within 31 seconds.
If the actual manoeuvring time from
one position to the opposite one
exceeds the prescribed value, the
"Escort Rating Number" is reduced
accordingly. The area criterion of
the leverarm curve is decisive for
the assessment of stability. Be-
tween equilibrium and the maxi-
mum heel of 20, the area of the
leverarm curve under the righting to
heeling lever must be at least 25%
above the value for the area of the
heeling lever. Moreover, the total
area of the righting levers up to the
critical inflow opening, or at most
40%, must be 40% greater than the
area of the heeling levers [19].
The escort tug must also have a
"self-tension" towing winch so that
it can handle the considerable over-
loads during dynamic oscillation of
the tow-rope forces at sea. If the
tow-rope force is more than 50%
of the breaking strength of the tow-
rope, the towing winch must auto-
matically release it. If the force falls
below this value again, the winch
must draw in the rope to its original
length. The breaking strength of the
tow-rope must be at least 2.2 times
the average maximum measured
tow-rope force.
There are many different ways of
optimizing the system to increase
the maximum steering forces, by
maximizing the under water lateral
area and the transverse force coef-
ficient of the tug through variation
of its shape [20].
The steering forces of a Voith Water
Tractor can be maximized by:

choosing high-lift profiles for

the fin

using hydrodynamically
optimized appendages on the
ship's hull and end plates on
the fin

the position of the A-frame rela-

tive to the hydrodynamic point of
action of force

the angle of attack of the ship

relative to the towing direction

balancing the moments about

the A-frame [21].
v = 0 kn
v = 2 kn
v = 4 kn
v = 5 kn
v = 6 kn
v = 8 kn v = 10 kn
Forces transverse [t]
F
o
r
c
e
s

l
o
n
g
i
t
u
d
i
n
a
l

[
t
]
-160 -120 -80 -40 0 40 80 120 160
100
50
-50
-100
-150
-200
Figure 32: "Butterfly" diagram for Voith Water Tractor
escort "Ajax", stensj Reederi A/S, Norway
Escort Voith Water Tractors
VTF
without VTF
0 50 100 150 200
50
0
-50
-100
-150
F
B

[
k
N
]
FB [kN]
The transverse thrust component
of the Voith Schneider Propeller re-
quired to ensure equilibrium should
be as small as possible. The ship's
design must provide the Voith Water
Tractor with sufficient stability and
freeboard to enable it to safely
accept the maximum tow-rope
forces. The results of optimizing the
ship in this way can be depicted by
a "butterfly" diagram [22]. Figure 32
shows by way of example the steer-
ing and braking forces that can be
achieved over the entire speed
range of the Escort Voith Water
Tractor "Ajax" [21]. The principal
data for this ship are as follows:

Lwl = 38.20 m
B = 14.20 m
Thull = 3.8 m
D = 6.25 m
Disp. = 1276 t

GM = 2.98 m
2*VSP 36GII/270
PB = 2*3460 kW
The serious accident involving the
nker "Aegean Sea" at the entrance
to the Spanish port of La Coruna
was one of the reasons why the
Voith Water Tractors used in Spain
are designed for escort duties. The
same applies to the water tractors
used at Southampton, Cork, Ant-
werp, Ravenna and Venice. To meet
the requirements for high steering
forces while retaining the compact
dimensions of a harbor tug, Voith
has developed the Voith Turbo
Fin (VTF). For this purpose, the
familiar rotor rudder system [7] was
adapted to the fin on the Voith
Water Tractor. On the nose of the
fin profile there is a rotating cylinder
which can be activated by the
captain as and when required in
indirect operations. By selectively
altering the boundary layer, flow
separation is delayed and the steer-
ing force of the entire VWT is in-
creased by up to 18%, allowing it
to be positioned at greater angles
of attack (Figure 33a, b). The diam-
eter of the rotating cylinder is about
50% of the maximum thickness of
the fin profile. To get the best re-
sults from the VTF, the velocity of
the cylinder's circumference should
be about 4 times the ship's speed.
The captain activates the Voith
Turbo Fin by means of a pushbut-
ton at the helm. When he turns the
wheel to generate steering forces
to port or starboard, the cylinder
begins to turn in the corresponding
direction of rotation. With the Voith
Turbo Fin, Voith Water Tractors cor-
responding in size to conventional
harbor assistance tugs for escort
duties can generate steering forces
of over 100 t. This considerably
enhances the multipurpose charac-
ter of these ships.
Figure 33a: Steering and braking forces
at V=10kn with and without VTF
Voith Turbo Fin (VTF)
Figure 33b: Escort Voith Water Tractor
with Voith Turbo Fin
19
20
Delta V [%]
v-DEF/v-SIN [%]
Fuel-DEF/F-SIN [%]
Pb-DEF/Pd-SIN [%]
v
,

P
b
,

F
u
e
l

[
%
]
distance [sm]
0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0 4,5
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
"Schlupengat" 4 VSP's, displ.= 4 285 t
"Prinses Juliana" 2 Screws, displ.= 4 270 t
F
b

[
k
N
]
v [kn]
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
6.2 VSP Double-Ended Ferries
The steady increase in the propor-
tion of the total costs of a product
accounted for by transportation,
storage and handling has always
exerted enormous economic pres-
sure on the productivity of trans-
portation by water. At an early
stage, seasonal fluctuations in
passenger numbers led to great
interest in carrying commercial
loads such as cars, trucks, heavy
goods and railway wagons.
Transporting such commercial
loads rapidly became a factor in
the profitability of ferry links.
In recent years, in particular, ferries
have become an efficient element
in complex integrated transport
systems. In contrast to the require-
ments of other types of shipping,
ferry links over short distances are
of a completely dynamic nature.
Operations thus have to flow as
continuously as possible, with short
journey times and economically
acceptable propulsion power. The
shorter the distance between ferry
ports, the more significant the
following factors:

loading and unloading times

the berthing and unberthing of

the ferry

acceleration and deceleration

of the ship in the ferry port
and the less significant the achiev-
able speed in open waters. To keep
to the fixed timetable for every
modern short-distance ferry, every
minute that can be saved in loading
and unloading and manoeuvring at
the ferry port means a reduction in
the required speed in open waters
and a corresponding reduction in
the required propulsion power and
significantly reduced operating
costs. Figure 34 shows the fuel
consumption, installed power and
required speed of a double-ended
ferry in comparison with single-
ended ferries. The comparison is
based on the following parameters:

loading time: 15 min

manoeuvring time: 2 min

additional manoeuvring time

for single enders: 1 min
Principal data of the double-ended
ferry:

Lwl = 31.5 m
B = 15.0 m
Thull = 1.6 m
D = 2.60 m
Disp. = 700 t
v = 12 kn

2*VSP 16KG
PB = 2*470 kW
With their "roll-through" load-han-
dling capability and minimal ma-
noeuvring at the ferry port, double-
ended ferries undoubtedly offer the
best foundation for economic short-
haul ferry operations. The compro-
mise that the shipbuilding engineer
has to make with regard to resist-
ance and somewhat higher power
requirements when designing a
Figure 34: Economic viability of a double-ended
ferry in comparison with a single ender
Figure 35: Braking forces of a double-ended
ferry with Voith Schneider Propellers
ship with a double-symmetrical hull
in comparison with a ship that has
conventional stern propulsion is
made good by savings on time and
power during manoeuvring [23]. The
first double-ended ferry with propul-
sion systems that could be rotated
through 360 was the VSP ferry
"Lymington" built in 1938, which was
later rechristened "Sound of Sanda"
and served for more than 50 years
on the River Clyde in Great Britain.
Double-ended ferries with screw
propellers have to compensate for
transverse forces due to wind and
currents during crossings by means
of a drift angle, which leads to
higher drag and the requirement
for additional power. With its spe-
cific thrust characteristic, the Voith
Schneider Propeller is capable of
generating sufficient transverse-
thrust components and compensat-
ing for wind and currents over vir-
tually the entire speed range with-
out the need for the ferry to adopt
a drift angle [23], [24].
The large swept area of the Voith
Schneider Propeller means that the
thrust loading on the propeller is
low and, coupled with its control-
lable pitch characteristic, enables it
to produce extremely high braking
forces (Figure 35).
6.3 Mine Countermeasure
Vessels (MCMV) with VSP
The Voith Schneider Propeller was
first used for military applications in
the early Thirties on the first Type
M1 and M2 minesweepers. By the
end of the Second World War al-
most 120 minesweepers had been
built. The aircraft catapult ships
"Falke" and "Bussard" likewise had
Voith Schneider Propellers as their
main means of propulsion. Thanks
to the positive experience with
minesweepers, military use of Voith
Schneider Propellers in the post-
war period was focused on modern
mine-hunters mine countermea-
sure vessels (MCMVs).
Owing to the enormous technologi-
cal progress in the effectiveness
and disguising of modern and very
cost-effective sea mines, mine
hunting has become a very danger-
ous and complicated defensive
military operation. MCMVs fitted
with VSPs have a single propulsion
system for operations mine hunting,
for clearing sea mines with me-
chanical, magnetic or acoustic
sweeping equipment and for travel-
ing in open waters to the area of
operations. To clear designated sea
areas, high directional stability
combined with extreme manoeuvra-
bility, good dynamic positioning
ability and very short stopping dis-
tances are required. During mine
hunting, the ship must not emit any
signals to which the sensitive sen-
sors of the mines could respond.
This is a matter of minimizing the
underwater noise caused by the
propeller combined with air- and
structure-borne noise levels from all
sources of noise in the ship, which
can be radiated into the water via
Figure 36: MCMV of the US Navy Osprey
class under shock test.
Mine Countermeasure Vessels
(MCMV) with VSP
21
22
the ship's structure. The low operat-
ing speed of the VSP (see Section
3) is a significant contributor to the
acoustically favorable behavior of
the Voith Schneider Propeller be-
cause its sound pressure is propor-
tional to the product ~n
3
*D
4
[25].
The magnetic signature of each
individual component of the ship is
subject to strict controls. The Voith
Schneider Propellers for MCMVs
are manufactured with up to 90%
non-magnetic steels and the mag-
netic components that are required
to enable it to operate are degaused
or magnetically neutralized. During
mine hunting, there is always the
possibility that a mine will detonate
close to the ship. The Voith Schnei-
der Propeller has to withstand such
extreme shock loads, without oper-
ational restrictions 0or major dam-
age (Figure 36).
Over 70 modern MCMVs fitted with
Voith Schneider Propellers are in
use by leading navies worldwide.
7. Voith Cycloidal Rudder
(VCR)
The Voith Cycloidal Rudder (VCR)
is a new type of multi-functional
means to manoeuvre. It represents
an adaptation of the technology
behind the Voith Schneider Pro-
peller to other areas of application.
The VCR is used in combination
with conventional screw propellers
(Figure 37a, b). The basic idea of
the VCR is to modify a VSP with
just two blades in such a way that
it can be used for a dual purpose.
There is a passive mode, in which
the VCR acts like a conventional
rudder, and an active mode, in
which the VCR acts like the tried-
and-tested VSP ([26], [27], [28]).
The two modes are summarized as
follows:
Passive mode
Figure 38 shows the VCR in pas-
sive mode behind a screw pro-
peller. The blades are stationary
and only the rotor casing has been
turned, through about 30.
Active mode
In the active mode, the VCR acts
just like a VSP. The direction of
thrust is infinitely variable over 360.
The active mode is used when the
ship is moving at low speed. In this
case, the effects of a passive rud-
der are very slight owing to the
quadratic dependence of the rudder
forces on the inflow speed. At low
speeds, the VCR gives high ma-
noeuvring forces, thus simplifying
the ship's handling and enhancing
its safety.
Voith Cycloidal Rudder (VCR)
Figure 37a: VCR schematic diagram Figure 37b: VCR 3D-CAD drawing
What advantages are there in
using the VCR:

The ship's rudder can be made

smaller. Ships' rudders are often
over-dimensioned for high speeds
because the required rudder
forces at low speed dictate their
area. With its two modes, the VCR
provides the choice of a smaller
rudder area entailing less drag.
At low speeds, the active mode
ensures manoeuvrability.

As a result, the ship is highly

manoeuvrable. The VCR allows
all important ship's manoeuvres,
such as forward and reverse
motion, turning on the spot and,
when two VCRs are fitted or in
combination with a bow thruster,
pure traversing manoeuvres as
well.

In terms of propulsion, the VCR

is a redundant system. If the
main propulsion system fails,
the VCR enables the ship to be
moved safely on its own, pro-
vided that the power supplied to
the VCR is independent of the
main propulsion system.

Roll motion can also can be

reduced with the VCR. Like a
rudder roll stabilization system
[29], the VCR can damp the
rolling motion of a ship. This is
possible because thrust forces
can be transferred very quickly
from port to starboard in the
VCR's active mode, it is also
possible to reduce the rolling
motion while the ship is
stationary.
The VCR is currently at an ad-
vanced stage of development.
Numerical simulations, model and
full-scale tests have been carried
out. For the full-scale tests, Voith
Turbo Marine has worked together
with the marine educational estab-
lishment (Seefahrtschule) in Leer.
Seefahrtschule Leer operates the
MS Aurora as a training ship.
This is a former buoy layer, which
is fitted with two VSPs size 14. For
test purposes, a VSP was con-
verted to use as a VCR, as shown
in Figure 39.
The VCR can be used with advan-
tage on a very wide range of ships,
e.g. ferries, passenger ships, navy
vessels, container ships, offshore
supply vessels and research ves-
sels. The VCR's ability to act as a
redundant propulsion system is
also a way of increasing the safety
of ships carrying hazardous loads.
Figure 39: Voith Schneider Propeller (size 14) converted to a VCR
on the training ship MS Aurora operated by Seefahrtschule Leer
Figure 38: Passive mode of the VCR
23
24
Bibliography
[1] Jrgens, Birgit; Fork, W:
Faszination Voith-Schneider-
Propeller, Geschichte und Technik
[The Fascination of Voith-Schneider
Propellers, History and Engineer-
ing]. Hamburg 2002
[2] Kirsten, F.K.: The Cycloidal
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University of Washington, Report
322, 1950
[3] Kracht, A.: Gegenlufige Propeller
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[4] Coton, F.N.; Galbraith, A. McD.:
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namic Stall on a Finite Wing.
The Aeronautical Journal, May
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[5] Mller, H; Helm; K: Der Mastab-
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234. Mitteilung der Hamburgis-
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Reederei und Hafen [Shipyards and
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[6] Ficken, N.L.; Dickerson, M.C.: Experi
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Characteristics of Cycloidal
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Washington 1969
[7] Brix, J.: Manoeuvring Technical
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Hamburg 1993
[8] Zhu, D.M.: A Computational Method
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[9] Isay; W.H.: Moderne Probleme der
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[10] Peters, H.E.: ber den Einflu der
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verse Inflow] Dissertation, Dresden
Technical University 1970
[11] Jrgens, D.: Theoretische und
experi-mentelle Untersuchungen
instationrer Tragflgelum-
strmungen und Entwicklung eines
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Vertikalachsenrotoren. [Theoretical
and Experimental Studies of
Unsteady Flows Around Hydrofoils
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Dissertation, Rostock University,
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[12] Streckwall, H.: Eine instationre
Vortex-Lattice Methode fr den
Schiffspropeller. [An Unsteady
Vortex-Lattice Method for Ships'
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[13] Ferziger, J. H.; Peric, M.: Computa-
tional Methods for Fluid Dynamics.
Second Edition, Berlin, Heidelberg
1999
[14] Mckel, W.: Modellversuche ber
Schlepperunflle bei bernahme der
vorderen Trosse [Model-Based Tests
on Tug Accidents While Accepting
the Front Tow-rope]. Hansa, 1964,
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[15] Sturmhfel, U.; Bartels, J.: Basic
Requirements for Safe Escort
Vessels Theoretical Consideration
and Model Measurements. RINA,
"Escort Tugs Design, Construction
and Handling the Way Ahead",
London, 1993
[16] Oil Pollution Act (OPA 90), Rules on
Escort Vessels, November 17, 1994
[17] North Pudget Sound Tanker Escort
and Tug Assistance Study. The
Glosten Associates, Inc., September
1991
[18] Mott, H.J.; Kristensen, D.H.; Laible,
D.H.; Thompson, T.; Stone, M.:
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Assist Tugs for Newfoundland
Transhipment, Ltd., SNAME 1998
[19] Det Norske Veritas, Rules for Ships.
January 1996, Pt. 5, Ch. 7, Sec. 16
[20] Bartels, J-E.: Voith WATER TRAC-
TOR The Hallmark of Improved
Ship Safety. Port International, 1998
[21] Allan, R.; Molyneux, D., Bartels,
J.-E. Innovative Major Escort Tug for
Norwegian Coastal Service. ITS
2000, the 16th International Tug and
Salvage Convention, Jersey,
15th-19th May 2000
[22] Hutchinson,B.L.; Gray, D.L.; Jagan-
nathan, S.: New Insights into Voith
Schneider Tractor Tug Capability,
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[23] Bartels,J.-E.: Voith-SCHNEIDER
Propulsion Systems for Double-
Ended Ferries. Logs Ferries `93
Conference, Florida, 28.- 30. March
1993
[24] Swaan, W.A.; Hoogerheide, T.:
Propulsion and Manoeuvring of a
Double-Ended Ferry. RINA Spring
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[25] Blaurock, J.: Geruscharmut von
Propellern [Low Noise Levels from
Propellers]. Postgraduate study IFS,
20th further training course, 1984
[26] Jrgens, D.: Cycloidal Rudders and
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School "Manoeuvring and Manoeu-
vring Devices", Rome 2001
[27] Jrgens, D.; Moltrecht, T: Cycloidal
Rudder and Screw Propeller for a
very Manoeuvrable Combatant,
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[28] Jrgens, D; Moltrecht, T: Combining
Cycloidal Rudder and Conventional
Fixed Pitch Propeller for Fast Very
Manoeuvrable Double-Ended
Ferries. 1st International Conference
on Double Ended Ferries, Norway,
Molde 2001
25
26
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2
Voith Turbo Marine GmbH & Co. KG
Alexanderstr. 18
89522 Heidenheim, Germany
Tel. +49 7321 37-6595
Fax +49 7321 37-7105
vspmarine@voith.com
www.voithturbo.com/marine
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