The Cat? Advanced Variable Drive Marine Propulsion System

摘要

Caterpillar has developed a proprietary advanced propulsion system for marine applications. The Cat? Marine Advanced Variable Drive? (AVD?) is a patented system that leverages Caterpillar's extensive experience with heavy duty continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology, advanced controls and power system integration knowledge. Cat AVD represents a fully integrated marine propulsion solution from the bridge interface down to the propellers and is applicable to a wide range of vessel types and missions. The paper will present a historical perspective on the evolution of various marine propulsion solutions, before outlining the AVD operating principle and its applicability for tugs. The paper will present a 2-3MW/shaft system case study, and detail operating modes and power flow for a typical tug or salvage vessel application, as well as the concept for scalability up to 20MW/ shaft. Differentiated advantages offered by the Cat AVD for a wide array of vessel types will also be discussed.