Shaftless Propulsion: Brunvoll AS has developed a rim driven thruster without a central shaft

摘要

Norwegian ferry owner and operator Fjordl MRF, along with Inpower AS and Brunvoll AS, have finalized a pioneering research and development project with the installation and successful testing of a novel propulsion system for the ferry M/F Eiksund. The ferry has two azimuth rim driven thruster (RDT) units developed and delivered by Brunvoll AS, with one unit each at the bow and stern. For nearly 10 years, Brunvoll AS has been working on the development of what is called a rim driven thruster unit. During this period, the company built and tested a 100 kW azimuth RDT. In 2007, the company delivered an 810 kW tunnel thruster configuration to Ostensjo Rederi in Norway, which remains in operation.