同期差動変速機による電動可変ピッチプロペラ機構 - 水力発電分野で実用化されている大型電動可変ピッチプロペラ機構

抄録

In recent years, electrically controlled variable pitch propeller mechanism has been widely used as a way to improve fuel economy and help protect the environment.

In the field of hydroelectric power generation, the Kaplan turbine has the same structure as variable pitch propellers for ships, and in 1994, the world’s first hydraulic power plant incorporating synchronous differential transmission mechanism-based electric variable pitch propellers began operationsed. Subsequently in 2007, a 10,500kW Kaplan turbine using the electric variable-pitch propeller mechanism　started operations at the Shin-Chuubetsu Power Station in Hokkaido Electric Power Company. This paper describes the development process and characteristics of the synchronous differential transmission mechanism developed at that time. The mechanism enables the use of electric variable pitch propellers with power capacity up to 22,000kW, and it can also be applied to large vessels. This paper also explains the structure, main characteristics, of the mechanism and its scope of application.