Rexpeller
Kawasaki Retractable Type Rexpeller
The 360-degree steerable propulsion system which Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. began producing in 1983 has been marketed under the trade name of "Rexpeller" and installed in many vessels to the full satisfaction of their owners, both domestic and international. Initially intended for use on tugboats, the Rexpeller has since seen the development and production of many different versions. One of the recently delivered models is a retractable Rexpeller embodying the state-of-the-art technology for installation on a multipurpose work vessel controlled by a dynamic positioning system (DPS).
The propeller section of this retractable Rexpeller is housed within the hull when the vessel is at sea, and lowered and projected out of the bottom shell for operation as required.
The thrust generated by the propeller is used either for propulsion or keeping the vessel in position, and when its operation has ended the propeller section is lifted into the hull, in which it is stored.
The driving motor is installed inboard, and its power is transmitted to the retractable Rexpeller via a mechanical clutch. When a command to lower the Rexpeller is received from the wheelhouse, it begins to descend until it reaches a prescribed position suitable for operation and is installed, and the mechanical clutch, in a "disengaged" state until then, is automatically "engaged" to make the Rexpeller operable.
When the operation ends, under a raising command from the wheelhouse, the mechanical clutch is automatically "disengage" and the Rexpeller rises to another prescribed position.
There is a system to accomplish this series of actions automatically with a hydraulic cylinders under commands from the wheelhouse, from where the actions can be monitored.
This Rexpeller is available with an optional bottom shell plating provided underneath the duct so that the well hole in the hull can be sealed when the propeller section is contained to minimize the vessel's propulsion resistance and thereby to achieve a higher speed.
Features
(1) The Rexpeller can generate the maximum thrust in any direction in a 360-degree range.
(2) The actions to "raise or lower" the propeller section and to "engage or disengage" the mechanical clutch can be remote-controlled from the wheelhouse.
(3) The propulsion system is held in position by guides provided both inside and outside the hull to effectively support the thrust generated during operation and to smoothly raise or lower the propeller section.
(4) The use of a high efficiency skewed propeller and a high thrust duct helps achieve a high propulsive efficiency and a powerful thrust.
(6) The most suitable product for a given purpose according to its kilowattage, from 500 kW upward, can be chosen from a wide variety of available models.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries,Ltd.
Address: World Trade Center Bldg., 4-1, Hamamatsu-cho 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6116
Tel: +81-3-3435-2374 Fax: +81-3-3435-2022 URL: http://www.khi.co.jp/
