摘要 |
A tunnel thruster system (26) for a vessel. The tunnel thruster system includes a thruster propulsion mechanism (10) including a drive unit (10A) driving a transmission and propeller assembly (10C) located within a thruster tunnel (28). The thruster tunnel (28) comprising a propeller section (30), first and second tapered tunnel sections (32,34) interconnected with one another by the propeller section (30), the propeller section (30) and the first and the second tapered tunnel sections (32,34) oriented substantially transversely to a keel (16K) of the vessel and accommodating the transmission and propeller assembly. Each tapered tunnel section extends from the propeller section (30) to a tunnel opening (36,38) through a hull of the vessel. Diameters of the first and the second tapered tunnel sections (32,34) corresponding to a diameter of the propeller section (30) at the propeller section and taper outward toward a larger diameter at each of the corresponding tunnel openings (36,38) through the hull of the vessel.
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