YOUR PROPULSION EXPERTS
SCHOTTEL GmbH has now been announced the winner of the renowned Ludwig Boelkow Technology Award 2017 with a gearbox innovation whose advantages have already been confirmed in customer projects.
(From the left) Jens Rademacher, Managing Director of Rostock CCI; Hans Thon, President of Schwerin CCI; René Massenthe, Production Manager at SCHOTTEL GmbH, Wismar branch; Dr. Michael Potts, Branch Manager and Head of Engineering at SCHOTTEL GmbH, Wismar branch; Harry Glawe, Minister for Economics, Employment and Health in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
20 percent power increase
The award-winning HTG® (High Torque Gear) technology can transmit 20 percent more power than conventional bevel gears thanks to an innovative and optimized tooth geometry. This increase enables SCHOTTEL to design more compact propulsion systems. The gearbox thus constitutes the basis for more efficient and more powerful thrusters.
Better flow characteristics of the rudderpropellers
Dr. Michael Potts, Branch Manager and Head of Engineering at SCHOTTEL GmbH’s Wismar site, made the development the subject of his dissertation at Technische Universitaet Dresden: “The smaller gears put us in a unique position on the market to design more compact underwater pods. This yields better flow characteristics of the rudderpropellers, which in turn further increases the propulsion efficiency. The ship operator therefore benefits from lower fuel consumption.”
Greater precision and safety
“In times like these, with the gearwheel regarded as thoroughly researched and optimized, this technical innovation represents a major advantage in terms of international competition,” is how SCHOTTEL CEO Dr. Christian Strahberger explains the unique selling point. HTG® gearboxes offer greater precision and safety even in extreme operating conditions: “This has a positive effect on the power, efficiency and service life.” Unlike many other ideas relating to gears, the patented HTG® has already proven successful in initial propulsion applications on river cruise ships. In the meantime, it has been implemented in the entire range of SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers. Right now, propulsion units for Norwegian ferries are scheduled to be delivered very soon.
The Ludwig Boelkow Technology Award of the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was presented in 2017 for the 15th time by a jury of representatives from business, universities and the media. The award is intended to encourage further research and development activities.
