How will boats be powered when ICEs go away?

sbw1

sbw1

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Oct 10, 2006
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West Michigan
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I been wondering how builders will power boats say 15 years from now. With the push to buy all electric vehicles, and major car manufacturers eliminating gas powered vehicles from their product lines, we will be left with a shortage of ICEs to marinize. I suppose there will always be diesel engines for heavy equipment so will all future boats have diesel engines? California intends to outlaw gasoline powered cars and gas stations over time. Electric battery powered boats do not seem realistic. So, how will boats be powered in the next 15-20 years?
 
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The real answer is outboards. No dependency on car makers to provide engines. It’s already happening. Downside is our grandkids ain’t getting a Jasper engine to drop in, recent guy repowered with a Mercruiser Verado 300. $26k out da door.
But it really won’t matter. We and our children will all be long dead before we run out of iron blocks to rebuild/repower.
 
I wonder if they asked the same question about horses when cars were first introduced?

Good question, nothing of value to contribute other than the diesel engines on ships are there to generate power for the electric engines, correct? Maybe a smaller scale of that for "our size" boats? ?
 
mrsrobinson said:
Good question, nothing of value to contribute other than the diesel engines on ships are there to generate power for the electric engines, correct? Maybe a smaller scale of that for "our size" boats? ?
Click to expand...

I like the diesel generator idea for electric pod drives. That would be pretty cool. But the generators needed for something like that wouldn't be much different then what's there now I would think. And they would be running at 1800RPM constantly until they design something new to run at 900 or 600RPM. Crazy where the mind takes you once you start thinking about things.
 
mrsrobinson said:
I wonder if they asked the same question about horses when cars were first introduced?

Good question, nothing of value to contribute other than the diesel engines on ships are there to generate power for the electric engines, correct? Maybe a smaller scale of that for "our size" boats? ?
Click to expand...
Did you know horses were banned from the cities in the mid 1800's? Pollution the reason...
No matter the answer there will be a faction wanting to get rid of it. Heck, look at the recent debacle with the wind generators. It comes down to what our representatives want to take on for votes and their vision.
The diesel engine is the marine staple and I'm sure will endure for the foreseeable future. Gasoline, on the other hand, will probably become a rare commodity replaced by ethanol, NG, and H2. I think for yachts the diesel engine will become efficient steady state electrical generators and motivation will be electric motors. Then there will be the hybrids where the diesel engine will serve to charge battery banks and the electric primes will be ran off the batteries.
Just my thoughts...
 
SKybolt said:
I like the diesel generator idea for electric pod drives. That would be pretty cool. But the generators needed for something like that wouldn't be much different then what's there now I would think. And they would be running at 1800RPM constantly until they design something new to run at 900 or 600RPM. Crazy where the mind takes you once you start thinking about things.
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Why those specific RPMs?? The only reason 1800 is/was popular is because they were providing power at 60Hz. No need to do that with pod drives, as they would likely be running essentially on high voltage DC, as they'd probably use an inverter to power a multi-phase motor in the pod.

And you don't want to slow a diesel down that much anyways because you lose efficiency. While they can be tuned for specific RPMs, they usually run most efficient between 1800 and 2200 because that's slow enough for the fuel to be consumed and fast enough where the generated heat doesn't all get absorbed in the block and piston.
 
km1125 said:
Why those specific RPMs?? The only reason 1800 is/was popular is because they were providing power at 60Hz. No need to do that with pod drives, as they would likely be running essentially on high voltage DC, as they'd probably use an inverter to power a multi-phase motor in the pod.

And you don't want to slow a diesel down that much anyways because you lose efficiency. While they can be tuned for specific RPMs, they usually run most efficient between 1800 and 2200 because that's slow enough for the fuel to be consumed and fast enough where the generated heat doesn't all get absorbed in the block and piston.
Click to expand...

Agreed on the RPM and only mentioned 900 or 600 as that might be changed with newer tech or not, but not the point. My point in mentioning the RPM at all is no-one is going to want to hear one, let alone two diesel engines running at 1800 rpm while at the dock. I don't think 900 rpm would be welcome. My guess is that there would be banks of batteries to run the "Pods" with servo controllers. The Engines might not even be needed under a certain amperage draw and work like most cars do today with that dam shutting the engine off while stopped. So while docking etc. there might be no engines running at all. Who knows ... just thinking out loud, I will say this, if that were to come about it would in a way no-one has thought of yet.
 
km1125 said:
Why those specific RPMs?? The only reason 1800 is/was popular is because they were providing power at 60Hz. No need to do that with pod drives, as they would likely be running essentially on high voltage DC, as they'd probably use an inverter to power a multi-phase motor in the pod.

And you don't want to slow a diesel down that much anyways because you lose efficiency. While they can be tuned for specific RPMs, they usually run most efficient between 1800 and 2200 because that's slow enough for the fuel to be consumed and fast enough where the generated heat doesn't all get absorbed in the block and piston.
Click to expand...
The big ship pods use Flux Vector Variable Frequency Drive systems which output a form of variable voltage, current, and frequency AC. My buddy is ABB's rep for the Disney ships - he is in charge of the drives; we talk about that stuff all the time. The diesel engines run at a constant speed and the VFD's do all of the power delivery to the pods. http://marineengineering.co.za/info.../azimuth-systems/g411---azipod-propulsion.pdf

It would be very cool to see an electric motor on the Volvo IPS.
 
Won’t be an issue unless you live on the left coast, home of the worlds largest cereal bowl.
 
sbw1 said:
I been wondering how builders will power boats say 15 years from now. With the push to buy all electric vehicles, and major car manufacturers eliminating gas powered vehicles from their product lines, we will be left with a shortage of ICEs to marinize. I suppose there will always be diesel engines for heavy equipment so will all future boats have diesel engines? California intends to outlaw gasoline powered cars and gas stations over time. Electric battery powered boats do not seem realistic. So, how will boats be powered in the next 15-20 years?
Click to expand...
 
At one time they tried to ban alcohol and what happened? Cannabis was illegal too, and what’s happening there.
 
Angus said:
At one time they tried to ban alcohol and what happened? Cannabis was illegal too, and what’s happening there.
Click to expand...
At least when Prohibition ended anyone could open a bar. Now, if you want to open a pot store, only those felons with a record of a pot conviction are allowed to get a store permit.

The age old phrase "You Can't Make this Stuff Up" becomes more valid every day.
 
Angus said:
At one time they tried to ban alcohol and what happened? Cannabis was illegal too, and what’s happening there.
Click to expand...
Except for Commiefornia phasing-out the sale of ICE's, I imagine fuel and registration hikes will continue to pinch out the ability of the masses to afford to use them as daily drivers. I fear the same will happen to our boats, incrementally becoming toys for the Rich and Famous alone. At least we'll be saving the planet...
 
I personally think the electric motor craze will fade away when Dems are not in control. I don't have an issue with them other than they are not for me. They will work for some people. Just, please don't tell me it's for the environment.
 
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