ABB Dynafin propels ahead with efficiency

The propulsion systems underwent rigorous testing at the MARIN Concept Basin in the Netherlands and tests revealed an open water efficiency of 80.8% at an operational speed of 18 knots for a 3 MW propulsion unit.

“ABB Dynafin is all about extremely high efficiency, and this model scale testing gives a good platform for our customers to verify its performance,” said Janne Pohjalainen, global product line manager for ABB Dynafin, ABB Marine & Ports.

“Our testing has been really successful and what we have seen fully aligns with our expectations from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis.”

Enhanced performance

ABB Dynafin launched in May 2023 after a decade of research, with the aim of introducing a more revolutionary approach to marine propulsion.

The Dynafin’s electric motor drives a rotating horizontal wheel that supports vertical blades. This mimicks the motion of a whale’s tail to simultaneously propel and steer the ship to optimise thrust and positioning precision.

ABB’s advanced capabilities on robotics control contribute significantly to the dynamic performance of ABB Dynafin, according to Bin Liu, senior principal scientist, ABB Corporate Research Center.

“We have integrated ABB’s leading robotics expertise into the ABB Dynafin propulsor and achieved exceptionally strong, fast and accurate motion control performance,” he said.

Dynafin’s performance has already been previously validated by an independent OSK-ShipTech A/S study, which estimated a 22% reduction in propulsion energy consumption for a passenger vessel.

ABB Dynafin won Spain’s Retina ECO Award 2024 for its impact on sustainability and climate change.