Power Transmission Options for Large Naval Hydrofoil Ships, Sammis, Mar 78 (0142)
Propeller horsepower requirements for large hydrofoil ships exceed the demonstrated capabilities of conventional right-angle geared transmissions. Ship designers have investigated improved gear technology and dual mesh configurations. Other promising concepts are electric drives, both superconductive and normally conductive. Five alternate transmission concepts are examined for application to a future hypothetical naval hydrofoil. Numerical relative merit ratings are presented for important ship performance parameters and for reliability. Safety, vulnerability, and control aspects are evaluated qualitatively. The statuses of technology and development timeline are discussed for each concept. Results show that electric and mechanical drives are competitive and that each exhibits advantages to be weighed for a particular ship design.