Since Schottel developed the first Z-drive in the 1950s the product portfolio has been extended by a range of thruster types (selection).
The Schottel Rudderpropeller The idea of the rudderpropeller was the result of Becker's thoughts about the propulsion plants that took up too much space on board. He was looking for a system that could be installed space-efficiently with good maneuvering properties and developed a Z-drive system with a propeller that could be endlessly steered through 360 degrees. A classic application for rudderpropellers is tugs as the example of
Janus shows. The first tractor tug was commissioned in 1967 in the
Port of Hamburg. It was equipped with two Schottel Rudderpropellers in the front third of the vessel. In 2014 Schottel introduced a rudderpropeller with an additional electric motor (PTI - power take in) as a hybrid propulsion concept. Here, the electric motor suffices for partial-load duties, the diesel engine is employed for operation at greater load, and the electric motor can be switched on to provide additional power. The PTI and diesel engine are centrally-controlled as a single system. This thruster is installed in the tug
Eddy, built by Holland Shipyard.
The Schottel Twin Propeller The demand for increasing power ratings could first be answered with larger rudderpropellers. Limits were set to this trend by mechanical stress and the fact that with an increasing propeller diameter, the draft of the vessel inevitably increases. Schottel therefore developed a thruster where the required power is divided between two counter-rotating thrusters that share a single shaft. The Twin Propeller is equipped with a pull propeller and a push propeller. The vortex street of the front pull propeller passes between the blades of the rear push propeller without impeding it. Contraction of the slip stream in the pull propeller means that more water reaches the push propeller from the sides. The strut is equipped with a fin, thus the swirl energy generated in the propeller stream is recovered. Additionally, the flow around the fins creates a lift component in the thrust direction, which has a thrust-enhancing effect.
The Schottel Combi Drive The Combi Drive is based on the Schottel Rudderpropeller and combines its characteristics with the principle of an electric drive. The Combi Drive exists in both single and twin propeller versions. Instead of an above-water gearbox, the electric motor is integrated into the vertical shaft of the thruster. In combination with a power management system, electric drives increase the efficiency of the propulsion system and reduce fuel consumption. Electric energy generation systems produce only the power currently required and distribute it to the various consumers.
The Schottel Pump Jet Schottel developed the Pump Jet for shallow waters. It is also used as an additional maneuvering aid for main propulsion or as a redundant auxiliary propulsion unit. An impeller sucks in water from under the hull and forces it into a pump housing. The outlet nozzles are integrated into an azimuthing base plate which is installed flush with the hull.
The Schottel Transverse Thruster Transverse Thrusters are installed in the bow or stern of a vessel in order to improve maneuverability. Depending on the type of vessel, the range of application for Transverse Thrusters extends from harbor maneuvering to positioning tasks offshore. The units can be installed either with a horizontal or vertical motor flange. ==Schottel Hydro==