The aim of the research is also to define an electro-mechanical design methodology, strongly integrated with both the control and the dynamics of the driven load. The project started about in 2000 in collaboration with researchers of the University of Helsinki (Finland) and researchers of the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Padova.
Direct drive sub-jet propulsion system for high-speed crafts was the solution that has been firstly examined.
The topic of electrical ship propulsion was then proposed for an Italian National Research Project that has been financed, started in 2006 and concluded in 2008. Industrial partners stated their interest for prototyping the drive, and two different ship propulsion systems were developed.
The first application was be the electrical propulsion for the Vis ship (2 motors of 1000 HP each).
The admiral ship the Vis was constructed in 1956 at the Uljanik shipyard as the elite staff officer ship of the Yugoslav Navy. Together with the renowned and larger the Galeb, the Vis was the only ship with such purpose, and, opposed to the Galeb, it was designed exclusively for that function. The ship is unique, designed and manufactured as a luxury yacht, meeting the extremely high standards of final elaboration. It is 58 metres long, the width of the widest part is 8,7 metres, with the draught of 3 metres and the displacement of 670 tons. It was ran by two motors of 1000 horsepower each, with three additional supporting aggregates.
The second application was the electrical propulsion for a high performance hybrid catamaran (2 motors of 25 kW each) … 