Abstract A gyroscopic roll stabilizer includes an enclosure (30), a flywheel assembly (40), a bearing (50), a motor (60), and a bearing cooling circuit (80). The enclosure is mounted to a gimbal (20) for rotation about a gimbal axis (G) and configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure. The flywheel assembly includes a flywheel (472) and flywheel shaft (44). The bearing rotatably mounts the 00 flywheel assembly inside the enclosure for rotation about a flywheel axis. The bearing has an inner race (52) and an outer race (54). The inner race is affixed to the flywheel shaft, and the outer race is held rotationally fixed relative to the enclosure. The motor is operative to rotate the flywheel assembly. The bearing cooling circuit is configured to transfer heat away from the bearing by recirculating cooling fluid along a closed fluid pathway. The gyroscopic roll stabilizer is configured to transfer heat away from the inner and/or outer race of the bearing to the cooling fluid.
Gyroscopic boat roll stabilizer with bearing cooling
2024-06-20
Patent
Electronic Resource
English