JP7787640B2 - ship - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ship.

Marines are equipped with rechargeable batteries (secondary batteries) to supply power to onboard electrical equipment such as steering gear, electric pumps, and navigation lights. In recent years, electric propulsion systems have been proposed that propel the vessel not only by using the driving force of an internal combustion engine, but also by transmitting the driving force of an electric motor to a propeller or other propulsion device (see Patent Document 1). Because such electric propulsion systems require a large amount of power to drive the electric motor, the vessel is equipped with multiple high-capacity batteries. To charge these batteries, the vessel is also equipped with a generator that generates electricity using the driving force of the internal combustion engine.

The wiring for the electrical equipment and the electric motor used to drive it is connected to the battery. Therefore, if the battery gets wet or is submerged in water, there is a risk of a short circuit between the connection terminals of the wiring, damaging the wiring and electrical equipment, or even destroying the battery. For this reason, it is preferable to install the battery in a container with a liquid-tight structure to prevent water from entering.

JP 2011-16388 A

However, when a battery is charged by a generator, it generates heat. Furthermore, if a battery is used when the battery fluid level is low due to aging, or if the battery is charged with a worn or damaged internal separator, the battery may generate excessive heat and, in some cases, may catch fire. The battery may also generate heat if it is rapidly discharged.

When a battery generates heat due to charging or discharging, the amount of heat generated becomes excessive as the battery capacity increases, and heat dissipation within the battery compartment becomes insufficient. In this case, the battery temperature rises significantly during charging and discharging, not only degrading battery performance but also causing the battery to thermally run away and possibly even catching fire.

The object of the present invention is to provide a vessel that can reliably dissipate heat generated in the battery housing while preventing water from entering the battery housing.

The watercraft according to the present invention comprises a battery housing section provided in the hull for housing a battery, a first opening provided in a side wall of the battery housing section, a second opening provided in the side wall, and an outside air guide section. The outside air guide section is provided in the hull and has an intake port that draws in outside air from outside the battery housing section, and forms an air passage that guides the outside air from the intake port to the second opening.

This invention makes it possible to reliably dissipate heat generated in the battery storage compartment while preventing water from entering the battery storage compartment.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electric propulsion system applied to a marine vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the battery housing portion and each duct. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the battery housing portion and each duct. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the battery housing portion and each duct. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the battery housing portion and each duct. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the battery housing portion and each duct.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are examples of specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[Configuration of ship 1]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a boat 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the boat 1. As shown in FIG.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vessel 1 has a hull 2 having a predetermined length in the fore-and-aft direction D2 and a predetermined width in the left-and-right direction D3. Note that Figure 1 shows the vessel 1 in a stationary state when it is stationary in a normal posture on the water, and the up-and-down direction D1 of the vessel 1 is the up-and-down direction in this stationary state.

The hull 2 is provided with a cabin 3 and a deck 4. The cabin 3 is located in the center of the hull 2 in the fore-and-aft direction D2 and the lateral direction D3. The deck 4 has a bow deck 4A formed in front of the cabin 3 (the front part of the hull 2) and an aft deck 4B formed in the rear part of the cabin 3 (the rear part of the hull 2). In addition, passages 6 (see Figure 2) connecting the bow deck 4A and the aft deck 4B are provided on both the left and right sides of the cabin 3.

The interior space 3A of the cabin 3 is equipped with a pilot's seat for the operator, a steering wheel 46 (see Figure 3) operated by the operator, and a boat speed lever 47 (see Figure 3) for indicating the boat speed. The cabin 3 has an outer perimeter frame 13 that surrounds the interior space 3A, and an upper frame 15 that is attached to the upper part of the outer perimeter frame 13. Windows 17 are provided in the front and side sections of the outer perimeter frame 13. Therefore, the cabin 3 prevents rain and sea spray from entering the interior space 3A.

Furthermore, an entrance 19 (see Figure 4) with a door 18 (see Figure 4) attached is provided at the rear of the cabin 3, i.e., at the rear of the outer perimeter frame 13. Although not shown, an aft station box equipped with a steering device that allows the vessel to be steered from outside the cabin 3 may also be provided at the rear of the cabin 3.

The vessel 1 is equipped with an engine 7, a motor 8, and other components installed inside the hull 2 (inboard) 2A. The engine 7, motor 8, and other components are located in an engine room 20 provided inside the hull 2. The engine 7, motor 8, and other components are located in the center of the hull 2 in the fore-and-aft direction D2 and the lateral direction D3. The vessel 1 is an inboard-type vessel, and a propeller shaft 9 extending toward the stern protrudes from the bottom of the vessel. A propeller 10 is attached to the tip of the propeller shaft 9. In addition, a rudder 12 is provided at the rear end of the bottom of the hull 2, and left and right rotation of the rudder 12 enables the vessel 1 to turn left and right. Note that the vessel 1 may also be a stern-drive type vessel that does not have a propeller shaft 9.

Here, the vessel 1 is a so-called small vessel, specifically a pleasure boat used for leisure activities such as sports and recreation. A small vessel refers to a vessel with a gross tonnage of less than 20 tons, but also includes vessels less than 24 m in length used for sports or recreation and weighing 20 tons or more that are approved by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Note that while this embodiment describes an example in which the vessel 1 is a small vessel, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is applicable to vessels of any structure or purpose that float and move on water such as the sea, lakes, and rivers.

Figure 3 shows an electric propulsion system 30 applied to the vessel 1. The electric propulsion system 30 mainly includes an engine 7, a propulsion motor 8, a turning motor 11, a generator 31 driven by the engine 7, an inverter 37 that controls the rotation of the motor 8, a main controller 43, and an engine controller 39, all of which are installed inside the interior 2A of the hull 2 or in the engine room 20 (see Figure 1). The electric propulsion system 30 also includes multiple batteries 33 (33A, 33B) that are secondary batteries, and these multiple batteries 33 are installed inside a battery housing section 50 (described below) provided in the hull 2.

The generator 31 is connected to the engine 7 and generates electricity when rotated and driven by the engine 7. The electricity generated by the generator 31 is supplied to multiple batteries 33A used to drive the motors 8 and 11 and to a battery 33B for onboard equipment for charging. In detail, the electricity generated by the generator 31 is supplied to the battery 33A for charging, or is supplied directly to the inverter 37 for driving and controlling the motors 8 and 11. The electricity generated by the generator 31 is also supplied to the battery 33B for charging.

The inverter 37 controls the drive and rotation speed of the motors 8 and 11. The inverter 37 includes a propulsion inverter that drives and controls the electric motor 8, and a turning inverter that drives and controls the electric motor 11. The inverter 37 is, for example, a variable voltage variable frequency inverter (VVVF inverter).

A propeller shaft 9 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 8, and the propeller 10 is driven to rotate by the driving force of the motor 8, generating a propulsive force according to the direction and speed of rotation of the propeller 10. The output shaft of the motor 11 is also connected to the rotating shaft of the rudder 12 (see Figure 1), and the driving force of the motor 11 rotates the rudder 12, causing the vessel 1 to turn.

The operating state of the engine 7 is controlled by the engine controller 39. The battery 33B supplies power to the engine controller 39 and the onboard equipment 41. The multiple batteries 33 can be of various types, such as lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Capacitors can also be used instead of the batteries 33.

Power generated by the generator 31 is supplied to the inverter 37 via multiple batteries 33A or directly from the generator 31. For this reason, the battery 33A and the generator 31 are connected to the propulsion inverter and the swing inverter that make up the inverter 37, respectively. By switching switches (not shown) installed between the battery 33A and the inverter 37, and between the generator 31 and the inverter 37, it is possible to switch between supplying power directly from the generator 31 to the inverter 37 or supplying power from the battery 33A to the inverter 37.

The on/off of each switch is controlled by the main controller 43. The generator 31 has the same configuration as, for example, a brushed DC motor. However, the generator 31 is not limited to this configuration and can have the configuration of, for example, an AC motor, and the power generated by the generator 31 can be converted from AC to DC by an inverter or rectifier and then charged into the battery 33. In this case, a separate inverter or rectifier can be provided between the generator 31 and the inverter 37.

The main controller 43 and engine controller 39 are control units and include a microcomputer with a CPU and memory. The main controller 43 receives signals such as detection signals and control signals from the inboard equipment 41 and the navigation system 45, which detects the current position. Furthermore, the main controller 43 receives boat speed instructions from the boat speed lever 47 and turning instructions from the steering wheel 46. The main controller 43 also receives start-up instructions from a start-up switch (not shown), such as an ignition switch.

The main controller 43 outputs corresponding control signals to the engine controller 39 and the inverter 37 based on signals from each device. For example, the engine controller 39 starts the operation of the engine 7 based on input of a start command from the start switch, and stops the operation of the engine 7 based on input of a start/stop command.

Furthermore, when a boat speed command to accelerate or decelerate is input to the main controller 43 from the boat speed lever 47, the propulsion inverter in the inverter 37 is controlled based on that input. As a result, the motor 8 is driven to rotate in a direction and at a rotation speed that corresponds to the boat speed command. Further, when a turning command is input to the main controller 43 from the steering wheel 46, the turning inverter in the inverter 37 is controlled based on that input. As a result, the motor 11 is driven to rotate in a direction and at a rotation angle that corresponds to the turning command.

[Battery storage section 50]
As described above, a plurality of batteries 33 are provided on the boat 1, and these plurality of batteries 33 are housed in a battery housing portion 50 provided in the hull 2.

As shown in Figure 2, the battery storage unit 50 is located near the rear of the cabin 3 on the stern deck 4B, in the center in the left-right direction D3. As shown in Figure 4, the battery storage unit 50 is a rectangular parallelepiped container that is located so as to be buried in the interior 2A of the hull 2 from the surface of the stern deck 4B. Four batteries 33 are located in the storage chamber 50A inside the battery storage unit 50. The battery storage unit 50 is formed integrally with the stern deck 4B.

In this embodiment, the battery storage section 50 is formed in an elongated shape extending in the left-right direction D3 (width direction) of the hull 2, and includes a container body 51 placed inside the interior 2A of the hull 2, and a lid 53 that liquid-tightly covers the upper opening 51A of the container body 51. Because the upper opening 51A is liquid-tightly covered by the lid 53, water is prevented from entering the container body 51 through the upper opening 51A even if rainwater or seawater flows onto the stern deck 4B.

Furthermore, the container body 51 has an upper opening 51A and communication ports 61 and 62 (described below), but does not have any other openings or gaps that communicate with the outside.

The container body 51 has multiple side walls 52 that define the perimeter of the storage chamber 50A, and a bottom plate 55 on which the batteries 33 are placed. The four batteries 33 are attached to the bottom plate 55 and are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction D3. In the storage chamber 50A, a relay box 35 (junction box) is located above the batteries 33 to relay the wiring connected to the batteries 33.

Two communication openings 61, 62 are formed in the multiple side walls 52. Specifically, the container body 51 has multiple side walls 52 formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box that is long in the left-right direction D3, and has a right side wall 521, a left side wall 522, a front side wall 523, and a rear side wall 524. Of the multiple side walls 52, the right side wall 521 has a first communication opening 61 (an example of a first opening of the present invention), and the left side wall 522 has a second communication opening 62 (an example of a second opening of the present invention).

The right side wall 521 is a side wall 52 located on the starboard side of the hull 2, and the left side wall 522 is a side wall 52 located on the port side of the hull 2. The right side wall 521 and the left side wall 522 are side walls that rise vertically upward from both ends of the bottom plate 55 of the battery storage section 50 in the left-right direction D3, and are opposed to each other in the left-right direction D3. In other words, the right side wall 521 and the left side wall 522 are a pair of side walls that are arranged facing each other while being separated in the left-right direction D3.

Furthermore, the front wall 523 is a side wall 52 located on the bow side of the hull 2, and the rear wall 524 is a side wall 52 located on the stern side of the hull 2. The front wall 523 and the rear wall 524 are side walls that rise vertically upward from both ends of the bottom plate 55 of the battery storage section 50 in the fore-and-aft direction D2, and are opposed to each other in the fore-and-aft direction D2. In other words, the front wall 523 and the rear wall 524 are a pair of side walls that are arranged to face each other while being separated in the fore-and-aft direction D2.

In this embodiment, a configuration in which the first communication port 61 is formed in the right side wall 521 and the second communication port 62 is formed in the left side wall 522 is illustrated, but for example, the first communication port 61 may be formed in the rear side wall 524 and the second communication port 62 may be formed in the front side wall 523.

The first communication port 61 is an opening that communicates with the space inside 2A of the hull 2. The second communication port 62 is an opening that communicates with the space inside 2A of the hull 2. In this embodiment, the first communication port 61 is formed at a higher position than the second communication port 62. Specifically, the first communication port 61 is formed near the upper end of the right side wall 521, while the second communication port 62 is formed near the lower end of the left side wall 522.

If multiple batteries 33 are installed in the storage chamber 50A, the amount of heat generated when the batteries 33 are charged or discharged will be excessive, resulting in insufficient heat dissipation within the storage chamber 50A and a significant rise in the temperature of the batteries 33 during charging and discharging. This not only degrades the performance of the batteries 33, but may also lead to thermal runaway and, in some cases, fire.

For this reason, in this embodiment, an intake duct 70 (an example of an outside air guide according to the present invention) and an exhaust duct 80 (an example of an exhaust guide according to the present invention) are provided on the hull 2 to prevent water from entering the battery housing section 50 while reliably dissipating heat generated in the battery housing section 50.

[Intake duct 70]
As shown in FIG. 4 , the air intake duct 70 has an intake port 71 that draws in outside air from the external space of the hull 2 and is a duct portion that forms an air passage that guides the outside air from the intake port 71 to the second communication port 62. The air intake duct 70 includes a first duct 72 extending leftward from the second communication port 62, a relay pipe 73 extending upward from the upper portion of the extending end (left end) of the first duct 72, and a second duct 74 extending from the upper end of the relay pipe 73 to a port bulwark 90A on the port side (described later). The first duct 72 and the relay pipe 73 are disposed within the interior 2A of the hull 2. The upper end of the relay pipe 73 penetrates the aft deck 4B and protrudes upward from the surface of the aft deck 4B. The second duct 74 extends in the vertical direction D1 along the inner wall 2B of the port side of the hull 2. The lower end of the second duct 74 is connected to the relay pipe 73 so as to cover the upper end of the relay pipe 73 on the surface of the aft deck 4B. An intake port 71 is formed at the upper end (upper end surface) of the second duct 74, and the upper end of the intake port 71 reaches a hollow portion 93 below the eave portion 92 of the port bulwark 90A. In other words, the intake port 71 is disposed in the hollow portion 93.

The intake duct 70 is not limited to a configuration including the first duct 72, relay pipe 73, and second duct 74, and may be, for example, a single pipe or tubular member such as a flexible tube extending from the second communication port 62 to the hollow portion 93. The intake duct 70 may also be configured without the relay pipe 73, i.e., comprised of only the first duct 72 and the second duct 74. In this case, the intake duct 70 forms an air passage that runs from the second duct 74 through the interior 2A of the hull 2, through the first duct 72, and to the second communication port 62.

[Exhaust duct 80]
The exhaust duct 80 has an exhaust port (discharge port) 81 that discharges air from the storage compartment 50A, heated by the battery 33, to the outside of the hull 2 via the first communication port 61. The exhaust duct 80 is a duct portion that constitutes an exhaust path that guides air from the first communication port 61 to the exhaust port 81. The exhaust duct 80 includes a third duct 82 extending to the right from the first communication port 61, a relay pipe 83 extending upward from the upper portion of the extended end (right end) of the third duct 82, and a fourth duct 84 that extends from the upper end of the relay pipe 83 to a starboard bulwark 90B on the starboard side (described later). The third duct 82 and the relay pipe 83 are disposed within the interior 2A of the hull 2. The upper end of the relay pipe 83 penetrates the aft deck 4B and protrudes upward from the surface of the aft deck 4B. The fourth duct 84 extends in the vertical direction D1 along the inner wall 2C of the starboard side of the hull 2. The lower end of the fourth duct 84 is connected to the relay pipe 83 so as to cover the upper end of the relay pipe 83 on the surface of the aft deck 4B. An exhaust port 81 is formed at the upper end (upper end surface) of the fourth duct 84, and the upper end of the exhaust port 81 reaches a hollow portion 98 below the eave portion 97 of the starboard bulwark 90B. In other words, the exhaust port 81 is disposed in the hollow portion 98.

The exhaust duct 80 is not limited to a configuration including the third duct 82, relay pipe 83, and fourth duct 84, and may be, for example, a single pipe or tubular member such as a flexible tube extending from the first communication port 61 to the hollow portion 98. The exhaust duct 80 may also be configured without the relay pipe 83, i.e., comprised of only the third duct 82 and the fourth duct 84. In this case, the exhaust duct 80 forms an exhaust path that runs from the third duct 82 through the interior 2A of the hull 2, and further through the fourth duct 84 to the exhaust port 81.

The container body 51 is provided with a blower fan 57 (an example of a blower according to the present invention) that blows air from the storage chamber 50A to the outside of the battery storage section 50 through the first communication port 61. The blower fan 57 is, for example, an electric fan such as an axial fan. The blower fan 57 is attached to the inner surface of the right side wall 521 so that it can blow air from the first communication port 61 to the third duct 82. The blower fan 57 is an electrical device provided on the boat 1 and is one of the onboard equipment 41. The blower fan 57 is driven by the main controller 43 while the boat 1 is in use. The blower fan 57 is not limited to an axial fan, and various electric fans such as a sirocco fan can be used.

The blower fan 57 may have any configuration as long as it blows air from the storage chamber 50A through the first communication port 61 and out through the exhaust port 81 of the exhaust duct 80. Furthermore, the blower fan 57 is not limited to being attached to the first communication port 61. For example, the blower fan 57 may be provided in the exhaust path of the exhaust duct 80 and blow air from the first communication port 61 toward the exhaust port 81. The blower fan 57 may also be provided in the second communication port 62 or the ventilation path of the first duct 72. In this case, the blower fan 57 only needs to take in outside air through the intake port 71 and blow it into the storage chamber 50A through the second communication port 62.

[Bulwark 90]
As shown in Figure 4, the hull 2 is provided with a bulwark 90 as a protective wall. The bulwark 90 prevents waves and spray that wash up on the deck 4 while the ship 1 is sailing from falling on the operator and passengers, and prevents passengers from falling. The bulwark 90 forms a space that extends in the vertical direction D1 between the hull 2 and the bulwark 90, and is an example of a structure of the present invention.

The bulwarks 90 are installed continuously along the outer periphery of deck 4, surrounding the outer side of the hull 2. The bulwarks 90 include a port bulwark 90A installed on the port side, a starboard bulwark 90B installed on the starboard side, and a stern bulwark 90C installed on the stern side. Each bulwark 90A, 90B, 90C has the same configuration, but is located in a different position. Note that while this embodiment illustrates a bulwark 90 with a continuous structure installed along the outer periphery of deck 4, the bulwark 90 may also have an intermittent structure installed discontinuously along the outer periphery of deck 4.

The port bulwark 90A is provided on the port side of the hull 2. In this embodiment, the port bulwark 90A is formed continuously on the port side of the hull 2 from the stern to the bow. The port bulwark 90A extends above the waterline of the hull 2, and more specifically, extends upward from the deck 4. The port bulwark 90A has an upright portion 91 that extends upward from the deck 4, and a eaves portion 92 (an example of a protrusion according to the present invention) that protrudes from the upright portion 91 toward the center of the hull 2. The eaves portion 92 is a member that protrudes in an eave-like manner from the upper end of the upright portion 91 toward the center. The end of the eaves portion 92 toward the center is further bent downward. The hollow portion 93 surrounded by the eaves portion 92 is a space that is formed continuously from the stern of the port side to the bow along the fore-and-aft direction D2. The intake port 71 of the intake duct 70 is located in this hollow portion 93 so that outside air can be taken in.

The starboard bulwark 90B is located on the starboard side of the hull 2. In this embodiment, the starboard bulwark 90B is formed continuously along the starboard side of the hull 2 from the stern to the bow. The starboard bulwark 90B has the same configuration as the port bulwark 90A, and has an upright portion 96 that extends upward from the deck 4, and a eaves portion 97 (an example of a protrusion in the present invention) that protrudes from the upright portion 96 toward the center of the hull 2. The end of the eaves portion 97 toward the center is further bent downward. A hollow portion 98 surrounded by the eaves portion 97 continues from the stern on the starboard side to the bow along the fore-and-aft direction D2. An exhaust port 81 is located in this hollow portion 98 so that high-temperature air from the storage chamber 50A can be discharged from the exhaust port 81 of the exhaust duct 80.

As described above, the watercraft 1 of this embodiment comprises a battery storage section 50 provided in the hull 2, a first communication port 61 provided in the right side wall 521 of the battery storage section 50, a second communication port 62 provided in the left side wall 522 of the battery storage section 50, an intake duct 70 having an intake port 71 that draws in outside air from outside the hull 2, and an exhaust duct 80 having an exhaust port 81 that exhausts air from the storage chamber 50A to the outside of the hull 2 via the first communication port 61. In this configuration, the intake duct 70 forms an air passage from the intake port 71 to the second communication port 62. The exhaust duct 80 forms an exhaust passage from the first communication port 61 to the exhaust port 81. With the boat 1 configured in this manner, when the air in the storage compartment 50A is heated to a high temperature due to heat generated by the battery 33 during charging or discharging, the air passes through the first communication port 61 and the exhaust duct 80 and is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 81. Furthermore, as air is exhausted from the exhaust port 81, low-temperature outside air flows into the intake duct 70 through the intake port 71, and air that is cooler than the air inside the storage compartment 50A flows into the storage compartment 50A through the second communication port 62. Inside the storage compartment 50A, an airflow is generated from the second communication port 62 to the first communication port 61, and this airflow cools the heated battery 33. As a result, the battery storage section 50 can reliably dissipate heat generated in the battery storage section 50 while preventing water from entering the interior of the battery storage section 50. Additionally, the eaves portion 92 of the bulwark 90 is positioned above the intake port 71, and the eaves portion 97 of the bulwark 95 is positioned above the exhaust port 81, preventing raindrops, sea spray, etc. from entering through the intake port 71 or exhaust port 81.

Furthermore, in the battery storage section 50, the first communication port 61 is positioned higher than the second communication port 62. As a result, hot air present in the upper part of the storage chamber 50A flows through the first communication port 61 and is discharged to the outside through the exhaust duct 80, and natural convection is easily generated, with outside air flowing into the intake duct 70 from the intake port 71 and then into the storage chamber 50A through the second communication port 62.

In addition, in this embodiment, a blower fan 57 is provided to send air from the storage chamber 50A through the first communication port 61 and out the exhaust port 81 of the exhaust duct 80 to the outside. Therefore, even if ventilation by natural convection as described above is insufficient, ventilation by the blower fan 57 is possible. Note that if ventilation by natural convection as described above is sufficient, the blower fan 57 may be omitted.

Other Embodiments
Other embodiments of the boat 1 according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9. FIG.

In the above-described embodiment, the intake port 71 is formed at the upper end of the second duct 74 of the intake duct 70, and the exhaust port 81 is formed at the upper end of the fourth duct 84 of the exhaust duct 80. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the intake port 71 may be formed at the upper part of the front side surface of the second duct 74. That is, the intake port 71 may be positioned so as to face forward. In this case, when the boat 1 moves forward, outside air is more likely to flow in through the intake port 71. Alternatively, the intake port 71 may be formed at the upper part of the rear side surface of the second duct 74. That is, the intake port 71 may be positioned so as to face rearward. In this case, when the boat 1 moves backward, outside air is more likely to flow in through the intake port 71. Note that the intake ports 71 may be formed on both the front and rear side surfaces of the second duct 74.

Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the exhaust port 81 may be formed in the upper part of the rearward side of the fourth duct 84. That is, the exhaust port 81 may be positioned to face rearward. In this case, high-temperature air is discharged through the eaves portion 97 of the starboard bulwark 90B with the underside facing rearward, preventing hot air from being blown toward passengers on deck 4. Furthermore, even if the battery 33 in the storage compartment 50A were to catch fire, passengers would be prevented from being injured by the high-temperature gases and flames discharged from the exhaust port 81. Note that the exhaust direction of the exhaust port 81 is not limited to the rearward direction, and may be downward or outward from the ship's side. That is, the exhaust direction may be in any direction that prevents the exhaust from being blown toward passengers (excluding the center of deck 4).

As shown in FIG. 6 , in the battery housing 50, the first communication port 61 is preferably located near one corner (the front corner in FIG. 6 ) of the upper end of the right side wall 521 of the container body 51, and the second communication port 62 is preferably located near the other corner (the rear corner in FIG. 6 ) of the lower end of the left side wall 522. In this case, the first communication port 61 and the second communication port 62 are essentially located at positions where the straight line connecting the first communication port 61 and the second communication port 62 is substantially longest. In other words, in the battery housing 50, the first communication port 61 and the second communication port 62 are located at positions furthest apart. Specifically, the first communication port 61 is located near the front corner of the upper end of the right side wall 521. The second communication port 62 is located near the rear corner of the lower end of the left side wall 522. With this configuration, the air that flows into the storage chamber 50A from the second communication port 62 can efficiently cool the heat of the battery 33 as it passes through the storage chamber 50A toward the first communication port 61.

Note that the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the first communication port 61 and the second communication port 62 are located at the furthest positions from each other. In the battery storage section 50, the first communication port 61 and the second communication port 62 may be located at positions offset from each other in a direction along the inner surfaces of the right side wall 521 and the left side wall 522. For example, in a configuration in which the first communication port 61 is provided in the right side wall 521 and the second communication port 62 is provided in the left side wall 522, the communication ports 61, 62 may be located at different positions on each side wall 521, 522, i.e., offset in the up-down direction D1, the front-to-back direction D2, or a diagonal direction. The greater the offset between the communication ports 61, 62, the higher the cooling efficiency of the battery 33 when air passes from the second communication port 62 to the first communication port 61, which is preferable.

While the above-described embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the intake duct 70 is provided on the port side of the battery housing section 50 and the exhaust duct 80 is provided on the starboard side, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a configuration in which the exhaust duct 80 is provided on the port side and the intake duct 70 is provided on the starboard side may also be used. Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the exhaust port 81 is located in the hollow portion 98 of the starboard bulwark 90B, for example, the exhaust duct 80 may be extended to the stern bulwark 90C (see FIG. 2) and the exhaust port 81 may be located in the hollow portion below the eaves of the stern bulwark 90C. This configuration prevents exhaust air from the exhaust port 81 from being blown toward the crew.

Also, as shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to provide intake ducts 70 on both the port and starboard sides of the battery storage section 50, and an exhaust duct 80 on the stern side. In this case, the second communication ports 62 are formed in each of the right and left side walls 521 and 522, specifically near the forward corners of the lower ends of each side wall 521, 522. The first communication port 61 is formed in the rear wall 524, specifically at a higher position than the second communication port 62, near the upper end in the center of the rear wall 524. In this configuration, the exhaust duct 80 extends to the stern bulwark 90C (see FIG. 2), and the exhaust port 81 is located in the hollow below the eaves of the stern bulwark 90C.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, an intake duct 70 may be provided on the bow side of the battery housing section 50, and an exhaust duct 80 on the stern side. In this case, the second communication port 62 is formed in the front wall 523, specifically, near the lower end of the front wall 523. In this configuration, it is preferable that the intake duct 70 extends through the interior 2A of the hull 2 to the interior space 3A of the cabin 3, the second duct 74 extends to the interior space 3A of the cabin 3, and the intake port 71 is located in the interior space 3A. Even with this configuration, raindrops, sea spray, and the like are prevented from entering the intake port 71.

The location of the intake port 71 of the intake duct 70 is not limited to the hollow space below the eaves of the bulwark 90 or the interior space 3A of the cabin 3. For example, if the hull 2 is provided with a luggage compartment or passenger compartment that is sealed liquid-tight by a hatch or cover, the intake port 71 may be located inside the luggage compartment or passenger compartment. The intake port 71 may also be located in the engine room, or, if a tender boat storage shed is provided on the hull 2, the intake port 71 may be located in the tender boat storage shed.

Furthermore, the location of the exhaust port 81 is not limited to the hollow portion below the eaves of the bulwark 90. For example, the exhaust port 81 may be connected to a through-hole formed in the upper part of the ship's side, and air may be exhausted from said through-hole.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Ship 2: Hull 2A: Interior 3: Cabin 3A: Interior space 4: Deck 7: Engine 8: Motor 11: Motor 20: Engine room 30: Electric propulsion system 31: Generator 33: Battery 35: Relay box 37: Inverter 39: Engine controller 41: Onboard equipment 43: Main controller 50: Battery storage section 51: Container body 52: Side wall 57: Blower fan 61: First communication port 62: Second communication port 70: Intake duct 71: Intake port 80: Exhaust duct 81: Exhaust port 90: Bulwark 91: Standing portion 92: Eaves portion

Claims (11)

a battery housing section provided in the hull for housing a battery;
a first opening provided in a side wall of the battery accommodating portion;
a second opening provided in the side wall;
an outside air guide section provided on the hull, the outside air guide section having an intake port for drawing in outside air outside the battery housing section and constituting an air passage for guiding the outside air from the intake port to the second opening;
a structure provided on the hull and forming a space between the hull and the structure;
The structure is
an upright portion provided on the hull and extending in the vertical direction;
a protruding portion protruding from the upright portion toward the center of the hull,
The outside air guide portion extends from the second opening to a space below the protrusion, and the intake port is disposed in the space below .
ship. The vessel described in claim 1, wherein the structure is a bulwark attached to the outer periphery of the hull. A vessel as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the intake port of the outside air guide section is arranged to face either the front or rear of the hull, or both the front and rear. A vessel as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first opening is located at a higher position in the side wall than the second opening. The battery accommodating portion has a pair of side walls arranged to face each other,
5. The watercraft according to claim 1, wherein the first opening is provided in one of the pair of side walls, and the second opening is provided in the other of the pair of side walls. The vessel described in claim 5, wherein the pair of side walls are a left side wall located on the port side of the hull and a right side wall located on the starboard side of the hull, or a forward side wall located on the bow side of the hull and a rear side wall located on the stern side of the hull. The watercraft described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the first opening and the second opening in the battery storage section are offset from each other in a direction along the inner surface of the side wall. A watercraft described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein in the battery storage section, the first opening is located near one corner of the upper end of one of the side walls, and the second opening is located near the other corner of the lower end of the other side wall. A watercraft described in any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an exhaust guide section provided on the hull, having an exhaust port that exhausts air from within the battery storage section to the outside of the hull through the first opening, and forming an exhaust path that guides the air from the first opening to the exhaust port. The vessel described in claim 9, wherein the exhaust guide outlet is arranged to face rearward of the hull. A watercraft described in any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a blower that blows air from within the battery storage compartment to the outside of the battery storage compartment through the first opening.