Ship comprising a Magnus rotor and force-measuring device

1. A cargo ship comprising:

a Magnus rotor for driving the ship, the Magnus rotor including a fixed support structure having an inner surface and located in an interior of the Magnus rotor, the fixed support structure being fixedly coupled to the ship and configured to mount the Magnus rotor to the ship;

a measuring device arranged on the inner surface of the fixed support structure for determining flexural loads acting on the fixed support structure and to output signals indicative of the flexural loads; and

a data processing installation coupled to the measuring device and configured to receive the signals from the measuring device, wherein the data processing installation determines:

a force vector based on the signals received from the measuring device;

using the force vector, whether the Magnus rotor is contributing to the propulsion of the ship; and

using the force vector, an adjustment to the Magnus rotor in order to increase or decrease an amount of propulsion the Magnus rotor is contributing to the propulsion of the ship.

2. The ship according to claim 1 wherein the measuring device includes first and second strain gauge sensors that are spaced at a non-zero angle relative to each other.

3. The ship according to claim 2 wherein the first strain gauge sensor is arranged with respect to an axis of rotation of the Magnus rotor in the longitudinal direction of the ship and the second strain gauge sensor is arranged with respect to an axis of rotation of the Magnus rotor in the transverse direction of the ship.

4. The ship according to claim 2 wherein the first and second strain gauge sensors are arranged in a horizontal plane.

5. The ship according to claim 2 wherein the inner surface of the fixed support structure is cylindrical where the first and second strain gauge sensors are arranged.

6. The ship according to claim 2 wherein the first strain gauge sensor and the second strain gauge sensor are each adapted to output signals representative of strain detected.

7. The ship according to claim 2 wherein the data processing installation determines at least one of:

a direction of the force vector using a ratio of a signal of the first strain gauge sensor and a signal of the second strain gauge sensor, and

magnitudes of the force vector using a ratio of the signal of the first strain gauge sensor and the signal of the second strain gauge sensor and magnitudes of the signals.

8. The ship according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the first strain gauge sensor and the second strain gauge sensor have at least one of a strain measuring strip, a strain measuring tube, and an optical strain sensor.

9. A method of determining a thrust of a Magnus rotor that is mounted to a ship by a fixed support structure, the method comprising:

securing a measuring device to an inner surface of the fixed support structure, the fixed support structure being fixedly mounted to the ship, the Magnus rotor being rotatably mounted to the fixed support structure by a bearing;

driving the ship, at least in part, by the Magnus rotor;

using the measuring device, detecting flexural loads acting on the fixed support structure while the Magnus rotor, at least in part, drives the ship;

using the flexural loads, determining whether the Magnus rotor is contributing to the propulsion of the ship; and

using the flexural loads, controlling the Magnus rotor in order to increase or decrease an amount of propulsion the Magnus rotor is contributing to the propulsion of the ship.

10. A method according to claim 9 further including one or more of the following steps:

outputting a signal representing a first flexural loading on the rotor mounting in a direction of travel of the ship detected by a first strain gauge sensor of the measuring device,

determining a first force component corresponding to the first flexural loading detected by the first strain gauge sensor as a thrust force,

outputting a signal representing a second flexural loading on the rotor mounting in a transverse direction of the ship detected by a second strain gauge sensor of the measuring device,

determining a second force component corresponding to the second flexural loading detected by the second strain gauge sensor as a transverse thrust force,

determining a direction of the overall force vector using a ratio of the strengths of the outputted signals of the first and second strain gauge sensors, and

determining a magnitude of the force vector using a ratio of the strengths of the outputted signals and the values of the outputted signals.

11. The ship according to claim 1 wherein the measuring device includes first and second strain gauge sensors.

12. The ship according to claim 11 wherein the first strain gauge sensor is arranged perpendicular relative to the second strain gauge sensor.