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Unit 10 - Steering
Unit 10 - Steering
Unit 10 - Steering
• the receiver is the equipment, which receives this signal and makes
Since the cylinders are always full of the hydraulic fluid a device has
A cylinder closed at mid length and open at each end, fits over and
floats between the rams. Sealing glands are fitted at each end of the
rods. The rods have two sleeves each fitted over them and sliding
• The stopper nuts as shown restrict the movement. Each set of sleeves
butt against the stopper nut and further movement causes the spring
to get compressed.
are under compression, return the moving cylinder to its mid position.
Two Ram Hydraulic Steering gear
In a two- ram system the operating principle is as follows:
right, this movement moves the lever, which has a fulcrum at the
center in a clockwise direction. The floating lever top moves to the left
and along with it pulls the control lever of the pump out (or also to the
the floating ring is moved it starts the pump. Hydraulic fluid is sent to
the right hand cylinder and sucked back from the left hand cylinder.
The starboard (or right) ram, not shown is pushed from right to left,
which in turn pushes the port ram as both are connected by a crosshead.
The tiller arm, which is at right angles to the center line of the rams and
fitted to the crosshead, thus moves to the left. To the other end of the tiller
arm is keyed the rudderstock which then rotates and turns the rudder to
starboard.
The tiller arm is connected to the bottom portion of the floating lever by
When the tiller arm turns it pushes the hunting link to the right, which
in turn pushes the pump control lever Inwards and to mid position with
pivoting taking place at the top point.
At mid position the pump is at “no stroke” and thus the rudder is
stopped at that helm angle.
For the rudder to be brought back to the midship position, the
telemotor receiver cylinder will have to move to the left, the floating
lever top to the right, pushing the pump control lever further in.
Pump will start and the tiller will move in the opposite direction,
pulling the hunting link to the left.
This will in turn, will pull out the control lever of the pump back to
mid position, pivoting about the top floating lever point.
NOTE:
The buffer spring in the hunting gear link in provided to take up any
excess movement beyond the maximum stroke of the pump.
Some ships are provided with a 4-ram hydraulic steering gear. Here
there are four rams instead of two. Such a system gives freedom of
isolating any leaky part from the system and thus ensuring availability
A variable delivery pump delivers into one side and receives from
the other side, till the rudder is at the required position.
At this point the feed back lever L3 brings the pump to neutral
(zero pumping position) and the rudder gets hydraulically locked.
Compared with the 4 ram hydraulic steering gear, the cost of the
rotary vane type to produce the same torque on the rudder stock is
generally less.
required if the main gear is provided with duplicate power units and
ahead service speed and be capable at this speed, and at the ship’s
position aft.
• Power operated gears must be fitted with a device to relieve shock.
independent to the gear only. Electric leads and fuses are to allow
100% overload.
personnel.
• Hydraulic systems should employ non-freezing fluid. Steering
speed and move the rudder from 15 deg on one side to 15 deg to
the other side within 60 seconds while the ship is travelling at half
piping system or in one of the power units the defect can be isolated
disturbed from it’s position even if external forces like wave pressure
etc. try to do so. The tendency of rudder to move will only cause oil
twisting moment.(Wave forcing the rudder to move from the bottom end of
the rudder stock and simultaneously the locked rams preventing the rudder
Now, if this twisting torque is excessive the rudder stock may twist or
even shear off. To prevent shearing off, and other damages, a set of relief
rudder surface.
other words, this force will cause the ship to attain a sway velocity
towards the port side, because the rudder force is nothing but a sway
force towards the port side. It is because of this, a ship will sway slightly
Water
Flow
Rudder
Force
Propellers / Rudders
Thrust
Side Force
Rudder Force
Options during operational leaks
With regard leakage in the system, we have following options:
i) Isolating valve 1, 2, 3, & 4 open: By pass valve 5 & 6 shut. All four rams in
operations.
ii) Isolating valve I & 2 shut. By pass valve 5 open: Isolating valve 3 & 4 open,
By pass valve 6 shut. Only Ram 3 & 4 in operations: Rams I & 2 are isolated.
(may have to be isolated because of leakages).
iii) Isolating valve 3 & 4 shut, By pass valve 6 open: Isolating valve I & 2 open,
By pass valve 5 shut. Only Ram I & 2 in operation. Rams 3 & 4 are isolated
(may have to be isolated because of leakages).
Safematic Design of Steering System
If, in the 4 Rams hydraulic system described, the leakage had
developed at say point "X" (as happened in case of `MT Ameco
Cardiz' that resulted in total loss of the tanker and its cargo), there
would be no way to isolate this leak to have the steering capability
of the system available to the ship after the leak.
To take care of such leaks (i.e. leaks outside isolating valves of the
rams), safematic designs have been developed.