Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H23/00—Transmitting power from propulsion power plant to propulsive elements
  • B63H23/32—Other parts
  • B63H23/321—Bearings or seals specially adapted for propeller shafts
  • B63H23/326—Water lubricated bearings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H23/00—Transmitting power from propulsion power plant to propulsive elements
  • B63H23/32—Other parts
  • B63H23/321—Bearings or seals specially adapted for propeller shafts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H23/00—Transmitting power from propulsion power plant to propulsive elements
  • B63H23/32—Other parts
  • B63H23/36—Shaft tubes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H23/00—Transmitting power from propulsion power plant to propulsive elements
  • B63H23/32—Other parts
  • B63H23/321—Bearings or seals specially adapted for propeller shafts
  • B63H2023/327—Sealings specially adapted for propeller shafts or stern tubes

Definitions

• a problem with the above presented method and arrangement is the heating of the seal rings delimiting the lubricant seal chamber with leads to wear and reduced service-life of the seal rings.
• the seal rings are heated due to the friction between the propeller shaft and the seal rings, because the seal rings engage the outer circumference of the rotating propeller shaft.
• a propeller 5 is attached to a driving end 6 of the propeller shaft 1, wherein the driving end 6 projects out of the pod 3.
• the propeller shaft 1 can additionally have a second driving end (not illustrated) that projects out of an opposite end of the pod 3 i.e. so that the propeller projects through the pod and so that a second propeller (not illustrated) is provided as the second driving end.
• the propeller shaft 1 is rotatably supported with a bearing arrangement 8 inside the pod 3.
• At least two seal rings 9 are provided axially spaced apart from each other in an axial direction of the propeller shaft 1 and engaging the outer circumference of the propeller shaft 1 such that at least one lubricant chamber 10 is delimited between adjacent seal rings 9.
• the propeller shaft 1 can comprise a liner 20 that at least partly forms the outermost part of the propeller shaft 1.
• the liner 20 forms the outermost part of the propeller shaft 1 at least in the region of the seal rings 11.
• the bearing arrangement comprises a lubrication arrangement 11 comprising a lubricant circulation line 12 for conducting lubricant to said bearing arrangement 8 and for conducting lubricant from said bearing arrangement 8, and a lubricant circulator 13 configured to create a flow of lubricant in the lubricant circulation line 12 and in the bearing arrangement 8.
• the method comprises providing the lubrication arrangement 11 with an additional lubrication circulation line 14 comprising a first line part 15 for conducting a part of said flow of lubricant to said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and comprising a second line part 16 for conducting said part of said flow of lubricant from said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10.
• Said flow of lubricant in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 will lower the temperature in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and consequently lower the temperature of the seal rings 9 delimiting said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10. This reduces wearing of the seal rings 9 and extends the service-life of the seal rings 9.
• the height or the second line part 16 By adjusting the height or the second line part 16 can the pressure in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 be adjusted.
• a higher height or the second line part 16 results in a higher lubricant level and into a higher pressure in in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and this seals said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 better and prevents thus leakage.
• a higher pressure also extends the service-life of said at least two seal rings 9. Because said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 will be full with lubricant, said at least two seal rings 9 will have a longer service-life.
• the fourth embodiment illustrated in figure 4 comprises connecting the first line part 15 in fluid connection with a bottom of the bearing arrangement 8, and connecting the first line part 15 in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and conducting said part of said flow of lubricant from the bottom of the bearing arrangement 8 into the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 in the first line part 15, and connecting the second line part 16 in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with the lubricant circulation line 12 at a point downstream of the bearing arrangement 8 and upstream of the lubricant circulator 13 and conducting said part of said flow of lubricant from the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 into the lubricant circulation line 12 in the second line part 16.
• the method comprises preferably, but not necessarily, conducting thermal energy from lubricant circulating in the lubricant circulation line 12 with a cooler 17 provided in thermal contact with the lubricant circulation line 12. This additionally promotes cooling of said at least two seal rings 9.
• the cooler 17 can be arranged within the pod 3 as illustrated in figures 1 to 4 or outside the pod and within the hull 4 of the marine vessel 2 as illustrated in figure 5 .
• the method comprises preferably, but not necessarily, regulating the flow of lubricant in the first line part 15 by means of a throttle means 18 provided in the first line part 15.
• a throttle means 18 can another type of flow regulating means be used.
• the propeller shaft 1 is arranged at a pod 3 that is suspended at a hull 4 of the marine vessel 2.
• the propeller shaft 1 is rotatably supported with a bearing arrangement 8 inside the pod 3.
• At least two seal rings 9 are provided axially spaced apart from each other in an axial direction of the propeller shaft 1 and engaging the outer circumference of the propeller shaft 1 such that at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 is delimited between adjacent seal rings 9.
• the lubrication arrangement comprises an additional lubrication circulation line 14 for conducting a part of said flow of lubricant to said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and for conducting said part of said flow of lubricant from said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and the lubrication arrangement being additionally configured to create a flow of lubricant in the additional lubricant circulation line 14 and in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10.
• Said flow of lubricant in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 will lower the temperature in said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and consequently lower the temperature of the seal rings 9 delimiting said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10. This reduces wearing of the seal rings 9 and extends the service-life of the seal rings 9.
• the first line part 15 can be in fluid connection with the lubricant circulation line 12 at a point downstream of the lubricant circulator 13 and upstream of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, wherein the first line part 15 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the lubricant circulation line 12 into the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10.
• the second line part 16 can be in fluid connection with a top of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with the bearing arrangement 8, wherein the second line part 16 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the top of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 into the bearing arrangement 8.
• the second line part 16 can be in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with the lubricant circulation line 12 at a point downstream of the bearing arrangement 8 and upstream of the lubricant circulator 13, wherein the second line part 16 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 into the lubricant circulation line 12.
• the first line part 15 is in fluid connection with the lubricant circulation line 12 at a point downstream of the lubricant circulator 13 and upstream of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, wherein the first line part 15 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the lubricant circulation line 12 to said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, and the second line part 16 is formed by an equalizing channel between said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and the bearing arrangement 8, wherein the first line part 15 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 to the bearing arrangement 8.
• the first line part 15 is in fluid connection with the lubricant circulation line 12 at a point downstream of the lubricant circulator 13 and upstream of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, wherein the first line part 15 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the lubricant circulation line 12 into the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, and the second line part 16 is in fluid connection with a top of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with the bearing arrangement 8, wherein the second line part 16 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the top of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 into the bearing arrangement 8.
• the first line part 15 is in fluid connection with a bottom of the bearing arrangement, and in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, wherein the first line part 15 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the bottom of the bearing arrangement 8 into the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10, and the second line part 16 is in fluid connection with a bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 and in fluid connection with the lubricant circulation line 12 at a point downstream of the bearing arrangement 8 and upstream of the lubricant circulator 13, wherein the second line part 16 being configured to conduct said part of said flow of lubricant from the bottom of said at least one lubricant seal chamber 10 into the lubricant circulation line 12.
• the arrangement comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a throttle means 18 provided in the first line part 15, which throttle means 18 is configured to regulate the flow of lubricant in the first line part 15.
• a throttle means 18 can another type of flow regulating means be used.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Sealing Of Bearings (AREA)
• Sealing Devices (AREA)
• Sealing Using Fluids, Sealing Without Contact, And Removal Of Oil (AREA)
• Rolling Contact Bearings (AREA)
• Sealing With Elastic Sealing Lips (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=89619176

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2024
  • 2024-01-11 EP EP24151399.3A patent/EP4585504A1/fr active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-01-06 US US19/010,454 patent/US20250229884A1/en active Pending
  • 2025-01-08 CA CA3261587A patent/CA3261587A1/en active Pending
  • 2025-01-10 CN CN202510043943.0A patent/CN120288226A/zh active Pending
  • 2025-01-10 JP JP2025003913A patent/JP2025109194A/ja active Pending
  • 2025-01-10 KR KR1020250003865A patent/KR20250110160A/ko active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

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