Pod propeller steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions

Abstract

The utility model relates to a pod propeller steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions, which comprises a steering sealing device body, a pressurized oil lubricating device, an air supply device and a leakage recovery device, the pressurized oil lubricating device is connected with the steering sealing device body and used for providing lubricating oil, and the air supply device is connected with the leakage recovery device. A lubricating medium is provided for the lip-shaped sealing ring in the steering sealing device body, meanwhile, appropriate oil pressure is provided for a sealing cavity in the steering sealing device body, and seawater leakage or lubricating oil leakage when the lip-shaped sealing ring loses efficacy is prevented. The air supply device is connected with the pressurized oil lubricating device and the steering sealing device body and used for providing compressed air and adjusting and monitoring the pressure and flow of the needed compressed air. The leakage recovery device is connected with the steering sealing device body and used for monitoring the leakage condition of the steering sealing device body and discharging leakage of the steering sealing device body to the hull collecting box. According to the steering sealing system, the reliability of the pod propeller is further improved, and the pollution of lubricating oil to the environment is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a ship propulsion system, in particular to a pod propeller steering sealing system. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, ship electric propulsion technology has developed rapidly. Pod thrusters have become the preferred choice for main propulsion of electric-propelled ships due to their advantages such as flexible operation, simple structure, low vibration and noise, and small cabin space.

[0003] Podded thrusters suspend the underwater propulsion module from the outside of the ship's hull via a slewing module, enabling 360-degree rudder control. Therefore, a rudder seal is essential to prevent seawater from entering the slewing module through the slewing shaft, potentially causing rudder failure. Furthermore, this seal prevents lubricating oil from leaking into the seawater and contaminating the marine environment. Therefore, the reliability of the rudder seal significantly impacts the operational stability of the podded thruster.

[0004] Currently, there are two main types of rudder seals for podded propulsion systems, both domestically and internationally. The first utilizes a three-lip seal structure, all facing the seawater, forming two sealed cavities. These cavities are filled with seawater-resistant grease during installation and equipped with a device for periodic grease replenishment. The second utilizes a four-lip seal structure, with the two outer lip seals facing the seawater and the two inner lip seals facing the slewing module, forming three sealed cavities. During installation, the outer two cavities are filled with seawater-resistant grease, while the inner cavities are filled with grease. Both cavities are equipped with a device for periodic grease replenishment. Existing rudder seal systems have a simple structure, require minimal supporting equipment, and offer reliable performance, but they lack safety redundancy. These systems are subject to issues such as grease leakage into the seawater, failure to meet environmental regulations in specific navigation areas, and an inability to monitor seal failure. Therefore, there is a need for a podded propulsion rudder seal system with improved reliability and environmental performance. The steering seal system's multiple lip seals feature a unique arrangement. When a lip seal fails, the pressurized oil lubrication, air supply, and leakage recovery devices activate. These devices monitor for seawater leaks into the sealing system, promptly detecting any lip seal failure. Any leaked seawater is then promptly discharged to the ship's bilge tanks, preventing external seawater from entering the slewing module and causing the steering mechanism's lubricant to fail. This prevents the steering mechanism's lubricating oil from leaking into the external seawater. This steering seal system further improves the reliability of podded propulsion systems and reduces environmental pollution from lubricating oil, contributing to their technological advancement and widespread application. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a steering seal system with monitoring and leak recovery functions, suitable for podded propulsion systems. The steering seal system features redundancy, ensuring sealing reliability and extending service life. The steering seal system also features leak recovery, which allows leaks to be discharged from the seal system, ensuring safe and reliable operation of the steering mechanism while avoiding environmental pollution. The steering seal system also features monitoring capabilities. Pre-installed sensors within the system can monitor the operating status of the steering seal system, thereby determining its operational status and formulating a maintenance strategy tailored to the situation.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution of the utility model is: a pod thruster steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions, comprising a steering sealing device body, a pressurized oil lubrication device, an air supply device and a leakage recovery device, the pressurized oil lubrication device being connected to the steering sealing device body for providing lubricating oil, providing a lubricating medium for the lip seal ring inside the steering sealing device body, and at the same time providing appropriate oil pressure for the sealing cavity inside the steering sealing device body to prevent seawater leakage or lubricating oil leakage when the lip seal ring fails; the air supply device being connected to the pressurized oil lubrication device and the steering sealing device body for providing compressed air, adjusting and monitoring the required compressed air pressure and flow rate; the leakage recovery device being connected to the steering sealing device body for monitoring the leakage of the steering sealing device body and discharging the leakage from the steering sealing device body into the hull collection box.

[0007] Furthermore, the steering seal device body is composed of a steering seal mounting base, a lip seal ring, a spacer ring, and a sealing pressure plate, wherein: the 1# lip seal ring is arranged toward the external seawater, the 2# lip seal ring is arranged toward the rotary module, the 3# lip seal ring is arranged toward the external seawater, and the 4# lip seal ring is arranged toward the rotary module; the four lip seal rings form three sealing chambers, wherein the 1# sealing chamber is connected to the air supply device and the leakage recovery device, and compressed air is introduced during operation, the 2# sealing chamber is connected to the pressurized oil lubrication device, and pressurized lubricating oil is introduced during operation, the 1# lip seal ring is lubricated by external seawater, the 2# lip seal ring and the 3# lip seal ring are lubricated by pressurized oil, and the 4# lip seal ring is lubricated by the lubricating oil in the rotary module.

[0008] Furthermore, the compressed air pressure is no greater than the sum of the back pressure that the 1# lip seal can withstand and the external seawater pressure; the oil pressure of the pressurized lubricating oil is greater than the seawater pressure outside the 1# lip seal and the lubricating oil pressure outside the 4# lip seal.

[0009] Furthermore, the pressurized oil lubrication device consists of a sealed oil tank, a liquid level sensor L1, a safety valve SA1, a ball valve VB1, a ball valve VB2, a ball valve VB3 and an air filter F1. The sealed oil tank is used to store lubricating oil. The liquid level sensor L1, the safety valve SA1, the ball valve VB1 and the air filter F1 are installed on the top, and the ball valves VB2 and VB3 are installed on the bottom. The liquid level sensor L1 is used to monitor the liquid level of the sealed oil tank. The safety valve SA1 is used to ensure that the internal pressure of the sealed oil tank does not exceed the safety value. The ball valve VB1 and the air filter F1 are used to switch the pressurized sealed oil tank to a gravity oil tank when the air supply device cannot supply air, and continue to provide lubricating oil to the steering sealing device body. The ball valve VB2 is used to control the on and off of the oil supply to the steering sealing device body. The ball valve VB3 is used to discharge the lubricating oil inside the sealed oil tank.

[0010] Furthermore, the air supply device is composed of an air compressor P1, a ball valve VB4, a pressure sensor PT1, a pressure reducing valve V1, a flow meter QT1, a throttle valve S1, a pressure sensor PT2, a ball valve VB5, a filter AF1, a dryer AD1, a pressure reducing valve V2, a pressure sensor PT3 and a ball valve VB6. The air supply device includes two air circuits, one of which is composed of the air compressor P1, the ball valve VB4, the pressure sensor PT1, the pressure reducing valve V1, the flow meter QT1, the throttle valve S1, the pressure sensor PT2 and the ball valve VB5, leading to the 2# sealing chamber of the steering sealing device body; the other air circuit is composed of the air compressor P1, the ball valve VB4, the filter AF1, the dryer AD1, the pressure reducing valve V2, the pressure sensor PT3 and the ball valve VB6, leading to the sealing oil tank of the pressurized oil lubrication device.

[0011] Furthermore, the air compressor P1 is used to provide compressed air for the system, the ball valve VB4 is used to control the on-off of the air supply of the air compressor, the ball valve VB5 is used to control the on-off of the air supply to the steering sealing device body, the ball valve VB6 is used to control the on-off of the air supply to the pressurized oil lubrication device, the reducing valve V1 is used to adjust the compressed air pressure leading to the steering sealing device body, the reducing valve V2 is used to adjust the compressed air pressure leading to the pressurized oil lubrication device, the throttle valve S1 is used to adjust the compressed air flow leading to the steering sealing device body, the flowmeter QT1 is used to monitor whether the compressed air flow leading to the steering sealing device body is normal, the filter AF1 is used to filter the compressed air entering the pressurized oil lubrication device, the dryer AD1 is used to dry the compressed air entering the pressurized oil lubrication device, the pressure sensor PT1 is used to monitor the air supply pressure of the air compressor P1, the pressure sensor PT2 is used to monitor the compressed air pressure entering the steering sealing device body, and the pressure sensor PT3 is used to monitor the compressed air pressure entering the pressurized oil lubrication device.

[0012] Furthermore, the leakage recovery device consists of an oil-water collection tank, a liquid level sensor L2, a ball valve VB7 and a throttle valve S2. The oil-water collection tank is used to collect leaked liquid discharged from the steering seal device body. The liquid level sensor L2 is installed on the top and the ball valve VB7 is installed on the bottom; the liquid level sensor L2 is used to monitor the liquid level of the oil-water collection tank, the ball valve VB7 is used to discharge the lubricating oil inside the oil-water collection tank, and the throttle valve S2 is used to separate the liquid carried out of the steering seal device body by compressed air.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the utility model are:

[0014] The steering seal system of the utility model comprises a steering seal device body, a pressurized oil lubrication device, an air supply device and a leakage recovery device, has a redundancy function, improves the reliability of the pod thruster and prolongs its service life.

[0015] The steering seal device body of the utility model is composed of four lip-shaped sealing rings arranged in a special orientation to form three sealing chambers. When any two of the lip-shaped sealing rings have normal sealing functions, external seawater cannot leak into the rotary module and damage the steering mechanism. At the same time, the lubricating oil in the rotary module and the steering seal device body cannot leak into the seawater to pollute the environment.

[0016] The air supply device of the utility model comprises two air paths, which can respectively adjust and process compressed air to meet the air demand of pod propulsion units under different ship types or different drafts of ships, and has good versatility and environmental adaptability.

[0017] The pressurized oil lubrication device and leakage recovery device of the present invention are respectively provided with a liquid level sensor L1 and a liquid level sensor L2. The usage of the 2# lip seal ring and the 3# lip seal ring is monitored by the liquid level sensor L1, and the usage of the 1# lip seal ring and the 2# lip seal ring is monitored by the liquid level sensor L2. The failed seal ring can be judged by combining the monitoring signals of the liquid level sensor L1 and the liquid level sensor L2, and a maintenance strategy can be formulated accordingly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is the schematic diagram of the steering seal system;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main body of the steering seal device;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the pressurized oil lubrication device;

[0021] Figure 4 It is the principle diagram of the gas supply device;

[0022] Figure 5 This is the schematic diagram of the leak recovery device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the embodiment of the present invention provides a pod thruster steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions, including a steering sealing device body 1, a pressurized oil lubrication device 2, an air supply device 3 and a leakage recovery device 4, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 shown.

[0025] The pressurized oil lubrication device 2 is connected to the steering sealing device body 1 to provide lubricating oil, which provides a lubricating medium for the lip sealing ring inside the steering sealing device body 1, and at the same time provides appropriate oil pressure for the sealing cavity inside the steering sealing device body 1 to prevent seawater leakage or lubricating oil leakage when the lip sealing ring fails; the air supply device 3 is connected to the pressurized oil lubrication device 2 and the steering sealing device body 1, and is used to provide compressed air, adjust and monitor the required compressed air pressure and flow; the leakage recovery device 4 is connected to the steering sealing device body 1, and is used to monitor the leakage of the steering sealing device body 1, and discharge the leakage from the steering sealing device body 1 to the hull collection box.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, the steering seal body 1 primarily consists of a steering seal mounting base 1a, a lip seal 1b, a spacer ring 1c, and a sealing pressure plate 1d. Lip seal 1b-1 faces the external seawater, lip seal 1b-2 faces the slewing module, lip seal 1b-3 faces the external seawater, and lip seal 1b-4 faces the slewing module. The four lip seals 1b form three sealed chambers (1# sealing chamber I, 2# sealing chamber II, and 3# sealing chamber III). Seal chamber 1# is connected to the air supply device 3 and the leakage recovery device 4. During operation, compressed air is introduced. The compressed air pressure should not exceed the sum of the back pressure that lip seal 1b-1 can withstand and the external seawater pressure. Seal chamber 2# is connected to the pressurized oil lubrication device 2. Pressurized lubricating oil is introduced during operation. The oil pressure here should be greater than the seawater pressure outside lip seal 1b-1 and the lubricating oil pressure outside lip seal 1b-4. The 1# lip seal 1b-1 is lubricated by external seawater, the 2# lip seal 1b-2 and the 3# lip seal 1b-3 are lubricated by pressurized oil, and the 4# lip seal 1b-4 is lubricated by the lubricating oil in the rotary module.

[0027] like Figure 3As shown, the pressurized oil lubrication device 2 primarily consists of a sealed oil tank, a liquid level sensor L1, a safety valve SA1, ball valves VB1, VB2, VB3, and an air filter F1. The sealed oil tank stores lubricating oil, with the liquid level sensor L1, safety valve SA1, ball valve VB1, and air filter F1 mounted on top, and ball valves VB2 and VB3 mounted on the bottom. The liquid level sensor L1 monitors the liquid level in the sealed oil tank, while the safety valve SA1 ensures that the internal pressure of the sealed oil tank does not exceed a safe value. The ball valve VB1 and air filter F1 are used to switch the pressurized sealed oil tank to a gravity oil tank when the air supply device fails, continuing to supply lubricating oil to the steering seal device body. The ball valve VB2 controls the on / off supply of oil to the steering seal device body, and the ball valve VB3 drains the lubricating oil from the sealed oil tank.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, the air supply device 3 primarily consists of an air compressor P1, a ball valve VB4, a pressure sensor PT1, a pressure reducing valve V1, a flow meter QT1, a throttle valve S1, a pressure sensor PT2, a ball valve VB5, a filter AF1, a dryer AD1, a pressure reducing valve V2, a pressure sensor PT3, and a ball valve VB6. The air supply device includes two air paths: one path, which in this order, leads to the 2# sealing chamber of the steering seal body; the other path, which in this order, leads to the pressurized oil lubrication device's sealed oil tank, which in this order, leads to the air compressor P1, a ball valve VB4, a pressure sensor PT1, a pressure reducing valve V1, a flow meter QT1, a throttle valve S1, a pressure sensor PT2, and a ball valve VB5. The air compressor is used to provide compressed air for the system, the ball valve VB4 is used to control the on-off supply of the air compressor, the ball valve VB5 is used to control the on-off supply of the air to the steering sealing device body, the ball valve VB6 is used to control the on-off supply of the air to the pressurized oil lubrication device, the reducing valve V1 is used to adjust the compressed air pressure to the steering sealing device body, the reducing valve V2 is used to adjust the compressed air pressure to the pressurized oil lubrication device, the throttle valve S1 is used to adjust the compressed air flow to the steering sealing device body, the flowmeter QT1 is used to monitor whether the compressed air flow to the steering sealing device body is normal, the filter AF1 is used to filter the compressed air entering the pressurized oil lubrication device, the dryer AD1 is used to dry the compressed air entering the pressurized oil lubrication device, the pressure sensor PT1 is used to monitor the air supply pressure of the air compressor P1, the pressure sensor PT2 is used to monitor the compressed air pressure entering the steering sealing device body, and the pressure sensor PT3 is used to monitor the compressed air pressure entering the pressurized oil lubrication device.

[0029] like Figure 5As shown, the leakage recovery device 4 consists of an oil-water collection tank, a liquid level sensor L2, a ball valve VB7, and a throttle valve S2. The oil-water collection tank collects leaked liquid from the steering seal body. The liquid level sensor L2 is installed at the top, and the ball valve VB7 is installed at the bottom. The liquid level sensor L2 monitors the liquid level in the oil-water collection tank. The ball valve VB7 drains the lubricating oil inside the oil-water collection tank. The throttle valve S2 effectively separates the liquid carried by the compressed air from the steering seal body.

[0030] When the liquid level in the sealing oil tank drops, the liquid level sensor L1 will issue a low tank liquid level prompt to remind maintenance personnel to add lubricating oil, and will also issue a prompt that the 2# lip seal or 3# lip seal may have failed; if the liquid level sensor L2 also indicates that the oil-water collection tank has collected liquid, it is judged that the 2# lip seal has failed; if the liquid level sensor L2 does not indicate that the oil-water collection tank has collected liquid, the liquid level sensor L1 will issue a low tank liquid level prompt again within a short time after the sealing oil tank is refilled with lubricating oil, and it is judged that the 3# lip seal has failed; if it is neither of the above two situations, it is normal lubricating oil consumption of the steering steering sealing device body.

[0031] When liquid is collected in the oil-water collection tank, the liquid level sensor L2 issues a warning of leakage in the steering seal, alerting maintenance personnel that either the 1# or 2# lip seal has failed. If the liquid level sensor L1 also issues a warning of low oil tank liquid level, it can be determined that the 2# lip seal has failed; otherwise, the 1# lip seal has failed.

Claims

1. A podded propeller steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions, characterized by: It includes a steering sealing device body, a pressurized oil lubrication device, an air supply device and a leakage recovery device. The pressurized oil lubrication device is connected to the steering sealing device body and is used to provide lubricating oil to provide a lubricating medium for the lip sealing ring inside the steering sealing device body, and at the same time provide appropriate oil pressure for the sealing cavity inside the steering sealing device body to prevent seawater leakage or lubricating oil leakage when the lip sealing ring fails; the air supply device is connected to the pressurized oil lubrication device and the steering sealing device body, and is used to provide compressed air, adjust and monitor the required compressed air pressure and flow; the leakage recovery device is connected to the steering sealing device body, and is used to monitor the leakage of the steering sealing device body and discharge the leakage from the steering sealing device body to the hull collection box.

2. The podded propulsion steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The steering seal device body is composed of a steering seal mounting base, a lip seal ring, a spacer ring, and a sealing pressure plate, wherein: the 1# lip seal ring is arranged toward the external seawater, the 2# lip seal ring is arranged toward the rotary module, the 3# lip seal ring is arranged toward the external seawater, and the 4# lip seal ring is arranged toward the rotary module; the four lip seal rings form three sealing chambers, wherein the 1# sealing chamber is connected to the air supply device and the leakage recovery device, and compressed air is introduced during operation, the 2# sealing chamber is connected to the pressurized oil lubrication device, and pressurized lubricating oil is introduced during operation, the 1# lip seal ring is lubricated by external seawater, the 2# lip seal ring and the 3# lip seal ring are lubricated by pressurized oil, and the 4# lip seal ring is lubricated by the lubricating oil in the rotary module.

3. The podded propulsion steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The compressed air pressure is no greater than the sum of the back pressure that the 1# lip seal can withstand and the external seawater pressure; the oil pressure of the pressurized lubricating oil is greater than the seawater pressure outside the 1# lip seal and the lubricating oil pressure outside the 4# lip seal.

4. The podded propulsion steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The pressurized oil lubrication device consists of a sealed oil tank, a liquid level sensor L1, a safety valve SA1, a ball valve VB1, a ball valve VB2, a ball valve VB3 and an air filter F1. The sealed oil tank is used to store lubricating oil. The liquid level sensor L1, the safety valve SA1, the ball valve VB1 and the air filter F1 are installed on the top, and the ball valves VB2 and VB3 are installed on the bottom. The liquid level sensor L1 is used to monitor the liquid level of the sealed oil tank. The safety valve SA1 is used to ensure that the internal pressure of the sealed oil tank does not exceed the safety value. The ball valve VB1 and the air filter F1 are used to switch the pressurized sealed oil tank to a gravity oil tank when the air supply device cannot supply air, and continue to provide lubricating oil to the steering sealing device body. The ball valve VB2 is used to control the on-off supply of oil to the steering sealing device body. The ball valve VB3 is used to discharge the lubricating oil inside the sealed oil tank.

5. The podded propulsion steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The air supply device consists of an air compressor P1, a ball valve VB4, a pressure sensor PT1, a pressure reducing valve V1, a flow meter QT1, a throttle valve S1, a pressure sensor PT2, a ball valve VB5, a filter AF1, a dryer AD1, a pressure reducing valve V2, a pressure sensor PT3 and a ball valve VB6. The air supply device includes two air circuits, one of which is composed of the air compressor P1, the ball valve VB4, the pressure sensor PT1, the pressure reducing valve V1, the flow meter QT1, the throttle valve S1, the pressure sensor PT2 and the ball valve VB5, leading to the 2# sealing chamber of the steering sealing device body; the other air circuit is composed of the air compressor P1, the ball valve VB4, the filter AF1, the dryer AD1, the pressure reducing valve V2, the pressure sensor PT3 and the ball valve VB6, leading to the sealed oil tank of the pressurized oil lubrication device.

6. The podded propulsion steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions according to claim 5 is characterized in that: The air compressor P1 is used to provide compressed air for the system, the ball valve VB4 is used to control the on-off of the air supply from the air compressor, the ball valve VB5 is used to control the on-off of the air supply to the steering sealing device body, the ball valve VB6 is used to control the on-off of the air supply to the pressurized oil lubrication device, the reducing valve V1 is used to adjust the compressed air pressure to the steering sealing device body, the reducing valve V2 is used to adjust the compressed air pressure to the pressurized oil lubrication device, the throttle valve S1 is used to adjust the compressed air flow to the steering sealing device body, the flowmeter QT1 is used to monitor whether the compressed air flow to the steering sealing device body is normal, the filter AF1 is used to filter the compressed air entering the pressurized oil lubrication device, the dryer AD1 is used to dry the compressed air entering the pressurized oil lubrication device, the pressure sensor PT1 is used to monitor the air supply pressure of the air compressor P1, the pressure sensor PT2 is used to monitor the compressed air pressure entering the steering sealing device body, and the pressure sensor PT3 is used to monitor the compressed air pressure entering the pressurized oil lubrication device.

7. The podded propulsion steering sealing system with monitoring and leakage recovery functions according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The leakage recovery device consists of an oil-water collection tank, a liquid level sensor L2, a ball valve VB7 and a throttle valve S2. The oil-water collection tank is used to collect leaked liquid discharged from the steering seal device body. The liquid level sensor L2 is installed on the top and the ball valve VB7 is installed on the bottom; the liquid level sensor L2 is used to monitor the liquid level in the oil-water collection tank, the ball valve VB7 is used to discharge the lubricating oil inside the oil-water collection tank, and the throttle valve S2 is used to separate the liquid carried out of the steering seal device body by the compressed air.

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