Ship Swing Reducer Safety Unit for Damper Overheat Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swinging motion reducing apparatuses for ships are prone to damage due to overheating of components, particularly the dampers, which can lead to hydraulic oil leakage and further damage when the gimbal mechanism exceeds specified limits or operates under high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a safety unit with bimetal switches or temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of the dampers and automatically stop the drive power supply to the motor when temperatures exceed predetermined levels, preventing damage by halting operation in case of overheating or failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gimbal mechanism operates under high load or high temperature conditions, then the swinging motion reducing capability is maintained, but the damper section overheats and may cause hydraulic oil leakage leading to apparatus damage
Solution Approach 1:
The safety unit performs preliminary monitoring of the damper section temperature and stops the motor before overheating causes damage. The temperature monitoring and protective stopping action are taken in advance to prevent hydraulic oil leakage and apparatus damage, while allowing the system to operate reliably under high load conditions.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the motor operates continuously to maintain swinging motion reduction, then the stabilizing effect is sustained, but the damper section temperature rises causing potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The safety unit implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the damper section temperature and automatically stopping the motor when the temperature reaches a predetermined threshold. This feedback mechanism allows continuous operation under normal conditions while preventing overheating-related failures, thus maintaining both operational duration and reliability.
3Device complexity
If the system operates without temperature monitoring, then the device complexity is reduced, but the apparatus is vulnerable to damage from overheating and hydraulic oil leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The safety unit acts as an intermediary protective device that monitors damper section temperature and controls motor operation. This intermediate safety mechanism protects the apparatus from thermal damage and hydraulic oil leakage while adding minimal complexity to the overall system structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents damage to the swinging motion reducing apparatus by safely stopping the system when temperatures rise, thereby protecting the dampers and maintaining operational integrity, even under high load conditions or in high-temperature environments.
Implementation Method 1
The safety unit 40 includes a bimetal switch 41A provided for the damper 15A and a bimetal switch 41B provided for the damper 15B
Implementation Method 2
A damper section 15A, 15B is configured to brake a swing motion of the gimbal mechanism 12
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In a swing motion reducing apparatus for a ship includes a flywheel, a gimbal mechanism configured to rotatably support the flywheel, a motor configured to rotate the flywheel based on a drive power to be supplied; and a motor driver configured to supply the drive power to the motor. A damper section is configured to brake a swing motion of the gimbal mechanism. A safety unit controls the motor driver to stop the supply of the drive power to the motor when a temperature of the damper section is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.