Propeller & Propeller Shafting

I '

o 'Propeller & Propeller Shafting

1. ARRANGEMENT OF THRUST SHAFT, INTERMEDIATE

SHAFT & TAIL-SHAFT

The transmission system on a ship transmits power from the engine to the propeller. It is made
up of shafts. bearings. and finally the propeJler itself. The thrust from the propeJler is transfen'ed [0

the ship through the transmission system.

The different items in the system include the thrust shaft, one or rnore intennediate shafts and
the tail-shaft. These shafts are supported by the thrust block. intermediate bearings and the sterntube
bearing. A sealing aJTangement is provided at either end of the tail shaft with the propeller and cone
completing the arrangement. These parts, their location and purpose are shown in figure 8.1.

1.1 Thrust block and explanation as to how propeller thrust is transmitted

to the hull:

The thrust block shaft is comparatively short with a coupling at each end. a thrust collar in
the middle of its length and a journal at each side of the thrust collar. The journals l11n in bearings
housed in the thrust block which carry the weight of the shaft.

Each side of the collar bears upon a number of kidney shaped white-metal-faced pads
suppollt d in the thrust block. Pads on the forward face of the collar being to take the ahead thrust
(see figure 8, I) and those on the after face to take the astern thrust. There is always a film of oil
maintained between the face of collar and white-metal-face of the pad and thus there is no metallic
contact.

As the propeller turns, it throws water away from the ship (when running forward direction).
Thus a thrust is created which has equal and opposite reaction on the propeller shaft, Propeller shaft
tends to thus enter into the engine room. There actually will be a microscopic inward movement of
the entire shaft till the thrust collar hits the forward pads. This way - the thrust gets transmitted to
the ship and ship moves forward .
 . I
Idney shapedJ
thrust pods I
I
coller :
I
I ..,
""0
r - - -...J o
n "'0
-

-..,
(t)

( t)

u
After most
Tunnel bearing
supports shaft
[l
Intermediate or
tunnel bearings
support shaft from
bearings
Ro
..,""0
o

"'0

-..,
(t)

( t)

CF:!
from above and below. :r
Out board oil ~
seal(not shown) below.
Equal & opposite ~
Propeller of thrust :i"
(IQ

block bearing
<1== .( hrust

Thrust ~
produced by
the propeller hrust transfer to the ships
structure through pods & solid
structure of thrust block

Figure R.I - Transmission System

 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

Pat1icular attention is given to the strengthening of the structure of the double bottom in way
of the thru.st block , since, not only must the heavy loads be supponed and vibration minimised, but
also the thrust from the thru .st block is to be transmitted to the ships hull.

1.2 'Intermediate Shaft' & 'Intermediate or Tunnel Bearing':

The intermediate shafts are those which connect the thrust shaft to the propeller shaft. Each
intermediate ,..;haft has a coupling at each end to connect by coupling bolts to the next. and has one
or two Journal bearings to carry these bearings with the exception of the after most
are white metal lined on the bottom half only. All bearings are water-cooled. These bearings are
sometime also called '/)/11/1/111(,( hlocks ·.

1.3 Propeller Shaft & Oil Lubricated Stern-tube:

The propeller shaft, as its name implies, carries the propeller on its outboard end. it i,s the
last section of shafting and often referred to as the tail-end shaft. or tail shaft. It passes through the
stern tube, which carnes the weight of the propeller shaft and propeller.

There are various designs ,wadable in oil lubricated type SLern tube but the same principle
is apparent - seal the ends of the tube with a gland and supply oil under pres.'>llI'e. RefelTing to figure
8.2 (a), the out board end of shaft is tapered and a key with rounded ends shrunk into it: the
propeller boss fits on lhi,,,; tapered part and the propeller nul screwed on the end to lock the
propeller.
 Si T L.O.
Gravity
Tank
Nitrile lip (HIGH)
seal which
Forwcrd end seal ('
grips rubbing I
face I
I
After end seal . I
\ \: ~
""l
I o
I ~/ : "0
/ ' I
--

('t

2 v -
\

\~ ~~I::~~~
"

tf Ir
..

-
i~, . ~
'
I II
I I l SIT
I
L.O.
Gravity

I (~~~)
( 't
""l

Ro
~
""l
E'6
o
'" >
::>~ "0
('t
'0 ~
'02
o 0 ('t
~ ~ ""l
v:.
:r
~
;::.:
....
::
(fQ

Propeller
Nut SIT
lined with oil
L.O.Pump
grooves

Thick lines show Stern-tube L.O system arrangement when the sh ip is at full load condition.

Figure K.2 (,1) - Oil lubri cateu si ern tube

 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

The stern tube is the cast iron tube through which the propeller shaft p'lsses. its function being
to support the weight of the propeller & shaft. Propeller shaft runs into white metal bearings in the
stern tube and rubbing surfaces are lubricated with oil.

Oil is contained within the tube by lip seals . The elastic lip of each nitrile rubber seal, grips
a I1Ibbing surface provided by chrome steel liners at out board and in board ends of the propeller
shaft. See figure 8.2 (0). Such seals arrangement prevent the entry of seawater and also the loss
of lubricating oil from the stern bearing.

Tankers and other ships with large changes in draught. may be fitted with two oil header
tanks for either fully loaded or ballast conditions.

Sterntube/frame

Propeller

liner

Three sealing unit. Two focing outwards

& one inwards of engine room.

Propeller shaft Rubber ring

Figure ~U (0) - Simplex -compact seal for oil lubricated Stern Tube
 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

2. PROPELLERS
2.1 Solid Propeller:

The propeller consists of a boss with several blades of helicoidal form attached to it.
When rotated it 'screws' or thrusts its way through the wate r by giving momentum to the
column 01 water passing through it. The lhrusl i:-. transmitted alon g the shafting to the thrust
block and finally to the ships structure.

A solid fixed pitch propeller along with its various parts is shown in figure 8.3.

Rake
Developed
,--
SkeW
outline

Face
Projected
outline

(f)
:l
~ ~

-0
o -====
n::

Cone
- - Soss
+Blade section

Figure 8.3 - Solid Propeller

2.2 Controllable Pitch Propeller:

As its name implies, it is possible to alter : at will. the pitch of this type of propeller.
This change in pitch is effected by rotating the blade about its vertical axis, this movement
usually being carried oUl by hydraulic or mec hanical means.

 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

Crank mechunism to
turn the blade on its

I 'Input signal
Drain
I from wheel
I house' Pressure oil
I
Servo piston I
I
IL __

Figure 8.-1- - Controllahle pitch propeller

Wo rking

The input tluid sign,d ach on the diaphr~lgl1l in the v~dve housing and directs pressure oil via
ont: pis[On valve through the tube to one side (Iei'l) of servo pIston or via the other piston valve
ollhilie the lube (in the ~lllnulus) to the uther side (nght) of the servo piston. Movement of the servo
pi.~ton . through a crank. rotates blades ~lIld varie.'i ritch. (figure 8.4).

Ori flee area (0) ei ther incre~lses or decre'lses. depending on the movement of servo piston ,
<l~ \ervo pi\ton is attached to the tube 'vvhich in turn move.s the control piston (C).

OIl Ilow through (he orifice (0) IS thus controlled or we may say that the oi I pressure under
the pistun \ al ve i.\ contl'Ullcd by m()\ emellt 01 servo pi\ton. This acts as a feed back restoring Signal
Jnd thus bnnging the pislon v,d vc b~lck 10 neutr,ll position ~lfter initial disturbance.
 Propeller & Propeller Shaft!ng

Uses
I) Such propellers are in use where we have llnidirection machines as main propulsion unil.

Examples are unidirection diesel engine. gas turbine. and steam turbine .
2) Such propellers are favoured for implementing bridge control in ships manoeuvring

system .
3) S lIch prope Ilers are agai n used on dOll ble duty vesse I. such as the tug and traw ler. Here
operating condition when towing is different from when running free as trawler.

2.3 Bridge control of a "CPP - Diesel Engine" System:

Astern Ahead

Change over
switch
Astern

- - - ----- -- ---
ili Ahead

Engine
control room

---
From speed

sensor

Combinator

---
From torque
sensor

I I
_ __ _ __- - JI IL _ __ --- ­
Pitch Signal to governor

setting mechanism

Figure 8.5 - Bridge cul1lrul or "CPP- Diesel Engine" System

Through speed setting the rpm of main engine is set at some fixed value (say 400 rpm). Soon
after rhis. the ship is ready for the manoeuvring. On " standby" since the propeller will be set at zero
pitch angle. there will be no thrust developed by it and main engine will be idling, overcoming just
the hiction of its own bearings and subsequently consuming hardly any fuel. However the instant pitch
angle is increased. propeller will develop a thru.'il. pushing ship forward or aft and thus demanding
more power from the main engine. (figure 85). Main engine will meet this higher power demand
since its governor would have .'iensed the tendency or drop in rpm- of main engine on increase in
pitch angle and thus would have let in Illore fuel to flow through fuel metering valve into the main
engme.
 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

Notably on full away we will be having i"ull pilCh angle 011 the propeller and thus developing
maximum power. We may also have choice of setting rpm of main engine during full away at a higher
rpm (say upto SOO rpm). This once again is possible by speed setting signal.
In most ships propeller pitch and engine speed can be remotely cOlltrolled (as described
above) and that also from a single lever known as combinator, see figure 8.6 .

Bridge control
..,---..
Q
\ 9 / P Ahead
Astern
,t/
pitct r /l \"-- Speed
setting , t setting Fuel
signal I I signal
t I Fuel metering
I I valve
I
r - -- - -----------~
I

Pitch I
Main Engine
setting I r--- ­ Governor(maintains

m"hooi'm \ i Speed \
sensor \1
I
I steady rpm irrespective
of pitch angle of
propeller blades,by
Engine controlling flow of
c=====~----m-~--~
fuel)

r- - [oear conTrOi- --;

for setting pitch, I
L ~_~~_~!~~.2.e~~J '.

Figure 8.6 - Combinator control for CPP

Advantages achieved by controllable pitch propeller system

I. Improved manoeuvrability.

2. Can use uni-directional engine, no reversing mechanjsm is required, thus no associated

problems.

3. Reduced number of engine starts are needed - reduced consumption of compressed air and
th.us reduced maintenance

4. Improved engine efficiency.

5. In ,bridge control CPP system, engine room personnel will be freed from stand-by duties.
 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

Disadvantages include:

I. Complex system hence reduced n~liability compared to fi xed pitch.

2. With oil in propeller boss. possibility of pollution of the sea with oil.

3. lncreased maintenance on propeller and ex tra maintenance because of additional equipment

involved (propeller pitch setting mech~lI1islll).

4. Chances of propeller blades getting stuck Jt some particular pitch angle and thus giving no
choice to vary the magnitude of thrusl.

5. Normally Jny such mechanism need to have a fail safe design which means that if the controls
fail the system under control will adopt a non-dangerous state. in this case a zero pitch angle.
Not possible to adopt in CPP syste m .

2.3.1 Precautions with regard CPP:

Before starting main engine

I. Confirm at site that propel In pitch i.'i ch~lnging for full range as per signals of wheel house/
engine control mum .

2. Confirm there is no leakage of oil.

3. Confirm that pitch angles 011 blades are sustained and no loss of hydraulic pressure is there.

4. Before s[Jrting mJin engine keep the pitch at zero angle . This will help start main engine on
zero propeller re'iistance.

Before going to sea

I . Before putting system on stand-by for manoeuvring, contiI'm ahead, astem and stop movements
on tile CPP are happening as per desired signals.
..,
Cunfirm main engine i\ running wi thollt any problems alld all parameters show n0I111al values.

Before entering harhour or con lined water

I. Before en tering harhoLli and thu." being un \landby (01' manoeuvring , co nfirm system is
responding [0 ahead. d\telll &. stop mo vem ents as per desired signals . This should be done
when ship is still in open waIn s.
..,
Check ruel me[erlng cOlll101 to I1ldin en gin e IS w ork ill g properly and you can stop main
engille if need arises.

 Propeller & Propeller Shafting

2.3.2 Other Precautions:

Whenever changing controls from remole to local, confirm that position of control
levers at the local station are same as those at the remote station (i ,e, Bridge or Engine Control
Room) . Thi:-. is important as system will take up orders from local station. once the controls are
changed over,

'f'