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Bow thrusters are a type of propeller-shaped system fitted either on the bow (forward
part) and stern part (known as stern thruster) of the ship. They are smaller in size as
compared to the ship’s propeller and help in better manoeuvrability of the vessel at
lower speeds.
Bow thrusters are generally used for maneuvering the ship near the coastal waters,
channels or when entering or leaving a port while experiencing bad currents or adverse
winds.
Bow thrusters help in assisting tugboats in berthing the ship to avoid unnecessary
wastage of time and eventually money because of lesser stay of the vessel in the ports.
The presence of bow thrusters on a vessel eradicates the need of two tugs while
leaving and entering the port, and thus save more money. Nowadays ships have both
bow and stern thruster, which makes them independent of the tugboats for manoeuvring
in the port limits (if the port regulation does not make it compulsory to use tugboats).
Installation
Generally, side thrusters are transverse thrusters placed in a duct located at the forward
and aft end of the ship. The thruster set in the forward end is known as the bow thruster
and the one placed in the aft end is known as the stern thruster. The requirement for the
number of thrusters to be installed depends on the length and the cargo capacity of the
ship. The route of the vessel also plays an important factor as many countries have
local regulations of compulsory use of tugboats to enter or leave their port limits.
For the installation of the side thrusters, following things are important:
The thruster compartment, also known as bow thruster room, should be easily
accessible from the open deck by the ship’s crew
As most of the seagoing vessels use an electric motor for the thruster, which is a
heat generating machinery and must, therefore, be positioned in a dry and well-
ventilated area
The bow thruster room should be fitted with a high-level bilge alarm and the
indication to be provided in engine control room and bridge
The thruster room should be well lit
The room should be provided with at least one light supplied from the emergency
source
In the case of installation of more than one panel, make sure to operate the
thruster from only one panel at the time
The thruster room should not be used to store flammable products in the area of
the electric motor
The installation of the tunnel or conduit containing the propeller must be
positioned perpendicular to the axis of the ship, in all the directions
The propeller should not protrude out of the conduit
Grid bars may or may not be fitted at both ends of the tunnel (taking into account
of how much debris the ship bottom will experience in its voyage). The number
of bars for them to be kept at a minimum as they tend to reduce the thrust force
and overall performance of the bow thruster (or stern thruster)
Sharp edges on the grid bars to be avoided. Trapezoidal shape with no
sharpness is a good choice of design for grid bars installed perpendicularly to
the direction of the bow wave
The design and position of the thruster tunnel should not interfere with the water
flow under hull or should not add to hull resistance
Ensure that the material used for the installed thruster does not foul existing
equipment inside the ship such as steering links etc.
Credits: Brosen/wikipedia.org
The bow and the stern thrusters can be electrically driven or hydraulic driven or diesel
driven. However, the most commonly used are electric driven, as in hydraulic driven
thrusters there occur many leakage problems. Also, with diesel driven bow thrusters,
the amount of maintenance required is more and every time before starting someone
needs to go to the thruster room to check the thrusters.
The thruster used are usually of CPP type, i.e. the blades on the propeller boss can be
moved to change the direction of the thrust. The boss which carries the blades is
internally provided with a movable shaft (operated by hydraulic oil) also know and
Hydraulic Pod Motor driven Thrusters. Once the signal is given to change the pitch, the
hydraulic oil will be supplied to operate the internal shaft (within the boss) to change the
blade angle of the thruster (as shown in the video).
The motor shaft drives the shaft of the thruster via pinion gear arrangement. The sealing
gasket is provided in the motor casing which holds the water which is in the tunnel.
Operation:
Bow thruster consists of an electric motor which is mounted directly over the thruster
using a worm gear arrangement. The motor runs at a constant speed, and whenever
there is a change required in the thrust or direction, the controllable pitch blades are
adjusted. These blades are moved, and the pitch is changed with the help of hydraulic
oil which moves the hub on which the blades are mounted. As the thruster is of
controllable pitch type, it can be run continuously, and when no thrust is required, the
pitch can be made to zero.
The thruster is controlled from the bridge, and the directions are given remotely. In case
of remote failure, a manual method for changing the pitch is provided in the thruster
room and can be operated from there.
Usually, the hydraulic valve block which controls the pitch of the blades is operated in
the BT room for changing the blade angle in an emergency.
When the Bow Thruster is operated alone, and the signal is given to operate the pitch at
port side, the thrust will result in turning the ship towards starboard side from the
forward part.
Similarly, when the Bow Thruster is operated alone, and the signal is given to run the
pitch at starboard side, the thrust will result in turning the ship towards the port side from
the forward part.
When the stern thruster and bow thruster are operated together at the same side, the
ship will move laterally towards the opposite side.
As seen in the above diagrams, the bow thruster and the stern thruster provides
excellent manoeuvrability to the ship.
Maintenance Required
1) The insulation needs to be checked regularly and should be kept dry. This is done
because bow thrusters are not used frequently and thus there are chances of damages
by moisture. Moreover, because of the frequent idle state of the bow thrusters, there
can be a reduction in the insulation resistance, especially in colder regions.
2) The space heater is checked for the working condition so that the insulation can be
kept dry.
4) The condition of hydraulic oil is to be checked every month for water in oil and
samples should be sent for lab analysis for further checking.
6) Checks are to be made for any water leakages in the bow thruster room which is an
indication of seal leaking.
7) The flexible coupling between the motor and thruster should also be checked.
8) Check and inspect all the cable connections for the cleanliness and tightness
9) Vacuum or blow clean the motor grid for removing the carbon grid which may
increase the operating temperature
Major Maintenance
The major overhauling and maintenance of the bow and stern thruster are done during
the dry dock when the ship’s hull is out of the water, and the thruster blades and tunnel
can be easily accessed.
Ship in Drydock- Image Credits : S*anner 06n2ey / wikipedia
3) Saves money due to the reduction of stay in port and less usage of tugboats.
Disadvantages
1) A very large induction motor is required, which takes a lot of current and load, and
thus large generator capacity is required.
The thrust force produced by the motor to move the ship will depend on various
parameters such as; hull design, power source, the design of tunnel, use of grids, draft
and load of the vessel etc.
The condition of the weather and state of the water also plays a vital role in BT
performance.
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author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for
the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or
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