Tutorials

Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear

Describe rotary-vane steering gear
Describe the IMO requirements for
auxiliary steering gear and how they are
met by ram-type or rotary-vane steering
gear

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 Tutorials
Describe electric steering control (follow up & non
follow up)
Explain how the change from remote to local control
in the steering gear compartment is made
Describe the requirement for power supplies to
electric and electro-hydraulic steering gear
Describe the requirements for emergency control of
the steering gear
State the IMO requirements for testing steering and
for drills

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 IMO requirements
Rudder angle
indicator Steering
control Remote start &
Indications
& Alarms stop, standby

Communication Follow up Non

Duplicated Follow up
electric controls

Control unit
Power unit

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 IMO requirements
Cargo vessels have a main and
auxiliary steering gear
At maximum service speed the main
steering gear must be able to move
the rudder from 350 to 300 in 28
seconds.
Single failure in its piping or, one motor
will not leave the steering gear
inoperable.

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 IMO requirements
POWER UNIT - Duplicate electric motors for
steering pump.Motor starters power
supplied from either side of main switch
board or one via emergency switch board.
STEERING CONTROL - From Bridge may be
via a single hydraulic telemotor or via
duplicated electric control e.g. Follow up &
Non-Follow up system. Power for steering
control system is supplied from steering
gear power circuit in steering gear
compartment.

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 IMO requirements

INDICATIONS AND ALARMS

(a) Steering gear status indication.
(b) Fault alarms. (low oil level,
overload)
(c) Rudder position indicator.

COMMUNICATION -Communication
between the steering flat and the
Bridge.

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 IMO requirements..Tankers

The fourram gear consists of two pairs of rams, each pair being capable of
supplying 50% of the torque required. For normal full ahead running they are
operated together to provide 100% torque, with one pump and motor power
unit in use.
Duplication of the hydraulic pipe work as well as pump and motor power units
gives an additional safeguard with complete hydraulic system redundancy.
The same sort of design can also be used in conjunction with duplicated
rotary vane cylinders (one chamber above the other).
Oil loss from a fracture in the pipe system would lower the level in the
reservoir of the running pump and through the float switch and control unit
shut down the isolating valves. The two sets of piping and associated pairs of
rams would now be isolated.

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Describe the requirement for power supplies to
electric and electro-hydraulic steering gear
Supply from Supply from
Main switchboard Emergency
switchboard
Power supply
Change over switch

Hydraulic pump Over-current relay

motor
Starter Starter
M M

Alarm contact for

overload alarm
Remote start from Wheel house
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Describe the requirement for power supplies to
electric and electro-hydraulic steering gear

1. Two independent circuits are provided.

Usually one from main switch-board and
other from the emergency switch board or
from each side of the main switch board.
2. The two circuits run separately to the
steering flat, one on port side and the
other on starboard side.
3. Both motors have start/stop facilities in
the steering flat and in the wheel house.

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Describe the requirement for power supplies to
electric and electro-hydraulic steering gear

4. Indicators for running indication of

steering gear motors is provided.
5. In the wheel house audio visual alarms
are provided, in case of
1. Steering motor power failure.
2. Steering motor overload condition.
6. Steering circuit OVER CURRENT RELAY
for the pump motor doesn't trip the
starter of the motor, but only activates
the overload alarm.

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Describe the requirement for power supplies to
electric and electro-hydraulic steering gear

7. Steering gear power units start

automatically when power is
restored after power failure.

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Describe rotary-vane steering gear

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Describe rotary-vane steering gear
rotary vane
The arrangement of three fixed and three moving vanes allows
a rudder angle of 700 with a vane-type steering gear. A larger
turning angle is obtained with two fixed and two moving vanes
if required.

Vanes are of cast iron, the fixed ones being held to the stator
by high-tensile steel dowel pins and cap screws.
Moving vanes are keyed to the cast steel rotor which in turn is
fitted to a taper on the rudder stock and keyed. Vanes are
sealed by steel strips backed by synthetic rubber laid in slots.
Weight of the gear is supported by a rudder carrier bearing
beneath it in this design. Rotation of the gear is prevented by
two anchor bolts held in fixed anchor brackets with rubber
shock-absorbing sleeves.

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Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear

Rudder angle
transmitter

Relief v/v

Cylinder
Isolating valves

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 Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
relief valves
The relief valves between pipes
connecting the opposing rams are
designed to lift if pressure in the
system rises to about 10 per cent
above normal.
This will occur due either to the
rudder being hit by a heavy sea or Isolating valves
from direct loading. By-passing of
oil from one side of the system to
Bypass valves
the other through the relief valves
permits the rams to move and
abnormal stress on the rudder
stock is thereby avoided.
The hunting gear will cause the
rudder movement to be corrected
by putting the pump on stroke.

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Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Isolating Valves
All four rams work
together but in the
event of damage or
oil leak, either pair
of rams can be
isolated from the Isolating valves
pressure pumps
and allowed to Bypass valves

idle with the

bypass open.
Isolating valves
are closed

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Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Bypass Valves
In the event of damage,
either pair of rams can
be isolated from the
pressure pumps and
allowed to idle with theIsolating valves
bypass open.
The remaining pair of Bypass valves
rams then operate as a
two ram gear. The by-
passes are in parallel
with the relief valves.

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Steering Gear Operations
Normal Operation at sea
4 Rams & 1 pump. Other pump on standby
Manoeuvring
4 Rams & 2 pump, incase power black out 1
pump is still available through emergency
supply
Emergency operation (Oil leak in the
system)
2 Rams & 1 pump. Systems split into two and
isolated

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 Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Normal, Manoeuvring and Emergency operation
The pipe arrangement on the simple sketch of the four
ram system shows the connections from two pumps to
four rams.
Because of the non-reverse lock arrangement, one
pump can be stopped with the valves left open. All four
rams work together but in the event of damage, either
pair of rams can be isolated from the pressure
pumps and allowed to idle with the bypass open. The
remaining pair of rams then operate as a two ram gear.
The by-passes are in parallel with the relief valves.
The rudder can be locked by closing the supply valves,
in an emergency.

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 Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Normal operation :4 Rams &
1Pump
One pump & 4 rams in use Standby pump
4 rams provide 100% torque
Second pump is on stand by. It is
prevented from motoring by special
ratchet arrangement.
Pumps are changed over every 24
hours Relief v/v

High pressure gauge valves are kept

shut to avoid accidental oil leak.
Rudder able to move 35O on one side
to 35O to other
Time to move 35O from one side to 30O
to other in 28 seconds

Running pump
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 Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Manoeuvring operation: 4 Rams & 2
pumps
Two pumps & 4 rams in use
4 rams provide 100% torque
High pressure gauge valves
are kept shut
Relief v/v
Because of two pumps,
rudder moves takes approx
14 seconds to move 35O from
one side to 30O to other

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Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Emergency operation: 2 Rams & 1 pump

oil leak in system

One pump & 2 rams in use
2 rams provide 50% torque in
emergency operation System off
High pressure gauge valves are kept
shut
Rams and piping systems are isolated
from in to two separate sets Relief v/v
Float switches in oil reservoir trigger
the alarm if there is oil leak that
causes drop in oil level in the system.

System in use

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 Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Oil tank with float switch
1 Low Level Alarm
2 L.L Level Alarm
Float switch 1,
through control unit
shuts both isolating
valves and gives Low
System off
Level alarm in case of
oil leak.
Two sets of pipes and Relief v/v

rams are isolated

Isolating valves
The leak can be in
either pipe & ram Bypass valves
If oil level continues to
drop, Float switch 2
gives LLLevel alarm
and starts standby
pump
System in use

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Describe ram-type hydraulic steering gear
Oil tank with float switch
Each pump has
suction connections
through non-return
valves from the
replenishing tank.
Losses of oil from
the system are
automatically made Isolating valves
up from this reserve
of oil. A certain Bypass valves
amount of leakage
occurs in the pump
and this oil is
drained to the
replenishing tank

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 Explain how the change from remote to local control in the
steering gear compartment is made
Hand
Gyro compass Auto Pilot ECDIS
Gyro compass
Amplifier Rudder angle
indicator
1Switch off Power Control unit
To bridge unit Rudder angle
repeat back
Direction control (Feedback
2 Manual control valve signal)

of direction valve Rudder angle

Power unit transmitter
3 Communicate
with bridge
4 Monitor & control Rudder

rudder angle 25
 Describe electric steering
Follow up (FU) control

This mode compares the command signal

with the drive feedback signal of the control
unit to control the rudder according to the
instructed rudder angle.
Follow up steering is classified into
automatic steering (AUTO) through
gyrocompass,
track control by interfacing with an ECDIS.
manual steering (HAND),

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 Describe electric steering FU & NFU control
NFU Controller
Hand lever Rudder angle
Hand indicator
Port Stbd.
Gyro compass Auto Pilot ECDIS
Gyro compass

Amplifier
FU Command
signal Control unit
Manual control NFU Command signal
of direction valve Direction control
In case of valve
command signal
failure Rudder angle
repeat back
1Switch off Power Power unit (Feedback
To bridge unit signal) Rudder angle
2 Manual control transmitter
of direction valve Rudder
3 Communicate with bridge
4 Monitor & control rudder angle 27
 Describe electric steering control
Non follow up (NFU)

This mode directly controls steering gear

control unit by means of hand lever on
steering console
Rudder keeps on turning as long as lever is
pressed in port or stbd. position
Rudder stops when lever is released
Helmsman controls the ship by observing
heading of the ship on the gyrocompass
NFU mode is used in an emergency if FU mode
has failed.

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State the IMO requirements for testing steering
and for drills
The test procedure to be carried out not more than 12
hours before departure (or weekly on short-voyage
vessels) requires operation of) the following:
main steering gear,auxiliary gear, remote control
systems, bridge steering position, emergency power
supply, rudder indicator, power failure alarms for remote
control systems and also for the steering gear power
unit.
While the gear is running, full movement must be
checked and a complete visual inspection must be
carried out.
The phone or other means of communication between
bridge and steering compartment must be tested also.

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State the IMO requirements for testing steering
and for drills
While the ship is at sea with the automatic pilot in
prolonged use, manual steering must be tested before
entering busy or restricted waters. When in such
waters both power units (pumps and motors) must be
running if simultaneous operation is possible.

At three-monthly intervals emergency drills (including

local control and communication; and operation with
alternative power) should be carried out. All officers
are required to be familiar with the steering gear and
the changeover arrangements. Instructions for
changeover must be displayed in the steering
compartment and on the bridge. The various tests and
checks should be logged.

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 Describe the requirements for emergency control of
steering gear
NFU Controller
1. Power supply from emergency Hand lever
switchboard for 30 minutes for
Port Stbd.
vessel above 10000 tons
2. Non follow up (NFU) system if
Rudder angle
FU fails indicator
3. Manual control from steering
compartment
4. Start/Stop & alarms, indication Port Stbd.
in steering compartment. Direction control
5. Communication between valve
bridge & steering
Rudder angle
compartment transmitter

6. Rudder angle display in Power unit

steering compartment
Rudder

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