Method of arranging the lubrication of a controllable pitch propeller arrangement of a marine vessel and a lubrication arrangement therefor
AssigneeWartsila Netherlands B.V.
InventorsLukasz Bartnik, Robert Vogels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure discusses a method of and an arrangement for the lubrication of a controllable pitch propeller of a marine vessel. The lubrication is based on continuous lubricant circulation from the hydraulic powerpack to the hub and back to the oil tank, when the marine vessel is sailing ahead with propeller blades locked in a desired position. The lubrication is performed by maintaining, at least when the propeller blades are locked in a desired position, a pressure difference between the astern oil chamber and the lubricant chamber for circulating lubricant from the astern oil chamber via the lubricant chamber to the oil tank.
Claims22
A method of lubricating a controllable pitch propeller arrangement of a marine vessel, the controllable pitch propeller arrangement having a hub, a drive shaft, a drive, an oil distribution box, a hydraulic powerpack and an oil tank, wherein the hub has a number of propeller blades and mechanical and hydraulic controllers for controlling pitch of the propeller blades, the mechanical controller being arranged in a lubricant chamber the hydraulic controller including an astern oil chamber and an ahead oil chamber;
- the hub being attached to a first end of a drive shaft;
- the second end of the drive shaft being coupled to the drive;
- the drive shaft having three oil paths, an astern flow path for connecting the astern oil chamber to the hydraulic powerpack via the oil distribution box and an oil pipe, an ahead flow path for connecting the ahead oil chamber to the hydraulic powerpack via the oil distribution box and an oil pipe and a lubricant path for connecting the lubricant chamber to the oil tank via the oil distribution box and an oil pipe;
- and the lubricant chamber being connected by at least one first lubricant passage to the lubricant path, the method comprising:
- connecting the astern oil chamber or the astern flow path leading thereto by at least one oil circulation channel to the lubricant chamber;
- and
- arranging, at least when the propeller blades are locked in a desired position, a pressure difference between the astern oil chamber and the lubricant chamber for circulating lubricant from the hydraulic powerpack via the oil distribution box to the astern oil chamber and via the lubricant chamber to the oil tank.
A lubrication arrangement for a controllable pitch propeller arrangement of a marine vessel, the controllable pitch propeller arrangement comprising:
- a hub;
- a drive shaft;
- a drive means;
- an oil distribution box;
- a hydraulic powerpack and an oil tank, the hub having a number of propeller blades;
- and
- mechanical and hydraulic control means for controlling pitch of the propeller blades, the mechanical control means being arranged in a lubricant chamber, the hydraulic control means including an astern oil chamber and an ahead oil chamber;
- the hub being attached to a first end of a drive shaft, with a second end of the drive shaft being coupled to the drive means, the drive shaft having three flow paths which include:
- an astern flow path for connecting the astern oil chamber to the hydraulic powerpack via the oil distribution box and an oil pipe, an ahead flow path for connecting the ahead oil chamber to the hydraulic powerpack via the oil distribution box and an oil pipe, and a lubricant path for connecting the lubricant chamber to the oil tank via the oil distribution box and an oil pipe;
- and
- the lubricant chamber being connected by at least one first lubricant passage to the lubricant path, wherein the astern oil chamber or the astern flow path leading thereto is connected by at least one oil circulation channel to the lubricant chamber, and a source of pressurized oil is arranged, at least when the propeller blades are locked in a desired position, in flow communication with the astern oil chamber, and through the at least one oil circulation channel, in flow communication with the lubricant chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.