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ule and two MTU 16V 595 TE70s, with a total output of 9,700 hp, in a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) propulsion plant. The 331-foot ferry, with a passenger capacity of 400- 500 and vehicle capacity of 90-120 cars, will be able to obtain speeds in excess of 40 knots. The owner has an option for two additional ferries. A rugged two-stage variable- speed power gas turbine designed to drive water jets, propellers or elec- trical generators from Solar Tur- bines, Ltd., San Diego, is a new propulsion and auxiliary option for fast ferries in excess of 130 feet. The newly marinized 5-MW Centaur Taurus turbine from the Caterpillar Inc., subsidiary has high combus- tion efficiency, uniform temperature profile and low NOx emissions. Textron Lycoming Turbine En- gine Division, a subsidiary of Textron, Inc., which provides the propulsion to military craft such as the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), recently supplied a pair of TF40 marine turbines for the 84- foot megayacht Sea Walker in a CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas Turbine) propulsion system. The megayacht, built in Italy for an Ital- ian owner, has a top speed in excess of 80 knots. A pair of Detroit Diesel engines, Arneson surface-piercing propellers, and Allen Industries gearing make up the remainder of the package. European Gas Turbines, the sole manufacturer of the NAPIER range of turbochargers and genuine spare parts, has introduced the NAPIER 457. The 457 was created to meet the increasing demand from engine builders for higher boost pressures at high overall efficiencies, a feat European Gas Turbines attempts to accomplish with advanced-tech- nology turbine and compressor wheels. Gearing Lohmann + Stolterfoht is prob- ably best known for gearing in large naval and commercial ships, par- ticularly in the cruise industry, sup- plying some of the largest diesel- geared systems. L + S, however, supplies gearing from 1,000 to 40,000 hp input, and has developed light- weight high-performance gearing for military and other high-speed ves- sels. This new lightweight range is available from 1,000 to 6,000 hp input. This type of gearing has been installed in the M/V President. L + S also provides torsional couplings and clutches from 1,000 to 30,000 hp. L + S is particularly experi- enced with compound diesel drives that involve multiple PTOs often required in the cruise ship industry. L + S is represented in the U.S. by Marine Propulsion, Inc., Hammond, La. In an effort to strengthen its po- sition in the Strategic Sealift Ship Program, GE Navy & Small Steam Turbine, General Electric Company, Fitchburg, Mass., recently signed a technology transfer agreement with Renk Tacke under which GE has been licensed with respect to high- power medium-speed diesel reduc- tion gears and clutches. The agree- ment will permit the two companies to work together on opportunities involving diesel engine reduction gears and clutches for ship propul- sion systems. GE manufactures main reduc- tion gears for ship propulsion sys- tems, steam turbines for marine and industrial applications, and genera- tor sets for shipboard power. Augsburg-based Renk, part of the MAN Group of companies, has ex- tensive experience in the design and manufacture of single and multi- engine marine reduction gears driven by medium-speed diesels. Marine Gears, Inc., designs and builds Haley marine reverse reduc- tion gears for the workboat market. Haley gears are available in a range from 1,200-1,400 hp with engine speeds up to 1,800 rpm. Propeller Systems, Bow Thrusters & Water Jets Finnish shipbuilder Kvaerner Masa-Yards and AC electric propul- sion specialist ABB Stromberg Drives recently signed an agree- ment on the development and mar- keting of an azimuthing podded pro- pulsion unit called the Azipod. The Azipod has been specially developed for vessels which require a high degree of maneuverability, low noise and vibration levels, and a flexible machinery layout. Available in pow- ers up to 20 MW, the Azipod incor- porates an electric motor which drives a fixed-pitch propeller, The AC synchronous motor, located in- side the pod, is controlled by a cycloconverter, providing full torque in any direction over a typical speed range of 0 to 200 rpm. The unit could find application in the off- shore, icebreaking and passenger vessel market, and has already been successfully tested onboard a Finn- ish Board of Navigation icebreaking supply vessel. Since the 1960s, well over 1,000 Aquamaster-Rauma propulsion units have been delivered world- wide. The standard Aquamaster- Rauma line consists of 360-degree steerable propulsion units with a power range from 160 to 4,000 hp. Custom-built units may have power ranges in excess of 10,000 hp. Four basic configurations of Aquamaster- Rauma propulsion units include hull-mounted, retractable hull- mounted, tiltable deck-mounted and tiltable and liftable deck-mounted. Medium-speed diesels and electric motors are the prime movers for the units. Aquamaster-Rauma recently received a second order to supply its largest stern azimuthing propeller units for a second Finnish Board of Navigation icebreaker. The 381- foot multipurpose icebreakers both feature a diesel-electric father-and- son main propulsion plant, consist- ing of two Wartsila Vasa 16V 32s and two Wartsila Vasa 12V 32s, with a total output of 21 MW at 28,600 bhp. The engines power two 7.5 MW Aquamaster-Rauma pro- peller units. Omnithruster, Inc., a long-time supplier of water jet propulsion and maneuvering systems, recently in- troduced a new series of thrusters suitable for application in a wide range of vessels. Developed at the company's facility in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., the new series of Helconic thrusters is offered in sizes ranging from as small as 7 kilowatts to as high as 450 kilowatts (10-600 hp). The thrusters are particularly well-suited for shallow-draft vessels such as patrol boats and high-speed planing vessels, but can also be used in ships as large as 300 feet. De- signed for main, auxiliary or low- speed propulsion, the compact HCT thrusters are made to operate with either constant or a variable shaft speed that does not have to be re- versed to change thrust direction and can be operated in a manner similar to a controllable-pitch thruster with an accessory control system. Maritime Reporter/Engineering News Circle 333 on Reader Service Card 36 LO-REZ helical steel-spring couplings, with their low, constant and accurately-controlled torsional stiffness factors, provide excellent torsional characteristics for geared marine reciprocating propulsion systems, engine and reciprocating compressor drives of many vari- eties, locomotive drives, etc. LO-REZ was one of the first coupling manu- facturers, 40 years ago, to recognize the im- portance of torsionally-soft couplings in power transmission systems, particularly in reciprocating, variable speed systems and those involving gearing. VISCOUS TORSIONAL VIBRATION DAMPERS 156 WEST 8th AVE., VANCOUVER, B.C., CANADA V5Y 1N2 • TEL. (604) 879-2974 • FAX (604) 879-6588 LO-REZ manufactures a broad line of sturdy steel-spring vib- ration isolators. The BR series isolators (shown here) with their ample thrust capacity and rubber-cushioned, adjust- able stops (to limit excess ver- tical excursion) are widely used for marine auxiliary, other mobile and seismic applications. No external chocks are required. BR-T series isolators have spe- cial spring-loaded thrust housings to carry the full propellor thrust effects, the full engine torque, and still provide excellent isolation. They are ideal isolation supports, also, for machinery rafts in ships. With the growing demand for acoustical and vibration attenuation treatment in ships, the isolation of main propulsion engines is fast becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. LO-REZ has many years of experience in analyzing the dynamics of soft-mounted propulsion engines, and has the products to provide integrated iso- lation systems which include two-directional thrust-type RT flexible couplings for the gear output shaft. Designed & Manufactured by LO-REZ VIBRATION CONTROL LTD. STEEL-SPRING FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS HF (HUB-FLANGE) ARRANGEMENT STEEL-SPRING VIBRATION ISOLATORS BR4-LS LO-REZ manufactures both the conventional un- tuned viscous dampers and its new patented mechanically-tuned viscous dampers. Extensive research has shown that the single and compound tuning methods, as developed by LO-REZ, reduce resonant amplitudes by some 40% and 60%, res- pectively, of the untuned values. Aluminum alloy ribbed housings of robust design provide cooler operation with less variance be- tween cold and hot performance. Dampers are bolted construction and are serviceable with facto- ry rebuild program. LO-REZ forced-damped com- puter program handles very large and complex power trains and provides for optimization of damper size and characteristics. Standard damper sizes are available as well as custom-engineered models.
