HYDAC determines valves unsuitable for a marine technology company’s vessel to contend with flows coursing through it.
Three-part collaboration using the customer’s patented marine suspension system rights the issue.
Approach
In November 2018 HYDAC Australia was contacted by a marine technology company to assist with the upgrade of a vessel’s control system.
The technology company is the only global provider of marine suspension technology.
Problem
According to HYDAC fluid power engineer Colin Czerwionka, who was primarily involved in the project, the customer’s prior solution on the $26 million vessel was no longer performing as required.
“We looked at the existing system and found that the valves in use were not suitable for the flows that would go through them,” Mr Czerwionka explains.
Collaboration
At that point HYDAC invited sister company HYCOM to develop a system in collaboration with it and the technology company.
Solution
“After many months of in-depth work, we found a solution that worked as required,” Mr Czerwionka says.
He explains that Wallaby Boats in Germany built the prototype vessel with Nauti-Craft marine suspension designed with assistance from HYDAC and HYCOM using the technology company’s patented marine suspension system.
Project Exhibition
The project was exhibited at WindEnergy Hamburg 2022.
Challenges
Mr Czerwionka points out that one of the challenges experienced was developing a system that could cope with the ever-changing flows coursing through the vessel.
“This capacity is required in a suspension system to meet safety and performance objectives,” he says.
“Several valves were tested on two other recreational vessel projects using systems that were developed by the technology company with our guidance and products, which has led to other valves being a part of our portfolio.
“These can enhance suspension system performance for much larger vessel systems.”
Use of TTControls screen and controllers
Mr Czerwionka adds that HYDAC also made use of TTControls 12” HMI screen and controllers for electronic control of the vessel’s systems, which are working exceptionally well.
TTControl is a joint-venture company of TTTech Group and HYDAC International.
Background
Marine suspension system
The technology company’s marine suspension system is a compact and robust hydromechanical system that separates a vessel’s hulls from the deck and superstructure via a passive reactive interlinked hydraulic system.
This enables the hulls to quickly react to wave inputs and conform to the ocean surface without transmitting high forces and hull accelerations to the deck and superstructure.
“This sees a vessel to ride waves in a controlled manner while being extremely responsive to steering,” Mr Czerwionka says.
“The responsiveness can be likened to that of steering a car.”
This is significant for people on the vessel as continuous slamming action as a vessel’s hull impacts the next bit of chop or wave can result in fatigue to injury.
“One solution, which is onerous, is slowing the vessel down; a much better solution is suspension technology,” Mr Czerwionka says.
“Using the suspension system, every bit of chop of wave can be soaked up by 700mm of suspension travel.”
That much travel reduces the effect of slamming impacts by around 80%, which means am injury generating 7.5G impact becomes a slight 1.5G impact.
Customer history
HYDAC’s ties to the marine technology company go back many years to 2011 when the company’s CEO – also the CEO of Advanced Braking Systems – contacted Mr Czerwionka to discuss accumulators for a project.
This later went on to include electronic products, which necessitated HYDAC Electronics division input and establishment of a non-disclosure agreement.
“Even before that HYDAC’s design of a brake cooling system for Advanced Braking Systems had been acknowledged as better than that of the opposition,” Mr Czerwionka says.
“This confidence in HYDAC’s know-how had been reinforced when the company’s management team repeatedly visited HYDAC Electronics in Germany.”
