 Hydraulic Tunnel Thrusters White Paper
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Hydraulic tunnel thrusters are available from 16" to
86" diameter and range from 35 to 2000 HP. The hydrostatic
transmission provides proportional propeller speed control in
both directions, thereby eliminating the need for controllable
pitch propellers.
Each thruster comes as a complete package, with a short tunnel
assembly and a robust four-blade, high-thrust propeller on a
large diameter shaft. The shaft is directly driven by Thrustmaster's
exclusive hydraulic propulsion motor. The motor is housed
inside the dry pod of the thruster.
Each thruster is available in steel (for steel hulls) or in
aluminum (for aluminum hulls). The steel thruster uses
a steel tunnel and bearing housing, an Aquamet® propeller
shaft, 316 stainless steel seal housing, manganese bronze or
NiBrAl propeller, and stainless steel hardware. Steel parts
are provided with a serious marine coating (Ameron polyurethane
over epoxy on inorganic zinc primer), and the inside of the tunnel
is provided with a ceramic coating for extreme corrosion and
erosion protection.
The aluminum thruster uses a tunnel assembly, strut, pod and
bearing housing of marine grade aluminum. Other than that,
it is the same as the steel thruster.
Precise Control When You Need it Most
Tunnel thrusters are primarily used for docking and undocking,
slow speed maneuvering, emergency steering and station-keeping
at zero or slow forward speed. Tunnel thrusters provide a significant
advantage to vessels where adjustments in their heading at zero
speed are critical to their operation, where maneuvering in tight
quarters is required of where frequent docking occurs.
Thrustmaster hydraulic tunnel thrusters are designed for heavy-duty
seawater service. They are used in fishing trawlers, ferries,
offshore supply vessels, crewboats, river cruise vessels, sightseeing
boats, bunkering tankers, and military craft, to name a few.
They are built to last for the life of the vessel. Many
units are used in dynamic positioning applications where they
work continuously around the clock. They can be used in
pairs or multiples for easy installation in skegs of larger vessels
or in the bow of vessels with limited draft.
Smooth and Forgiving Hydraulic Drive
Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc., pioneered the concept of hydraulic
propulsion for the marine industry using technology originally
employed in the offshore oil fields. Thrustmaster's hydraulic
bow and stern thrusters are the benchmark for efficient and reliable
maneuvering under severe marine conditions.
The hydraulic drive is extremely resistant to damage. Foreign
objects ingested by the tunnel, (a disastrous event with a mechanically-driven
bow thruster) will not damage the hydraulic drive train, as the
hydraulic system instantly relieves any transmission overloads.
The variable-flow hydrostatic drive system allows for infinite
propeller speed control in port and starboard direction. This
allows perfect vessel station-keeping as well as instant thrust
response. Full thrust can be reversed within three to five seconds.
This instantaneous and fully proportional speed control gives
performance better than a controllable pitch propeller (CPP)
without the cost, complexity, fragility or maintenance problems
of the intricate CPP control system with all its drive shafts,
levers and feedback mechanisms.
Thrustmaster hydraulic tunnel thrusters require no routine
maintenance, and rebuilds are recommended only once every 40,000
hours of operation. Very few tunnel thrusters reach 40,0000
operating hours before their 20th year of use.
Efficient and Reliable
Thrustmaster's hydraulic drive is simple, quiet, efficient
and extremely smooth. The prime mover driving the hydraulic pump
can be a non-reversible electric motor or an engine running at
constant speed because the hydraulic transmission controls propeller
speed and direction of rotation. The prime mover drives a hydraulic
pump. The propeller is driven by a hydraulic motor. In between
are fluid conductors. There are no drive shafts, gears, bearings
or other mechanical components to fail. The hydraulics are virtually
maintenance free and provide years of reliable operation while
performing in the harshest marine environments.
Many Thrustmaster tunnel thrusters have been in continuous
commercial use for more than 20 years, providing flawless operation
without any component failures.
There are very few rotating parts. The simple design of the
direct hydraulic drive, without right angle gear transmission
or drive shaft, provides for extreme reliability and very easy
maintenance. There is no scheduled maintenance to the tunnel
thruster other than normal maintenance to the hydraulic system
and prime mover. Because all bearings are lubricated by the hydraulic
fluid, there are no grease points or oil levels to check. The
hydraulic transmission separates and dampens engine and propeller
vibrations.
Superior to Diesel-Electric
Thrustmaster's hydraulic tunnel thrusters are superior to
diesel-electric driven thrusters in terms of response, efficiency
and maintainability. Moreover, hydraulic propulsion is more affordable
in many applications.
The units are available in steel or aluminum construction.
They come complete with a section of tunnel, facilitating easy
installation.
Thruster design and construction is in accordance with the
United States Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's
Register and other major classification society rules. Certification
to a specific class is available as an option.
FACT
Two smaller hydraulic thrusters often
cost less than one thruster twice as big. Two or more
thrusters can be operated in unison, as if it were a single
thruster, saving money while providing redundancy.
Flexible Convenient Installation
A Thrustmaster hydraulic tunnel thruster can be installed
at its most favorable location while the prime mover with hydraulic
pump can be installed in the engine room or any other convenient
location, optimizing weight distribution and eliminating the
requirement for a separate thruster room or additional inspected
machinery space. There are no shafts or couplings to align or
requirements for additional ventilation, lighting or floor gratings.
You may use a simple AC induction motor or an auxiliary drive
off a generator or main propulsion engine. Alternatively, a separate
dedicated thruster engine without a clutch or marine reversing
gear may be used to drive the hydraulic pump.
Hydraulic Systems
Thrustmaster tunnel thrusters can operate in either open or
closed-loop hydraulic systems at intermediate to high pressures.
A dedicated thruster hydraulic system is not necessarily required.
An existing hydraulic system on the vessel may be used to drive
the thruster. Alternatively, Thrustmaster can furnish a
system that powers a variety of vessel devices in addition to
the thruster, including deck cranes, winches, capstans, hydraulic
cylinders, etc. Contact your
Thrustmaster representative or our applications engineering
department in Houston.
Proportional Control Means Quick and Efficient Thrust Response
A drop-in style bridge remote control panel comes with a proportional
joystick for infinite thrust control in both port and starboard
directions. Prime mover controls and dynamic positioning interface
can be included on the thruster panel. Additional bridge wing
stations or other controls are also available.
Specifications
Technical data are listed below for thrusters with tunnel
diameters of 16-inch (406mm), 24-inch (610mm), 30-inch (762mm),
and 36-inch (914mm). For larger tunnel diameters, please
contact Thrustmaster's Sales
Department.
| Thrustmaster
|
Power
|
Thrust |
Hydraulic
Power Required |
| Tunnel
Size |
Model # |
HP |
KW |
Lbf |
KN |
USGPM |
PSI |
LTR/Min. |
Bar |
16 inch
(406 mm) |
16TT30 |
33 |
25 |
600 |
2.7 |
32 |
1750 |
120 |
120 |
| 16TT40 |
43 |
32 |
800 |
3.6 |
35 |
2100 |
130 |
145 |
| 16TT50L |
52 |
39 |
1000 |
4.5 |
48 |
1850 |
180 |
130 |
| 16TT50H |
55 |
41 |
1000 |
4.5 |
38 |
2500 |
145 |
170 |
| 16TT60L |
62 |
46 |
1200 |
5.3 |
50 |
2100 |
190 |
145 |
| 16TT60H |
65 |
49 |
1200 |
5.3 |
40 |
2800 |
150 |
195 |
| 16TT70L |
72 |
54 |
1400 |
6.2 |
60 |
2050 |
230 |
140 |
| 16TT70H |
74 |
55 |
1400 |
6.2 |
52 |
2450 |
200 |
170 |
| Thrustmaster
|
Power
|
Thrust |
Hydraulic
Power Required |
| Tunnel
Size |
Model # |
HP |
KW |
Lbf |
KN |
USGPM |
PSI |
LTR/Min. |
Bar |
24 inch
(610 mm) |
24TT60L |
61 |
46 |
1250 |
5.6 |
55 |
1900 |
210 |
130 |
| 24TT60H |
60 |
45 |
1250 |
5.6 |
47 |
2200 |
180 |
150 |
| 24TT70L |
70 |
52 |
1500 |
6.7 |
57 |
2100 |
215 |
145 |
| 24TT70H |
71 |
53 |
1500 |
6.7 |
50 |
2450 |
190 |
170 |
| 24TT80L |
82 |
61 |
1700 |
7.6 |
60 |
2350 |
230 |
160 |
| 24TT80H |
80 |
60 |
1700 |
7.6 |
52 |
2650 |
200 |
180 |
| 24TT90L |
90 |
67 |
1900 |
8.5 |
62 |
2500 |
235 |
170 |
| 24TT90H |
91 |
68 |
1900 |
8.5 |
54 |
2900 |
205 |
200 |
| 24TT100 |
101 |
75 |
2150 |
9.6 |
64 |
2700 |
240 |
185 |
| 24TT110 |
112 |
84 |
2350 |
10.5 |
66 |
2900 |
250 |
200 |
| Thrustmaster
|
Power
|
Thrust |
Hydraulic
Power Required |
| Tunnel
Size |
Model # |
HP |
KW |
Lbf |
KN |
USGPM |
PSI |
LTR/Min. |
Bar |
30 inch
(762 mm) |
30TT100L |
100 |
75 |
2200 |
9.8 |
69 |
2500 |
260 |
170 |
| 30TT100H |
98 |
73 |
2200 |
9.8 |
56 |
3000 |
210 |
205 |
| 30TT125L |
125 |
93 |
2600 |
11.6 |
92 |
2330 |
350 |
160 |
| 30TT125H |
127 |
95 |
2600 |
11.6 |
73 |
3000 |
275 |
205 |
| 30TT150L |
152 |
113 |
3000 |
13.4 |
116 |
2250 |
440 |
155 |
| 30TT150H |
150 |
112 |
3000 |
13.4 |
95 |
2700 |
360 |
185 |
| 30TT175L |
177 |
132 |
3400 |
15.1 |
119 |
2550 |
450 |
175 |
| 30TT175H |
177 |
132 |
3400 |
15.1 |
98 |
3100 |
370 |
210 |
|
30TT200 |
203 |
151 |
3800 |
16.9 |
120 |
2900 |
454 |
200 |
| Thrustmaster
|
Power
|
Thrust |
Hydraulic
Power Required |
| Tunnel
Size |
Model # |
HP |
KW |
Lbf |
KN |
USGPM |
PSI |
LTR/Min. |
Bar |
36 inch
(914 mm) |
36TT150L |
149 |
111 |
3200 |
14.3 |
109 |
2350 |
410 |
160 |
| 36TT150H |
149 |
111 |
3200 |
14.3 |
85 |
3000 |
320 |
205 |
| 36TT175L |
177 |
132 |
3750 |
16.7 |
132 |
2300 |
500 |
160 |
| 36TT175H |
174 |
130 |
3750 |
16.7 |
115 |
2600 |
435 |
180 |
| 36TT200L |
201 |
150 |
4300 |
19.2 |
138 |
2500 |
520 |
170 |
| 36TT200H |
210 |
157 |
4300 |
19.2 |
120 |
3000 |
454 |
205 |
| 36TT225L |
225 |
168 |
4750 |
21.2 |
143 |
2700 |
540 |
185 |
| 36TT225M |
226 |
169 |
4750 |
21.2 |
125 |
3100 |
475 |
210 |
| 36TT250L |
251 |
187 |
5250 |
23.4 |
148 |
2900 |
560 |
200 |
|