Bosch Rexroth Develops Traction and Control System for Tugboat Winches, Germany

For Damen Shipyards, Bosch Rexroth developed and engineered both the hydraulic and electrical systems for the winches of a new tugboat. The Damen ASD Tug 3212 is a newly designed tugboat for assistance activities at offshore LNG and oil terminals and open sea loading stations for the mining industry.

The tug has 85 t Bollard Pull, a speed of 14 knots and two deck-mounted winches: one at the bow and one at the stern. The winches are directly driven by the second-largest motor from the Hägglunds CB series. This compact and low-speed hydraulic motor features a low mass moment of inertia, high torque and minimal servicing needs.

Project

The complete project comprised the pump sets, manifold blocks, motors, system controller, control cabinets and operator panels. Because Bosch Rexroth developed all the hydraulic and electrical systems needed – where they used proven components and technologies – the final solutions have a very compact design.

Other features of the systems are a low servicing need, the use of a closed loop system (that means a pre-set amount of energy can be returned to the system) and a special control feature that ensures that the line from winch to towed ship stays under tension. All the HMI (Human Machine Interface) and bridge components employ a modern touchscreen.

Single point of contact

Because Bosch Rexroth – as a system and development partner – engineered both the hydraulic and electrical systems, Damen had a single point of contact for an important part of the vessel. This prevented unnecessary discussions and reduced the development time.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, September 4, 2012