Method of arranging the lubrication of a steerable thruster of a marine vessel and a lubrication arrangement therefor

摘要

The lubrication of a steerable thruster of a marine vessel is based on splash-type lubrication at the pod and full bath lubrication in the stembox and in the shank. The lubrication oil enters the pod both from the stembox and the shank via a constriction and directly from the oil tank. The oil is further circulated from the pod to the oil tank by means of pumps.

主权项

1. A method of arranging the lubrication of a steerable thruster of a marine vessel,
the lubrication arrangement having an oil tank and circulation means for circulating oil between the oil tank and the thruster, the thruster comprising
i. drive means,ii. steering means provided within a stembox,
1. the stembox being arranged in connection with hull structures of the marine vessel,iii. a lower gearbox, andiv. a vertical shaft between the drive means and the lower gearbox, the vertical shaft being surrounded by a vertical shaft housing,
i. the vertical shaft housing comprising an upper vertical shaft housing and a lower vertical shaft housing,ii. the upper vertical shaft housing being supported rotatably to the hull structures of the marine vessel by being fastened at an upper end thereof to the steering means,iii. the upper vertical shaft housing being fastened at a lower end thereof to the lower vertical shaft housing forming a shank,iv. the lower gearbox being fastened to a lower end of the lower vertical shaft housing, the lower gearbox including a shaft for running a propeller, a gearwheel mounted on the propeller shaft and rotated by means of a pinion wheel having a substantially vertical pinion wheel shaft, the pinion wheel shaft being arranged within the shank and forming at least a part of the vertical shaft, the pinion wheel shaft being supported rotatably to the lower vertical shaft housing by means of bearings,the method comprising:
arranging full bath lubrication in both the stembox and the shank, providing at least two oil paths for introducing oil from the oil tank to the thruster, a first path leading from the oil tank to the lower gearbox via the shank and a second path leading directly from the tank to the lower gearbox, arranging a splash-type lubrication in the lower gearbox by regulating the amount of oil introduced into the lower gearbox for maintaining a desired oil level OL in the lower gearbox by:
providing the lower gearbox with a controlled amount of lubrication oil from the oil tank,limiting oil flow from the shank to the lower gearbox through a constriction therebetween andcirculating a limited amount of oil from the shank to the lower gearbox.