Analysis of the Thermal Load of a Clutch for Marine Use in Consideration of Propeller Load

Abstract

As one of the crash astern methods of the ship with medium speed diesel power plant, there is the method wherein the propeller shaft is reversed by the process of clutch off, reverse of engine and clutch on. In this method, the thermal load on the clutch sliding surface always poses a serious problem.
Therefore, it is desirable not only that the clutch is designed with suitable capacity for the plant, but that the clutch is operated so as to keep the clutch load minimum.
In this paper, the thermal load of the clutch has been analyzed in case that the clutch is applied to the crash astern manoeuvering on a high speed container ship. As the results of the study followings are concluded.
(1) On the relative number of revolutions between the engine and the propeller at the beginning of the slip, it has become possible to study the value exactly which makes the thermal load permissible for the clutch capacity.
(2) As to the rising speed of the clutch torque, the optimum value exists which can restrain the thermal load to the minimum.