[PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless Thrusters

Sean T. Stevenson via Personal_Submersibles personal_submersibles at psubs.org
Sun Sep 7 20:02:33 EDT 2014


The Parker O-ring Handbook includes design guidelines for such dynamic shaft seals, including maximum surface speeds and so forth. I have used this on several occasions to design rotary shaft seals.

Sean


On September 7, 2014 5:21:33 PM MDT, Vance Bradley via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:
>Low rpm was the key. Much faster and the rubber overheats.
>Vance
>
>Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 7:04 PM, hank pronk via Personal_Submersibles
><personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Vance,
>> Sounds like a good option if you have in house machining.  The
>cartridge seal shaft is equally fussy, it took me a few try's to get it
>perfect.  I am sure Brian is a better machinist than I am, so should be
>no problem.
>> I believe the slower the rpm the better with o-ring seals.
>> Hank 
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Sun, 9/7/14, via Personal_Submersibles
><personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless Thrusters
>> To: personal_submersibles at psubs.org
>> Received: Sunday, September 7, 2014, 6:49 PM
>> 
>> Hank,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Harbor Branch used o-rings on the reduced output 1
>> 1/4 thrusters on the JSLs. The mid-body on the hard can
>> (actually the back 25% or so of the cylinder section) was
>> machined on the output side for planetary gears, and
>> machined on the motor side to replace the entire output
>> plate/bearing case for the motor itself (like a golf cart
>> motor bolts into a differential). Pretty nice and compact
>> for the day.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The rear section of the hard can behind the gear
>> case is a hollow sand casting shaped like the long end of an
>> egg, webbed internally to support a 1" shaft, double
>> bearings, with double thrust bearings, and a tapered,
>> polished, hardened aluminum sleeve pressed in from the
>> pressure side.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The shaft itself was machined to carry double
>> o-rings in square cross section grooves and terminated on
>> the internal end with a flex-coupling which mated
>> (obviously) to the output of the planetary output. A big
>> shaft was necessary to keep the jitters down to more or less
>> zero. Everything needs to stay exactly centered, as the
>> O-rings will go to pot a whole lot faster if there is any
>> flex or vibration at all in that prop shaft
>> shaft.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Lots of development to get it right, finally, but
>> the props turned about 275-300 rpm (I don't remember
>> exactly, but something like that). 14" X 14" Kort
>> style prop in a machined syntactic foam nozzle supported on
>> a 4-legged frame welded to the aft part of the shell. I
>> actually have a blueprint of it, somewhere around here. For
>> those interested, the tip clearance between blade end and
>> nozzle sleeve was about 50-thousandths. NOTE: That would be
>> of an inch, Emile.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> There were no speed controls on the boats.
>> Fwd-Off-Rev only. You just turned thrusters on or off to
>> vary the push. When I was there, we had 5 for forward and
>> reverse (3 in a row on the centerline with 1 each to port
>> and starboard aft) plus a vertical and horizontal pair
>> forward and aft for steering and fine maneuvering (fine
>> maneuvering my ass!!!). That's right. NINE thrusters
>> that probably with cabling weighed over half a ton. Plus two
>> or three spares in the kit ready to bolt up at a
>> moment's notice as replacements. We were definitely in
>> the motor business with those babies.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> They were home grown but worked reasonably well,
>> although they were a little noisy with the gear case and
>> whatnot. That said, I never saw the electrical side flooded
>> on one of those things. Not once. Ever. We had a routine
>> service schedule and changed a thruster every so many hours
>> of service. Just put a fresh one on (two people could do a
>> change-out in about three minutes), then tear the
>> to-be-serviced unit down to check brushes and bearing lube
>> and change the shaft o-rings (which would be looking a
>> little fuzzy by then, but still worked fine--and even if
>> they looked brand new, we changed them). It needs a really,
>> really first rate waterproof lubricant, as the internal
>> shaft o-ring runs hotter than the one in contact with the
>> water, and was often in worse shape than the one primary as
>> a result.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Once the JSLs re-certified to 3000 feet,
>> engineering redesigned the seals for better service, using a
>> ceramic cartridge seal in place of the o-rings, but that was
>> after my day. I'd hate to even think what
>> one would cost today, built commercially. You wouldn't
>> use them, probably, as a unit with twice that power is
>> probably a third the size and weight.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Those thrusters on the Tritons,
>> for instance, look positively tiny by comparison, and
>> they're rated at over 2 hp. Then there's our own
>> Uncle Dr. Phil's new mag coupled ones. Now there's a
>> Christmas present to ask Santa for.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> All that aside, the o-rings will
>> work if you plan regular service (ie, scheduled o-ring
>> replacement) and don't wait for water intrusion. They
>> have to be done right during construction, though. Those
>> surfaces have to be mirror smooth.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Vance
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original
>> Message-----
>> 
>> From: hank pronk via Personal_Submersibles
>> <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>> 
>> To: Personal Submersibles General Discussion
>> <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>> 
>> Sent: Sun, Sep 7, 2014 4:51 pm
>> 
>> Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless Thrusters
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Brian,
>> Vance would know better than me, but I think if you keep the
>> rpm under 1,000 you 
>> can use an o ring for a seal.  I thought Perry did that in
>> the early subs to 
>> 1,000 feet.  
>> Hank--------------------------------------------
>> On Sun, 9/7/14, hank pronk via Personal_Submersibles
><personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>>  Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless Thrusters
>>  To: "Personal Submersibles General Discussion"
>> <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>>  Received: Sunday, September 7, 2014, 4:42 PM
>> 
>> 
>>  Brian,
>>  You can use a simple
>>  mechanical seal, that is what the K subs have. An 891
>>  Chesterton mechanical seal is good fo 600 psi, that is what
>>  Gamma had when I got it.  You can buy them on ebay for 100
>>  bucks.  Build the shaft to fit the seal, and your
>>  sailing.
>>  Hank--------------------------------------------
>>  On Sun, 9/7/14, Brian Cox via
>>  Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>>  wrote:
>> 
>>   Subject: Re:
>>  [PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless Thrusters
>>   To:
>>  "Personal Submersibles General Discussion"
><personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>>   Received: Sunday, September 7, 2014, 4:29
>>  PM
>> 
>>   I
>> 
>>  talked to a hydraulics guy a few days ago about making a
>>   seal for my motor pod.  I told him I had a
>>  high pressure
>>   tank that I wanted to turn a
>>  shaft inside the tank to stir
>>   the contents
>>  at 250 psi,  ( didn't want his eyes to
>> 
>>  glaze over if I mentioned submarine !)  Anyway he
>>  directed
>>   me to a system using a bronze
>>  fitting that would tighten
>>   down these rings
>>  he called "cheverons"  they are
>> 
>>  mating rings of a very high durometer .  the bronze is
>>  for
>>   mating with stainless .  I would have
>>  to machine an
>>   assembly for this , but once
>>  I have my shaft size (1 inch
>>   most likely) I
>>  will be able to size everything
>> 
>>  accordingly. Brian 
>> 
>> 
>>  ---
>>   personal_submersibles at psubs.org
>>  wrote:
>> 
>>   From: hank pronk
>>  via Personal_Submersibles
>>   <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>>   To:
>>   personal_submersibles at psubs.org
>>   Subject: Re:
>>   [PSUBS-MAILIST]
>>  Brushless Thrusters
>>   Date:
>> 
>>  Sun, 7 Sep 2014 07:07:20 -0700
>> 
>>   Alan
>>   When I upgraded the
>>   cartridge seal in Gamma, I needed a pretty
>>  Beafy thrust
>>   bearing, it was no problem to
>>  get.  have since changer to
>> 
>>  Magnetic.   I think you could replace the bushing
>>  in a
>>   thruster with a ball bearing and never
>>  look back.  
>>   Hank       
>>     
>> 
>>         
>>           
>>               
>>         
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>>     
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>>               From:
>>       
>>                         
>>                           
>>     Alan via Personal_Submersibles
>>   <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>; 
>>                    
>>          
>> 
>>                     
>>           
>>               
>>                     To:
>>   
>>                             
>>                           
>>     Personal Submersibles General
>> 
>>  Discussion <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>; 
>>         
>>                 
>>                                         
>>       
>>         
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>>                     
>>           
>>               
>>                     Subject:
>>                           
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>>           Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless
>>   Thrusters                       
>>      
>> 
>>             
>>                   
>>       
>>                             Sent:
>>                           
>>     
>>                     
>>           Sun, Sep 7, 2014 1:43:49 PM 
>>     
>>                     
>>     
>> 
>>         
>>                   
>>       
>>                         
>> 
>>                     
>>           Hi Hank,the kort
>> 
>>  nozzle on the Indonesian thruster looks a bit
>>   Naff. ( I am designing an art work
>>   here.)I could get a price for the unit
>>  without
>>   kort nozzle, butI'm wondering
>>  if I could
>>   build something for 1/2 that
>>  price.There are some
>>   reasonably priced
>>  brushless motors about.I
>>   don't know
>>  that I could just retro fit a thrust bearing
>>   inside the can of the motor.I tried to put
>>  a
>>   thrust bearing for reverse inside my
>>  brushed thrusters,
>>   butcouldn't find one
>>  with a thin enough
>>   section to fit.Also the
>>  motors are a bit
>>   expensive to just buy
>>  & hope you can fit
>>   one.How did you fit
>>  the thrust bearing on Gamma?
>>    Did the
>>  propellor shaft extend out the backof
>>   the
>>  motor?Alan
>> 
>>   Sent from my
>>  iPad
>>   On 7/09/2014, at 7:22 pm, hank pronk
>>  via
>>   Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
>>   wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>  Allan
>>   Dont
>>   worry about
>>  thrust bearings to much.  They are aesy to get,
>>   I bought one for Gamma , real heavy duty for
>>  80 dollars. 
>>   Personally I would just use a
>>  good quality bearing and
>>   replace it once a
>>  year for 8 bucks, if it is a small
>> 
>>  thruster.   Are you not happy with the 
>>  Indonesia thrusters?
>>    Or to pricey?
>>   Hank           
>> 
>>               
>>     
>>                   
>>     
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>>               
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>>   
>>                             
>>                               
>>     From:
>>                 
>>               
>>           
>>                     Alan via
>>  Personal_Submersibles
>>   <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>; 
>>       
>>                   
>>     
>> 
>>         
>>                       
>>   
>>                             
>>     To:
>>                   
>>             
>>             
>>                   Personal Submersibles
>>  General
>>   Discussion <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>; 
>>       
>>                   
>>                                         
>>     
>>           
>> 
>>                     
>>           
>>               
>>                     Subject:
>>                           
>>     
>>                     
>>           [PSUBS-MAILIST] Brushless
>>   Thrusters                       
>>      
>> 
>>             
>>                   
>>       
>>                             Sent:
>>                           
>>     
>>                     
>>           Sun, Sep 7, 2014 11:58:56 AM    
>>                          
>> 
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>>       
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>>             
>> 
>>                           
>>     Hi people,
>>   I've
>>   spent several hours today looking at brushless
>>  thrusters
>>   & wonder if anyone else has
>>  looked at them or got any
>>   ideas. There is
>>  the Indonesian thruster I posted a few weeks
>>   back at US 2,200. There is also the Haswing
>>  Protruar 2hp
>>   that Emile has; however they
>>  state that it's for fresh
>>   water only,
>>  & I think Emile said it was a bit noisy.
>>   The inrunner motors that have the winding
>>  on
>>   the outside, seem a good option as they
>>  cool through
>>   convection to the can. They
>>  also need higher revs for torque
>>   &
>>  require a planetary gear box or similar. ( which a lot
>>   have built in)
>>      I was
>>  looking at the
>>   option of making my own
>>  thruster, however the motor would
>>   require a
>>  thrust bearing & I don't
>>   know of
>>  any that would have one other than
>>    maybe
>>  a high powered battery operated drill.
>>   Any
>>  thoughts, suggestions thanks.
>>   Alan
>> 
>>   Sent from
>> 
>>  my
>>    iPad
>> 
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