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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:16:21 +0000

Every good captain knows well that he will have to take care of his boat until the last day

The 11th and final FAQ in our 2024 column, “VULKAN AUSCULTA E SUPPORTA,” tells a story that wouldn’t exist today if one simple but essential action had been taken. This is the 50-meter Motor Yacht’s story that enjoys cruising through the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea during the warm months and undergoes maintenance work at shipyards along the same coastline during the winter break.

Summer has come to an end, and aside from the non-stop, hectic activity typical of the season, the crew also had to contend with another persistent issue that affected the guests’ experience on board: vibrations felt in various yacht’s areas.

Before the vessel arrived at the shipyard, VULKAN technicians planned their on-board inspection: they need to identify the root cause. They decided to carry out a check that is as “natural” as it is essential, when we are talking about onboard vibro-acoustic comfort: verifying the alignment between the shaft line’s components.

It was during this “simple” task that they discovered the problem’s source: the missed maintenance of engine’s resilient mounts can implicated an excessive deflection of them that caused misalignment and subsequent wear on mechanical components, including the Propflex T coupling.

The solution?

A substantial and accurate resilient mounts’ replacement, as well as a complete overhaul of the tail shaft coupling Propflex T.

Could this have been avoided?

Absolutely. Comfort is the priority for every captain, and it must be preserved by scheduling inspections and checks for elastic components at the right time.

Our 50-meter yacht itself answers the question that kicked off the final installment of our FAQ series.

Do you think of maintenance? If your answer is no, your yacht will do it for you!

If you like our column, find it interesting or have questions or want to explore specific topics, write to marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance? – Barchemagazine.com – December 2024)

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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance…

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 09:06:18 +0000

your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!).

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and the nice weather is coming to an end. This beautiful sunset is accompanied by a quiet exodus, starting off slow and then, as the days go by, becoming more frenetic.

The time has come: hundreds of yachts scattered across the world’s seas are leaving behind stunning crystal-clear paradises and dreamlike spots. On land, there are men and equipment ready to tackle a winter season as demanding and tough as the one just passed.

The main Star is a list: it’s called the “work list” and it’s a point of contention among Chief Engineer, Captain, Inspector, Project Manager, Owner – each with their own priorities and needs. Sometimes what seems small, useless and therefore unnecessary gets overlooked, leading to consequences that are not pleasant and economical.

It all started with flap of a seagull’s wings: Edward Lorenz turned it later into a poetic butterfly effect: “Can the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?”

Let’s try to answer this question with the last two FAQs from “VULKAN AUSCULTA E SUPPORTA” column dedicated to two emergency stories from our Service Team.

Happy reading!

Today’s story begins in March 2020: we had no idea what kind of effects and scars COVID would leave on our lives.

Our main character, a 73mt superyacht is busy with a series of charters in the Bahamas. The Chief Engineer notices that something is wrong: extremely high temperatures are recorded coming from the thrust bearing module of the coupling Propflex T.

The global health situation doesn’t help matters: no yard is available to dock the vessel, meaning that the VULKAN Team can’t get on board. After days of uncertainty, the crew sees only one risky solution: to bring the ship back to Europe to the only yard available for the repair.

After a titanic journey with only one operational line, the yacht reaches the yard. The thrust unit is quickly disassembled and checked: the bearings show clear signs of wear and overheating, and the little grease left is old, contaminated and carbonized.

This certainly wasn’t a fairy tale, but we can easily find a moral.

At the end, a single, minimal act of NON-ACTION can unpredictably determine the future: if a simple movement of air molecules caused by a butterfly’s wings can trigger a domino effect leading to a hurricane, the NON-MAINTENANCE on a forgotten bearing can lead to the breakdown of an amazing yacht, causing disaster for guests and the owner, along with widespread panic among the crew.

What an adventure for our Motor Yacht! But, like any fairy tale, it ended happily thanks to the VULKAN Service Team work and the collaboration with the crew on board and the yard that hosted the vessel during the emergency.

If you like our column, find it interesting or have questions or want to explore specific topics, write to marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!) – Barchemagazine.com – November 2024)

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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 07:04:55 +0000

At the beginning of last month, we left you with just a rough start and a happy ending.

Today, we’re diving back in to tell you what happened in the middle of it: the big, yet invisible transformation (at least from outside) that brought COMFORT (and smile) back onboard our SY.

Our technician, using his expertise and targeted troubleshooting, identified the real issue: the engine’s firing order. This was what caused the vibrations with a distinct frequency, spreading through the boat’s structure and turning into airborne noise when it hit the air.

The solution wasn’t as simple as soundproof panels. We needed something more integrated, something that changes the on-board elastic system reducing those vibrations at that exact frequency.

With Italian and German colleagues, the Spanish team designs and creates a plug-and-play vibro-acoustic architecture that fits well within the spaces and constraints of an existing yacht. All elements of this VULKAN system, including the flexible coupling, anti-vibration mounts for the engine and gearbox, are designed in relation to each other to work together towards the same goal: noise cancellation.

June is just around the corner, and our technician walks across the walkway. Below deck, the engine room is waiting; above deck, lounges and cabins are silent, with the engines still off. He needs to check if the solution delivers the comfort and silence we’ve been hoping for.

During the testing, he notices something: a near-deafening silence, before the retrofit activities the noise was so loud that it made it impossible to sleep or work. Thanks to the entire team’s hard work, the noise has been reduced to a whisper now, equivalent to 40 dB.

And like every good story, this one has a moral: when there is a problem, there is always a solution… You can erase noise; you can use rubber and the support of silent experts.

If you enjoy our column, find interesting and you want to share feedback, have questions or want to dive deeper into specific topics, feel free to write to marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber! – Barchemagazine.com – October 2024)

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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 07:25:22 +0000

This FAQ is especially for yacht owners and their guests, particularly those who, during their vacations, have experienced annoying and nerve-wracking situations on board: annoying hums, strange and unwanted noises reaching the cabins—perhaps at night—that haven’t been resolved despite corrective actions. Is there a solution?

We had two ways to approach this topic: either give you a boring, very general, and technical explanation on how to solve the problem, or tell you about one of our recent experiences. We decided for the latter: the protagonist of this story is a beautiful 56-meter sailing yacht.

Background

Last year, in October our yacht was docked at a famous Spanish shipyard, ready for winter maintenance activities. This year, there was a specific request directly from the owner: solve the cause of his INSOMNIA and that of his guests.

The shipyard’s project manager is a very expert in the subject: he knows that classic soundproofing panels aren’t enough to solve the ‘NOISE’ problem the owner was complaining about. To delete it at the root, it is necessary to isolate the cause, and to do that, he has to conduct an analysis of the yacht’s vibro-acoustic behavior (in other words, carry out a campaign of noise and vibration measurements to identify the problem cause).

Noise and vibration campaign: what is it?

It’s a precise operation involving measurement and data analysis across the entire speed range of the sailing yacht (SY), using sensitive instruments like:

Multichannel data acquisition system with dedicated software
Piezoelectric accelerometer
Tachometer
Microphone

Our technician, who is in charge of this project, not only has 25 years of experience in the field but is also a naval engineer accredited as a category III vibration expert according to ISO 18436 by the VIBRATION INSTITUTE. So, he knows his job!

Flashforward to June 2024: finally, silence!

A few months have passed, and something significant happened after the first round of measurements and the analysis carried out by the VULKAN technician. The figure we show below highlights the measurement points investigated on board, and the table shows the noise levels recorded before and after the corrective action was taken.

What happened?

To find out, you’ll have to wait until next month!

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do? – Barchemagazine.com – September 2024)

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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:07:58 +0000

A few months ago, the FAQ n°4 came up and left with many unanswered questions: where and how does the noise come from on board of a yacht? And how is it transmitted on board?

In this yachting world, only “noise” types are allowed: the wind and sea sounds.

In the common language, the words sound (with a pleasant meaning) and “noise” are different; in technical fields, i.e. physics and engineering, too. Both terms are pressure waves propagating through the air: they can be harmonious (like a beautiful song’s notes) or annoying (like engine room noise, just giving a well-known and fitting example).

When we listen to a good song, we are hit by pressure waves featured by frequencies with well-defined proportionality laws; if we talk about noises, the frequency components are not connected or don’t meet the typical music standard.

From a physiological point of view, some frequencies, below 20 Hz, are not perceived by ears but are felt by the body. Some of them stress the spine, others the bowels, and still others the arms or neck: these are stimulations that cause fatigue and discomfort. This is why we often talk about vibrational comfort goals. If they are not reached, some long-term effects can affect.

There are many reasons why, during the yacht project, a significant engineering session is fully dedicated to vibro-acoustic design:

1 – Crew Safety and Performance
Noise and vibrations can represent a real challenge for the crew, who works long hours with the primary aim of ensuring the safety and comfort to passengers. A noisy environment has effects on general communication, reduce the attention during fundamental operations, and even compromise the ability to promptly answer to emergencies. Prolonged vibrations can stress the body and cause chronic conditions.

2 – Passenger Comfort
Yachts are designed for privacy and relax, but noise compromises this experience, causing stress and discomfort, ruining a dream vacation.

3 – Respect for the marine environment
Reducing noise on board yachts is not only about human comfort. It is also fundamental for the marine environment. Whales and dolphins use sound to communicate, navigate, and hunt. Excessive noise from vessels can interfere with these vital processes, disturbing sensitive marine ecosystems and causing stress and disorientation.

4 – Regulatory compliance
Many jurisdictions are implementing stricter regulations regarding boat noise emissions thanks to increasing attention to environmental and sustainability issues.

Noise origins

Noise is primarily originated in the engine room (but not only!), where the yacht propulsion and technical equipment are located, and it spreads around in two ways:

1 – Airborne transmission: Noise propagates as a mechanical vibration of an object through the air, for example, from the engines to the vessel structures in the engine room, and then again through the air to the surrounding environments. For airborne noise, sound-absorbing panels can be considered a good solution.

2 – Structural transmission: Vibrations, generated by the propulsion system or rotating machinery, are transferred to the yacht, spreading low-frequency structural noise through the structures. Insulating panels are ineffective against this type of noise.

Then, what can we do?

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably? – Barchemagazine.com – August 2024)

L'articolo Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably? sembra essere il primo su Barche Magazine ISP.

Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.6. Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:24:41 +0000

Ensuring efficiency, safety, autonomy and sustainability during the navigation makes it essential to adopt ever-evolving technologies

Batteries are the key for a greener future in hybrid or electric propulsion systems. The are playing a crucial role to improve the vessel’s energy efficiency and to reduce pollutant emissions.

Why batteries are the hybrid systems heart?
Batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy through one or more cells inside that store and transfer energy externally. There are different types of batteries, each with its peculiarities, that are able to manage specific needs in terms of size, design, operating temperatures and chemistry.

Which one should you install on board? Are they safe?
There are many batteries available on the market: lithium batteries are currently having a success moment compared to traditional and more well-known lead acid batteries. Then there are new salt batteries, that can operate at lower temperatures, non-toxic, recyclable and not subject to fire risk.

Lead-acid batteries are economical and available in many sizes but require significant maintenance.
Lithium batteries, particularly NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt), LFP (Lithium-Iron-Phosphate), and LTO (Lithium Titanate), are having exponential growth thanks to the electric mobility boom and their high energy density. These batteries are used to power auxiliary loads and commonly as propulsion batteries. Despite their high performance, they present some safety issues that need to be addressed (especially from a thermal perspective). Significant development margins promise further improvements in the future.
Solid-state batteries could solve many lithium batteries current problems because they can have even higher energy density without being flammable. They have a more compact and flexible design, with significant advantages for heavy transport and the naval industry.
Lithium-air batteries represent a potential revolution offering greater energy density.

Now the crucial question: are batteries safe?
The Battery Management Systems (BMS) can monitor and manage the battery pack autonomy and safety, controlling the voltages, temperatures and currents of each cell.

The BMS takes over the state of charge and the battery capacity, indicating its health status and preventing operating outside safety limits.

Fire detection systems, connected to a centralized alarm system, provide and immediate response that ensures onboard safety.

Despite fears and lack of trust, recent research and investments in the battery field demonstrate that more efficient, safe, reliable and sustainable navigation is possible. With safer, sustainable batteries that ensure greater autonomy for the vessel, the maritime navigation future has all the cards to become as promising, efficient, and ecological as the automotive sector.

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.6. Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability – Barchemagazine.com – July 2024)

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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.5 BIS – Is there only one hybrid?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:42:04 +0000

In previous FAQs, we clarified how different hybrid propulsion systems offer different operational approaches and can be adapted to various sailing needs.

Now, it’s time to face deeper and compare the two hybrid systems’ main categories: serial and parallel hybrid.

THE SERIAL HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: WHERE AND HOW TO UTILIZE IT BEST?
The first advantage of a SERIAL HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM is offering significant flexibility to the propulsion system, optimizing the diesel engines’ performance, improving their efficiency. This flexibility is due to the complete separation between energy sources and users, allowing for more efficient energy management. Providing greater independence to the primary power source, the diesel engine, mechanically decoupling it from the propulsion line, also contributes to a higher level of COMFORT on board, significantly reducing NOISE AND VIBRATIONS.

However, adopting this type of propulsion has a considerable impact on the overall vessel cost: the more complex the system, the higher the level of design required to make it as complete and efficient as possible, and in line with the vessel’s needs and requirements.

The initial investment will thus be higher compared to traditional propulsion.

The challenge becomes even greater for our Hybrid Architects when discussing the implementation of a serial hybrid propulsion on an existing vessel.

In this case, they must carefully consider the existing layout, relative weights and sizes of the machinery, available spaces, and the technologies already in use.

On the other hand, retrofitting a traditional propulsion with a hybrid one is a brilliant example of applying circular economy principles, reusing everything possible already installed on board, integrating it into the new design, thus making it even more sustainable.

Imagine sailing on a vessel with a variable operational profile over limited time frames with frequent phases of acceleration and deceleration: large pleasure vessels (superyachts over 60 meters), passenger transport vessels (cruises), or workboats are the perfect example where serial hybrid propulsion is the best applicable solution.

Hybrid Architect by VULKAN division has field-tested these principles, most recently in a retrofit project of a vaporetto in operation since 1982 in the Venetian lagoon.

The situation changes (and significantly) when referring to medium-small units, where the available space is limited, annual operating hours rarely reach high values (5,000 hours), and COMFORT and relaxation are the user’s priorities.

THE PARALLEL HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: VARIETY OF SOLUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT GOALS
In parallel hybrid propulsion systems (where the electric motor shares the same axis as diesel engine), both the in-line and parallel configurations (with the electric motor shaft being “secondary” to the propulsion shaft) show different characteristics and implications.

The IN-LINE CONFIGURATION offers evident advantages:
– Compactness and lightness are perfect for limited spaces;
– the robustness and reliability of the system ensure consistent performance over time;
– thanks to modularity, obtained through the standardization of hybrid components, and advanced electrical design safety, compliant with the highest industrial standards, an additional safety level is added;
– customization allows for tailor-made solutions, combining diesel engines of various powers with electric motors suitable for the specific needs of the project and customer;
– flexibility of the package makes it ideal for both pleasure and commercial vessels.

On the other hand, the PARALLEL CONFIGURATION (with “secondary shaft”) is characterized by greater flexibility in managing the reduction ratio between the electric machine and the propeller shaft, optimizing the propulsion system’s efficiency.

It has been tested by VULKAN on the BIIM, the Battello Ibrido Innovativo Modulare, the result of a Ligurian companies consortium, funded by the EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND 2014-2020 managed by FILSE – Liguria region, and now available to the Consorzio Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti of La Spezia.

Such a configuration will consequently have a greater overall weight, due to the use of an additional mechanical transmission, as well as an electric motor.

This affects both the vessel’s fuel consumption and requires more installation space.

Therefore, the choice of a specific hybrid propulsion system, in serial or parallel configuration, depends on specific needs, preferences, and operational conditions required by the owner, and thus also on the type of vessel.

Arranging a preliminary design and operational parameters study phase and analysis is crucial to determine the best possible technological solution in terms of performance, layout, and efficiency.

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.5 BIS – Is there only one hybrid? – Barchemagazine.com – June 2024)

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Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.5 – Is there only 1 hybrid?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Thu, 09 May 2024 05:52:33 +0000

The naval world needs to have different hybrid architectures designed to answer the infinite variability of vessels’ conditions and operational profiles: this was a key-point explained in our first FAQ dedicated to HYBRID world.

Hybrid ‘architects’ must then be flexible and open to advanced and high customization, based on vessel’s usage and needs.

Even though there are different opinions on definition, most agree on identifying as “hybrid” a propulsion system combining two or more energy sources to ensure the vessel’s movement.

Therefore, hybrid propulsion is an architecture merging the endothermic engine with an electro-chemical storage system (batteries) or combining a hydrogen fuel cell with super-capacitors.

There are two main hybrid systems macro-categories: serial hybrid and parallel hybrid propulsion. Have a look at the first FAQ to refresh on the differences between these two architectures (Click here for FAQ n.1)

Being able to use two different macro-architectures already provide us an initial answer to our question: is there only one hybrid? What are characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages behind these two propulsions and why does the designer select and design one rather than another?

Every vessel is characterized by huge technical and operational differences: this has an impact onboard system which must be designed, planned, and sized specifically based on the individual application. This is especially true for ‘new’ propulsions.

The first and fundamental advantage of a hybrid system, common to all hybrid technical solutions, is to provide greater flexibility to the propulsion system: the primary power source (the diesel engine) is more independent from the user, the propeller (which in a conventional configuration act as a load or brake, somehow proportional to the speed), whether it is a propeller, a waterjet, or a pod. In a serial hybrid system, this flexibility is taken to the extreme: the endothermic engine is mechanically disconnected from the propeller, and it is used as a pure energy source, generating electrical power). The propulsion engine in is an electric motor managing the whole speed range with almost a constant and very high efficiency (normally exceeding 90%).

In un sistema ibrido seriale questa flessibilità è portata all’estremo: il motore endotermico viene meccanicamente scollegato dal propulsore per essere utilizzato come una pura fonte energetica (è un motore endotermico che genera potenza elettrica). Il motore propulsivo in questo caso sarà un motore elettrico in grado di gestire tutto il range di giri ad un’efficienza quasi costante e molto alta (normalmente superiore al 90%).

Being on board units having to manoeuvre a lot during daily operations, or where electrical loads are very high, great optimization of diesel engine use is possible using this configuration, resulting in a significant emissions and consumption reduction.

The parallel hybrid is the perfect solution for units requiring electric mode at low speeds and small electric motors and battery packs. The electric machine is somehow connected on the same shaft line of the endothermic engine through a system that is called PTO/PTI (Power Take Off / Power Take In). Depending on the navigation needs, the electric machine operates as a motor (electric mode sailing), disconnecting the diesel from the propulsion line by a clutch, or as a generator (diesel mode navigation), taking off part of the power to recharge batteries and to feed onboard electrical services.

Now the initial question should be clearer: depending on the vessel’s type (and not only!), the experts are able to study the best hybrid solution related with the application type. They are “tailors” who, depending on customer’s “shapes” and needs, create a unique, tailored suit.

Advantages and disadvantages as well as the best applications for one or the other system will be ‘the fabric’ for our next FAQ.

Matteo Zangrandi, Hybrid Architect Team Project Manager – Vulkan Italia

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Is there only 1 hybrid? – Barchemagazine.com – May 2024)

L'articolo Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.5 – Is there only 1 hybrid? sembra essere il primo su Barche Magazine ISP.

Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.4 – What does COMFORT means?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:47:11 +0000

Without an appropriate adjective, the word COMFORT has no precise meaning, it is generic

On board, as in other living environment where human beings focus on their psychophysical wellness, the achievement of a certain environmental COMFORT is planned since the beginning, being the designers’, the shipyard’s, the operators’, the maintenance technicians’ responsibility during the engineering, construction, and management phases of COMFORT itself.

An environment is COMFORTABLE when that condition of well-being felt by people’s senses is experienced in relation to the levels of:

Temperature/Humidity (thermo-hygrometric wellness).
Brightness (lighting wellness).
Noise and vibrations (vibro-acoustic wellness).

detectable in that same environment.

To complicate things even more, subjective variables must be added to environmental variables.

If designers, engineers, thermal and lighting architects deal with the first two, providing guests with tools to modify the environmental variables in relation to their subjective perceptions (HVAC and lighting systems), the vibro-acoustic COMFORT evaluation criteria refer to levels of tolerable noise and vibrations, acceptable maximum vibration and noise thresholds leading to people disCOMFORT.

To ensure COMFORT on board, there is no magic product able to eliminate the problem: a deep vibrational phenomena knowledge is required, an in-depth project conditions study, skills and complex analysis to build an on-board system, which is the combination of more components with specific features (resilient mounts, flexible couplings, tail shaft couplings, specific material with defined characteristic the structures have to be made of, ..) that collaborate together, to achieve the desired architecture result.

As far as it concerns vibro-acoustic topic, the yacht can be defined COMFORTable when it allows the guests to enjoy all the offered services, without unpleasant noises or vibrations that can affect the experience.It is crucial for some owners to be able to enjoy all the features of a super-performing, fast, perhaps noisy vessel, for the most of them, it is essential to fully feel the sea, enjoying sailing, taking advantage of all the relaxing areas, having the choice both to have a peaceful lunch either to have fun with friends drinking a cocktail.

What is noise, then?
Noise is the sensation ears transmit to the brain, caused by changes in air pressure. Noise is several pure sounds sum. Each noise is characterized by a frequency and an amplitude. The greater the amplitude, the greater the intensity of perceived noise. Frequency, on the other hand, gives rise to heavy or high-pitched noises. The latter are the most bothering.

Noise propagates in the air and in different materials at different speeds as well.

Noise transmission generally occurs according to two distinct propagation ways:

Air-borne noise, when noise propagates freely in the air without encountering solid obstacles.
Structural noise, when noise propagates through solid structures by means of elastic vibrations (vibrations indeed).

As we are referring to noise in the middle of the sea, a question arises: where does it come from?
We will soon, with a new FAQ, get deep into the origin and noise transmission mechanism and who are the experts who take care of it.

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(What does COMFORT means? – Barchemagazine.com – April 2024)

L'articolo Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.4 – What does COMFORT means? sembra essere il primo su Barche Magazine ISP.

Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.3 – Does rubber get old?

BARBARA BORGONOVO — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:59:56 +0000

Have you ever put on old running shoes and found them uncomfortable, hardened, slippery and not amortized any longer? Welcome to the Real World, would say Morpheus: rubber gets old!

Natural rubber is widely present in our day-to-day life for decades: tires and other car components, floors, food, medical items are all made of rubber! Natural rubber represents almost 40% of the total amount of rubber used in the entire world. It is collected by making an incision in the bark of a tree, the rubber tree indeed. The lifeblood that comes out is collected in special containers, processed to remove water, exposed to acidic agents to get raw rubber, then, pressed into sheets and transported for further processing.

Natural rubber has two main features, flexibility and damping capacity: it can be deformed by external forces, then it comes back to its original shape, when stresses stop, and it converts mechanical energy into heat. These features make it suitable for vibrations damping. For this reason, it is used on board vessels as a key component of flexible couplings and resilient mounts.

How are flexible couplings and resilient mounts produced starting from simple natural rubber? Vulcanization is the process to get the elastic compound resistant to abrasion and especially to tensile forces: mixed up with appropriate additives, such as sulfur, smoke-back and inter fillers (the compound), it is subjected to heat treatment at high temperature (140-180°C). During the vulcanization process, whose duration depends on part’s compound and sizes, the product takes its final shape. In case of flexible couplings and resilient mounts, vulcanization is carried out in closed molds, where the metals parts are placed for the rubber to adhere, and it forms the connecting element.

Elastomer is subject to deterioration; its initial features could change to almost total loss of elastic and performance characteristics.

So yes, rubber gets old! The aging rate is not predeterminable and depends on several factors:
1. Contact with oxygen and ozone in the air could causes molecular chains breaking-up
2. Light exposure (ultraviolet rays), repeated and periodic mechanical stresses such as vibrations (fatigue aging)

3. Humidity

4. Oily substances/grease/hydrocarbons

So, no cream, oils or ‘surgery’ can help: the only solution for your COMFORT is monitoring the rubber status, take care and, when exhausted, replace it.

Giulio Alberti, After Sales Manager, Vulkan Italia

If you have questions and would like to discuss specific topics, contact us: marketing.italia@vulkan.com

Vulkan auscultates and supports

– FAQ n.1 What is a hybrid vessel?
– FAQ n.2 Is a yacht always COMFORTable?
– FAQ n.3 Does rubber get old?
– FAQ n.4 What does COMFORT means?
– FAQ n.5 Is there only 1 hybrid?
– FAQ n.5 BIS Is there only one hybrid?
– FAQ n.6 Batteries on a trip toward safety, autonomy and sustainability
– FAQ n.7. Are you yachting comfortably?
– FAQ n.8. Noise is keeping me awake: what can I do?
– FAQ n.9. To erase noise, you need rubber!
– FAQ n.10. If you don’t think about maintenance… your yacht will do it for you (when you least expect it!)
– FAQ n.11. Do you think of maintenance?

(Does rubber get old? – Barchemagazine.com – March 2024)

L'articolo Vulkan auscultates and supports, FAQ n.3 – Does rubber get old? sembra essere il primo su Barche Magazine ISP.