Prop Supports in Dry Dock
The Problem:
As a ship is supported by props in a dry dock, it is vital that each prop takes its share of the load when each of the props are placed in position.
The Solution:
Forty strain gauge digitiser DCells were built into compression load cells. Each prop was placed on a load cell and arranged around the ship supporting it whilst in the dry dock. The DCells were ‘daisy chained' using a single four core cable and taken to a PC. Each prop was adjusted so that the weight of the ship was evenly distributed. The centre of gravity could also be calculated and displayed on the PC along with alarm messages if any of the prop forces changed outside a pre-set band.
The embedded DCells in the load cells allowed a single cable to be used therefore simplifying installation. The high resolution of the DCell gave early indication of any fine movement of the ship or props which improved the safety aspect of the system. The load cells could also be re-used on different size vessels as alternative props could be attached.
