Clutch time solutions on show at Seawork
Seawork 2010 exhibitor Centa Transmissions, the flexible coupling and shaft supplier, has supplied two special electric clutch assemblies to Griffon Hoverwork Limited.
These have been fitted to Solent Express, Hovertravel’s BHT130 passenger carrying Hovercraft which transits between Portsmouth and Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
Fitted in the shaftline that controls the lifting fans, these clutches are now saving approximately five minutes on each turn round, enabling Hovertravel, the operator of the craft, to maintain its 30 minute schedule.
Previously, on embarkation, the lift fan engines needed a three minute run down so the passengers could get off safely. The fitting of the clutches means that this is no longer necessary and the passengers have less inconvenience on departing the craft. The craft can also depart quicker as the lift fans are still running.
Although still in a development phase, the clutches are proving to be a hit with both the crews and the passengers. These variants are a development of Centa’s clutch pack range, which is just one of wide range of engineered precision products specifically designed for vessels and workboats of all types and size.
Away from the hovercraft clutch application, a further market leading development from Centa is the carbon fibre composite shaft and flexible coupling combination, CENTADISC-C. The constitution of the composite fibre shaft is designed to provide a drive shaft of immense strength and minimum weight, enabling drive distances as long as 10m to be spanned without the need for intermediate bearing support. It is the fixed nature of the support bearings, which are often misaligned, that tends to be the cause of vibration and noise, and eliminating them through the specification of a long carbon fibre shaft results in smooth, quiet running transmissions.
The CENTADISC shaft range has been successfully installed on vessels of all types, including car ferries, where maximum payload space is essential. Here, identical shafts run down each side of the vessel leaving the centre area free. Additionally, weight saving benefits have also been put to good effect in RIBs, where reliability, low weight and high speed capacity is mandatory and benefited by a lightweight drive shaft such as the CENTADISC.
Centa Transmissions will be on Stand 94 at Seawork 2010.
