MEO Class IV - GEK

Steering Gear Systems

Ele ct r o H ydr a u lic St e e r in g R ot a r y va ne Exam Guide

This exam guide cont ains m odel quest ions sim ilar t o t he ones you would answer in t he writ t en
exam inat ion. Our aim is t o equip you on im port ant subj ect areas. Answers provided are in t he form of cues
and bullet ed list t o enable easy recollect ion.

Qu e st ion s

1 .With respect to rotary vane steering gear state:

a. The advantages and disadvantages when compared to ram steering gear.
b. The purpose of telemotor limit stops and the angle from mid position that the limit
should be set.
c. What acts as rudder stops, their purpose and the angles from mid position that the
rudder stops should be set?
d. The features in the design that allow the rudder stops to be separated when they made
contact.

2. With respect to rotary vane steering gears state:

a. Why are they not normally fitted in very large ships?
b. The purpose of telemotor limit stops, their purpose and the angle from mid position
that the limit should be set.
c. What acts as rudder stops, their purpose and the angle from mid position that the
rudder stops should be set?
d. The features in the design that allow the rudder stops to be separated when they
have made contact.

3. With reference to rotary vane steering state:

a. How are the fixed vanes attached?
b. How are the moving vanes attached to the rotor?
c. How and why is maximum helm angle restricted?
d. How the vanes are sealed at the tips?
e. How is rudder uplift accommodated?
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Steering Gear Systems
Ele ct r o H ydr a u lic St e e r in g R ot a r y va ne Exam Guide

Q 1. a.
With respect to rotary vane steering gear, state the advantages and
disadvantages when compared to ram steering gear.

A Ad v a n t a g e s

z Rotary vane steering gear can be fitted without a rudder carrier.

z The gear applies a pure torque to the stock, eliminating any transverse loading on the
rudder bearings.

z They are compact, hence are useful with twin rudder applications.

z It saves weight.

z Initial cost is less.

D isa d v a n t a g e s

z Efficient seal is difficult to achieve especially at higher pressures of 90 bar and above.

z Mechanical advantage is o n e , when compared with rapson slide which is 1 . 5 3 .

z It has a leakage path from high to low pressure side at higher pressures.

z It is limited to ships requiring low rudder torque.

Q 1. b.
With respect to rotary vane steering gear, state the purpose of telemotor
limit stops and the angle from mid position that the limit should be set.

A The purpose of the telemotor stop is to limit the rudder movement. The limitation angle
is 35°. The telemotor stops are fitted to the telemotor receiver, which does not
permit further stroking of the steering gear pump beyond 35° helm. This is true
even when the telemotor transmitter is set for a higher value inadvertently.
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Steering Gear Systems
Ele ct r o H ydr a u lic St e e r in g R ot a r y va ne Exam Guide

Q 1. c.
With respect to rotary vane steering gear, state what acts as rudder stops,
their purpose and the angles from mid position that the rudder stops
should be set?

A Vanes themselves act as rudder stops. Rotation is prevented by anchor brackets and
dowel pins.

Q 1. d.
With respect to rotary vane steering gear, state the features in the design
that allow the rudder stops to be separated when they made contact.

A Steel sealing strips backed by synthetic rubber are fitted into grooves along the working
faces of rotor and stator vanes.

The vanes are manufactured from spheroidal graphite cast iron and secured to the cast
steel rotor and cast steel stator by high tensile steel bolts and dowels. Additionally,
rotary vanes are keyed. Fixed vanes act as stoppers. Hence, securing of moving and fixed
vanes is critical.

Q 2. a.
With respect to rotary vane steering gears, state why are they not
normally fitted in very large ships?

A The torque requirement is high in bigger ship. Torque is dependent on pressure, area,
and effective leverage. The ram design is more adaptable to increase in pressure whereas
in case of rotary vane steering we have sealing difficulties at higher pressure.

Q 2. b.
With respect to rotary vane steering gears, state the purpose of telemotor
limit stops, their purpose and the angle from mid position that the limit
should be set.

A Refer 1 b.
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Steering Gear Systems
Ele ct r o H ydr a u lic St e e r in g R ot a r y va ne Exam Guide

Q 2. c.
With respect to rotary vane steering gears, state what acts as rudder
stops, their purpose and the angle from mid position that the rudder stops
should be set?

A Refer 1 c.

Q 2. d.
With respect to rotary vane steering gears, state the features in the design
that allow the rudder stops to be separated when they have made contact.

A Refer 1 d.

Q 3. a
With reference to rotary vane steering, state how are the fixed vanes
attached?

A The vanes are manufactured from spheroidal graphite cast iron and secured to the cast
steel rotor and cast steel stator is attached by high tensile steel bolts and dowels.
Additionally, rotary vanes are keyed. Fixed vanes act as stoppers. Hence securing of
moving and fixed vanes is critical.

Q 3. b
With reference to rotary vane steering, state how are the moving vanes
attached to the rotor?

A Refer 3 b.

Q 3. c.
With reference to rotary vane steering, state how and why is maximum
helm angle restricted?

A The more the helm angle the more is the torque. Excessive loading vanes takes place at
larger angles of helm. Absorption and transmission of torque relief is essential for
excessive loading vanes.
 MEO Class IV - GEK
Steering Gear Systems
Ele ct r o H ydr a u lic St e e r in g R ot a r y va ne Exam Guide

Q 3. d.
With reference to rotary vane steering, state how the vanes are sealed at
the tips?

A Steel sealing strips backed by synthetic rubber are fitted into grooves along the working
faces of rotor and stator vanes.

Q 3. e.
With reference to rotary steering gear, how shock loading and misalignment
is accomodated?”

A Rudder uplift and undesirable rudder movement is accommodated by shock absorbers.

The support has resilient shock absorber mountings which allows for small misalignment.
Where spade rudders are used then axial and radial thrust bearings are provided.

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)