Simulation of the Propulsion System Behaviour during Ship Standard Manoeuvres

Abstract: The paper presents a comprehensive approach to simulate the propulsion system behaviour during ship manoeuvres. The behaviour of the ship systems is simulated by means of a dynamic simulation model that was already validated for the performance prediction of ship propulsion plants with the ship travelling in straight line. Now the dynamic model has been extended to consider the ship manoeuvrability in the horizontal plane. In order to analyse the different manoeuvres of a ship, the simulation model has been applied to a propulsion system consisting of a twin shaft arrangement with controllable pitch propellers, driven, through reduction gears, by turbocharged medium speed diesel engines. The accuracy of the simulation procedure is illustrated in the paper through comparison with full scale results for different manoeuvres such as turning circle, zig zag and spiral.