THE WORLDS FINEST SHIP, ALSO KNOWN AS HOME

• Raffles
• Onboard
• Ashore
• Financial
• Donald Starkey Designs
• Exploration
• FAQ
• Technical
• Press
• Contact

• A one of a kind ship
• Facts and dimensions
• LR service notations
• General description
• Apartments
• The electric ship
• Main propulsion
• Electrical systems
• Auxiliary machinery  services and systems
• Dependability,  redundancy and back up
• Safety, fire fighting and  lifesaving
• Navigation,  communications and  computerisation
• The marina and aft deck
• Boats, planes, and toys
• Lloyd’s Register
• Raffles operating costs
• Caution
• PDF version

MAIN PROPULSION

The diesel – electric 360^o propulsion system shown has the Voith – Schneider 360^o propulsor on the left and the ABC diesel engines on the right. The power conversion and control equipment from Converteam is between the two. Apart from the mechanical drive, the diesel engines to the alternators, and motors to propulsors all other power transmission is by electric cable.

Main propulsion is by two 3,800KW cycloidal thrusters from German company Voith – Schneider that are mounted aft and well outboard, each side of the marina wet dock. The main propulsors also provide almost instantaneous, very precise steering.

Electrically driven by a single medium voltage water cooled induction motor, each of the propulsors has six 3m long stainless steel vertical blades that do not extend below the hull bottom line and provide both 360^o thrust and steering. They can also be used to stabilize the vessels motion.

Mounted in specially designed wells that extend from the bottom shell to above the water line each propulsor, weighing about 100 tons, can be vertically lifted as a complete unit up into the marina for dry inspection / repair by ships engineers and Lloyd’s Register, with Raffles remaining afloat.

First patented in the 1800’s the cycloidal thrusters operate at only 60rpm and provide very low noise / vibration levels even at full speed. For slow speed economical operation typically only one main thruster is used where thanks to its steering function Raffles steers as easily as with two units in operation.

Integrated by Converteam with the two bow thrusters, allowing all 4x360^o propulsor units to operate in unison they provide dynamic positioning (DP) that allows Raffles to enter and position itself to ±1 meter in environmentally sensitive areas such as the Great Barrier reef, without anchoring!

The two bow thrusters are Tees Gill, jet, model T3S/50; 1,060KW, electric driven flush 360o type.

The two 1,060KW 360^o flush water jet bow thrusters from British company Tees “Gill Jet” also provide propulsion and steering. Also electrically driven they are installed in two WT compartments below the hold forward.

Raffles in an emergency can maintain forward movement at low speed with only one generator (in 8) in operation and one bow thruster.

Raffles total electrical / control system is from Converteam who also provided the QM2 system(s) and about 60% of electric ships in operation today.

The solid state power conversion / control equipment for propulsion including switchboard and power management system (PMS) is from Converteam formerly Alstom and the UK G.E. who are world leaders in this field and who supplied the same system to the QM2. Converteam also provide the 4 drive motors, bridge controls and the dynamic positioning system.