Best Maritime Technology

Fluid Management Motion Control Ship Performance

U-Tank Stabilization System

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 U-Tank Stabilization System

General Description
M T
w w

There are several types of roll damping systems that have 90° t t Time
Wave moment
been developed to reduce a vessel’s roll motion during M Wave moment
w
operation at sea. Passive roll damping tanks, also referred Ф
T
Ф Ф Roll angle
to as passive anti-roll tanks, use a hydro-dynamically
θ=90° t M Tank stabilization moment
controlled flow of liquid within a specially designed tank, Roll angle
stab

T Time of wave period

filled with ballast water, to create a stabilizing moment M
w
stab
opposing the wave moment that is causing the ship to T
Ф
Time of roll period

roll. The amount of stabilizing moment created depends Tank moment

t
θ Phase difference
between Ф and M
stab
on several factors, such as size and location of the roll 90° 180° 270° 360° 450° 540°

damping tank, as well as hull form and loading condition

of the ship. Generally with a passive roll damping tank
an average roll reduction between 40% to 60% can
be achieved.
The U-Tank Stabilization System is individually sized
for each specific application. Number of tanks, proper
dimensions, shape, location, internal structure and volume
are varied to match each type of vessel and operating
Phase relationship
condition. When correctly designed the liquid flow within
the tank will naturally lag behind the resonant roll motion
of the ship by 90°. This means the tank will create a
stabilizing force directly opposing the forces created
by the passing wave.

Passive Tanks by Hoppe Marine

Hoppe Marine is well-known as a leading supplier of

Direction of roll
Direction of static couple passive roll damping systems to the marine industry and
Direction of dynamic moment offers two basic kinds of passive free surface type roll
damping tanks:
Dynamic force
caused by mass
• FLUME® Stabilization System
of moving water • U-Tank Stabilization System
and acceleration Static couple due to
instantaneous position
of liquid in tank Center of rotation With over 2,000 installations worldwide which have
CL Ship been proven to be effective for more than 60 years,
Tank located above center of rotation we are the most experienced company in the design
and supply of passive roll stabilization systems and
associated monitoring and control equipment.
The stabilizers are installed on various types of vessels
Direction of roll from 20 m up to 400 m length:
Direction of static couple
Direction of
dynamic moment
• Offshore Support (PSV, AHTS, DSV)
Static couple due to • Offshore Construction
Center of rotation instantaneous position
of liquid in tank • RORO / ROPAX
• Container
• Research
Dynamic force
caused by mass • Pipe Lay
of moving water CL Ship
and acceleration
• Buoy Tender
Tank located below center of rotation
• Fishing
• Naval

Forces acting within a U-Tank Stabilization System

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 Best Maritime Technology

U-Tank Stabilization System

A U-Tank Stabilization System is a passive U-tube type
anti-roll tank combined with a monitoring and an active
control system. The stabilizer consists of two wing tanks
interconnected via a crossover duct either through or
above the double bottom and an closed air duct system
including remote operated valves.
The fluid flow within the stabilizer is used to create a
stabilizing moment reducing the roll motion of the vessel,
hence decreasing roll angles and accelerations.
The stabilizer’s dimensions and structural boundaries
determine its natural response period which has to be
close to the expected shortest roll period of the vessel.
A change of the response period is achieved by restricting
the airflow. The system automatically controls the remote
operated valves to adapt the water oscillation period to the
measured actual roll period of the vessel.
Monitoring & Control System
The monitoring and control system has been developed
to operate the U-Tank stabilizer safe and with high
efficiency in all operation conditions. The control unit
HOMIP contains the software package for processing
of data from the roll sensor unit, tank pressure sensors,
level switches and valve positions. The system monitors
permanently the ship and tank movement as well pressure
and level inside tank to act accordingly roll damping
performance and safety. The actual system status is
displayed in 6” HOMIP touch screen and on larger touch
screens in control cabinet and bridge operation panel.

Hoppe Marine provides customized engineering for

sophisticated roll damping solutions:

• Experienced naval architects design practical solutions

suitable for the concerning type of vessels
• Validation of stabilizer design through scaled tank model
at our facilities
• Investigation of the vessel’s roll behaviour without and
with the stabilizer by using proprietary in-house sea
keeping analysis programs
• Precise monitoring & control systems ensuring optimum
roll damping performance and operational safety U-Tank Operation Panel

Operation Panel

Control Unit
HOMIP

Substation
with I/O-Modules

Valves Level Level Ship Inertial

Switch Sensors Measuring
Hobus HOSIM

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 Best Maritime Technology

U-Tank Stabilization System

Combined Anti-Heeling & Roll Damping Systems

The U-Tank Stabilization System can be combined with a

Blower Anti-Heeling System using the same tanks. During
loading operations, the Blower System provides heel angle
compensation. While at sea or during offshore operations,
the U-Tank Stabilization System works as a controlled
passive roll reduction system to minimize the vessel‘s roll.

Pressure sensors and level switch

Blower Anti-Heeling with U-Tank Stabilizer Pneumatic controlled valves

Fluid Management Motion Control Ship Performance

• Valve Remote Control • Anti-Heeling • Maihak Shaft Power Meter
• Tank Content Measuring • Blower Anti-Heeling • Torque Power Meter
• Bunker Management • Flume Stabilization • Maihak Performance Meter
• Ballast Management • U-Tank Stabilization • Maihak Performance
• Water Ingress Detection • Dynamic Floating Monitoring Monitoring
• Dynamic Trim and • Maihak Performance
Conning Measuring Optimization
• Draught Measuring
• Stabilty Test

Hoppe Marine GmbH
Kieler Straße 318
22525 Hamburg
Germany
Tel. +49-40-5619 49-0
info@hoppe-marine.com
www.hoppe-marine.com
Hoppe China Co., Ltd. Hoppe Korea Co., Ltd.
German Center, Room 708, Tower 1 No 485-3, Gu Pyeong-Dong, Sa Ha-Gu
88 Keyuan Road 604-866 Busan
201203 Shanghai Pudong Republic of Korea
China
Tel. +86-21-50 27 80 40 Tel. +82-51-40 35 851
service@hoppe-china.com hoppe@korea.com
www.hoppe-china.com www.hoppe-korea.com

www.hoppe-marine.com Brands of Hoppe Marine