Anti-heeling systems

Counteracting the heel

Ship heeling caused by high winds, uneven cargo loading or the centrifugal forces of sharp turns, is counteracted by anti-heeling systems. Especially in the case of container ships and ferries, they prevent critical ship attitudes caused by the cargo. On cruise ships, the anti-heeling systems are applied primarily for the comfort of the passengers, while on research vessels they assure a steady platform to the sea swell. To counter the various causes of heeling, ballast tanks are connected to each other by pipe systems. Butterfy valves allow fast opening or closing of the connecting lines. Depending on the attitude of the ship, the tanks are either blown out or flooded using compressed air blowers or pumps.

Level detection with VEGASWING 61

To prevent overfilling in the ballast tanks, which could damage them, the pumps or blowers must be switched of quickly. The VEGASWING 61 vibrating level switch is a wear and maintenance-free sensor and ideal for level detection in the ballast tanks without adjustment.

Level measurement to the millimetre with VEGAWELL 52

To be able to correct the ship’s attitude, the contents of the ballast tanks must be measured with millimetre precision. A heel of only 2.5° can tear apart the loading ramps of a ferry. Quick reaction, high precision and long-term stability characterise this level measurement. The pressure transmitter VEGAWELL 52 is the ideal solution for this application. Its ceramic-capacitive CERTEC measuring cell withstands extreme pressure shocks up to 20 times higher than the nominal measuring range and guarantees excellent long-term stability.