Thordon Bearings has unveiled its latest technology offering for the marine market – a seal that complements its COMPAC seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearing system.
Unveiled at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg last week, the SeaThigor technology has undergone several years of development and features a unique safety seal design that prevents water entering along the shaft, which allows the main seal to be repaired at sea or allowing the shaft to turn at a lower speed to enable the vessel to return to port for seal repair or replacement.
SeaThigor both functions as a static seal to provide water tight integrity around a shaft, while allowing the propeller shaft to rotate in both directions across a range of shaft speeds.
Rather than using other manufacturers’ seals, customers that are already using Thordon Bearings’ COMPAC seawater lubricated propeller shaft can now use a seal made by Thordon to increase the ease of installation and in obtaining spare parts.
There are no moving parts are involved due to an enclosed housing protection layer, which means that installation is made simpler and maintenance is minimal. The entire product is made from marine-grade bronze to guarantee corrosion resistance for life, while the precision compression springs that ensure the pressure is equally distributed, are unaffected by water temperatures, pressure or draught.
Furthermore, because of the hydraulically pressurised outside design, the SeaThigor can withstand higher water drafts and pressure variabilities in rough seas and counteracts the natural outward flow to reduce leakage potential.
During Lloyd’s Register (LR) Type Approval sea trials, the SeaThigor showed no sign of wear and tear after 15 days of use on the Thordon Marine Seal Test Rig in Burlington, Canada. SeaThigor received LR and DNV-GL Type Approval this summer.
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