Page 54: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2000)

Special Advertising Section

Omnithruster Continues To "Lead The Way"

The recent award from the Japanese

Defense Agency for its two newest

Coastal Mine Sweepers secures

Omnithruster's position as one of the leading designers and manufacturers of advanced, low noise, shock hardened thrusters.

The Omnithruster JT575AM, designed from the ground up for the

Japanese Defense Agency, incorporates the patented Omniphaser noise masking system. This device uses some of the thruster's own output to reintroduce a water/air mixture into the thruster inlet.

The air bubbles compress and expand while traveling through the impeller absorbing incipient cavitation energy that normally emanates a noise. This

Omnithruster's JT575AM unit reduction in noise is dramatic; enough in fact, for the U.S. Navy to begin the retrofit of the system to the

Omnithruster JT1700-lAM's installed on the Mine Countermeasure Class (MCM) ships. The JT575AM is manu- factured out of centrifugally cast Nick- el-Aluminum Bronze and is completely non-magnetic. Custom hydraulic cylin- ders and stainless steel mechanical com- ponents are also utilized to minimize the magnetic content of the overall package, critical for use on a minesweeper.

The thruster design has been evaluated by DDAM (Dynamic Design Analysis

Method) to insure that it meets the shock requirements of the U.S. Navy (NAVSEA 0908-LP-000-3010) and the

Japanese Defense Agency. Figure 6-11 depicts the stress concentration of the steering valve and nozzles as the unit is subjected to a shock level specified in

Design Data Sheet 072-01, "Shock liter. < :Mf NT STHtSSFS FROM FILE

Figure 6-11: Vertical Shock, NRL von-Mises

Stress — Control Valve and Nozzles.

Design Values" (U.S. Navy Confiden- tial). The flanged connections are strengthened by using high strength fas- teners. Metric fasteners were utilized throughout the design for ease of inte- gration aboard the Japanese ship.

It is obvious that the JT575AM is a very specialized unit, but it goes to show just how adaptable the JT Series can be to a specific installation. Omnithruster's ability to offer a customizable commer- cial product that has been fully tested in the military environment puts it in a unique position amongst its competi- tors. The JT Series, and its smaller sib- ling the HT Series, continue to "lead the way" in waterjet thruster technology. /V r A

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Mixed-Flow Impeller lECHliCAL 3EADOUi

Patented System

Kinetic Converter takes inpiit shaft energy and produces usable hydraulic energy by the use of a mixed flow impeller

Steering Valves continuously meter or proportion a percentage of the fluid flow to one or both sides of the ^fepsel-

Nozzles accelerate the mass of water creating a tlfrust force at the hull interface

Thrust Directors (optional) deflect the watir flow forward or aft producing slow speed auxiliary propulison

Electronic Control Systeiln controls the 360° thrust vector resultant from a fixed or varible speed prime mover roataing continously in one direction.

There are no rotating parts that have to be stopped or started as thrust direction and/or magnitude changes. 30555 Solon Industrial Parkway • Cleveland, OH 44130 440 542-0200 www.omnithroster.com

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