ENVIRONMENT SENSORS AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

VERTICAL REFERENCE FOR DP INPUT

Dynamic Positioning maintains a vessel’s

position by controlling Surge and Sway.
Dynamic Positioning maintains heading by
controlling Yaw.
Heave, Pitch, and Roll, on the other hand, are
monitored to enhance position data from
Position Measuring Equipments (PMEs).
As the vessel rolls or pitches, positions of
PMEs are offset from the center of gravity of
the vessel. This offset may also be interpreted
by the DP system as an actual position change
of the vessel.
Some vessels such as cruise ships may have
stabilizers to damping roll.
Vertical Reference Sensor (VRS), Vertical
Reference Unit (VRU) or a Motion Reference
Unit (MRU) is fitted in the DP vessel to
measure pitch, roll, and heave.
The terms Vertical Reference Sensors )VRS)
and Vertical Reference Unit (VRU) are
interchangeable.
The DP control system uses data from VRS,
VRU, or MRU to compensate for the offset of
various position reference sensors from the
centre of gravity of the vessel.
For Dynamic Positioning purposes, the effects
of pitch and roll are more critical to position
keeping than heave.
A simple VRS consists of a damped
pendulum in a chamber containing a viscous
fluid. Detector coils converts the position of
the pendulum to an analogue voltage to
represent angles of roll and pitch. A more
complex VRS has facility to measure heave.
Motion Reference Unit (MRU), on the other hand, uses linear accelerometers to measure
accelerations and calculates inclination angles.

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GYRO COMPASS IN A DP SYSTEM

HEADING REFERENCE

Gyro compass provides heading data to the DP system.

DP vessels that require redundancy have two or more gyro compasses.
If only two gyro compasses are installed, the DP system is limited to monitoring the
difference in heading data. And, issuing a warning, if this difference exceeds a certain
value.
If three gyro compasses are fitted, the DP system can use two-out-of-three voting to
determine a gyro failure, and give a warning accordingly.
Heading reference may also be available from strategically positioned DGPS receivers
and motion sensors.

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WINDSENSORS WITHIN A DP SYSTEM

Rotating Cup Anemometer
Wind has the potential to blow a vessel off position. Therefore,
DP systems need wind speed and direction data from
windsensors:
To compute the effects of the wind on the vessel’s
superstructure and hull.
To determine thruster force necessary to counteract the
effects of wind.
To calculate Weathervane or Minimum Power
Heading.(Common in shutter tanker operations).

Several types of windsensors are fitted aboard vessels.

Generally, a windsensor commonly consists of a rotating-cup
type transmitting anemometer, with a separate windvane to show
wind direction. Impeller attached Weathervane

Another type of windsensor has the impeller attached to the windvane.

WIND SENSOR FEED FORWARD FUNCTION

The windsensor has an input to the mathematical model. However, the mathematical model takes
time to evaluate and respond to changes in the vessel or environment.

The wind, on the other hand, can suddenly gust without warning. Hence, the windsensor is also
connected to the DP system by a “feed forward” function to bypass the mathematical modeling
process. This function enables the DP system to immediately react to a radical change in wind
condition.

LIMITATIONS OF WINDSENSOR INPUT

The accuracy of windsensor input in the DP system is influenced by the following factors:
Windshadowing resulting from masts, stacks, adjacent oil rig, platform or other vessel
obstructing the wind.
Malfunction in the windsensor (i.e. rotating cups or windvane becoming stuck).
Reliability of wind data from the windsensor selected by the DPO.
.

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Data from the windsensor is essential in DP operations. The speed and direction of the wind are
important factors in the calculation of the weathervane or minimum power heading. Some
vessels such as shuttletankers and FPSOs require the vital information in order to keep the
correct attitude at all times.

The windsensors are coupled into the DP system by means of a “feed forward” function, which
bypasses the mathmatical model, in addition to being included in the modeling process. This is
also known as wind feed forward.

DESELECTING WINDSENSOR INPUT

Two or more windsensors positioned at opposite ends of the yardarm enable the DPO to select or
deselect a windsensor, depending on the prevailing circumstances.

The disadvantage of deselecting windsensors is wind data to the mathematical model and feed
forward function are discontinued. However, the DP system uses wind data stored in the
mathematic mode.

ADVANTAGE OF DESELECTING WINDSENSOR

During helicopter operation, if the helideck is close to windsensor, the downwash of air from the
helicopter rotor will trigger the feed forward function, Hence, the DP system will issue thruster
command to react to an apparent gust.

Deselecting windsensors during this critical operation will ensure that the vessel is not
inadvertently reacting to a fictitious gust.

Caution: Keep in mind when reselecting windsensors that the DP system may interpret the
difference between the constant wind value in t mathematical model and the prevailing wine
condition as a gust. And, react accordingly.

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 ENVIRONMENT SENSORS AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

OTHER SENSORS

INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM (INS)

Rate Gyroscopes (sensors used to measure rate velocity) and accelerometers (sensors used to
measure acceleration in various axes) are combined to compute the vessel’s heading, altitude and
position.

Note: Unlike a DGPS receiver which determines position relative to satellites, INS is self-
contained. While INS cannot determine an initial position, it accurately computes position
relative to an initial position. Hence, combining DGPS and INS enhances DP capabilities.

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 ENVIRONMENT SENSORS AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

MESSAGES ON DP SYSTEM AND PRINTER

Dynamic Positioning systems are designed to consistently check for inconsistencies, faults, and
warnings. Unique to the IVCS 2000, is a voice alarm in plain English.

When critical conditions are detected, messages (reports) are generated. These messages, are
constantly displayed on the LCD monitor and/or printed in an abbreviated format. Most DP
systems have a dedicated display area or facility for Messages. The type of information on
display will consist of:
Date and time of message generation.
Message text.
Message reference number.
Message type (Alarm, Warning or Information).
Source of origin (e.g. computer A or B).
Status of message (acknowledged or not, active, inactive, etc.).
Additional data.

All messages are printed out hard copy by a printer. I addition to the brief message text, the DPO
may consult a message listing, either on paper or on-screen help file, to provide a much greater
description of the causes and effects of the message.

Basically, DP systems issue three categories of messages:

Alarm.
Warning.
Information.

In the IVCS 2000 DP system, the three categories of messages are:

Error.
Warning.
Information.

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Alarm messages are issued with a flashing lamp and audible alarm whenever the system
discovers a situation which adversely affects DP operation. The DPO must acknowledge the
alarm, check the contents of the alarm message, and determine a corrective course of action, in
order to rectify the situation. The following messages qualify as Alarm:
Setpoint Alarm
Limits
Exceeded.
Position Out of
Limit.
System Fault.
Thruster #2
Feedback
Error.

Warning messages,
appear on the alarm
display and printer, are
issued with flashing
lamp alarm whenever
the system discovers a
situation which will adversely affect DP operation, but do not have any serious effect on the
performance of the system. The DPO must also acknowledge warning alarms, and check the
contents of the message in order to rectify the situation. The following messages qualify as
Warning:
No windsensor selected.
Wind Direction Difference.
Thruster #1 High Force.

If system tests do not report the same message after a specific timeout period, the message
becomes inactive. Generally, inactive Alarm and Warning messages need to be acknowledged by
the DPO before they are removed from the active message display list, while Information
messages are removed automatically when they become inactive.

Information messages are issued without a flashing lamp or audible alarm to inform the DPO of
important issues that will not adversely affect DP operation. Reference Reject HPR 1 qualifies as
information.

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE MESSAGE

Catastrophic Failure indicates and extremely harmful situation that would cause the vessel to
loose DP capability, i.e. loosing heading (gyro compass) or position (DGPS) input. Alarms and
Warnings associated with catastrophic failure must be check and acknowledged by the DPO.

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CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR ALARMS/WARNINGS

The DPO must fully understand any alarm or warning message before acknowledging it.
Regardless, the DPO may consult an on-screen help field or message listing to get a detail
explanation of the abbreviated alarm or warning message.

If one of two gyros selected by the DPO experiences a catastrophic failure (signal loss) for
example, the DPO must ensure that the alternate gyro is selected in order to maintain heading
input into the DP systems.

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