In marine engineering, the safe and reliable operation of weathertight doors and hatches is critical. These systems protect passengers, crew and valuable onboard equipment from water ingress, particularly in demanding applications such as naval and offshore vessels. Ensuring that each door is correctly latched and sealed requires robust sensing technology capable of operating in extreme conditions.
High-pressure inductive sensors from Swiss sensor company Contrinex provide a dependable solution for monitoring the position of hydraulic cylinders used to actuate door latches, delivering precise feedback even in aggressive marine environments. The company recently provided some details about the challenging application in a presentation on its website which is highlighted here.
Watertight doors are typically secured using compressible seals and multiple latches positioned around the door perimeter. Modern vessels increasingly rely on automated systems to control these latches, often using double-acting hydraulic cylinders to engage and disengage them. To guarantee proper sealing, engineers must be able to confirm the exact position of each cylinder and, therefore, the status of every latch, Contrinex explains.
The sensing solution must withstand:
- Continuous exposure to saltwater and humidity
- High mechanical stress and vibration
- Wide temperature fluctuations
- Hydraulic pressures of up to 500 bar
Typically, inductive sensors detect metallic objects without contact by generating a high-frequency electromagnetic field from an internal coil. When conductive metal enters this field, eddy currents are induced, draining energy and reducing the oscillation amplitude, which a detector circuit triggers as a signal change.
A leading marine cylinder manufacturer selected DNV-approved Contrinex High-Pressure Inductive Sensors for direct integration into their hydraulic cylinders. Two sensors are embedded per cylinder, positioned at each end of the ram’s travel to confirm fully open and fully closed latch positions.
Contrinex is a specialist in smart sensors for complex automation and smart factory applications. Headquartered in Corbinboeuf, Switzerland it has 50 years of experience in the field of intelligent sensing and identification solutions. There are more than 500 employees worldwide, with 12 subsidiaries in Europe, Asia, North and South America. For the complete presentation, see www.contrinex.ch.
