Speed log

Speed through water (STW) Speed over ground (SOG)

• relative to water • Relative to seabed
• Speed logs • Speed from GPS
How to measure the speed of the ship?
There are four principles of measuring the speed of the ship:
• 1- GPS
• 2-Pressure tube log (Pitot tube Log)
• 3-Electromagnetic log
• 4-Acoustic correlation (doppler log)
PRESSURE TUBE LOG, Pitot tube
• Static pressure.
• Dynamic pressure.
• Pressure on diapgragm operates a mechanical linkage to
produce speed reading.
• Measures only water speed.

pressure
speed
1-Pitot log
• Pressure variations are transferred in potential difference
then sent to user card.
• Accuracy when calibrated is 0.75% of the range.
• Require regular maintenance.
Pitot LOG
Mechanical system
Mechanical
linkage
Pressure seal electronic system

pressure
chamber

Tube A

ship's hull
d Movement direction

Tube B
2-Electromagnetic log how its work?
• Faraday’s principle: any conductor moves through magnetic filed
induces EM force.
• When the ship is moving the water passing through the hull acts
as a conductor.
• The magnetic field is installed in a way that allow the field to
extend into water.
• The passing water produce EM force, which is measured and
converted into the speed through water STW.
Electromagnetic log
• The induced EM force “E” is calculated by

• F = the magnetic field (Constant)

• L = conductor length (Constant)
• V = Velocity of conductor through magnetic field.

According to the formula the induced voltage is

proportional to the velocity
Effect of moving conductor through magnetic field

Solenoid current
Magnetic field
Flemings right
Hand rule

e.m.f. induced Magnetic

in conductor field (H)

e.m.f.

Motion (v)
Electromagnetic log’s errors and accuracy
• Errors sources:
• Ocean current.
• Pitch and roll.
• A.c. produces zero error, no need for calibration.
• Accuracy:
• FWD & AFT : 0.1% of the range.
3-Acoustic correlation technique, Doppler
log
• The doppler shift is a frequency shift that resulted from relative
motion between a frequency source and listener.
• If source and listener are not moving, no doppler effect, speed is
zero.
• If source is coming closer the frequency will be higher.
• If source is moving away the frequency will be lower.
• Doppler shift is directly proportional to speed between source and
listener, frequency of source and speed of wave travels.
 Doppler shift principle
• By measuring fv and knowing f and c the speed of a ship with regard to the seabed can be determined.
• Fv = the received frequency.
• F = transmitted frequency.
• C = speed of sound.
• V = speed of source.
Doppler shift principle
• A transmitting transducer below the ship continuously emits a beam of sound
vibrations in the water at an angle (usually 60˚ to the keel) in the forward
direction.
• A second transducer aboard receives the echo caused by diffuse reflection from
the seabed.
• A Doppler log uses a higher frequency than an echo sounder.
Doppler shift principle
Jauns configuration
 DOPPLER APPLICATIONS
• Vessel motion for side maneuvers and during turns.
• Berthing systems.
• Big ships systems.
• Doppler speed logging systems:
• Display unit.
• TX/RX unit.
• Processing, distribution.
• Transducers.
?Q1- What is the concept of EM speed log •

• An Electromagnetic Log, sometimes called an "EM Log", measures the speed of a vessel

through water.

• It operates on the principle that: 1 when a conductor (such as water) passes through an

electromagnetic field, a voltage is created and 2 the amount of voltage created increases as the
speed of the conductor increases.

• The process is

• the EM Log creates an electromagnetic field.

• a voltage is induced in the water; the magnitude of the voltage varies depending upon the speed
of the water flow past the sensor.

• the EM Log measures the voltage created and translates this into the vessel's speed through
water.
• Q2- State three techniques to measure ship's speed?

• Using pressure –Tube Log.

• Using e.m induction.

• Using acoustic. –using Doppler effect-.

• 
• Q3- Describe the concept of Janus Doppler Log?

• The concept of Janus Doppler log is by 4 elements as transducers in the bottom of

the ship's hull to measure the speed of the ship from 4 different points in the sea
bed due to avoiding the roll and pitch errors. And the transducers pointing ahead
measures the speed, transducers pointing astern is used for accuracy check, and
transducers pointing abeam measures athwart ship speed { while berthing }.
• Q4- Which is the most accurate type of speed logs?

• The acoustic Doppler log.

• 
• Q5- Describe the concept of The acoustic Doppler log?
• 
• Doppler log is an instrument, used in ships, to measure ship’s relative speed with
water (in which it is travelling) by the use of Doppler effects on
transmitted/reflected sound waves.Doppler log is based on the principle of
Doppler shift in frequency measurement i.e. apparent change in frequency
received when the distance between source and observer is changing due to the
motion of either source or observer or both. In Doppler log an observer is moving
with a source of sound towards a reflecting plane, then the received frequency. By
measuring the received frequency and knowing the value of transmitted frequency
and velocity of sound in seawater, the speed of the vessel can be determined.
Q2: Describe the concept acoustic speed log, accuracy, and diagram?
• The doppler shift is a frequency shift that resulted from relative motion
between a frequency source and listener.
• If source and listener are not moving, no doppler effect, speed is zero.
• If source is coming closer the frequency will be higher.
• If source is moving away the frequency will be lower.
• Doppler shift is directly proportional to speed between source and listener,
frequency of source and speed of wave travels.
• Q2: Describe Doppler phenomena and its application to measure ship’s speed?
• The phenomenon of Doppler frequency shift is often used to measure the
speed of a moving object carrying a transmitter. Modern speed logs use
this principle to measure the vessel's speed, with respect to the seabed,
with an accuracy approaching 0.1%.