ELECTROMAGNETIC [E.M.
] SPEED LOG – Principle & Working
THE E.M. LOG WORKS ON THE PRINCIPLE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION AS STATED IN
FARADAYS LAW. WHEN A MOVING CONDUCTOR CUTS A STATIONARY MAGNETIC FIELD OR
WHEN A MOVING MAGNETIC FIELD CUTS A STATIONARY CONDUCTOR, AN ELECTROMOTIVE
FORCE [EMF] IS INDUCED IN THE CONDUCTOR. THE AMPLITUDE OF THE EMF IS DIRECTLY
PROPORTIONAL TO THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF THE CONDUCTOR/MAGNETIC FIELD.
IN PRACTICE, A REFERENCE VOLTAGE SETS A CURRENT FLOWING IN A SOLENOID THAT IS SO
PLACED BENEATH THE SHIPS HULL, THAT THE RESULTING MAGNETIC FIELD CUTS THROUGH A
SMALL AREA OF THE WATER FLOWING PAST THE HULL.
AS THE MOVING WATER PASSES THROUGH THE MAGNETIC FIELD AN EMF IS INDUCED IN THE
WATER. A PAIR OF PROBES IN CONTACT WITH THE WATER PICKS UP THE SMALL INDUCED EMF.
THE INDUCED EMF [VOLTAGE] IS FED TO A SENSOR AMPLIFIER AND FINALLY APPLIED TO A
METER THAT DISPLAYS SHIPS SPEED PROPORTIONAL TO THE VOLTAGE. SHIP SPEED INTEGRATED
OVER TIME ALSO ALLOWS THE UNIT TO DISPLAY DISTANCE RUN. DIGITAL NMEA OUTPUTS TO
OTHER EQUIPMENT MAY ALSO BE PROVIDED.
THE LOG IS CALIBRATED FOR ZERO SPEED WHEN STATIONARY AND THEN WITH A MEASURED
MILE RUN AND INPUT TO THE METER IS ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY.
[Link]: CAPT.S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 20SEP16 REV: 1 OF 16APR18 NAVAIDS/[Link]/E.M. LOG 1
ELECTROMAGNETIC [E.M.] SPEED LOG – SIMPLIFIED BLOCK DIAGRAM
Relationship between the
From Electronic Nav. Systems vessel’s speed and the output
by Tetley & Calcutt from the sensors.
Sensor
Amplifier
Speed
Ref
Integrator
Voltage 4597
Distance
NMEA
output to
Sensor Sensor external EM LOG
devices SIMPLIFIED BLOCK DIAGRAM
By Capt. S.F. Gomez
[Link]: CAPT.S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 20SEP16 REV: 1 OF 16APR18 NAVAIDS/[Link]/E.M. LOG 2
ELECTROMAGNETIC [E.M.] SPEED LOG – Technical detail
• IF THE STRENGTH OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD AND THE LENGTH OF THE CONDUCTOR BOTH
REMAIN CONSTANT THEN, E.M.F. = FLV [WHERE F IS THE MAGNETIC FLUX, L THE LENGTH OF
THE CONDUCTOR AND V THE VELOCITY OF THE CONDUCTOR].
• THE E.M.F. IS PROPORTIONAL TO SPEED PROVIDING A LINEAR OUTPUT.
➢ THE MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO THE SOLENOID IS ALSO PICKED UP BY THE SENSOR PROBES
THAT CARRY THE SIGNAL. THIS CAUSES A ‘ZERO’ ERROR WHICH IS COMPENSATED FOR BY
ADJUSTING THE ZERO SETTING OF THE INDICATOR ON CALIBRATION.
➢ THE INDUCED E.M.F. IS VERY SMALL - TYPICALLY 100 μV PER KNOT.
➢ THE INDUCED E.M.F. AND HENCE THE SPEED INDICATION VARIES WITH CONDUCTIVITY OF
THE WATER. SEA WATER IS A GOOD CONDUCTOR WHILE FRESH WATER IS NOT SUCH A GOOD
CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. HOWEVER, THIS ERROR IS SMALL AND CAN BE IGNORED.
➢ THE EM LOG MEASURES THE SPEED OF WATER FLOWING PAST THE HULL OF THE SHIP. THIS
FLOW CAN VARY DUE TO THE HULL FORM RESULTING IN ERRORS.
➢ OCEAN CURRENTS MAY INTRODUCE ERRORS [A STATIONARY VSL WILL REGISTER SPEED.
GROUND SPEED WILL CHANGE WITH CURRENT].
➢ PITCHING AND ROLLING WILL AFFECT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WATER SPEED AND
THE HULL. ERROR DUE TO THIS EFFECT MAY BE COMPENSATED FOR BY SLOWING THE
RESPONSE OF THE RECEIVER. THIS IS ACHIEVED USING A CR [CAPACITOR/RESISTOR] CIRCUIT
WITH A LONG TIME CONSTANT TO DAMP OUT THE OSCILLATORY EFFECT.
➢ ACCURACY IS TYPICALLY 0.1% OF THE RANGE IN USE, IN A FORE AND AFT DIRECTION, AND
APPROXIMATELY 2% ATHWARTSHIPS.
[Link]: CAPT.S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 20SEP16 REV: 1 OF 16APR18 NAVAIDS/[Link]/E.M. LOG 3
ELECTROMAGNETIC [E.M.] SPEED LOG – Advantages & Disadvantages
• ADVANTAGES
• NO MOVING PARTS
• NOT AFFECTED BY MARINE GROWTH
• SIMPLE AND RELIABLE
• EASY TO CALIBRATE AND MAINTAIN
• DISADVANTAGES
• ONLY READS SPEED THROUGH THE WATER
• OCEAN CURRENT AND WIND AFFECTS SPEED MEASUREMENT [SET AND DRIFT]
• SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE AFFECT CALIBRATION
• MEASUREMENT AFFECTED BY UNEVEN FLOW OF WATER DUE TO HULL DEFORMITY OR
IRREGULARITY NEAR THE SENSOR
• SENSOR PROTRUDES BELOW THE HULL AND IS SUBJECT TO DAMAGE
• ROLL AND PITCH LEADS TO ERRORS – COMPENSATED BY USING LONG TIME CONSTANT
CR CIRCUIT TO DAMP THE OSCILLATIONS IN SPEED
[Link]: CAPT.S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 20SEP16 REV: 1 OF 16APR18 NAVAIDS/[Link]/E.M. LOG 4