A lil help

[lakjehboh]

I visited a tugboat today and had a question in mind. There is two large tunnel coming out from the engine with pipes in the end where they probably release the smoke from the engine burning. Before the pipes there are window on each of the tunnel where it can be open and shut. What are these windows for beside ventilation? I was told they serve a better purpose than this. And they uses rubber type material so to shut the window tight. But why? Hope someone can understand what i am talking here as i know i am not very good with the ship terms here. Helps appreciated, and many thanks

[Bergalia]

Not quite sure from your description Lakjeboh - but they could be access panels for cleaning exhaust flume...The rubber gives me doubts though. Was it rubber or 'blackened' asbestos tape ?

[Poida]

Lakjeboh
When you say windows, windows have glass, perspex or some see through material in them. Where they windows or doors. Did they slide or hinge and were they on the exhaust pipes themselves or the shroud around them?

Poida

[lakjehboh]

sorry for the bad description. Ok, the tugboat is mainly all made of steel. So this "window" has no see throught thingy. It is hinged on the top side and u can open it by swinging it up. Because the whole thing is made of steel, the side of the closing part has blackedn rubber around it. My first guess is they are to prevent water from getting in and so that you can shut it down tightly when needed too. This tugboat has 2 engine, each has this tunnel leading up to the where u normally release the fumes like the cars pipe. But before those, are these "windows" which i dont quite understand it's main function beside ventilation.

Someone mention that it is to facilitate in cleaning, but i remember they are not accesible for going through. You know in some washroom where you have the windows attacked with pieces of wood for air to go through but you cant see through? It is about something like that.

[safewalrus]

Sounds like ventilation flaps to me, the idea of the flap is so that if you have a fire in th engine room you drop the flap and keep the air our so the fire goes out!

[lakjehboh]

ty very much, that prolly would make much sense

[Poida]

This is a wild stab in the dark. Although I do have a light sitting on my computer which is on, apart from that I would be in the dark.

I was wondering if it is to circulate the air while the boat is not in motion. Chimneys sometimes have a spiral around the outside of the chimney so that the air flowing up the chimney (hot air rises) circulates around the chimney as it rises which helps in evacuating the smoke out of the stack.

When the tug is stationary, there is a likely hood of the smoke hanging around the vessel so the windows are open to allow air to enter, heta and rise to help evacuate the fumes. When the vessel is under way they are not required and the windows are closed as they would probably cause a drag.

Poida