Donaldson Company, Inc., a manufacturer of filtration products, was recently awarded multiple contracts to support the US Navy with filtration systems, filter assemblies and manifolds for several classes of surface ships and submarines.
The first was a US$2.5M order by Textron Marine and Land Systems for gas turbine air intake filtration systems on the US Navy’s new Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) vessel. Under this contract, Donaldson will provide 60 Combustion Air Filtration Assemblies (CAFAs) and 30 Auxiliary Filtration Assemblies (AFAs). Together the CAFAs and AFAs protect the Rolls Royce MT7 gas turbine engines that provide propulsion for the SSC. Each ship requires four CAFAs and two AFAs.
Donaldson’s assemblies were designed specifically to meet the unique requirements and constraints of the SSC vessel. The objectives included low weight, simplicity of operation, ease of maintenance, high reliability, and human engineering considerations. The systems will operate over an ambient air temperature range of -12 to 38 degrees C and a relative humidity up to 100 per cent while the ship is conducting operations in the sea and on the beach.
The SSC programme recently started full rate production. Donaldson’s contract supports the first 15 vessels with the potential to expand to supply the entire SSC fleet. The US Navy will ultimately buy 73 ships to replace the legacy LCAC.
Donaldson was also awarded contracts of over US$2M by Huntington Ingalls Industries for several types of complex hydraulic filter assemblies and manifolds supporting systems and operations on the VIRGINIA Class SSN Block V submarine (VCS). More than 20 Donaldson hydraulic filtration systems are operating on each VIRGINIA class submarine.
Last but not least, Donaldson was awarded contracts by General Dynamics Electric Boat for the lead ship of the COLUMBIA class submarine to support hydraulic systems like that of the VIRGINIA class submarine.
Juergen Hensel
