Engine room maintenance is essential for any vessel. A regular equipment washing and inspection schedule prevents significant casualties that require costly repairs or replacements. Detailed records help engineers understand how each machine works. They also provide clues to potential problems that might arise in the future. Reviewing old reports can help identify trends for specific machines.
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Exhaust Pipes
A marine engine is a massive machine that brings the entire ship to a standstill if it breaks down. Therefore, marine engine room parts must be checked regularly to ensure they function correctly. The most common problem with engine parts is caused by vibrations, which can cause them to move or become loose. If this happens to exhaust gaskets, hazardous carbon monoxide can leak out, resulting in dangerous fume poisoning. An exhaust system should be cooled with water to prevent corrosion. It should also be appropriately sized. For example, dry piping is sized as an ID measurement, while wet piping is sized to fit over a tube OD measurement. Exhaust systems must also be adequately insulated with lagging to prevent dangerous overheating. Additionally, it’s vital to check that all pipes transferring flammable liquids are lagged and supported adequately. Pressure tests and tightness tests are also recommended to reveal any fissures or cracks that may be imperceptible.
Seals
Seals are crucial to keeping machinery running smoothly in a ship’s engine room. Whether they are protecting threaded fittings from water and chemical degradation, sealing inert gases into pipelines, or locking in fabricated motor shaft assemblies to resist loosening under vibration, marine engineers need to be familiar with the different types of adhesives and sealants used for these purposes. Moreover, an engineer’s knowledge of the different clearances required for each machine is vital to planning maintenance procedures. Keeping track of bearing and bumping clearances in compressors, crank pin, and piston ring clearances in generators and other equipment specifications helps engineers avoid machine damage due to improper or rushed maintenance. In addition, understanding the history of each machine through records allows engineers to quickly and efficiently create troubleshooting measures when machines are not working correctly. These records also help engineers make better-informed decisions regarding spare components and their sources. It improves repair efficiency and enables engineers to save on replacement parts costs.
Valves
Engine room fires are one of the most common types of marine accidents and can occur due to human error, poor maintenance, or a combination of both. Since this vessel area has plenty of fuel and flammable materials, it can quickly become dangerous when things go wrong. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to prevent valve failures through regular inspections and maintenance. In addition to lubrication and resealing, these marine hydraulic systems must be kept clean and free of sharp bends in the hoses. The primary seacocks in ship engines are gate, butterfly, and ball valves. All three are used for throttling and regulating fluid flow, but each has unique features. A check valve uses adjustable components to allow fluid to move in one direction and block backflow, while a swing or lift valve utilizes a rotating disk that blocks when closed. Finally, a butterfly valve uses a circular disc that moves to control the on/off function.
Pumps
Whether seawater, fuel, or lubricating oil, naval pumps must be up to the task. Navy pumps are highly complex systems with a wide range of functions and components, but they can be prone to problems that stem from improper maintenance. Signs of a pump or motor overheating should never be ignored, as this indicates internal rubbing/wear, overuse, or an inappropriate power load. Corrosion — visible or not – can also be a problem and should always be dealt with. Using checklists and logs can help ensure the correct type of maintenance is being performed, especially if a pump is critical to an ongoing process. A failed pump can bring a production line to a grinding halt and even a ship out at sea, so implementing preventive maintenance will limit downtime and costs.
