Development Of Pneumatic-Valve Fault Detector For Main Engine Remote Control System

Multiformity and complexity characterize the modern marine M/E remote control system with the increasing level of integration and modularization, the advancement and completeness of functions.In pneumatic, electric, or PC/PLC marine M/E remote control systems, the pneumatic components are the essential parts because starting, reversing, braking and blowing of M/E need to use the compressed air of 3MPa. On the other hand, the pneumatic system is more reliable and safer than the electric system. Pneumatic remote control system, with its intrinsic safety, has wide application in oil tanker and the liquefied natural gas carriers.Therefore, pneumatic remote control system assumes crucial importance in marine engineering.At present, the marine engineers, without scientific and quantitative analytic methods, mainly depend on their experiences in trouble shooting of the M/E pneumatic remote control system, and in the performance detection, inspection and maintenance of various pneumatic valves, which may leads to misjudgment, improper repair and misadjustment, and even result in deterioration of the failure and unnecessary extension of overhaul scope increasing the maintenance cost and duration, and in consequence thereof, SD may be delayed and the M/E endangered due to the improper adjustment of some parameters. Therefore, it is very necessary to research on the fault diagnosis of the M/E pneumatic remote control systems.This article analysed the characteristics of the compressed air and pneumatic valves and, based on the M/E pneumatic remote control system of MAN B&W, SULZER and the Nabtesco, developed "the pneumatic valve fault detector for M/E remote control systems".This fault detector has realized these functions such as the detection, correction and fault diagnosis of pneumatic valves, including the display, setting and adjustment of action pressure and time of the pneumatic logical valve, the sequential valve, the proportional valve, the pressure switch, the pressure governor valve, pressure relief valve to analyze the performance of pneumatic valves. This fault detector, providing the standard 24V DC and standard pressure of 0.02～0.1MPa, 0.5～0.8Mpa, is portable and convenient to install on board ships to effect the detection, analysis and adjustment of the pneumatic valves for different types pneumatic remote control systems in the adverse environment of the engine room.The portable pneumatic valve fault detector can greatly enhance the marine engineers'management and service, improve the operation and the safety of the vessel.