Auxiliary engine Starting procedure and preparation

What is the auxiliary engine starting procedure ?

When starting the auxiliary engine after a gap then there need to be attention before starting. I am providing information which i did on my ship. I am providing checklist below which you should must follow before starting generator after a long time. You should know it because it help this on your ship. This questions generally asked in meo class 4 oral in Meol Or Mrol. So, let us start…..

1.First you need to check the level of

1. First check the Auxiliary engine oil sump level is adequate or need to feel.
2. Governor oil level from glass
3. Turbocharger Blower and turbine side oil level from sight glass. If it is not at adequate level , fill it.
4. Rocker arm Oil level in the rocker arm tank ( in some engine, rocker arm lubricate by engine lube oil pump ).
5. Lube oil level of Alternator Forward and aft and
6. Diesel engine oil level in the tank.

2. Check Indicator valve open or not, if it is closed then open it.

3.Start the priming pump to lubricate all parts of the engine before start. If priming pump of motor driven not working then prime with the help of hand pump.

4.Now check all the valve like auxiliary engine jacket water valve, lube oil cooler, jacket water cooler, scavenge air cooler and fuel oil valve should open. if not open please open and make ensure all line is ok not leaking.

5.Use turning rod/ bar to rotate the flywheel and make ensure that engine is running smoothly without any restrictions.

6.During rotating flywheel , also check that nothing is coming out through indicator valve.

7.Also ensure that all visible lubricated system lubricated during rotation of flywheel.

8.Now remove the turning rod and put it in the place near by flywheel.

9.Now check the air bottle pressure. If pressure is not adequate start main air compressor and fill both the bottle.

10.Drain the both the air bottle.

11.Blow through of engine done. Turning of engine on the air. Make sure Fuel oil lever on stop positions. Open air valve press auxiliary start valve. Engine run on air.

Why Blow through of engine done before starting.

Note :- Blow through done to confirm that no water is available in the combustion chamber, Water come in combustion chamber due to condensate moisture and leakage of cylinder liner. If water is not removed and turn the flywheel then piston damage the cylinder head because liquid is incompressible.

12. Now shut off the indicator valve.

13. pull the fuel lever from stop to Start positions.

14.Now open the air start valve and press auxiliary start valve.

15.Engine start rotating and when the rpm needle on rpm indicator show value upto 0-30rpm put the lever of fuel on run conditions.

16.If the generator will start run on fuel once, generator picks up rated speed. ( Rated speed generally 720 Rpm ).

17.Now our engine started rotating om rated speed.

we will not put generator on load. Wait for five minutes and check all the parameters.

Checks on generator while generator is running.

Once the generator has begun to run, on rated speed. Several checks must be performed before it is left to continue running on its own. These checks involve verifying various parameters such as lube oil levels, temperatures, and so on. A detailed checklist for the same is provided below are following: –

Level of Oil Checks

1. lube oil level in the governor through gauge glass
2. Level of oil in the sump through dip.
3. Oil level in the rocker arm tank
4. Level of oil in blower and turbine through sight glass.
5. Lube oil level of alternator aft and forward bearing ( nsight glass given ).

Temperature

• Temperature of exhaust gas of all unit ( Thermometers fitted for each cylinder ).
• Check both inlet and outlet temperature of turbocharger ( From different of inlet and outlet temperature we can check efficiency of turbocharger ).
• Scavenge air inlet temperature

sea water cooler temperatures

• Check the temperature of sea jacket cooling system inlet and inlet temperature.
• also check the lube oil cooler inlet and outlet temperature.
• Check the in let and outlet temperature of scavenge air cooler temperature.

The above mention about starting procedure auxiliary engine after long term.

Starting procedure of auxiliary engine after decarb

after fitting all the parts on their positions, we have to check all the level of oil of engine

• lube oil sump level in the sump
• Rocker arm level in the rocker arm tank.
• Auxiliary engine blower $ turbine side oil level.
• Alternator aft and forward oil level
• Diesel oil level in the tank
• Expansion water level if down fill it.

Start the engine as mentioned above,

when engine start running at rated speed check all the parameters like jacket water temperature , all engine exhaust temperature, exhaust gas inlet and outlet temperature , scavenge air inlet temperature for combustion, Lube oil cooler inlet and outlet temperature, jacket cooler inlet and outlet temperature , scavenge air cooler temperature. All parameters should be ok. Also keep ear on the noise of engine runnings.

After sometime stop the generators and open the crankcase check the conditions. Conditions of crankcase means no blow past, water is not leaking, oil coming to nozzle is proper. close the crankcase and again start the generator and run it for one hour without load.

After that slowly we syncronise with another generator and start increasing load on it slowly. Meanwhile check all the parameters and keep ear in the sound of engine.

Starting of generator after drydock

It is logic questions. after drydock we have no pressure in air bottle. In some engine there are two emergency compressor. one in the emergency generator room and another at auxiliary engine platform. Emergency compressor on generator platform for filling auxiliary air bottle. Fill the auxiliary air bottle and follow the same procedure to start the generator above mention.

If emergency compressor is not provide on auxiliary platforms. then start emergency generator and start one main air compressor to fill air bottle. After filling the air bottle start the auxiliary engine following the procedure mention above.

I have mention all the procedure to start the auxiliary engine. 1. Starting engine of long time not started. 2. After decarb and 3. After drydock.

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