Return to TOC

ME460
Emission of Black Smoke from Boiler Due to Safety Valve Failure
Technical committee

Ship type Tanker

Date of build December 23, 1981
Navigation route Japan - Southeast Asia
Trouble machinery
Category Steam line
Name Safety valve
Type FMF5S-FL
Maker
Date of trouble September 2002
On the vessel during pier berthing and unloading at a Japanese port, black smoke was emitted for about
10 minutes from the auxiliary boiler due to malfunction of the 9k steam line safety valve. Also, a trouble
occurred in which soot discharged from the inert gas scrubber floated on the sea surface inside the oil
fence.

1. Outline of breakdown

During unloading of cargo, alarms of “SMOKE HIGH” and “auxiliary boiler ACC trouble” were
sounded. Persons on watch immediately checked the boiler ACC control panel and found that fuel
pressure of the burner was at its maximum level, the smoke indicator was in “scale out” state, and black
smoke was emitted. From further investigation inside the engine room, emission of steam from the 9k
steam line safety valve was confirmed.
The persons on watch lowered the set pressure of the 16/9k steam line pressure reducing valve. Al-
though pressure of the 9k steam line was reduced to 4k, steam from the safety valve did not stop.
Subsequently, the ACC was manually regulated by the person on watch, the black smoke emission was
suppressed, and the safety valve was inspected.

2. Cause

From inspection of the safety valve, it was found that the valve lifting metal (P/N(19) in the attached
drawing) had been loosened and moved downward and the valve stem (4) had been raised up by the
upper lever (18). Because of this, emit steam could not be stopped even when steam pressure was
lowered.
Although this valve lifting metal (19) normally should have been tightly fastened with the lock nut (20),
this lock nut had become loose.
Although the cause of loosening of the lock nut is unknown, it is presumed that either fastening was
insufficient at the time of previous overhaul inspection or loosening occurred due to some other reason.
Further, although valve stem may move up, it would never move downward just by loosening of the
valve lifting metal. However, since fluctuation in load of the 9k steam line was severe at that time and
adjustment by the 9k steam pressure reducing valve was poor, steam emitted from the safety valve,
lowering the valve lifting metal.

1
3. Countermeasures

1) After the valve lifting metal was returned to the proper position, Loctite was applied to the lock nut
and tightening was performed.
2) The 16/9k steam pressure setting device was inspected and re-adjusted.
3) As the lock nut is normally hidden in under a cap (27), its looseness cannot be detected. Thus, it was
decided that periodic inspection would be performed.
Emission of black smoke like this one will not become a large problem if it occurs while traveling
through the ocean. However, if it occurs in a Japanese oil refinery terminal, it would pose great trouble
to the oil refinery and the neighboring residents.
Attention needs to be paid as oil refineries especially give consideration to neighboring residents who
are environmentally conscious, and take stern attitude to emission of black smoke from vessels.
Therefore, as special attention is required, this case is submitted here to be included as a case example of
black smoke emission from a vessel.
In addition to the above, all the vessels under Company’s management were subsequently subject to
inspection of the safety valves and looseness in the above-mentioned part was reported from several
vessels.

2
Fig. Boiler safety valve