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Unit 6 - Compressed Air
Unit 6 - Compressed Air
Compressed air is stored in containers called Air Bottles where the air is
stored at a pressure of 30 bar. This air has many uses on a ship.
• The main engine and the power producing auxiliary engines are started
using 30 bar pressure air. The air is admitted to the cylinder at the top of
the piston which provides the force to turn the engine and cause it to
start.
• The ship’s whistle or horn also uses 30 bar compressed air. The whistle is
the instrument used to provide fog signals and act as a navigational aid
during transit through areas affected by fog and having poor visibility.
.
• Some parts of the ship’s are painted using a spray gun, this uses compressed
air at a pressure of 7 bar for this purpose.
• In the engine room 7 bar air is used for cleaning filters, pipelines, etc.
• In the ship’s engine room the automation system is pneumatic so all the
hardware connected to the automation systems are driven by compressed air.
Compressed Air Plant on a ship
• These are reciprocating machines where a piston draws air from the
engine room atmosphere and compresses it to the required pressure.
• Since the incoming air may contain floating impurities there is an air
filter provided at the inlet to the compressor.
LINE DIAGRAM OF A
COMPOUND ANNULUS
AIR COMPRESSOR
Compressor Terms
• Inlet pressure.
It is the absolute pressure of air at the inlet of a compressor.
• Discharge pressure.
It is the absolute pressure of air at the outlet of a compressor.
• Compression ratio (or pressure ratio)
It is the ratio of discharge pressure to the inlet pressure.
• Compressor capacity.
It is the volume of air delivered by the compressor, and expressed in m3/s
• Free air delivery .
It is the actual volume delivered by a compressor when reduced to the
normal temperature and pressure condition. The capacity of a compressor
is generally given in terms of free air delivery
• Reciprocating is usually used for higher pressure because of its
before entering into the next stage to compress the air into a even
higher pressure.
Drawbacks of single stage compression
• It improves the volumetric efficiency for the given pressure ratio and
hence compressor capacity is increased
• The sizes of the two cylinders may be adjusted to suit the volume and
pressure of the air
• Relief Valve: This is a safety device that protects the air receiver from
attaining dangerous over-pressure. It is set to lift and relieve the
pressure if the receiver pressure exceeds a certain value.
.
• Service Air: This valve provides air to a reducing valve that reduces
the pressure of the 30 bar air to 7 bar. This air has many uses as all
pneumatic equipments use this low pressure air for their operation.
This low pressure air is also used to operate all the automation
system hardware placed all over the engine room. It is also the air
that drives all pneumatic machines on deck – lifeboat winches,
gangway winch, descaling machines, spay painting air guns. This air
is also used for general cleaning.
• Air inlet valve: This is the valve that provides the inlet air to the
receiver from the air compressor.
• Air to Gauge: This is the valve that leads to the pressure gauge that
indicates the pressure in the air receiver.
• Fusible Plug: This is another safety device. It is a plug that is made
of materials that have a low melting point, about 150°C, this is
there to relieve the pressure in the receiver in the event of an
engine room fire that could cause the receiver to explode due to
overpressure of the expanding air inside.
• Manhole Door: This a door for providing access to the
• Apart from these devices there are some safety precautions that need
to be taken while working with compressed air.
• The devices could be listed as the follows: Relief valves fitted on the air
bottle as well as on the compressors, Fusible plug on the air receivers,
Bursting discs, Drains.
• Relief Valves: These are pressure relieving devices fitted on the
compressors as well as on the air receivers.
• Fusible plugs: These are metal plugs screwed on to the pressure
vessel. The plug has a core that is made up of an alloy of tin and
lead which has a melting point of around 150°C. It is also a safety
device that is meant to release the pressure in the air receiver in
the event of a engine room fire that could cause the air inside to
expand causing dangerous overpressures.
• Bursting Discs: These are thin metal foil fitted on the coolers of
the compressor to protect the cooler casing from rupture due to
a pressure line leakage inside it.
• Drains: These are valves fitted at the bottom of the air receiver
as well as on the compressor coolers. Their function is to remove
condensed water from the air as stagnant water can be corrosive
and lead to erosion of the metal.
• Some basic personal protection must be observed while working
with compressed air and pneumatic system.
• Care must be taken to ensure that the full air pressure does not
impinge on the skin.
There must be at least two starting air receivers, the total capacity of
which will give 12 starts for a reversing engine or 6 starts for a non
reversing engine with CPP.
The number of starts that can be made depends on Engine temp, lub.oil
temp, the skill of the Engineer manoeuvring the engine & the
minimum air pressure that will start the engine.
There must be at least two compressors
In addition to these there must be a compressor which can be started by
hand i.e. with a dead ship. Note: this is not necessary if one of the
compressors is run off the emergency switchboard
SOLAS-REGULATION – 34