Ph2 EK—Ch 11.3.

4-Bridge control

Bridge control of the main engine

The Engine Control Room usually comprises of various panels for monitoring and running of main
engine and other equipment. There is a CRT display, which gives various parameters. An on-line printer
can print out the log ‘on-demand’ or at regular intervals. An Alarm printer will provide the time, type
and numerical values of various alarm conditions. The control systems for Main engine will contain
numerous interlocks, to safeguard against possible emergency conditions, including remote shutdowns
/ trips and indications.
There is an alarm panel provided, which is duplicated in various remote locations. With the ship in
UMS mode, the Navigating watch keeper can control the speed and direction from the Bridge by
means of the remote control system, and the Main engine control system is able to automatically
bypass the Critical Speed range.

Starting and stopping, reversing of engine or propeller pitch and speed control are possible from the
bridge. An emergency direct arrangement for stopping the engine is provided in the bridge,
independent of the normal bridge control system.
If the direction for the engine on air is set as required, the Turning Gear (TG) is disengaged, and the
starting air pressure sufficient, air will admit to the chosen cylinders to start the engine. At firing speed
a signal will be sent to the governor for fuel release.
Provided the essential parameters, such as lubricating oil pressure, cooling water pressure, air spring
pressure, etc, are correct and the respective cut-outs do not block the fuel supply, fuel will be injected
and the engine will start to run in the required direction.
A further program checks the running direction, and speed, and adjusts the signal to the governor for
regulating the speed according to the telegraph order. The program also ensures that continuous
running at critical speed range (if any) is avoided, by a large increase or reduction in fuel charge in
quickly passing over the critical range.
In case the engine fails to start, the program is repeated up to 3 times, after which the system gets
locked and an alarm is sounded for manual intervention.
Control of Propulsion machinery can also be done from the navigating bridge. The propulsion
machinery could be the diesel engine, Steam turbine etc.
Solas requirements:
1. Means of preventing over load of the propulsion machinery
2. System shall be provided with an emergency stopping device on the navigation bridge. It shall be
independent of the navigation bridge control System.
3. Order from the bridge shall be also indicated at engine control room.
4. Remote operation of propulsion system shall be possible only from one location at a time.
Each location shall have indicators showing which location is in Control. While transferring control,
there shall not be significant change in propeller thrust; means to confirm this is to be provided.
5. Control of the propulsion machinery from local in event of failure of automation or remote control
system, should be possible.
6. In case of remote automatic control system failure. an alarm should be given off. Control now
should be possible from the local control station.

Bridge Control--
A diesel engine bridge control system should take into consideration the followings:
1. Starting and reversing
2. Barring of critical running rpm because of torsional vibration.
3. All operations should take place automatically without intervention by the officer in control, And he
should receive a signal confirming that the orders have been obeyed.
4. Movement of the control (telegraph) from stop must first initiate checks like
• Turning gear is disengaged.
• Starting air is available at correct pressure.
 • Cooling water, lubricating oil and fuel oil supplies are in order before the starting sequence begins.
5. Starting sequence will include the following -
• Camshaft is correctly positioned
• Starting air is admitted. shaft turns in right direction to that of order.
• Shaft has gained sufficient speed to cause sufficient compression pressure required for combustion.
• Fuel is admitted.
• Starting air is shut off.
• Speed is adjusted as per control position.
6. If the initial firing revolution at starting has not reached within a fixed period, usually in 3 seconds a further
period of about 4 seconds is allowed to elapse and the cycle is repeated, still under automatic control. Normally
after three false Starts the Operation ceases and an alarm functions.
Through Speed setting the rpm of main engine is set at some fixed value (say 400 rpm). Soon after this, ship is
ready for the manoeuvring. On "standby" since the propeller will be set at zero pitch angle, there will be no
thrust developed by it and main engine will idling, overcoming just the friction of its own bearings and
subsequently consuming hardly any fuel. However the instant pitch angle is increased, propeller will develop a
thrust, pushing ship forward or aft and thus demanding more power from the main engine. Main engine will
meet this higher power demand since its governor would have sensed the tendency of drop in rpm of main
engine on increase in pitch angle and thus would have let in more fuel to flow through fuel metering valve into
the main engine.
Notably on full away we will be having full pitch angle on the propeller and thus developing maximum power.
We may also have choice of setting rpm of main engine during full away at a higher rpm(say upto 500 rpm). This
once again is possible by speed setting signal.
In most ships propeller pitch an engine speed can be remotely controlled (as describedabove) and that also from
a single lever known as combinator, see figure 8.6.

Advantages achieved by controllable pitch propeller system

1. Improved manoeuvrability.
2. Can use uni-directional engine. no reversing mechanism is required, thus no associated problems.
3. Reduced no of engine starts are needed - reduced consumption of compressed air thus reduced
maintenance
4. Improved engine efficiency.
5. In bridge controlcpp system, engine room personnel will freed from stand-by duties

Dis-advantages of controllable pitch propeller system :

1. Complex system hence reduced reliability compared to fixed pitch.

2. With oil in prop boss, possibility of pollution of the sea with oil.
3. Increase maintenance on propeller and extra maintenance because of additional equipment
involved(propeller pitch setting mechanism).
 4. Chances of propeller blades getting stuck at some particular pitch angle and thus giving no choice to
vary the magnitude of thrust.
5. Such mechanism need to have a fail safe design which means that if controls fail, the system under
control will adopt a non-dangerous slate. in this case a zero pitch angle. Not possible to adopt in CPP
system.

AIR STARTING SYSTEM

As the piston travels up, the air present in the cylinder (supercharged air) gets Compressed and
therefore becomes hot. Fuel now injected into this hot air gets combusted, Causing rise in pressure
and pushing the piston down on the other side of TDC. As this piston is Coming downwards on power
stroke, some other piston will be traveling upwards on Compression stroke and compressing the air
present inside that cylinder. This is the way continuous combustion of fuel takes place in a running
engine.
However, to cause a piston of a stopped engine to travel upwards, we need an additional system
called 'Starting' system. In most cases of large diesel engines the starting system is provided In the
form of an 'Air starting system'. Here the engine is (for a few initial revolutions) driven by an outside
source of energy (i.e. compressed air). Here the compressed air from the starting air reservoir is
admitted to series of cylinders, one after other. The compressed air enters each unit in turn, through
its starting - air valve when its piston has just passed over the TDC and has commenced
what will be, during running, its power stroke. The starting-air valve remains open and piston has
travelled sufficiently downwards. As starting-air valve closes on one cylinder, another starting-air valve
has already opened on some another cylinder whose piston has just commenced its downward stroke
(figure 14.3). The order of opening of these starting - air valves is called firing order'. A typical firing
order of a 6 unit engine is 1 5 3 6 2 4.
Starting Air System
The 'Firing order' 1 5 3 6 2 4 given above indicates the order in which these units would be receiving
the starting air during the air starting operation. If for example unit No. 6 starting-air valve has opened
and the engine is rotating in clockwise direction. Before this valve shuts the starting-air valve of unit 2
will open. Unit2 will be followed by unit#4 and so on(for ACW rotation the order of air entry 142635 i.e
reverse to clockwise timing order).
It is evident from above that no matter in what position the engine stops, there will always be at least
one of the cylinders with its starting-air valve opened to admit, on starting, the compressed air to start
the engine.
NOW when the engine attains sufficient speed, called minimum firing speed, the fuel is made to get
injected in the units to make the engine run on fuel. Here simultaneously as the fuel is started to be
injected the 'Air starting system' is put out of commission.
Fuel is timed for injection in the unit from the instant the piston is just over TDC and for a period
depending on power required of the engine. All units receive fuel in the same order as they received
the starting air during the air starting operation ie. in same order of firing.

Bow Thruster

Hydraulic driven transverse thruster

BT is installed in the bow or Stem(Best position for a single thruster is at forward. just aft of fore-peak BHD)
and enables the normal process of docking to be managed without the assistance of Tugs, because the vessel is
now more manoeuvrable at low speeds. Safety is increased when berthing in adverse weather conditions,
provided the required thrust capacity has been correctly estimated.
For the conventional thruster in an athwart-ship tunnel. the diesel propulsion engine may be mounted at the
same level as the propeller to provide a direct drive through a reverse/reduction gear. An alternative
arrangement is Where the diesel engine may be mounted above the thruster. when space is limited. In both
cases. the diesel propulsion engines have simple speed control through the fuel rack. and the reduction gear-
box. Flexible couplings are fitted. The reversing gear—box has Ahead/Astern clutches.

Working: During operation water is forced through the tunnel to push the ship sideways either to port or stbd
as required. unit is mostly bridge controlled and is most effective when the ship is stationary.
A fixed-pitch type thruster is shown above, in which a variable delivery hydraulic pump of swash plate
type, located in the gear housing enables the propeller to run in either direction to provide water flow in
either direction. The prime mover like Single speed electric motor may be used for the hydraulic motor. The
prime mover need not be Stopped during manoeuvring since the swash plate controlled pump is used.
swash plate controlled axial pump, running at constant speed can create flow of oil in either direction to run the
hydraulic motor in either direction and at variable speed.

Manoeuvring of Fixed pitch and Controllable pitch propellers

In case of CPP, the Engine is running at a constant speed, while 'the ship's speed is altered by means of
adjusting the Pitch the Propeller. The 'Stop' position is achieved by adjusting to zero pitch, so that the
propeller while still turning, is not creating any thrust. The Ahead and Astern directions can easily be
achieved without any change in the engine direction, thus simplifying the manoeuvring.
The C.P.P. system has advantages / disadvantages as compared to the Fixed pitch propellers :
1. Speed can be conveniently altered, and direction changed from Ahead to Astern easily. The ship
can be easily run at a bare minimum speed, which is useful when berthing.
2. There is no need to re-start the Engines during manoeuvring, thus making it easier, since Fixed
pitch propeller engines require considerable Starting air during manoeuvring, as well as time to
stop and re-start in Astern direction.
3. Steeringat slow speeds is less effective with C.P.P. as compared to Fixed pitch propellers.
4. A constantly turning propeller, in case of C.P.P., may be a hazard, especially to mooring launches.
Extra care is required when running lines, or letting go, or if a Tug's line carries away.
5. In case of C.P.P. propellers, it is important to know the direction of rotation, which must be also
conveyed to the Pilot, i.e. whether it is a left- handed or right handed propeller.
6. There is a serious disadvantage with C.P.P., from the Pilot's point of view, as there is an uncertainty
of how much power is being applied, at any time.

It is most important that there be pre-arranged pitch settings corresponding to the orders Full, Half,
Slow and Dead Slow - Ahead / Astern. The expected approximate speed at each of these settings
should be clearly indicated in the Wheel house.

Nagaraj Shenoy