DP System Maintenance knowledge testing

Trainee name: _Eko Budi Utomo______________________________________________________

Date: _07-11-2023______________________________________________________

1 What is the purpose of a Vertical Reference Sensor?

A To measure the GPS antenna height
B To measure the vessel displacement
C× To measure the pitch, roll (and heave) motions of the vessel

2 What single component is the most essential part of a DP system?

A Navigation radar system
B Wind sensor
C× The compass

3 What has a major negative effect on sound propagation in water when using an Acoustic Position
Reference system?
A Seabed topography
B Water pressure
C× Thruster activity

4 What is a vessel model?

A 100% accurate description of a vessel’s motions
B A computer algorithm that calculates thruster set point signals.
C× A mathematical description of how the vessel reacts to the forces acting upon it (stimulus).

5 What could be the reason for the HiPAP Transponder telegram timeout alarm?
A× Transponder low battery charge.
B Transponder reference signal move out from the alarm limits, that is indicated on OS screen.
C× Transponder has been obstructed by ROV.
D Transponder located too close to the vessel hull (50 to 20 meters under the vessel keel).

6 Fixed speed, variable pitch propellers

A are inherently more efficient at generating thrust at all power levels.
B are least efficient at full thrust.
C× lose up to thirty percent of full thruster power at low thrust.

7 Underwater Acoustic transmission is not hampered by

A Rain
B× Solar prominences
C Schools of fish

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8 How many Global Positioning Satellites are required to fix a position at sea?
A 1
B 3
C× 4

9 In a DP control system, the controlled degrees of freedom are

A Combined by the model
B× Controlled independently
C Pitch, roll, and yaw

10 What is a thruster exclusion zone?

A An area under the vessel where thrusters cannot be installed because of noise and geometry
B× Azimuth sectors within which thruster output is significantly limited to prevent noise and/or inflow
degradation of other thrusters
C Certain operating conditions in which thrusters are not allowed to be run, such as coming into shallow
water to dock the vessel

11 Which of the following statements is most true about a fixed pitch variable speed thruster driven by
electrical motor?
A Starting currents are very high, power consumption is about 25% at zero thrust, and certain types of
control failures may cause the thruster to run at 100%.
B× Starting currents are small, power consumption is about zero at zero thrust, and most control failures
cause the thruster to shut down.
C Starting currents usually require an extra engine on-line, power consumption is constant regardless of
RPM, and all failure modes shut down the thruster.

12 Which fixed pitch thruster configuration would cause the least power load
A One thruster running at 90% of rated thrust
B Two thrusters running at 45% of rated thrust each
C× Six thrusters running at 15% of rated thrust each

13 Can a DP Operator set up DC thrusters to improve the power plant’s power factor? If so, how?
A× Yes, run fewer thrusters at higher RPM to improve power factor
B Yes, run more thrusters at lower RPM to improve power factor.
C No, any configuration gives the same power factor

14 Which might best help DP performance in a power limit situation?

A Shut off thrusters until all remaining thrusters are running above 90%
B Drop all manual or automatic thruster biasing, adjust heading for minimum thrust, adjust thruster
mode so that all thrusters are working in the same direction.
C× Both A and B above

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15 If one thruster has been running for hours at 45%, opposing the environment, still has 45% command
but suddenly begins showing 20% feedback and a drop in real load, what effect should this have on positioning
ability? Assume the DP system uses open loop thruster control.
A The DP systems automatically compensates for thruster RPM so it will have no effect.
B× The vessel will initially move off set point away from the environment, returns but becomes
somewhat unsettled until the calculated forces readjust
C The vessel will initially move off set point into the environment, then slowly returns while the
calculated forces readjust.

16 If one thruster that is opposing the environment is being commanded at 45% and over 12 hours still
runs at 45% but slowly changes to where it is only showing 20% feedback, would this affect the positioning
ability? Assume the DP system uses open loop thruster control.
A The calculated force becomes artificially larger in the direction opposite to the environmental forces
but there will be no immediate effect on the DP’s ability to maintain position.
B The vessel will slowly move off location over the 12-hour period.
C× There would be no effect at all except a prediction alarm on that thruster.

17 Can the drive of a DC thruster exhibit a zero or near-zero power factor?

A No, the drive has power factor of about 0.6 at all times
B Yes, at full power the magnetic field saturates and power factor goes to zero.
C× No, the associated DC motors never stall; power factor is about 0.6 at low RPM and approaches 1.0 at
full RPM.

18 What does the term “collisions” refer to on Ethernet networks?

A× Two or more devices transmitting at the same time, so that messages “collide” at the receiver and
cannot be decoded
B Data from a device is routed to the wrong destination, so that it “collides” when it arrives.
C A “collision” occurs when an Ethernet device attempts to transmit data at the same time that data
arrives. Both packets are lost and have to be resent.

19 What is the correct procedure to replace faulty PCB at DPC. Situation: the vessel is at DP operation in
drilling mode at deep water, alarm on steering gear PS prediction error & found corresponding TBSS faulty –
terminal damage located, spare TBSS is on board.
A No panic, follow the TRA, toolbox meeting, agreed with parties to enter the DPC cabinet & to
perform repair. Entering the DPC cabinet: wear an earth strip, use any small screwdriver, disconnect power
supply from faulty PCB, disconnect all wires from terminals with isolation, verify do the spare PCB has the
same settings of hex rotary switches/jumpers – change when necessary, replace PCB with spare of the same
type, connect the signal wiring to the PCB installed, connect the power supply terminal strip. Verify the
correct operation of the corresponding equipment (PS steering gear).
B× No panic, follow the TRA, toolbox meeting, agreed with parties to enter the DPC cabinet & to
perform repair. When it is possible – go to DP standby mode & disconnect the power supply from DPC
cabinet. Entering the DPC cabinet: wear an earth strip, use small screwdriver with proper insulation,
disconnect power supply from faulty PCB, disconnect all wires from terminals with isolation, verify do the
spare PCB has the same settings of hex rotary switches/jumpers – change when necessary, replace PCB with
spare of the same type, connect the signal wiring to the PCB installed, connect the power supply terminal
strip. Verify the correct operation of the corresponding equipment (PS steering gear).
C Leave it as it is & request the DP technical support.

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