NITROGEN ACCUMULATOR

• WHAT HAPPENED?
• Main Engine MAN B & W 6S60ME-C. While arrival in port from
anchorage ,MAIN ENGINE was tried out ahead and astern which was
found to be ok.
• After heaving up anchor and proceeding to pick up the pilot, upon
starting engine on MOP panel alarm came as
• 1. large deviation from model curve
• 2. Too much deviation hydraulic pressure from setpoint. Upon
checking it was found that HPS engine driven pump no 1 which was
master controller at that time giving swash plate position from 10%
to 100 % on MOP.
• Since hydraulic pump No. 1 was controller pump and 2 and 3 were
follower pumps, so when no 1 pump swash plate position goes to
10% so subsequently 2 and 3 also goes to 10% which further reduces
hydraulic pressure to 190 bar.
• On the other hand when pump 1 goes to 100% then 2 and 3 follows it
and increases hydraulic pressure to 280 bar which was giving large
deviation hydraulic pressure from setpoint alarm. Whenever engine
is stopped electric motor driven HPS pump starts and was able to
maintain the pressure.
• After safely berthing ships engineers checked following things....
• 1. Carried out function test from MOP for no 1 pump and compared
value and movement of awash plate from ahead to astern and back,
which was found to be normal.
• 2. Position transmitter on swash plate was checked and found its
giving correct plate position.
• 3. Accumulator for HPS pump No.1 checked for Nitrogen pressure
and found to be only 3 bar where as pump 2 and 3 was having
pressure 140 bar.
• So pinpointed the problem to leaked N2 accumulator pressure.
Accumulator was charged with nitrogen and subsequent checks
revealed that there is still pressure drop. Suspected leaky diaphragm
and same renewed from spares.
• Then charged the accumulator and again observed the slight leakage
from minimess valve which is on top of accumulator for checking
pressure.Same was also changed with new one.
• System tested for satiafctorry operation
TR1

MINIMESS VALVE
Slide 24

TR1 Tendulkar, Ramachandra, 01-09-2020