MCA 1

Q.1The burning of fuel oil in a diesel engine having a

high sodium content will cause
Ans.1 corrosion and grooving of exhaust valves.
In general, fuels leaving the refinery have sodium content
well below 50mg/kg. If the sodium content increases, which
is normally caused due to seawater contamination. A 1%
seawater contamination represents potentially a 100mg/kg
increase. Vanadium is also present in the fuel oil, which
combines with oxygen to form V2O5 (vanadium pent oxide),
which combines with sodium to form sodium/vanadium
complexes. It is well known that there are low melting
temperatures of sodium/vanadium complexes of certain
critical ratios. The most critical sodium/vanadium ratio is
about 1:3. This will form a sodium/vanadium complex with
a low melting point which will flow with the exhaust gases.
It will get deposited as a hard and brittle layer on the
cold surfaces such as exhaust valve spindles,
turbocharger nozzles and turbine blades. This layer MCA 2
is highly corrosive and corrodes the metal. It is also brittle
and breaks away exposing the metal for fresh attack
especially when they get deposited on exhaust valve seats.
The hard layer breaks and gives a cutting effect on the seat.
Preventive measures can be taken such as keeping the
temperature of the exhaust below the melting point of V2O5
and removal of sodium by proper purification and proper
draining of the settling tanks. Therefore high sodium
content in the fuel oil will result in corrosion and grooving
of exhaust valves.

MCA 3
Q.2 Maintaining proper fuel oil temperature will result
in

Ans. 2 Improved atomization.

Maintaining proper fuel oil temperature will maintain
proper viscosity and viscosity is important from point of
view of atomization. If viscosity is properly maintained,
there will be proper atomization and proper penetration.
Hence there will be proper balance between penetration and
atomization, and there will be better combustion.

MCA 4
Q.3 In order to start a large slow speed diesel engine,
on high viscosity fuel oil after an extended shutdown,
the

Ans.3 the fuel must be preheated.

Fuel has to be preheated so as to bring its viscosity down
so that it can be injected. This is done by preheating of fuel.
When the viscosity is excessively high, there will be
excessive drag and the atomization will suffer. When
atomization suffers, the combustion will not be proper and
sometimes, the fuel may not get fired at all. Under such
circumstances, it is necessary to preheat the fuel before
starting the engine after prolonged shutdown

MCA 5
Q.4 When running a large slow speed main propulsion
diesel engine on heavy fuel which of the following
precautions should be observed when switching back to
diesel?
Ans. 4. The temperature of fuel from the preheater
should be gradually retarded after switching over to the
three way valve.
Whenever the changing from diesel oil to heavy oil or vice-
versa is to be taken place, it is necessary that the temperature
of oil heated or lowered should be carried out gradually so
that there is no sudden shock thermal loading of the
components of the fuel injection system. At the same, it will
allow proper expansion and contraction of different parts thus
maintaining the proper clearance between the running parts
of the system. Otherwise there is a possibility that one part
will cool at a faster rate than other. In that case, there
is seizure of the plunger in the fuel pump or needle in
the guide and there will be heavy damage. 6
MCA
Q. 5 Heavy fuel oil will generally have an upper average
ash content of .1% by weight. Which of the following
condition will occur if the ash content exceeds the
above amount?
Ans. 5. Increase valve wear.
The ash which is present in the fuel oil is mostly in the
form of heavy metals. Hence when the percentage of ash
increases, this ash will get deposited on the valve seat. Due
to this, the valve will not get properly seated on the valve
seat and there will be increase in the wear down. At the
same time, there will be burning of valve and valve slip may
occur.

MCA 7
Q.6 The consistent burning of fuel oil in a diesel engine
with high sulphur content will result in

Ans. 6. Increased cylinder liner wear.

The excessive sulphur in the fuel which is burnt will form
sulphuric acid in the cylinder. When this acid gets
condensed on the liner wall excessive corrosion of the liner
will take place. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to use
cylinder oil with a high TBN value or to keep the liner wall
temperature high by using the jacket cooling water
temperature at a higher range.

MCA 8
Q.7 Burning fuel with high sulphur content in a diesel
engine will

Ans. 7. Produce corrosion in the cylinder and the

exhaust system at low load.
Burning fuel with high sulphur content will produce
sulphuric acid and at low load the temperature of the
exhaust gas and inside the cylinder is low. During this low
load operation the sulphuric acid will get condensed over
the liner wall. Hence excessive corrosion wear will take
place when fuel with high sulphur content is used at low
load operation.

MCA 9
Q.8 Problems with the diesel engine fuel injection
pumps are usually caused by

Ans. 8. contaminated fuel.

When the fuel is contaminated with water or insoluble hard
particles under, the fuel pump plunger and barrel will get
excessively worn-out because of the abrasive wear and the
corrosive wear and all the problems related to the jerk type
pump will start from here onwards.

MCA 10
Q.9 Exhaust valve grooving and corrosion is caused by
certain component of the residual fuel oil. These
components are
Ans.9. sodium, sulphur and vanadium.
Vanadium, in presence of sodium, will give the hot
corrosion because in presence of sodium, vanadium
pentoxide which is formed because of burning of the
vanadium will melt at much lower temperature in the range
of about 500C. This molten vanadium pentoxide is highly
corrosive and it will give the corrosive effect. Hence the
combination of sodium and vanadium in the ratio of 1:3 is
the most dangerous combination which will cause the
grooving. Both sodium and vanadium are present in the
residual fuel.

MCA 11
Q.10 Which of the following conditions may occur while
using fuel with high sulphur content?

Ans. 10. Corrosion

If fuel with high sulphur content is used, sulphur will burn
and it will convert into sulphur trioxide and in presence of
water and moisture it will convert into sulphuric acid which
is highly corrosive. This will give the corrosive wear on the
liner.

MCA 12
Q.11 When comparing different fuel for different
engines the ignition quality of diesel fuel oil becomes a
less critical consideration as

Ans. 11. the engine speed decreases.

As the engine speed decrease the time for the fuel to
atomize evaporate and mix with air to form a combustible
mixture is ample. When ample time is available, it is
possible to burn lower grade of the fuel with low speed
engine. Hence when low grade of fuel is utilized, less critical
consideration is given to the speed of the engine because
lesser the speed of the engine inferior is the quality of fuel
which can be burnt efficiently.

MCA 13
Q.12 Diesel engine oil having low cetane number can
result in

Ans. 12. combustion knock.

Lower cetane number of the fuel low is the grade of the fuel
and because of that ignition delay will increase. Hence more
fuel will get accumulated inside the cylinder before it
catches fire. When it catches fire it will give knocking effect
because of sudden formation of pressure wave. This
knocking effect is called diesel knock which directly
depends on the quality of the fuel.

MCA 14
Q.13 A diesel engine fails to start because of water in
the fuel. In order to start the engine we should

Ans. 13. drain the filter and strainer and bled off the
water at each of the injection pump.
All methods should be taken to remove the water content
from the entire fuel injection system up to the nozzle tip.
This is carried out by bleeding off the water content at
different position including the fuel pump and injector so
that water will not be injected during the injection stroke,
resulting in stopping of the engine or incomplete
combustion or fluctuation in the rpm. In such cases, if
water is present engine may fail to start also.

MCA 15
Q.14 Permitting a daytime fuel tank to run dry can
cause

Ans. 14. air in the fuel.

It is natural that if the engine is running and the fuel tank
is allowed to run dry then it will suck air in the system and
the engine will stop.

MCA 16
Q.15 A diesel engine fails to start due to water in the
injection system. Before engine is started water should
be removed from the

Ans. 15. fuel line.

If water is present it cannot ignite due to which the engine
will not start.

MCA 17
Q.16 What is to be checked if you are suspect misfiring
due to air leakage into the fuel system?

Ans. 16. you should be looking for a leak on the suction

side of the fuel transfer pump or booster pump.
As the fuel in the suction side of booster pump will always
be lower as compared to its delivery side, it is necessary to
check at the suction side of pump for any ingress of air. In
order to avoid this, there should be sufficient height of fuel
in the service tank so that possibility of ingress of air
through the suction glands is minimized.

MCA 18
Q.17 Air in the fuel can cause

Ans.17. the engine to stop.

If there is air in the fuel there will be discontinuity of fuel
injection will take place. If there is discontinuation of fuel
injection the engine will stop.

MCA 19
Q.18 The most common diesel engine fuel injection
system problems are caused by

Ans. 18. dirty fuel.

If the fuel is dirty the fuel filter will get choked. The fuel
injector nozzle will get choked. There will be excessive
weardown of fuel pump barrel and plunger. All this will lead
to deterioration of fuel injection system.

MCA 20
Q.19 Faulty operation of diesel engine fuel injection
nozzle can be a direct cause of

Ans.19. sedimentation in the fuel supply.

If the fuel supply is having sedimentation, sludge or hard
particles the injection nozzle will get seized or there will
excessive wear of injection nozzle and needle and guide and
because of this the spray pattern will change and there will
be faulty operation of diesel engine. Also the sludge may
enter the combustion space and cause the weardown of the
liner and piston rings.

MCA 21
Q.20 What colour exhaust will be exhibited when a low
speed two stroke main propulsion diesel engine
designed to operate on light and heavy fuel oil is
operated on insufficiently preheated heavy fuel oil?
Ans. 20. Black
When the heavy fuel oil is insufficiently heated up viscosity
of the fuel oil will be high because of which when it is
injected it will not properly atomize. At the same time the
penetration will be high and because of all this reasons the
fuel will not properly mix with the air. It will not evaporate
neatly in the combustion space to form a combustion
mixture which will ultimately result in high exhaust
temperature, black smoke and loss of power.

MCA 22