MEACS
SEM-III PAPER - 1
C/E DAVID FLANAGAN
COMPRESSED AIR
• Explain the use of Compressed Air on board ships
• Compressed air is used for the following purposes on a ship.
• For starting of main engine, auxiliary engine.
• For automation and control air for main and auxiliary engine.
• For different applications on the deck side and in engine room such as chipping,
drilling, buffing, pressurized water jet cleaning etc. by use of pneumatic tools
and machinery.
• For overhauling machinery by use of pneumatic tools and hydraulic jack.
• For pressure testing of different machinery parts, pipeline etc.
• Compressed air is also used for ships whistle and fog horn.
• It is used in life boat for heaving up the latter, if air motor is attached as a
heaving provision.
• For supplying water to accommodation and various parts of the ship through
hydrophore by keeping the later pressurized with air.
• For conducting aerobic breakdowns of the on board sewage in sewage plant.
• For pressurized spray painting.
• Used in soot blowing of boiler and economizer.
• Used in portable pneumatic pumps like Weldon pumps for oil, water and bilge
transfer.
• For general cleaning and services.
• Main Air Compressor
• The main air compressor is the heart of the air-line onboard. The air compressor
compresses air by means of reducing its volume so as to raise its pressure.
• IT IS A MACHINE USED FOR COMPRESSING THE ATMOSPHERIC AIR TO A CERTAIN
DESIRED LEVEL PRIOR TO STORE IN PRESSURE VESSEL. IN THIS PROCESS ATMOSPHERIC
PRESSURE IS INCREASED TO ABOUT 30 BAR, AND VOLUME IS DECREASED.
• Air compressors can be of various types. They include
• 1. Centrifugal Compressors
2. Rotary vane compressor
3. Rotary screw compressors
4. Reciprocating Air compressors
• Most modern merchant vessels are employed with multi-stage reciprocating air
compressors having intercoolers & aftercoolers with auto-draining and unloading
arrangements.
• The capacity of the main air compressor is expressed in terms of Free Air Delivery (FAD)
and is stated in cubic mtrs /hour.
• Free Air Delivery can be defined as the volume of air actually discharged by the
compressor in 1 hour, that would occupy if expanded down to atmospheric pressure and
cooled to atmospheric temperature.
• The discharge of the main air compressor is led into a main air bottle or reservoir which
stores this pressurised air at a maximum of 30-32 bar.
• A ship may have 2 or 3 main air compressors depending upon
many factors such as each air compressor capacity, amount of
volume of air needed for starting of the Main Engine, demand of
air on that particular ship etc.
• COMPRESSOR CAN BE AIR COOLED AND ALSO CAN BE WATER
COOLED.
• ONBOARD SHIPS WE HAVE SEA WATER COOLED COMPRESSOR
OR MAY HAVE THROUGH CENTRAL COOLING.
• COMPRESSOR CAN BE SINGLE ACTING CAN BE DOUBLE ACTING
ALSO.
• DIFFUSER CONVERTS VELOCITY ENERGY IN TO PRESSURE ENERGY
• The marine boilers and exhaust gas economizers on certain ships
are soot blown with air, these ships may be employed with higher
capacity air compressors at the design stage depending on ship
owners.
• As per SOLAS requirements, a ship’s main air compressors should
be able to fill its air reservoirs from 0 to maximum pressure (30bar)
within 1 hour.
• Main Air Reservoir
• Each ship is equipped with a set of 2 air reservoirs. They may
be of the vertical or horizontal type.
• Air reservoirs are hydraulically pressure tested to 1.5 times its
working pressure.
• As Per Solas Regulations –
• The total capacity of air reservoirs must be sufficient to give
at least 12 consecutive Main Engine starts for a reversible
engine, and at least 6 consecutive starts for a non-reversible
engine without refilling of the reservoirs.
• There must be 2 identical main air receivers and 1 emergency
air bottle for every vessel.
• AIR RECEIVERS ARE LARGE RESERVOIR TO STORE COMPRESSED
AIR FOR DIFFERENT USE LIKE SERVICE AIR,STARTING
AIR,CONTROL AIR,SPRING AIR,SAFETY AIR ETC
• MOUNTINGS ON AIR RESERVOIR
• FILLING VALVE: A VALVE FITTED ON AIR BOTTLE FOR FILLING
FROM AIR COMPRESSOR.
• MAIN ENGINE STARTING VALVE: AN OUTLET VALVE FOR
SUPPLYING AIR DURING STARTING.
• AUXILIARY ENGINE STARTING VALVE : AN OUTLET VALVE AND
PIPE IS FITTED FOR CONNECTION FROM AIR BOTTLE TO
ALTERNATOR ENGINE
• SERVICE AIR VALVE: OTHER AUXILIARY SUPPLIES CONNECTIONS
SUCH AS SERVICE AIR, SAFETY AIR ETC. IS ALSO PROVIDED WITH
ISOLATING VALVE.
• RELIEF VALVE: IS FITTED ON THE AIR BOTTLE TO RELIEVE EXCESS
PRESSURE
• DRAIN VALVE: A DRAIN VALVE IS FITTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
BOTTLE TO DRAIN ACCUMULATED CONDENSATE FROM THE
RECEIVER.
• FUSIBLE PLUG: A FUSIBLE PLUG IS FITTED IN THE BOTTLE
WITH A SEPARATE CONNECTION LEADING OUT OF THE
ENGINE ROOM SO THAT IN THE EVENT OF FIRE, THIS PLUG
WILL MELT TEMP 150 DEGREE CELCIUS AND RELIEVE ALL
THE AIR TO THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHERE.
• MANHOLE DOOR: A MANHOLE DOOR IS FITTED IN THE
BOTTLE TO CARRY OUT INSPECTION
• PRESSURE GAUGE: IS FITTED ON THE AIR BOTTLE TO READ
PRESSURE IN BOTTLE
• ATMOSPHERIC RELEASE VALVE:
• AUTOMATIC CONDENSATE DRAIN
• Safety devices fitted on Air compressor
• RELIEF VALVE: EACH STAGE DISCHARGE PRESSURE SIDE IS FITTED WITH RELIEF
VALVE TO LIFT OFF WHEN THE PRESSURE RISES 10% MORE THAN THE
WORKING PRESSURE.
• BURSTING DISC: EACH INTER COOLER IS FITTED WITH A BURSTING DISC ON
THE WATER SIDE TO PROTECT IN CASE OF A TUBE FAILURE.
• CRANK CASE EXPLOSION DOOR: WHEN THE CRANK CASE VOLUME INCREASE
0.6 CUBIC METER OR MORE, THE DOOR GET OPEN AND AVOID CRANK CASE
EXPLOSION.
• UNLOADER VALVE: WHEN THE REQUIRED SET PRESSURE, REACHED THIS
VALVE GETS OPEN AND RELEASES THE PRESSURE.
• AUTO CUT OUT SWITCH: WHEN REQUIRED PRESSURE IS OBTAINED THEN THIS
SWITCH PUT OFF THE COMPRESSOR.
• HIGH TEMPERATURE ALARM: WHEN THE AIR TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE THE
SET TEMPERATURE, THIS GIVES ALARM LOW LUB. OIL PR. CUTOUT: WHEN THE
LUBRICATION OIL PRESSURE DROPS BELOW 2.0 BAR THEN THIS TRIPS THE
COMPRESSOR.
• OVERLOAD TRIP FOR MOTOR: WHEN THE LOAD ON THE MOTOR INCREASES,
MOTOR TRIPS.
• NON RETURN VALVE: THIS VALVE PREVENTS THE AIR TO COME BACK TO
COMPRESSOR
• Hazards working with Compressed Air
• COMPRESSED AIR ACCIDENTALLY BLOWN INTO
• THE MOUTH CAN RUPTURE THE LUNGS,
• STOMACH OR INTESTINES
• 2. COMPRESSED AIR CAN ENTER THE NAVEL, EVEN
• THROUGH A LAYER OF CLOTHING, AND INFLATE
• AND RUPTURE THE INTESTINES
• 3. COMPRESSED AIR CAN ENTER THE
• BLOODSTREAM, AND DEATH IS POSSIBLE IF IT
• MAKES ITS WAY TO BLOOD VESSELS IN THE BRAIN
• DIRECT CONTACT WITH COMPRESSED AIR CAN
• LEAD TO SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND
• EVEN DEATH
• 5. REGULATED COMPRESSED AIR EVEN PRESSURE
• BELOW 30 PSI SHOULD NOT BE USED TO CLEAN
• THE HUMAN BODY
• 6. 12 POUNDS OF COMPRESSED AIR PRESSURE
• CAN BLOW AN EYE OUT OF ITS SOCKET.
• Precaution when working on Compressed air lines
1. PERSON WORKING ON LINE MUST HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WORK AND
HAZARDS.
2. LINE ON WHICH WORK TO BE DONE MUST BE DRAINED AND CROSS
CHECKED.
3. LOOK FOR PRESSURE GAUGE SHOWING ZERO
• WHEN START TO WORK ON LINE MAKE SURE LINE ISOLATION VALVE
CLOSED
• 5. PUT A BLANK IN FLANGE IN CASE LINE ATTACHED TO A ANOTHER
PRESSURE VESSEL.
• 6. INDIVIDUAL TO PUT ON PPE - EYE PROTECTION AND EAR
PROTECTION
• COMPRESSED AIR SHOULD NOT BE USED TO
• BLOW DIRT AND DEBRIS FROM ONE SELF OR A
• DIRTY SURFACE.
• ERRONEOUS READINGS ON GAUGES AND
• SUBSTANDARD CONDITION OF THE PUMP CAN
• CREATE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARDS
