By
Elly Yates-Roberts |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2019 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Schaller Automation has been developing, producing and selling safety systems for large diesel, gas and dual-fuel engines for the past 50 years. These safety systems, called oil mist detection systems (OMDs), have been successfully deployed in ships and power stations around the world.
Schaller also creates solutions that detect the operating conditions in engines that, if unsuitable, may cause hazardous oil mist to escape. This mist, which contains tiny particles of oil, can lead to explosions in the engine’s crankcase in extreme cases. Schaller’s OMDs act as a reliable safeguard against such accidents.
Another safety hazard that poses a threat to the engines onboard cruise ships and ferries is journal bearing damage. These engine components can be damaged in many ways but most commonly, it is as a result of insufficient lubrication, water in the lubrication oil, excessive temperatures or metal particles entering the lubrication oil stream. When it occurs, journal bearing failure could have catastrophic effects, resulting in huge maintenance costs and long periods of downtime.
Schaller is working to combat this issue by developing a highly sensitive, intelligent monitoring system in collaboration with the Institute for Machine Elements and Systems Engineering at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. This new monitoring sensor, called BEAROMOS 2020, will detect any variation of the bearing friction condition.
When it launches, the sensor will monitor the conditions of bearings and detect differentiating damage mechanisms in a mixed friction regime to prevent potential damage. It can detect these changes earlier than conventional sensors. It then transmits a signal to the BEAROMOS recording software, which is included within the system package, to provide the operator with all necessary information on the system status.
By installing BEAROMOS 2020 on ships, Schaller hopes to provide preventative and predictive maintenance services for engines and any machines that are equipped with journal bearings worldwide.
The system’s preventive maintenance capability provides target monitoring of specific engine components, ensuring that only parts that have been worn out will be replaced. Its predictive maintenance software, on the other hand, uses recorded data to forecast the remaining lifetime of components. Both approaches significantly reduce maintenance costs and increase economic value for operators, all the while giving operators the peace of mind of higher levels of engine safety.
By detecting bearing friction condition changes at such an early stage, operators can reduce the risk of potential damage, avoiding the high costs of reparations as well as maintenance downtime.
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