Professional Documents
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DHIRENDRA BIHARI
TRIBOLOGY IN MARINE APPLICATIONS
EXPLAIN TRIBOLOGY- DEALING WITH FRICTION, WEAR,
AND LUBRICATION OF INTERACTING SURFACES IN
RELATIVE MOTION (AS IN BEARINGS OR GEARS) ENGINE
OIL DEGRADATION AND CONTAMINATION
Tribology is the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion.
It includes the study and application of the principles of friction, lubrication
and wear.
The tribological interactions of a solid surface's exposed face with interfacing materials
and environment may result in loss of material from the surface. The process leading to
loss of material is known as "wear". Major types of wear include abrasion, friction
(adhesion and cohesion), erosion, and corrosion. Wear can be minimized by modifying
the surface properties of solids by one or more of "surface engineering" processes (also
called surface finishing) or by use of lubricants (for frictional or adhesive wear).
The dynamic Coefficient of friction = Tangential force/ normal force.
Oiliness:-
A property of lubricating oil called oiliness assumes a
significant proportion while considering lubrication of
bearing surfaces under thin film condition. The property of
oiliness may be defined as the ability of oil to adhere to or
wet the surfaces with which they are in contact. It is as if a
molecular layer of lubricant is absorbed at the surfaces and
the bond prevents their squeezing out of the space.
Diesel Engine Lubrication
If one examines the requirements of lubrication amongst the large number of
moving parts in diesel engine, it will be noticed that the conditions are varied
and the requirements are divergent. Considering the nature of motion that exists
between the surfaces the diesel engine bearings are divided under the following
groups:
•Journal pin, crankshaft, camshaft and other bearings where the motion is purely
rotational.
•Cross head pin, rocker arm etc. where the motion is oscillating.
•The meshing teeth in the gear train, chain rollers and sprocket wheel, ball
bearings etc. where nominal line or point of contact exists in rolling motion.
•Cross head guide, piston rings, valve stem etc. Where high sliding velocity
exists.
Though the purpose of lubrication is primarily to reduce friction between
working surfaces, there is, in addition, another important function in a diesel
engine of maintaining an effective piston ring seal and transfer of heat thus
cooling. It will be appreciated from the fore going that the lubricating oil will
have to satisfy a variety of requirements in order to be really effective in service.
The many available lubricant choices are associated with a few specific lubrication
regimes. These are in turn differentiated by the film associated film thickness as follows:
• Hydrodynamic Fluid Film. The layer completely separates and prevents direct contact
of the solid surfaces involved. The film thickness is several times larger than the
magnitude of the composite standard deviation of surface heights of the contacting
surfaces, usually of the order of 100 micrometers.
• Elastohydrodynamic. The layer is severely compressed and thinned by the applied load.
Direct contact is still prevented but contacting solids deform elastically because of the
high film pressure. The film thickness is only slightly larger than the magnitude of the
composite standard deviation of surface heights of the contacting surfaces, usually of
the order of 1 micrometer.
• Transition or Mixed Lubrication. The film thickness becomes of the order of the surface
asperities (i.e. of the order of 0.1 micrometer) and intermittent contact is obtained
• Boundary Lubrication. The film can be as small as a single adsorbed layer. Intermit-
tent solid contact may take place.
Elasto-Hydrodynamic Lubrication
At large loads lubricating films in converging gaps are capable of supporting much greater
pressures than those estimated using standard lubrication theory. Two key effects that
must be considered are
• the pressure sensitivity of the viscosity, and
• the elastic deformation of the solid surfaces.
Elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication analysis accounts for the above two effects and
allows determination of fluid film thickness and pressure distribution which are in good
agreement with experimental measurements on heavily loaded lubricated contacts.
In heavily loaded bearings, high pressures develop inside the entrapped fluid film. Since
lubricant viscosity is pressure dependent the lubricating film exhibits solid-like behavior
under these conditions.
Boundary Lubrication
It is now known that lubricating layers as small as a single molecule are capable of
producing significant improvements in tribological performance (i.e. reduced friction and
wear). This is the subject of boundary lubrication.
Even single molecular layers of particular substances attached to solid surfaces can have
important effects on tribological behavior. This is the basis of boundary lubrication
technol-ogy. With the availability of the surface force apparatus (SFA) it is now possible to
measure not only the thickness of the lubricating film down to atomic dimensions but
also the friction forces involved.
The key to boundary lubrication is the formation and maintenance of a single or multi-
molecular layer of lubricating material so as to prevent as much as possible the direct dry
contact of the solid surfaces in the tribological couple. Intervening films such as oxide and
sulfide layers have demonstrated to be effective in reducing friction and wear. This is a
good example of a chemical film. The oxide material in the film is in intimate contact with
the metal surface underneath.
Many other such chemical films are possible and particularly important are those formed
when certain organic compounds react with the metal surfaces. Specifically, pure paraffin
oil and combinations with small amounts of a fatty acid such as lauric acid, can be very
effective in reducing friction. The resulting metallic soap molecules formed at the surface
perform well until the temperature becomes high enough that soap melting and film
breakdown takes place.
As a general rule, polar molecules exhibit strong affinity for bare metal surfaces and are
thus ideal candidates as boundary lubricants. Such molecules may attach to the substrate
by physical adsorption, chemical adsorption or by chemical reaction. Most appropriate are
straight chain organic molecules with one polar end such as alcohols and soaps of fatty
acids.
Often, the presence of more than one molecular layer of lubricating material leads to
improved tribological performance. Experimental data shows that some 50 layers of
stearic acid deposited onto a stainless steel surface produce a low friction surface over a
large number of repeated sliding contacts.
Another way of increasing friction performance with boundary lubrication is to use still
single layers but of longer chainmolecules. The performance is also improved by the
increased stability of the longer chain molecules on the metal surfaces.
A number of intervening solid layers are capable of reducing friction. Surface coatings
of materials with layered crystallographic structures, specifically graphite and
molybdenum disulphide have been found useful in reducing friction and wear.
Summary
In sum, the engineer and the designer have available the following spectrum of
unlubricanted and lubricated joint types:
• Solid-solid contact
• Few-atom thick molecular layer lubricants
• Fluid lubricants: Animal fat, vegetable and petroleum-based oils, mineral oils, syn-
thetic oils, and additives
• Greases
• Solid lubricants: Layer- and nonlayer-lattice solids, fullerenes and polymer plastics
1
TYPES OF OILS-MINERAL AND SYNTHETIC
Lubricants can be classified by their origin—animal (e.g., sperm oil, goose
grease), vegetable (e.g., soybean oil, linseed oil), or mineral (e.g., petroleum,
molybdenum sulfide). From ancient times until the late 19th cent. lubricants were
obtained from vegetable oils or animal fats and oils. Today most are derived from
mineral oils, such as petroleum and shale oil, which can be distilled and
condensed without decomposition. Synthetic lubricants, such as silicones, are of
great value in applications involving extreme temperatures. In certain types of
high-speed machinery films of gas under pressure have been successfully used
as lubricants.
Differing widely in viscosity, specific gravity, vapour pressure, boiling point, and other
properties, lubricants also offer a wide range of selection for the increasingly varied
needs of modern industry. But whatever their derivation or properties, the purpose of
lubricants is to replace dry friction with either thin-film or fluid-film friction, depending
on the load, speed, or intermittent action of the moving parts. Thin-film lubrication, in
which there is some contact between the moving parts, usually is specified where heavy
loads are a factor. In fluid, or thick-film, lubrication a pressure film is formed between
moving surfaces and keeps them completely apart. This type of lubrication cannot easily
be maintained in high-speed machinery and therefore is used where reciprocating or
oscillating conditions are moderate.
Lubricant Types and Characteristics
According to their physical characteristics lubricants are classified as follows:
• Mineral Oils. A complex mix byproduct of fractional distillation of crude oil.
• Synthetic Oils. Produced by polymerization of low molecular weight hydrocarbons.
• Greases. Mixtures of lubricating oils and thickeners obtained by adding alkali and fatty
acid to oil.
• Boundary Lubricants. Molecules with strong affinity towards the surface being lubri-
cated.
• Solid Lubricants. Layered and non-layered lattice solids; fullerenes.
In fluid film hydrodynamic lubrication both mineral and synthetic oils are commonly
used. Key properties of these lubricants which must be considered in engineering design
include
• Viscosity: dynamic and kinematic.
• Physical properties: density, conductivity, specific heat, surface tension, refractive in-
dex, additive compatibility and solubility, impurity content.
• Stability: pour, cloud, flash and fire points; volatility, oxidation rate.
TIMED CYLINDER LUBRICATION – CYLINDER OIL
PROPERTIES
This cylinder lubrication, shown in the figure is based on a lubricator which injects
a specific volume of oil into each cylinder for each (or for every second, third, etc.)
revolution. The oil fed to the injectors is pressurised by means of Alpha lubricator
on each cylinder, equipped with small multi piston pumps. The amount of oil fed
to the injectors can be finely tuned with an adjusting screw, which limits the length
of the piston stroke.
The dosage of oil can be adjusted means of an adjustment screw which limits the
stroke of the main lubricator piston. After a predetermined time interval,
the computer transmits an OFF signal to the solenoid valve, which shuts off the
system pressure and opens the return oil system.
The amount of oil injected varies as required, e.g. at load changes, start/stop,
or increased engine load. Alternatively, the dosage of oil fed to the individual
cylinders can be adjusted by injecting a calibrated amount of oil, a number of
times, at a given number of revolutions. A combination of the two systems can
also be used.
A pump station delivers lube oil to the lubricators at 45 bar pressure. The
lubricators have a small piston for each lube oil quill in the cylinder liner, and the
power for injecting the oil comes from the 45 bar system pressure, acting on a
larger common driving piston. Thus, the driving side is a conventional common
rail system, whereas the injection side is a high-pressure positive displacement
system, thus giving equal amounts of lube oil to each quill and the best possible
safety margin against clogging of single lube oil quills.
For the larger bore engines, each cylinder has two lubricators (each serving half of
the lube oil quills) and an accumulator, while the small bore engines (with fewer
lube oil quills per cylinder) are served by one lubricator per cylinder. The pump
station includes two pumps (one operating, the other on stand-by with automatic
start up), a filter and coolers.
The lubricator can be delivered for our conventional engines in which case it
is controlled by a separate computer unit comprising a main computer, controlling
the normal operation, a switchover unit and a (simple) back-up unit. A shaft encoder
supplies the necessary timing signal in that case. When used on ‘Intelligent
Engines’, these functions are integrated in the engine control computers and their
shaft encoders.
The lubrication concept is intermittent lubrication – a relatively large amount of lube
oil is injected for every four (or five or six, etc.) revolutions, the actual sequence
being determined by the desired dosage in g/bhph. The injection timing is
controlled precisely and – by virtue of the high delivery pressure – the lube oil is
injected exactly when the piston ring pack is passing the lube oil quills, thus
ensuring the best possible utilisation of the costly lube oil.
The safety features of this system are as follows:
In the event of malfunctioning solenoid valve or transducer, the oil dosage will
automatically be increased to the maximum volume. If the oil pressure falls, the
computer will start stand-by pump, close down the faulty pump and sets on the
alarm.
In this system if one lubricator malfunctions (980-700 mm bore engines), the
oil dosage from the other lubricator will be automatically doubled, and an alarm
will be given whereas for 600-260 mm bore engines, alarm and slow down ensue.
An inductive sensor in each lubricator monitors the movement of the lubricator
piston a signal is sent to the control computer system which has a backup for
safety.
In the shipping industry, two giants – MAN Diesel and Wartsila have introduced a
remarkable technology for modern electronically controlled marine engines. Known as
Alpha and Pulse lubrication systems, this new technology is one-of-its-kind.
In this article we will understand what does pulse lubrication means and how it helps to
reduce the cylinder oil feed rate and eventually the operating costs of the ship.
Wartsila- A major player in the marine engine manufacturing industry has introduced an
intelligent cylinder lubrication system in its electronically controlled engine. This system is
popularly known as the pulse lubrication system.
What is Pulse Lubrication System?
A pulse lubrication system is an electronically controlled cylinder oil lubrication system for
Wartsila engines, wherein metered quantity of cylinder oil is injected in to the liner,
depending on the engine load. This ensures that accurate amount of cylinder oil is
delivered inside the liner at the correct set-time for that particular engine load.
Construction and Working of Pulse Lubrication System
There are normally eight quills attached to the cylinder liner in a single row, which gets
the oil supply from the electronically controlled dosage pump
The oil is supplied to the dosage pump from daily tank via fine filter of 40 microns
The quills consist of a duct passage to store metered quantity of oil. The area of this duct
passage and the quantity of oil can be altered by changing the position of the central
piston
There are crank angle sensors attached to the engine which give signals to the control
unit in order to inject oil at the correct position of piston movement
200 bar high pressure servo oil reduced to 50 bars are supplied to the lubricator unit,
which pressurises the centre piston in the quills. This injects oil inside the liner at
adequate pressure for even distribution
WECS (Wartsila Engine Control System) which is the master controller of the Pulse
lubrication system controls the solenoid valve opening and the oil injection
Each unit is provided with 8 lubricating quills, 2 piping systems of Cylinder oil and servo
oil, and A 4/2 solenoid valve to servo oil flow.
After receiving signal from the crank angle sensor, at the correct position i.e. between
the pack of piston rings, WECS allows the solenoid valve to open and pass the servo oil.
This in turn presses the central piston and delivers the oil stored in the duct passage of
the quills.
CONSEQUENCES OF OVER AND UNDER LUBRICATING
Over lubrication will lead to excessive deposit build up generally in the form of carbon deposits.
This can lead to sticking of rings causing blowpast and loss of performance, build up in the
underpiston spaces leading to scavenge fires, blockage and loss of performance of Turboblowers
as well as other plant further up the flue such as waste heat recovery unit and power turbines.
Under lubrication can lead to metal to metal contact between liners causing microseizure or
scuffing. Excessive liner and piston wear as well as a form of wear not only associated with
under lubrication but also with inadequate lubrication called cloverleafing Causes
Insufficient cyl l.o
Incorrect cyl l.o.
Blocked quill
Incorrect cyl at each stroke.
The fine adjustment operates in such away that by screwing it in the stroke of each pump may
be accurately metered. Additionally it may be pushed into give a stroke enabling each p/p to be
tested. The eccentric stroke adjuster acts as a coarse adjustment for all the pumps in the block.
Additionally it may be rotated to operate all the pumps, as is the case when the engine is pre-
lubricated before starting. Correct operation of the injection pumps whilst the engine is running
can be carried out by observing the movement of the ball
For many years there has been a prevailing perception that the more oil you use for
cylinder lubrication, the better. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Our experience has shown that the main reasons for increased cylinder wear, broken
piston rings and overall poor cylinder condition is over lubrication. It is therefore a
problem which should be taken seriously.
Over lubrication of a two stroke engine can be very harmful for the cylinder condition and
can lead to high cylinder liner and piston ring wear, and also breakage of the piston rings
or they get stuck.
Many crew members are under the impression that the larger amount of oil they use for
cylinder lubrication, the better. They often try to solve a problem by increasing feed
rate. However, this is far from true.
Excess of cylinder oil and thereby also excess of additives will, as only part of the additives
are used for neutralization of the sulfuric acid formed during the combustion, burn off
and form a layer of residues on the piston top land to an extent that the residues will
touch the cylinder liner and consequently wipe off the cylinder oil from the cylinder liner
running surface.
Correct dosage of cylinder oil is a very important part of optimizing consumption and
cylinder condition.
Always be aware of the sulphur content in the fuel oil in use, and adjust the cylinder oil
feed rate accordingly.
Especially when low sulphur fuels are taken into use, frequent port inspections are
recommended.
For recommendations about feed rate, for instance according to sulphur contents in
fuel oil, we refer to our service letter about this isssue for relevant recommendations.
The system is based on an injector which injects a specific volume of oil into each
cylinder on each ( though more normally alternate) revolution of the engine. Oil is
supplied to the injector via a pump or pumps. A computer, which is synchronised to the
engine at TDC each revolution, finitely controls the timing . Generally most efficient
period for lubrication is taken at the point when the top rings are adjacent to the
injection points.
The injection period is governed by the opening of a return or 'dump' solenoid which
relieves system pressure.
Quantity can be adjusted by manually limiting the stroke of the main lubricator piston,
by altering the injection period or by the use of multiple mini-injections per revolution.
The high degree of accuracy with this system allows for lower oil consumption rates.
Shown is the injector unit fitted to modern camshaftless slow speed engines. The
motive force is via a dedicated or common hydraulic system. The hydraulic piston acts
on multiple plungers one for each quill. At the dedicated time the electric solenoid
valve energises an allows hydraulic oil to act on the piston commencing oil injection.
One or two pumps per unit may be fitted dependent on cylinder diameter and oil flow
requirements.
Precise control of the timing of injection allows oil to be delivered into the ring pack,
something which has proved impossible with mechanical means. This has reduced oil
consumption by as much as 50%.
Pre- lubrication for starting may be built into the bridge remote control system or
carried out manually
STERNTUBE LUBRICATION- DEVELOPMENTS,
HYDROX 21 LUBRICANTS
HYDROX 21 – AT A GLANCE
Mineral oil based sterntube lubricant for use in the event of outboard
Description
leakage and with some stabiliser fin shafts.
Emulsifiable
These mineral based lubricants provide an excellent level of lubrication in both
neat and emulsion forms. They are developed primarily for use in sterntubes. The
products provide:
•Superior level of lubrication even when water ingress occurs
•Excellent wear protection
•Excellent corrosion protection
•Compatibility with metals commonly used
HYDROX 21 is compatible with the elastomers used for lip seal systems and are
approved by the major lip and face stern seal manufacturers.
HYDROX 21 will absorb any sea or fresh water entering the sterntube to form a
fluid emulsion. This reduces the risk of free water being present and continues to
provide the required lubrication and corrosion protection. (Conventional oils do
not emulsify in the same way and tend to separate, exposing components to free
water and potential wear damage).
The emulsions, once formed, have excellent stability, therefore free water is not
released. This ensures corrosion protection is maintained even during prolonged
standing and during the critical time of start-up.
HYDROX 21 (both neat oil and emulsion including 20% water contamination) has
been successfully tested by Class and their stability, lubricating and corrosion
protection performance have been verified by Lloyds Register.
HYDROX 21 is recommended for use particularly where problems of oil leakage
past the aft seals is experienced.
HYDROX 21 is compatible with most engine oils and system oils commonly used
in the sterntube and can therefore be introduced by top-up procedure to the
existing sterntube oil. A minimum of 50% is recommended as the initial charge,
however, the lubricant offers the greatest benefit when used to completely fill the
sterntube system.
Tie bolts can break in service. To reduce the risk of this happening they must be
checked for tightness; not overtightened; and the engine not overloaded. If a
breakage does occur, this is not disastrous, as the engine can be operated with care for
a limited period (the load on the engine may have to be reduced). The position of the
fracture will dictate how the broken pieces are removed. However in the worst
possible scenario where the bolt is broken at mid length, then one solution is to lift
out the top half, remove the bottom nut, and then feed a loop of braided wire cable
(about 7mm diameter) down the tie bolt tube, down the side of the broken tie bolt
and once it emerges at the bottom a supporting piece can be fitted to the wire
enabling the broken tie bolt to be withdrawn. Another method is shown here
On the MAN B&W MC-C engine the tie bolts do not pass through the bedplate transverse
girder in the traditional way. Instead there are two pairs of tie bolts fitted either side of the
single plate A frame and screwed into the bedplate transverse girder. This, it is claimed,
reduces the distortion of the bedplate during engine operation
When checking the tightness of tie bolts, refer to manufacturers instructions for tightening
pressures for the jacks and the order in which to carry out the check. The normal order is to
start at the centre and work outwards checking the bolts in pairs. The MC -C engine with its
twin tie bolts is an exception, starting at the fwd end and working aft. If the engine is fitted
with bearing jacking bolts, then these must be slackened before tightening the tie bolts.
Any pinch bolts fitted must also be slackened off