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Sector
Marine
Location
United Kingdom – At Sea
Services
Remote Monitoring and Data Services
Our partnership with a major cruise line company
Overview
We were approached by a major cruise line operator and asked to help avoid early failure of turbochargers.
The cruise line operator had a population of around 150 large turbochargers. Of these, just under 100 were of a particular make and design and, due to reasons unknown, an average of four of these failed catastrophically each year.
The challenge
The financial cost to the company was approximately $1,000,000 per year but this did not take into account the hidden costs of dissatisfied passengers, or the very real risk of injury to crew and/or an increased fire risk that could endanger the whole vessel.
The solution
After conducting a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) study we designed and created a turbocharger monitoring unit (TCM).
Data collection involved vibration signatures, gas inlet and outlet temperatures, scavenge air pressure and rotor speed.
The units were made with the following capabilities:
- Automated, self-contained and remotely accessible (both on-board and off the ship).
- Able to identify rotor deterioration and to indicate this immediately to the vessel’s control room watchkeepers.
- Indicate to nominated personnel ashore whenever a turbocharger alert was initiated.
- Self-monitoring, such that any failed sensor, inaccurate speed signal, or loss of hard drive had to be flagged to both on-board and shore side users.
The Result
We successfully designed, developed and commissioned the TCM units.
The units correctly identified the early onset of failure on six occasions within the first 12 months of operation. In following years, a further eight failures were prevented. There were no failures, other than two due to foreign object damage, went unreported and the success of the system resulted in estimated savings in excess of £3,000,000. The 22 units we installed across the 100 turbochargers continue to operate and provide early warning, avoiding catastrophic failures.
Key outcomes
The system prevented 4 turbocharger failures/year, saving £3M.
System correctly identified 6 early failures in 1st year, 8 more in following years.
No failures unreported, except 2 due to FOD (Foreign Object Damage).
System in operation for several years, continuing to provide early warning.
Contact us to find out more about our Condition Monitoring and Lubrication Services
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