Cut Backs

[ArkSeaJumper]

Hi all

As everyone here knows the shipping world is suffering the same as all other industries, Boss’s are shouting for ideas to save money.

Without laying up ships or laying off crew, I would like to start a thread here for ideas.

1 Traditionally our vessels have had two speeds, full (hell for leather, get that contract) and economical, (roughly 70% pitch). We are going to try a Set Speed system. Say 13 knots, if the vessel is above that slow down, or below speed up. Tides and weather not withstanding)

2 Shutting down unnecessary heating during prolonged stays in port or at anchor, cutting down the fuel burned in the boiler. This will have to be carefully balanced between extra spares used in some purifiers after a shutdown, and not getting caught short of available fuel.


3 ????

[JK]

I was on an Energy Conservation course a couple of years ago. One of the presentors was from the US and did a talk on their program in the US Navy for energy conservation.
They run it as a competitive process where the units that have the biggest cut in consumption get to fly the flag and get praise heaped on their heads (we know how Captains love that!)
Their site is:
http://www.i-encon.com/checklist.htm
While it is very USN specific it has some good points. Too bad the site is being rebuilt, because there was a lot of info there.
And some other thoughts:
Investigating engine fuel pumps, can more efficient ones be installed
Burning sludge in the boilers to make steam-need specialized equipment.
More energy efficient lighting
Motion sensors in areas where staff may not be in most of the day, turn lights off and on.
Replace old motors with new energy efficient types
Size generating equipment adequately so one engine can manage the ordinary load demands.
Father/son engine packages.

Better get back to work...phone is ringing.

[JK]

A few more :

Pumps-do not capacity control by throttling the discharge
Pump/fans correctly sized for application. Check efficiency curves
Install variable speed drives on motors.Reduce pump/fan speeds. If the speed is reduced 50% the power required could be lowered to 87.5%
Install soft starts on large motors to prevent surges and need to start second generators.
Clean air ducts, clean filters. Good duct routing to prevent flow resistance. Balance ventilation system.
Eliminate dampers or valves for fluid control-change drive speed.
Is the pump or fans still adequate for system after modifications.

Check compressed air system for leaks and repair.
Reduce air requirements.
Fit large receivers so compressor is not cycling.
Reduce compressed air pressure. If not the starting system, the air supplied to deck and workshop.

Motion sensors/timers on lights
Use task lighting
Switch to more efficient light source.

Clean condensers in refrigeration units
evaporators defrost working
insulated refrigeration lines
Simultaneous heating/cooling occurring (freezer door being left open)
Door seals in good shape
Control setpoints-thermostats operating correctly

Regular maintenance on motors
downsize motor if it is overcapacity or install two smaller pumpsets.
Install energy efficient motors
correct power factors
Adjust belt drives correctly.

Use correct water treatment in boilers and operate at minimum stream pressure/hot water temperature that is required.
Maintain burners adjustment
monitor excess air at boiler combustion
heat exchanger surfaces clean
insulation is good
survey steam traps
repair steam/condensate leaks
shut down any steam lines not required
recover hot condensate, do not exhaust to atmosphere
maintain pressure reducing stations
monitor steam and condensate flows

operate equipment at capacity
repair insulation
add/upgrade insulation

install heat recovery on exhaust/intake ventilation
Ensure automatic controls on air conditioning system operating correctly
Keep exterior doors closed when AC on
Leave ER doors closed when plant shut down to ensure accommodation HVAC balance not affected.
Shut ER fans off when plant shutdown
Shut ER heaters off when not required, run at minimum temperatures to prevent condensation.

Avoid ice covered waters, choose the best course to avoid heavy concentrations of ice...unless of course you are cleaning your hull off.

[JK]

And, Schneider Electric will survey your vessels (for a cost) and provide energy management options. They will will give an estimate on costs of implementing.

Does the Power To Be's want to spend money to implement or expect miracles? Most of what I have posted is done on a well maintained vessel as matter of course.

[ArkSeaJumper]

The powers do not what to spend any money at the moment, regardless of how much it may save in the future.

All our vessels are fairly simple affairs. It is always harder to find savings than on massive complex systems.

[JK]

We work for the same managers then.
They view their staff as miracle workers.
So, when will you be walking on water?

[The Dieselduck]

It seems that in the good times - last year, record profits were made and they still did not invest in their equipment. Of course now with economic doom and gloom there is even less money to go around. Indeed the powers that be must expect us to walk on water.

[ArkSeaJumper]

I have tried to explain that we haven’t spent the last 10 years devising ways of wasting money, but the bean counters seem to think there is a lot of inefficiencies crept into the day to day running.

[JK]

If there is day to day inefficiencies creeping in, like they think, it is because they have cut back too much either in manpower or cutting the maintenance too fine, IMHO.
You can only save so much money in running the boat at efficient speeds. Let the day to day maintenance slide gradually and voila, there you are, inefficiences.

Another thought. Split the combinator and adjust the pitch to the power out put to the power curve drawing for maximum efficiency. (If you have CPP). Ballast the ship appropriately for conditions.

Also Schneiders are quite reasonable in costs in doing electrical surveys and identifying where power consumption is creeping up. They will provide a report that gives you an estimate on how long it would take to pay back the investments made on lowering the energy consumption. Plus you have a greener ship or more green then the hull

[ArkSeaJumper]

We very rarely have the CPP system on combinator control. I like the engine at it’s operating speed.
Very few ports complain.

[Big Pete]

Think things through, I remember back in the early eighties I was 2/E on a Panamanian flag ship, managed from London and we received a circular letter from the company which copied some energy saving practices of a German Chief Engineer in the company. They included, switching off all the engine room lights when the ship was UMS, (Hazardous for Duty engineer responding to alarms), removing 1 fluorescent lamp from each twin lamp fitting, (Illegal lighting level), only running the toilet extraction fan for 1 hour a day (smelly & unhygienic) etc etc .
I thought it was hilarious, but the author and company were serious.....
If your main engine has variable speed and pitch then it will be most efficient to run it at 100% rated torque, peak pressure and fuel rack stand out, and the minimum revs to give the required speed. However, it will have to run fast enough for any engine driven pumps to work efficiently. Also watch out for any "barred speed ranges"
If you have an exhaust gas economiser, reducing main engine power to the point where the oil fired boiler fires up will negate most of your energy savings. If you approach this point then you have to economise on steam usage, it is no longer "free".
If running at reduced torque/ fuel rack standout engine builders can supply smaller capacity fuel injection nozzles that will atomise smaller quantities of fuel more efficiently, and fuel pump barrels and plungers with a reduced bore/ modified helixes that will optimise the timing and delivery rate of the fuel to try and maintain high peak pressures at low load.
To maximise fuel efficiency it is imperative that the fuel pumps and injectors are correctly overhauled in accordance with makers instructions. It is false economy to try and reuse worn nozzles, they are cheap compared with the cost of the fuel they can waste.
Check fuel injection timing, there are some "engineers" out there who think that they can solve every engine problem by tinkering with the fuel injection timing. Once I took over a Liberian ship with twin Pielsticks, as Chief Enginer, and found the fuel pumps on one engine had all been advanced 15 degrees and the other engine (opposite rotation) retarded by 15 degrees, apparently in an attempt to lower the exhaust temperatures!! ( air coolers choked)
It is possible to run shaft alternators from variable speed engines either through variable ratio epicyyclic gearboxes or through electronic frequency converters and retrofits are possible.
Try to run on only 1 D/A if possible .
Use waste heat from engine cooling to heat domestic hot water and accommodation.