Main Propulsion Marine Diesel Engine Condition Based Maintenance Monitoring Using Ultrasound Signal

Operating a ship is very critical especially when the bad weather conditions. Therefore, a good and durable engine is especially important when the weather is bad. It is important to make periodic care or maintenance based condition of the engine to ensure that engine capabilities can help facilitate the operation of the vessel. This paper presents study of 2-stroke main propulsion marine diesel engine characteristic using ultrasound signal monitoring condition based maintenance (CBM). The increment of operation and maintenance cost was significantly increase the life cycle cost and it might interrupt the efficiently and return of investment in any particular asset, as in this project is the main propulsion 2-stroke marine diesel engine. The condition based maintenance (CBM) could be one of the option to reduce the maintenance cost and increase the efficiently of the main propulsion engine. The condition based maintenance (CBM) is the option for ship’s owner to gain the profit margin with shrinking the performance of the engine. CBM is the proposed method for performing operation or maintenance and it was applied in various industries such as aviation industries, marine industries and power plant sector. Wave spectrum analysis using ultrasonic signal and wave sensor is one of the CBM method that can be applied for early identifying the excessive friction. In this study, both method condition based maintenance and wave spectrum analysis be utilized together for identifying the main engine performance without involving major and complex procedure. Most important of criterion for boost the profit margin are the reliability, availability, repairing, installation costs, operating costs, flexibility and engine size. Failure to optimize the performance of the main engine will tremendously reduce the company profit margin. This study suggested that once the engine is operating within the operating limit and that wave spectrum and signal show the decrement of wave amplitude, the engine is in good condition and no major maintenance required. If the working parameter is out of the range, and significant friction detected using wave spectrum analysis, then the maintenance is required. Therefore, both condition based maintenance and wave spectrum analysis or signal monitoring is a good combined method to identify the engine performance and able to reduce the maintenance cost that using the conventional maintenance schedule.