Marine Electrical Systems

Marine Generation & Distribution Systems PART 1: Explain why marine electrical generation and distribution employs an insulated neutral: The main reason that marine electrical systems employ an insulated earth is that if an earth fault occurred on one line then the piece of equipment will not trip. Earth faults can be caused by insulation failure or a loose wire. If a second earth fault occurs on a different line a short circuit will result, causing the equipment to trip. Describe with the aid of a circuit diagram how earth faults are monitored using lamps: In 3 phase distribution 3 indicating lamps are used. They are connected in star, with the star point being earthed. If an earth fault occurs on one of the lines that lamp in that line will appear dim. The intensity of the light indicates the degree of the earth fault. Below is a circuit diagram of earth fault monitoring lamps:

Define High Voltage In Marine Systems: High voltage in a marine system is any voltage that is 1000v (1kv) or larger. Typical marine applications are 3.3Kv, 6.6Kv and more rarely 10Kv. Explain the basic idea of using a Neutral Earthing Resistor (NER) with marine generators: A neutral earth resistor is there to limit the maximum earth fault current that could be produced if the generator had an earth fault. It is connected between the star point of the generator and earth. The fault currents created could be massively larger than the generators designed full load current rating. If this current is not controlled then

serious damage by overheating the winding insulation. The earth fault current is determined by the size of the NER. M3 Explain two reasons why it is important to locate and clear earth faults: If there is an earth fault on one line then due to the insulated neutral the piece of equipment will not trip. If another earth fault occurs on another line then a short circuit is created which will cause the piece of equipment to trip, if this is an essential piece of equipment it could endanger the ship/machinery. This is one reason why it is important to locate and clear earth faults. Secondly if another earth fault occurs in the same line then it becomes increasingly difficult to locate the earth faults. Explain the main advantage of using HV for marine installations: The main advantage of using HV for marine installations is it gives greater power for lower currents compared to LV applications. This results in being able to use smaller gauge cable due to the lower currents, and in turn the build cost of a ship would be greatly reduced. Investigate the IIE 6th Edition of the regulation for installation of electrical equipment on ships, and summarise the regulations regarding earthing of high voltage installations:

PART 2 Distribution Diagram on separate sheet Explain the likely connections for primary and secondary three phase transformer windings: The 3 phase transformers will most commonly comprise of 3 single phase transformers. If one of the single phase transformers fails then the 3 phase output will remain but at reduced power. The primary and secondary coils will normally be connected in delta-delta so if one single phase transformer is to fail then it becomes an open or v delta-delta transformer. This is an advantage as the output is not be lost and will still supply machinery i.e. they will not stop. Also only one phase will need isolating to repair the transformer apposed to the solid 3 phase core type, where the whole transformer needs to be isolated to be repaired.

Identify two examples of essential and two examples of non-essential services: Essential services are those that are required in the event of an emergency. Essential services: Steering gear is classed as an essential service aboard a ship. In the event of power loss from the main switch board then the steering gear should still be able to function, when the emergency generator is supplying. Therefore one of the hydraulic oil pump motors will be supplied by the emergency switch board. Fire prevention is classed as an essential service. If power is lost from the main board the emergency fire pump should still be able to operate. The emergency fire pump motor will be supplied by the emergency switch board. Non-Essential services: Air conditioning is classed as a non-essential service. If power is lost from the main board then the air condition will stop, so is only supplied by the main board. Sewage system would be classed as a non-essential service.

M3 Use your own symbol to show where earth lamps would be fitted:

Explain the equipment required at a shore connection point: The shore connection box must have suitable terminals to accept shore supply cable including an earth terminal to earth the ships hull. It must also have a circuit breaker or an isolator switch and fuses to protect the cable connecting the box to the main switch board. It should also contain a data plate giving details of the ships electrical system, showing the methods of connecting the cable. A volt meter and phasesequence indicator is fitted, to indicate the correct supply phase sequence. When the right lamp is bright and left one dark the sequence is correct. An alternative is a P.S.I. that consists of a rotary pointer driven by a small 3 phase induction motor, the direction the pointer turns shows if the phase sequence is correct. Below is a circuit diagram of the connection box:

Problem

Possible Cause

Tests

Solution

Motor will not start.

1. Fault with supply. 2. Motor or load locked up. 3. Wrong connections in control circuit.

1. Check for correct voltage at motor terminals. 2. Make sure motor and load are free to turn. 3. Check to ensure contactors operate. 1. Check all lugs are properly crimped or soldered, and connections are tight. 2. Check load performance data against motor performance data. 3. Measure voltage at

1. Fit new fuses, reset curcuit breakers, etc. 2. Remove clamps, locks, etc. 3. Sort out control circuit.

Supply or Started trips out at start.

1. Wrong or loose connections. 2. Motor overloaded. 3. Intertia of load to high. 4. Low Voltage due to volt drop in cables 5. Overload or circuit

1. Fix up connections. 2. Change motor for correct size. 3. Change cables for correct size. 4. Correct setting of overload or breaker or change.

breaker incorrectly set or sized.

motor terminals while motor starting. 4. Check settings of overload and circuit breaker and allow for starting current

Motor starts but has no torque. Motor does not reach full speed or takes a long time to accelerate.

1. Incorrect connection. 2. Delta wound motor connect in star. 3. Star/Delta starter staying in Star. 4. Inertia of load to high. 5. Motor overloaded. 6. Low voltage due to volt drop in cables.

1. Check connection diagram and nameplate data. 2. Check load performance data against motor performance data. 3. Measure voltage at motor terminals while motor starting

1. Sort out and correct connections. 2. Check timer and starter control circuit. 3. Change motor for correct size. 4. Change cables for correct size.

Motor Overheating.

1. Motor overloaded. 2. Ineffective cooling. 3. Excessive ambient. 4. Wrong connection. 5. Delta wound motor in star. 6. Motor Single Phasing. 7. Wrong voltage or frequency. 8. Supply voltage unbalanced.

1. Check load performance data. 2. Check fan and air flow and temperature of air. Look for build up of dirt. 3. Check connection diagram and nameplate data. 4. Check volts and amps in all three phases. 5. Check nameplate 6. Measure phase to phase voltage accurately 1 & 2. Check connection diagram and nameplate data. 3. Measure voltage at motor terminals. 4. Compare supply voltage and frequency to nameplate.

1. Fix problem with load or fit larger motor. 2. Clean motor. Sort out cooling of air temp. and flow. 3. Sort out connections. 4. Restore supply to all phases. 5. Correct voltage or frequency. 6. Balance supply or accept unbalance.

No load amps in excess of Full load amps

1. Incorrect connection 2. Star wound motor connection Delta. 3. Voltage in excess of nameplate. 4. Motor supplied for different voltage or frequency.

1 & 2. Sort out and correct connections at motor terminals. 3. Correct supply voltage 4. Change motor for correct voltage and frequency

Mechanical Noise or Vibration. Noisy bearings. Bearings overheating.

1. Thrust from load or misalignment. 2. Damaged bearings, too much grease, no grease, or foreign matter in grease. 3. Rotor pulling or foreign matter in air gap. 4. Out of balance load, coupling or pulley. 5. Excessive belt pull. 6. Motor foundations not rigid.

1. Check gap between coupling halves and alignment. 2 & 3. Turn shaft slowly by hand and feel for roughness or stiffness. Check for bent shaft or fan rubbing. 4. Run motor disconnected from load and then with pulley or coupling removed. 5. Run motor without belts. 6. Check design and construction foundations

1. Re-align couplings 2 & 3. Clean bearing housing, change bearings and repack with fresh grease. 4. Fix up out of balance items 5. Loosen belt tension 6. Increase strength of foundations

Motor amps in excess of nameplate full load amps on load

1. Motor overloaded. 2. Low supply voltage. 3. Wrong voltage or frequency. 4. Wrong Connections. 5. Motor SinglePhasing. 6. Supply voltage unbalanced. 7. Motor Speed not matched to load.

1. Check load and performance data. 2. Measure voltage at motor terminals 3. Check nameplate. 4. Check nameplate 5 & 6. Check volts and amps in all three phases. 7. Measure motor speed and check load speed requirements.

1. Fix problem with load or fit larger motor. 2. Fix problem, maybe with larger cables. 3. Correct voltage or frequency. 4. Sort out and correct. 5 & 6. Restore balanced supply to all three phases. 7. Change motor for correct motor speed.

Excessive electric noise

1. Wrong connections.

1. Check connections

1. Fix up connections

2. Wrong voltage. 3. Motor SinglePhasing.

2. Check voltage with nameplate 3. Check volts with amps in all three phases.

2. Correct voltage. 3. Restore supply to all three phases.

Unbalanced amps in different phases when motor loaded Motor runs in wrong direction

1. Unbalanced supply voltage

1. Measure phase to phase voltage accurately

1. Balance supply or accept unbalance

1. Wrong connections.

1. Watch shaft rotation

1. Swop and two phases of supply.

MAJOR FAULTS IN GENERATOR

The major faults in case of generator can be classified as: (a) Failure of prime movers: Whenever there is a fault on prime mover side the conversion of mechanical power to electrical power stops. If this generator works in parallel with other generator sets it will start working as a synchronous motor running at synchronous speed and the prime mover will act as load on it. When generator starts running as a motor it is called as inverted operation. If the fault is cleared the generator will automatically pick up generation. (b) Failure of excitation: The turbo generator set under consideration works in parallel with other sets. If the field of the generator is interrupted it will continue to operate as an induction generator-delivering load at very low power factor. So the other generators will be overloaded, as they will have to supply the load of this faulty generator. This may lead to decrease the supply voltage and the stability of the system will be affected. The fault generator can be switched off but for an automatic operation an under current relay in conjunction with time lagged tripping and time lagged reinforcing relay as shown in fig 1 can be used.

The under current relay is a moving coil type instrument and is fed through a shunt in the field circuit and its provided with a double trip circuit contact. When there is field circuit failure under current relay is no longer energized and the action moves up the operating armature up and in doing so it stops supply to time lagged reinforcing and trip relays, thus both of theses relays are operated simultaneously. (a) Failure of insulation in the stator or interconnecting cable can be further divided into: i. Interphase short circuits These are accompanied by large fault currents, the values of which are dependent upon the capacity of the system to which the alternator is connected, the nature of inter connection to the system and the moment at which the short circuit occurs. ii. Single phase to earth fault This will lead top the burning of alternator winding when leakage current exceeds even 5 amps. This current is dependent upon the nature of neutral connection, i.e. whether its earthed or unearthed. iii. Inter turn faults In this type of fault short circuit exists between the turns of the same phase or between turns of parallel branches in the same phase. The magnitude of the fault current depends on the number of turns shorted. This is a dangerous type of fault iv. Earth fault on the rotor Shorting of the rotor at one point to earth in itself does not cause any damage. But the appearance of another fault to earth may sharply disturb the magnetic flux distribution, which will lead to unequal voltages being induced in the stator and increased vibration in the alternator.