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Abstract
Within the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN) a study is performed for a more cost effective realisation of its operational tasks. By changing from an used based maintenance concept to a more condition based maintenance concept a reduction in operation costs can possible be achieved. A realisation of this concept is by 1) Online monitoring and/or 2) outsourcing of data analysis. Using remote online condition monitoring (ROCM) could be a logical solution. In this paper it will be outlined how the RNN is using online monitoring systems, but also what next step has to be done to achieve the most optimal (cost effective) maintenance interval by combining ROCM with knowledge of failure mechanism. Keywords: cost effective, outsourcing data analysis, condition based maintenance, online monitoring
1. INTRODUCTION
Condition monitoring of maritime objects has entered a new era (1). Developments in technology, in recent years, have created new possibilities for deriving information regarding equipment health affordably. Furthermore, the exploitation of such information is becoming ever easier as communication systems become more distributed and processing power increases. Condition monitoring techniques within the Royal Netherlands Navy have been in existence for many years now. Among the best established in mechanical systems, are oil and vibration analysis. In recent years, the art of condition monitoring has developed to the extent that automated prediction of failure events is becoming possible a concept known as prognostics. The proliferation of (remote) online condition monitoring (ROCM) technologies on commercial maritime assets has prompted the desire, within the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (NL MOD), to exploit this technology on navy ships. The key desired benefits from such a policy are: a. b. c. greater equipment availability whole-life cost savings reduced manning
Essential by introducing a new technology like ROCM is the awareness of the relation
between used condition monitoring technique in relation to the physical failure mechanism. In this paper, it will be demonstrated how technical innovations can lead to a more efficient maintenance process.
2.
MAINTENANCE CONCEPTS
The main goal of performing maintenance is to obtain the optimal availability of a capital asset, which requires balancing the availability of the asset with the costs of maintenance activities. Performing too much maintenance results in high costs and frequent non-productive periods, whereas too limited maintenance leads to unexpected failures and reduced availability. There is a wide variety of maintenance concepts that can be applied to maintain an asset. These concepts can be divided into two basic types: corrective maintenance preventive maintenance
Which maintenance strategy is chosen depends on the criticality of the part and the variability and predictability of the usage. For non-critical parts, corrective maintenance is in many cases the optimal strategy of the usage. For non-critical parts, corrective maintenance is in many cases the optimal strategy, since the full service is utilized and no expensive inspections or monitoring are required. However, for critical parts, failure must be prevented for safety or economical reasons (large plants in process industry). Then the variation in and predictability of the usage determines which preventive maintenance concept is suitable. For machines that operated continuously at constant and well-known power settings, the usage is fully known and replacement intervals can be determined accurately. A calendar time concept is cost-effective strategy, since no monitoring is required. For systems that are operated in a more variable way (e.g. navy gas turbines, thrusters), the usage must be taken into account when the service intervals are determined. Assuming the usage in the design phase is difficult, and often large safety factors must be applied. When, on the other hand the usage or loads are monitored, a much more accurate prediction of the service interval can be made. The only remaining uncertainty is the relation between the usage/ loads and the failure mechanism. Therefore, the optimal amount of maintenance, which provides the best balance between costs and availability, is ideally obtained with a condition based concept, since it enables the execution of maintenance activities exactly on the right moment. However, not every asset is suitable for a condition based maintenance concept. It must be feasible to asses the condition of the asset and to relate the condition to the required maintenance activities. For many assets that is not possible and a usage or load based approach may then be a better option.
3.
Within the Royal Netherlands Navy several CBM techniques have been applied and have proven to be effective. Most of these methods are available as commercial services.
possibilities of assessing the condition of the system depend on the complexity of the system, the number of sensors and the availability of information on the machines or system (e.g. stiffness). For rather simple systems like bearings, the method works quite well. For more complex systems analysing trends in vibration characteristics may indicate a degradation of the system, but quantitative predictions of remaining life may be hard to determine.
4.
The theory of CBM can be explained using the concept of the P-F interval (2). The P-F interval is shown in figure 1. This concept is based on the fact that most failures give some sort of warning or deteration in condition before they occur. The condition should be measurable either directly or indirectly via a related parameter, for example pressure or vibrations. The condition should be directly related to the functional capability of the system of interest. When a component is new or just maintained the functional capability and thus the condition is assumed optimal. As time passes the condition decreases to a point the deviation from the normal condition becomes measurable, this point is P. Point P is the point of potential failure, which means the developing mechanism can be measured, but it has no or no unacceptable effects on the capability yet. As more time passes the condition decreases further until point F, the point of functional failure. At point F the components ceases to function at the required level of capability. The P-F interval is the time between the point where a developing failure becomes measurable and the point of actual failure. This interval depends on the type of failure mechanism and the type of condition monitoring technique (when a technique is more sensitive it can detect point P earlier, increasing the P-F interval). The P-F interval determines the required measuring periodicity to allow detection of potential failure at adequate time before functional failure occurs. As a rule of thumb this measuring frequency is set to half of the P-F interval. In most cases this gives a reasonable amount of time to act on the developing failure, however as with all rules o thumb, there are exceptions.
Figure 1 P(otential) F(ailure) interval Figure 2 gives general representations of the condition of a given system as a function of time. The top left part of figure 2 represents the optimal condition. A refinerement of the P-F interval is the net P-F interval. The net P-F interval is important for logistical reasons and it is determined by the time between P and F minus the inspection interval. This net P-F interval is the worst case scenario in which there is the least time to react on a developing failure. The net P-F interval determines how fast ahead you can plan maintenance actions, thus the longer this interval the less emergency provisioning and repairs in overtime are expected. Up to a certain level the net P-F interval can be shortened by shortening the inspection interval, in other words increasing measuring frequency. In figure 2 the left graph represents a P-F interval of 13 weeks monitored at inspection intervals of 8 weeks. The worst case response time is 5 weeks; this is the net P-F interval. In the right graph of figure 2 the same P-F interval is monitored with an inspection interval of 1 week, resulting in a net P-F interval of 12 weeks. Obviously, this way of shortening the net P-F interval leads to additional maintenance costs, because inspection and analysis must be performed more often. When monitoring online (or in other words continuously) the difference between the P-F interval and the net P-F interval disappears, resulting in the maximal possible planning time for maintenance actions.
Figure 2
4.1.
DEVELOPMENTS OF CBM
Over the last fifteen years condition monitoring techniques have developed rapidly. The ever ongoing development of computers has led to software that can perform routine analysis of condition monitoring measurements at ever decreasing prices. This creates mayor benefits for normal offline condition monitoring measurements, but it also creates the possibility to perform online measurements without gathering unmanageable amounts of data to be analysed. Furthermore the decreasing prices of broadband satellite communication has brought mobile data transmission from anywhere in the world to anywhere else in the world within reach. Several manufactures, enabled by these general technical developments, have created condition monitoring equipment devices enabling remote online condition monitoring (ROCM). An installation enabling ROCM is a device continuously logging condition parameters, which indicates upcoming maintenance tasks based on warning and alarms levels or on trends. A random example of a ROCM capable device is shown in figure 3.
The condition monitoring tasks performed by the condition and performance (C&PM) department of the RNN are automated which will decrease the number of flights from shore specialists to the ship concerned. This results in less expenditure on plane tickets and in a reduction needed man hours from shore specialists. The reduction in needed man hours results directly from the reduced number of flights and indirectly from the reduced number of hours of obligated compensation for travelling outside regular working hours;
also
When performing offline measurements there is always a chance a certain failure mode has a P-F interval shorter than the regular periodicity of measurement. By monitoring continuously, rapidly developing failures will be detected, preventing them to occur including possible accompanying collateral damage;
in
Because ROCM devices perform continuous measurements, such measurements in a certain operational state no longer have to be planned
the programme of the ship (for example propulsion vibration measurements at 120 rpm on both shafts, rudder angle between plus and minus two degrees).
Alarm systemAlarms
via
relay
IMx connects with the Platform Management System (PMS) of the HOV to alert crew when an alarm level is exceeded. Given the use profile of the ships, which consists mainly of two weeks sailing and arriving in homeport for crew change of a short period in port remote accessing of data was not deemed necessary. In figure 4 an overview of the online system is shown.
6.
CONCLUSIONS
It is vital that the Royal Netherlands is clear in its aims regarding the use of (remote) online condition monitoring technology. If the exploitation is not approached logically, it has the potential to be a costly white elephant consuming resource whilst delivering little useful information. By combining the information and data from condition monitoring technology, together with knowledge of physical failure mechanisms, it is possible to get the optimal maintenance interval. Although further research has to be done by analysing the data and combining it to an useful and meaningful mathematical tool it is clear that ROCM will be the next step ahead for the RNN. References (2) Jongen, M. 2010 Cost effectiveness of remote online condition monitoring: A study and a business case on the Oceangoing Patrol Vessel, Asset Management Centre, Den Helder
Authors Biography Lieutenant Commander Harry Lijzenga finished his Institute of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) in 1993 and went to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1995 (in between he finished his military service at the Army as soldier). After graduating at the Naval College in Den Helder in 1997 he went sailing as a lieutenant on the supplyship Hr.Ms. Amsterdam for 1 year (practical year). After this ship he subsequently went to Hr.Ms. Heemskerck (1998) and Hr.Ms. Philips van Almonde as secondary head of the engineering division. Lieutenant Commander Lijzenga went to shore as project officer special projects at the Naval College. Here (1999 2001) he was responsible for making education- and training programs when new technical equipment was implemented on ships. After this he became Head Condition Monitoring at the Material Logistical Department within the Dutch Navy. From 2001 till 2005 he worked on this position. In 2005 he became Head of the Engineering Division on Hr,Ms, Van Speijk (Multipurpose-frigate) until 2008. At the moment Harry is Head Condition- and Performance Department (C&PD) in Den Helder. Responsible for condition monitoring, underwater noise measurements (acoustic & magnetic) and artillery analysing (analysing if guns and fire-control systems of naval ships work properly). Besides head C&PD he gives leadership training (Situational Self leadership and DiSC behaviorstyles) for all rank personnel in the Navy.