Ship's Engine Room Top Platform Explored

Introduction

We have been talking about the various platforms of the ship engine room and have discussed about the bottom platform as well as the middle platform of the engine room layout. Now it is time to get on to the higher level and talk about the top platform of the ship engine room. As usual, there are lots of tanks, and other paraphernalia on the top platform as well.

Take a good look at the sketch given below this section to visualize better about what is being said here.

Tanks

○ Main engine crank case lube oil tank

○ Hot well / cascade tank

○ Diesel oil settling tank

○ Diesel oil service tank

○ Heavy oil settling tank

○ Heavy oil service tank

○ Mixing column

○ Cylinder lube oil storage tank

○ Jacket cooling water expansion tank

Pumps

○ sanitary hydrophore pump

○ Fresh water hydrophore pump

○ sludge discharge pump

Auxiliary Machinery

○ Exhaust boiler

○ Incinerator

○ Sewage plant

○ Fresh water hydrophore

○ sanitary hydrophore

○ Engine room over head crane

○ Auxiliary steam condenser

Top Platform Layout

Spare Parts

The top platform contains the spare parts of main engine and spares for the operation of the ship including the following.

○ Spare piston rod

○ Spare cylinder head

○ Spare cylinder liner

○ Spare propeller

○ Spare tail shaft

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This section will explain some of the paraphernalia found at the top platform.

What is an Incinerator?

Burning of waste oil, sludge, cotton waste is carried out using the incinerator .The waste oil which is obtained from the scavenge drain tank, sludge from the purifier and oil water separator cannot be disposed overboard so the incinerator is used to burn this oil. Plastic is not burnt in it because it would cause air pollution.

What is Hot Well?

Hote Well recollects the steam after the work is done and it is condensed. Boiler water tank is known as the hot well because boiler feed pump takes suction from the hot well and gives it to the boiler through feed check valve. It can be called by three different names, they are:

○ Hot well - because the water collected is hot

○ Cascade tank - because it collects the water from the condenser

○ Observation tank - because it is used for observe for any oil or dirt entering the system

If any traces of oil are found in the system, it indicates that there is a crack in the steam heating line in side the fuel oil tanks. A sight glass is placed to observe the traces of oil or dirt present in the system.

If oil is present in the system then it forms a coating in tubes of the boiler, which may lead to lesser heat transfer to the water in the boiler.

What is a Hydrophore System?

It is used to maintain the pressure of the water supplied to the different parts of the ship at various heights to keep the constant presser of water in all lines and at all floors of the ship.

There are two hydrophore systems used on board:

○ Fresh water hydrophore system

○ Sanitary hydrophore system

What is the Jacket Cooling Water Expansion Tank?

Expansion tanks are provided for venting of gas, air or vapour formed in the jacket cooling water line, which has to be released.

Expansion tank makes up the losses that occur due to evaporation in the jacket cooling space in the engine. The make up water is provided in the expansion tank. It also provides the vent to trap any vacuum or vapour due to evaporation or leakage /cracks in the closed cycle lines.

Low level alarm is fitted in the expansion tank to give alarm when the level of the water reaches the low line due to leakage in the pipe or cylinder liner break down. Expansion tank also consists of a sight glass to observe the water level in the tank.

WorkShop

WORK SHOP is present in the top platform it contains :

○ Lathe machine

○ Drilling machine

○ Grinding machine

○ Milling machine

○ Working bench

○ Bench vice

These machines are normally used for fitting and maintenance purposes and not for production obviously.

List of Stores

○ Engine room consumable store

○ Engine spare store

○ Electric store

○ Ordinary tools store