Root Cause Analysis of a Diesel Generator Blackout Due to Fuel Rack Malfunction on the MV Sinar Sorong
Analisis Akar Penyebab Pemadaman Listrik Generator Diesel Akibat Kerusakan Rak Bahan Bakar pada MV Sinar Sorong
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48192/vns.v14i1.851Keywords:
Diesel Generator, Fuel Rack, Exhaust Gas Temperature, Blackout, Preventive MaintenanceAbstract
The electrical supply of a ship depends on its diesel generators, whose reliability in turn depends on a fuel system that delivers the correct quantity of fuel to each cylinder at the correct time. This study analyses a blackout on the container ship MV Sinar Sorong, which occurred while the ship was working cargo in the port of Singapore during the authors’ sea practice from October 2022 to October 2023, in order to identify its root cause, explain the mechanism of failure, and propose preventive measures. A qualitative descriptive case study design was used, with data collected through observation, semi-structured interviews with the engineers and generator operators involved, documentation of damage reports, photographs, and engine and alarm logs, and a literature review; the causes were classified with a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram. The incident began with a high exhaust gas temperature alarm on cylinder No. 3 of diesel generator No. 2, whose exhaust temperature rose from a normal value of about 370 °C to about 420 °C. This was followed by an overspeed alarm, as the engine speed rose from the nominal 900 rpm to about 960 rpm within 10 seconds, exceeding the overspeed trip setting of 105% of nominal speed (945 rpm), and the generator was shut down automatically, causing the blackout. Inspection showed that the fuel rack of the cylinder No. 3 Bosch-type injection pump was mechanically stuck in the high-fuel position and that the pump had a severely worn plunger and barrel and a clogged delivery valve. The worn and fouled pump caused poor injection and late combustion in cylinder No. 3, raising its exhaust temperature, while the seized rack prevented the governor from reducing the fuel supply when the load changed, leading to the overspeed trip. Planned maintenance of the fuel injection pumps on a running-hour basis, regular checking of the free movement of the fuel racks and governor linkage, close monitoring of individual cylinder exhaust temperatures, and thorough recording of component wear are recommended.
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