Battery systems are automatically connected upon loss of the main supply, and in installations where the generator

is not started and connected within 15 seconds automatically, are required as a transitional power source for at least 30 minutes. Power supply available for emergencies must be sufficient to operate certain essential services simultaneously for up to 18 hours These are: emergency lights, navigation lights, internal communication equipment, day-night signalling lamp, ship's whistle, fire detection and alarm installations, manual fire alarms, other internal emergency signals, the emergency fire pump, steering gears, navigation ads, and other equipment. Transitional batteries sufficient for a period of 30 minutes are required to supply power for emergency lighting, general alarm, fire detection and alarm systems, communication equipment, navigation lights and other specified loads unless the generator can be started in order to supply the required load within 45 seconds. Shore Supply: The connection box must have suitable terminals to accept the shore supply cable, including an earthing terminal to connect the ship's hull to the shore's earth point At the main switchboard an indicator is provided, usually a lamp, to indicate that the shore supply is available for connection to the bus bars via a connecting switch or circuit breaker. It is not normally possible to parallel the shore supply with the ship's generators. In fact it must never be done! The ship's generators must, therefore, be disconnected before the shore supply can be connected to the main switchboard or emergency switchboard as the case may be. Normally, the shore supply switch on the main switchboard is interlocked with the generator supply breakers so that it cannot be closed if the generators are still connected. The power supply from ashore may have a different frequency and/or voltage to that of the ship's system. A higher frequency will cause motors to run faster, be overloaded & overheat; a higher voltage will generally cause equipment to draw excess current & also overheat. It will also cause motors to accelerate more rapidly and this may over-stress driven loads. A lower voltage is generally not so serious but may cause motors to run slower & overheat, & may also cause motors to stall. If the shore supply frequency differs from the ship's normal frequency, then, ideally, the shore supply voltage should differ in the same proportion. Earthing High voltage systems (3.3kV and above) on board a ship are normally 'earthed'. Such systems are normally earthed via a resistor connecting the generator neutrals to the earth point

The ohmic value of each earthing resistor is usually chosen so as to limit the maximum earth fault current to not more than the generator's full load current. Such a Neutral Earthing Resistor (NER) is often assembled with metallic plates in air but liquid (brine) resistors have also been used. The use of such an earthing system means that a single earth fault will cause that circuit to be disconnected by its protection device. Sometimes the limiting currents may be 2 x IN^,^^^^,. When alternators with earthed neutral systems are run in parallel then only one neutral is earthed. This avoids circulation of harmonic currents via the neutral's earth connections. Insulation resistance can be monitored by directly measuring the ac leakage current at the neutral as shown in Figure 6.8. Certain essential loads (e.g. steering gear) can be supplied via a transformer with its secondary unearthedin order to maintain continuity of supply in the event of a single-earth fault.

It is difficult to specify an actual value due to the variation in conditions encountered on board a ship, but it is generally accepted that the value should not be less than 1 M under average conditions. If the insulation resistance falls well below this value, hazardous conditions could develop i.e. loss of essential services, fire, danger from electric shock, etc. One standard accepts a minimum value of 1 k /volt applied. Insulation resistance has a negative temperature coefficient and consequently at high operating temperatures the resistance falls quite markedly, leading to failures due to low insulation resistance. This is particulariy important for machines and it is recommended that they be tested just after being shut down (while they are hot). Earth Fault Indicators Regulations also require that earth fault indicators be fitted to the main switchboard in order to indicate the presence of an earth fault on each isolated section of a distribution system, e.g., on the 440V and 220V sections. Earth fault mdicators can either be a set of lamps or an instrument calibrated in kS2 to show the system's insulation resistance value with respect to the earth. Earth indication lamps are arranged as shown in Figure 6.9

instrument type' earth fault indicators One common type of earth fault instrument applies a small direct (d.c.) voltage into the distribution system, the resulting current being measured to indicate the insulation resistance of the system It gives both visual and audible indications in the event of an earth fault. The instrument can be set to trigger the alarm at any pre-set value of insulation resistance or leakage current. This type of arrangement has been developed to meet the regulations, which demand that on tankers, for circuits in, or passing through hazardous zones, there must be continuous monitoring of the system's insulation resistance. Visual and audible alarms are activated if the insulation resistance falls below a pre-set critical value

Measurementoftheearthfaultcurrentinanearthedsystemcanbeprovidedbyvariousmeans; Thecurrenttransformer(CT)inFigure6.11measuresthephasorsumofthe3linecurrentssuppliedtothemotor.Ifthe motorishealthyi.e.,noearthfaultsprevail,thephasorsumofthecurrentsmeasuredbytheCTiszero. Ifanearthfaultoccursinthemotor,anearthfaultcurrentflowsandthephasorsumofthecurrentsisnow>0.Thecurrent nowmonitoredbythe'EarthFault'relayisusedtotripthecontactorinthestartertoisolatethefaultymotorcircuit.

GENERATOARE For simplicity and security, it is neither normally possible nor advisable to run a main generator in parallel with either the emergency generator or the shore supply. Circuit breaker interlocks are incorporated to prevent it parallel running is achieved in two stages - synchronising and load sharing.

CIRCUIT BREAKERS Tripping can be initiated: (a) Manually (a push button with a mechanical linkage trips the latch). (b) Under voltage trip coil (trips when de-energised). (c) Over current I short - circuit trip device (trips when energised).

(d) Solenoid trip coil (when energised by a remote switch or relay - such as an electronic over current relay).
Interlocks Mechanical interlocks are fitted to ACBs to prevent racking out if they are still 'made' (in the ON position). Care must be taken not to exert undue force if the breaker does not move - otherwise damage may be caused to the interlocks and other mechanical parts. Dangers of explosion and fire may also result from such actions. Electrical interlock switches are connected to circuit-breaker control circuits to prevent incorrect sequence of operation, e.g. when shore supply is connected through its dedicated breaker to a switchboard. The ship's generator breakers are usually interlocked (OFF) to prevent parallel running of a ship's generator and the shore supply.