Memorandum

PO 001.02.07

VAN: 4975-1 (MSE)

Jul 2016

Ch. Eng (thru Trg PO)

THE FACTORS FOR LOSS OF MAIN LUBE OIL

Refs: A. C-23-HFX-000/MB-001 Propulsion Operation Manual

B. C-25-549-000/MS-001 Motor Driven Lube Oil Service Pump
C. C-24-302-000/MS-001 Main Propulsion Gearing Manual Volume 1
D. C-03-005/AA-000 Naval Engineering Manual
E. C-03-050-HFX/MB-002 Manual of Emergency Procedures

1. The Main Lube Oil (MLO) system provides an uninterrupted supply of cool, filtered oil
to each gearbox, combined thrust and plummer bearings, gearbox, clutches and LOSCA at a
pressure of 1.5 bar, and temperature range of 36 to 42C under all operating conditions.

2. The MLO system is divided into two separate systems, port and stbd. Each system is
virtually identical, the main difference being the port MLO supplies the cross connect gearbox.
The stbd side can be used to supply the stbd cross connect quill shaft when you switch three
three way valves on stbd side. A two speed positive displacement gear pump draws STL-100
from the MLO sump, and sends it through a shell and tube type cooler, where the temperature is
regulated by means of a three way thermostatic control valve regulates the flow of oil through
the cooler. The cooling medium is sea water via the main sea water circulation system. From the
cooler it is fed through a duplex filter bank to ensure it is free of any particles larger than 30
microns (absolute). After it is fed to the gearbox manifold where it is distributed to all the
bearings, shafts, pinions, idlers and wheels, to the axial locating bearings, the sss clutches and the
control units as well as the friction clutch and the thrust and plummer blocks. MLO is also fed to
sprayers to the gear meshes, the quill shaft tooth couplings, the turning gears and gears of the sea
water pump drives, where it drains back to its respective drain tank before returning to the
suction side of its respective MLO pump.

3. Interruption of lube oil for any period of time can cause failure of highly loaded bearings
in the gear train. It cannot be assumed that the bearing temperature measuring devices will
always provide a sufficient warning of an imminent bearing failure. If the oil supply is
interrupted, the gearing and shaft lines are to be stopped as soon as possible. The sump has a 90
second dwell time meaning it will stay in the sump approximately 90 seconds once it returns
from the system before it heads out into the system again.

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4. MLO system operating parameters and alarms are as follows:

a. Pump discharge output high speed 125 m3 @ 4.4 bar

Low speed 50 m3 @ 4.4 bar
Air turbines 110 m3 @ 3.5 bar for 10 minutes;
b. Pump discharge relief valve 4.5 bar;

c. Gearbox manifold supply pressure 1.5 bar

Low warning 1.3 bar
Low alarm 1.1 bar;

d. Thrust block pressure 1.1 bar (set with tuning valve);

e. System temperature 36-42C;

f. System nominal temperature 40C

Low warning 34C
Low alarm 32C
High warning 50C
High alarm 55C;

g. Minimum lube oil temperature turning gear 10C

Low speed emergency start 10C
low speed emerg. Start PDE 10C
Normal shaft breakaway by GT 30C
Full power min and max temp 35-55C;

h. Pressure control valve (Walton) loss of LP air fails open at fully open to cooler;

i. Gearbox sump level 80-90%

Minimum 3.2 m3 - 71%
Maximum 3.78 m3 85%
Full 4.34 m3 100%

j. Storage tank level low and high warning 50-90%

Normal 4.5 m3
Max addition of new oil to sump is 10%.

5. The indications of main lube oil failure are:

a. An audible alarm at all human machinery interface (HMI) station in control;

b. Alarm block on propulsion overview page updates;

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 c. Event viewer updates;

d. Gearing and shafting page updates;

e. MLO page updates;

f. MLO leak sighted in the FER;

g. Stand-by MLO pump starts in high speed;

h. Possible high MLO temp and high bearing temp; and

i. low MLO sump alarm.

6. If any one of the previous indications is observed, the following actions are to be taken:

a. Take station in control thrust, the engineering officer of the watch (EOOW) will
pipe ENGINEERING EMERGENCY, ENGINEERING EMERGENCY;

b. Obey commands direction ;

c. Confirm a MLO pump is running and monitor lube oil pressure and gearbox
bearing temperatures;

d. A roundsman is to be sent to the FER to sight return flow from the combined
thrust and plummer blocks and a local pressure gauge;

e. Match Zero knots;

f. Trip all driving engines;

g. Apply reverse pitch by pushing the reverse pitch buttons on the MCC console and
matching zero once shafts are stopped;

h. If there is an oil leak stop the lube oil pump and stop the centrifuge;

i. Investigate and monitor affected system, equipment;

j. Log all pertinent information.

7. The following should be noted in the procedures above:

a. Should command require propulsion, bearing in mind that the ultimate safety of
the ship takes precedence, the bridge will set full speed ahead/full speed astern
then immediately set speed to minimum required to keep the ship safe and the
EOOW shall; not trip driving engine(s), assume unaffected drive mode (if

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 required during obey telegraph). All efforts must be taken to minimize damage to
equipment and personnel;

b. If gearing must be operated without lubrication, the EOOW shall recommend to

the officer of the watch (OOW) that it is to be done for the minimum amount of
time, and at the minimum speed possible. The engineering officer of the watch
(EOOW) shall also recommend that the ship be brought to emergency stations,
and that sections between frame 34 to 25.5 on 2 deck be cleared of personnel in
case of an explosion in the FER

c. The quickest way to effectively stop the shafts is to effect change in pitch by
remaining in AUTO and use the MCC knots buttons versus the semi-auto pitch
buttons;

d. While MLO pressure is in low alarm, IPMS will not allow drive mode changes
unless the drive train on the failed side is locked. This consideration must be
made by the EOOW and OOW prior to tripping driving engine as per Part 2,
reaction to an engineering emergency, note 1 of this manual (Ref. E), which reads

8. Once the shafts are stopped and the investigation has been completed, if an uninterrupted
supply of oil cannot be guaranteed to the gearbox, the shaft locking device must be installed to
prevent the affected shaft and gearing from rotating once the ship is underway. If the shafts were
not locked and the pitch was at 32.2 degrees the shaft would start to turn at 10 knots if trailing
and at 20 knots with flat pitch.

9. If the port MLO system cannot be operated the only drive mode available will be
starboard GT unitized since the port MLO supplies oil to the cross connect drive gearbox. In
order to safely assume this drive mode there are three three-way changeover valves that must be
reconfigured to provide a supply of oil to the bearings to the starboard quill shaft, located in the
cross connect gearbox. Out of these three valves, one is a supply and the other two are return
valves that feed oil to the aforementioned bearings these valves are all located on the starboard
side of the forward engine room (FER) gearbox and they all must be changed to face starboard
instead of port.

10. If the starboard MLO system is not operational, there are two possible abnormal drive
modes available. Port GT unitized and PDE port shaft unitized.

11. The following limitations are to be adhered to when underway with one shaft locked

a. Maximum torque on locked shaft is 490 kNm;

b. Locked shaft pitch is 32.2 degrees; and

c. Maximum torque on driving shaft is 960 kNm.

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12. In Conclusion, this PO has described the loss of MLO as well as the restrictions imposed
on the ship, and the remedial actions to follow in the event of loss of MLO.

LS Pretty K.B.K.
Cert 2 trainee
HMCS Vancouver

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