Compressed Air

Units 6.1 to 6.4

 Uses of Compressed Air
Compressed air has many uses on board a ship:

1. For starting the main engine and auxiliary engines.

2. For Ship’s Whistle

3. For cleaning purposes – filters, pipes, equipments, etc.

4. For spray painting

5. For pneumatics machines

6. For lifeboat davit winch operations

7. For Gangway winches

 .

Compressed air is stored in containers called Air Bottles where the air
is stored at a pressure of 30 bar. This air has many uses on a ship.

• The main engine and the power producing auxiliary engines are
started using 30 bar pressure air. The air is admitted to the cylinder at
the top of the piston which provides the force to turn the engine and
cause it to start.

• The ship’s whistle or horn also uses 30 bar compressed air. The
whistle is the instrument used to provide fog signals and act as a
navigational aid during transit through areas affected by fog and
having poor visibility.
 .

• The lifeboat davit winch is also powered by compressed air.

• The gangway (accommodation ladder) also has a winch which uses

compressed air for its operation

• Some parts of the ship’s are painted using a spray gun, this uses compressed
air at a pressure of 7 bar for this purpose.

• Descaling machines also use 7 bar compressed air

• In the engine room 7 bar air is used for cleaning filters, pipelines, etc.

• In the ship’s engine room the automation system is pneumatic so all the
hardware connected to the automation systems are driven by compressed air.
 Compressed Air Plant on a ship

• Compressed air is produced on board a ship by machines known as

Air Compressors.

• These are reciprocating machines where a piston draws air from the
engine room atmosphere and compresses it to the required
pressure.

• Since the incoming air may contain floating impurities there is an air
filter provided at the inlet to the compressor.
LINE DIAGRAM OF A
COMPOUND ANNULUS
AIR COMPRESSOR
 Compressor Terms
• Inlet pressure.
It is the absolute pressure of air at the inlet of a compressor.
• Discharge pressure.
It is the absolute pressure of air at the outlet of a compressor.
• Compression ratio (or pressure ratio)
It is the ratio of discharge pressure to the inlet pressure.
• Compressor capacity.
It is the volume of air delivered by the compressor, and expressed in m3/s
• Free air delivery .
It is the actual volume delivered by a compressor when reduced to the
normal temperature and pressure condition. The capacity of a compressor
is generally given in terms of free air delivery
• Reciprocating is usually used for higher pressure because of its

positive sealing action. With reciprocating machine, nature’s

limitation is the temperature caused by compression and this

allows a compression ratio of up to 7:1 in each following stage,

with intercooling between stages.

• The configuration of a piston compressor can be a single cylinder

for low pressure/low volume to a multi-stage configuration

capable of compressing to very high pressures. In these

compressors, air is compressed in stages, increasing the pressure

before entering into the next stage to compress the air into a even

higher pressure.
 Drawbacks of single stage compression

• The size of the cylinder will be too large.

• Due to compression, there is a steep rise in the temperature of the air.

It is difficult to reject heat from the air in the small time available
during the compression process.

• The temperature of air, at the end of compression is too high. This

may heat up the cylinder head or burn the lubricating oil
 Advantages of multistage compression
• The work done per kg of air is reduced in multistage compression
with intercooler as compared to single stage compression for the
same delivery pressure

• It improves the volumetric efficiency for the given pressure ratio

and hence compressor capacity is increased

• The sizes of the two cylinders may be adjusted to suit the volume
and pressure of the air

• It reduces the leakage loss considerably.

• It reduces the cost of compressor
• Volume of air delivered is reduced, requiring reduced size of cylinder,
piston and delivery pipes
• Temperature of air delivered is reduced, which gives less thermal loading
on the material and better lubrication of piston and cylinder
• Due to less temperature suction and delivery valves remain clear without
being fouled with carbonized oil
• Moisture separation is easier through intercooler drains
• Use of after-cooler allows smaller receiver
Intercoolers & Aftercoolers
Air receiver line diagram
 Air receiver & mountings

An air receiver or air bottle as it is commonly called is an all-welded

pressure vessel that is used to store compressed air. There are usually
two air bottles provided in the engine room of a merchant ship. The
size and capacity is determined by the type of ship and the power of
the propulsion machinery.

All attachments fitted on an air receiver are called mountings. Each

mounting has a specific purpose for which it is used. They are listed
below:
• Main Air valve: This is the valve that delivers the air for starting a
diesel engine – main engine and auxiliary engines.
• Air to Whistle: This valve is used for providing air for ship’s whistle.

• Relief Valve: This is a safety device that protects the air receiver from
attaining dangerous over-pressure. It is set to lift and relieve the
pressure if the receiver pressure exceeds a certain value.
 .

• Service Air: This valve provides air to a reducing valve that reduces
the pressure of the 30 bar air to 7 bar. This air has many uses as all
pneumatic equipments use this low pressure air for their operation.
This low pressure air is also used to operate all the automation
system hardware placed all over the engine room. It is also the air
that drives all pneumatic machines on deck – lifeboat winches,
gangway winch, descaling machines, spay painting air guns. This air
is also used for general cleaning.
• Air inlet valve: This is the valve that provides the inlet air to the
receiver from the air compressor.
• Air to Gauge: This is the valve that leads to the pressure gauge that
indicates the pressure in the air receiver.
• Fusible Plug: This is another safety device. It is a plug that is made
of materials that have a low melting point, about 150°C, this is
there to relieve the pressure in the receiver in the event of an
engine room fire that could cause the receiver to explode due to
overpressure of the expanding air inside.
• Manhole Door: This a door for providing access to the

receiver for periodic inspections.

• Drain: A valve that is used to drain any water that may

collect in the receiver.

Compressed air system
 Safeties
• Compressed air systems are provided with a number of devices that
are included to enhance the safety of the equipments as well as the
personnel who are handling them.

• Apart from these devices there are some safety precautions that
need to be taken while working with compressed air.

• The devices could be listed as the follows: Relief valves fitted on the
air bottle as well as on the compressors, Fusible plug on the air
receivers, Bursting discs, Drains.
• Relief Valves: These are pressure relieving devices fitted on the
compressors as well as on the air receivers.
• Fusible plugs: These are metal plugs screwed on to the pressure
vessel. The plug has a core that is made up of an alloy of tin and
lead which has a melting point of around 150°C. It is also a safety
device that is meant to release the pressure in the air receiver in
the event of a engine room fire that could cause the air inside to
expand causing dangerous overpressures.
• Bursting Discs: These are thin metal foil fitted on the coolers of
the compressor to protect the cooler casing from rupture due to
a pressure line leakage inside it.
• Drains: These are valves fitted at the bottom of the air receiver
as well as on the compressor coolers. Their function is to remove
condensed water from the air as stagnant water can be corrosive
and lead to erosion of the metal.
• Some basic personal protection must be observed while working
with compressed air and pneumatic system.

• Eye protectors must always be worn

• Care must be taken to ensure that the full air pressure does not
impinge on the skin.

• While cleaning filter care must be taken to see that debris so

produced does not cause injury.
• When using descaling machines proper PPE must be worn.

• While spray painting fire safety precautions must be observed.

• Air compressors when in operation are prone to reach high

temperatures – hence they should be approached with care.

• Condensed water is always present in compressed air system –

these must be drained regularly.

• Air hoses must be secured properly during use.

START AIR, REGULATIONS

There must be at least two starting air receivers, the total capacity of
which will give 12 starts for a reversing engine or 6 starts for a non
reversing engine with CPP.
The number of starts that can be made depends on Engine temp, lub.oil
temp, the skill of the Engineer manoeuvring the engine & the
minimum air pressure that will start the engine.
There must be at least two compressors
In addition to these there must be a compressor which can be started by
hand i.e. with a dead ship. Note: this is not necessary if one of the
compressors is run off the emergency switchboard
SOLAS-REGULATION – 34

• In every ship means shall be provided to prevent over pressure in any

part of compressed air systems and wherever water jackets or casing of
air compressors, coolers might be subjected to dangerous over
pressure due to leakage into them for air pressure parts suitable relief
arrangement shall be provided.
• The main starting air arrangement for main propulsion internal
combustion engine shall be adequately protected against the effects of
backfiring and internal explosion in the starting air pipes.
• All discharge pipes for starting air compressor shall lead directly
to the starting air receivers and starting pipes from the air
receivers to main or auxiliary engines shall be entirely separate
from the compressor discharge pipe system.

• Provision shall be made to reduce to a minimum the entry of oil

into the air pressure system and to drain the system.