FR2602350A1 - METHOD FOR MONITORING THE PROPULSION INSTALLATION AND THE ENERGY GENERATION OF A MECHANICAL PROPELLED VESSEL - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for monitoring the installation for the propulsion and energy production of a ship of the mechanical propulsion type, according to which the various elements of the installation are fictitiously gathered into groups which may be each controlled by a single parameter.

Description

 The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the propulsion installation and the production of energy of a mechanically propelled ship.

It relates in particular to a process which makes it possible to monitor energy efficiency. This monitoring is a necessity if we want to drive a machine installation, such as a machine installation of a motor oil tanker. This monitoring is not easy to carry out on ships due to the absence, in general, of the various elements necessary for the calculation. In addition, it is a service which requires an enormous amount of time from the competent personnel, all the more so as the technicality of the ships increases.

One of the first objects of the invention is to carry out a process which makes it possible to monitor the efficiency of the machine installation in a suitable manner. This process can be considered as automatic monitoring in real time which is entirely justified, given that it can be accepted that serious monitoring of machine performance improves driving by reducing by at least 2% fuel consumption, which can represent at least 250 tonnes per year for a 90,000 tonnes (deadweight) motor oil tanker operated at 15,000 hp. The process for monitoring the propulsion and energy production system according to the invention should mainly provide the following functions - centralization and real-time processing of
energy flow and state measurements
operation of on-board energy equipment, - calculation of the performance of the various links which
constitute the energy chain of the ship, - the comparison of these performances - with standards, - the development of automatic diagnostics and guide
operator.

- the storage of the information acquired for
archiving and further processing.

 These various objectives are achieved by a process for monitoring the propulsion installation and energy production of a mechanically propelled ship, said installation comprising means allowing the transformation of primary energy into mechanical, thermal or electrical energy, said method being characterized in that said means are grouped in a fictitious manner into groups, the energy performance of all the means of each group being able to be represented by the same quantity and in that, for each group, real-time measurements representative of the energy state of the group, we develop from these measurements a quantity representative of the energy state of the group, we evaluate the difference between this latter quantity and a standard quantity, depending on this deviation we act on group management variables to make said deviation less than a predetermined value.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the installation which it is desired to control comprises - a propulsion group essentially consisting of at
minus a diesel propulsion engine, fueled with fuel and
air, the air supply possibly being made
via a turbo-compressor, - a recovery group essentially consisting of
a boiler for recovering calories from gases
exhaust from the engine, said boiler
producing steam, - an auxiliary unit comprising at least one boiler
auxiliary allowing the accumulation of steam
produced by the recovery group and its evacuation
or the production and evacuation of vapors; - an energy production group, powered by
steam from the auxiliary unit and including
at least one turbo-generator for production
of electrical energy and at least one heat exchanger
whose steam outlets are connected to the group of
recovery.

 The process is then characterized in that for each of these groups, a parameter representative of the operation of all the constituents of the group is developed, this parameter is compared to a set value so as to develop a signal representative of the proper functioning of the group, and as a function of this last signal, action is taken on the group's driving variables to make said difference less than a predetermined value.

However, the invention and its advantages will be better understood on reading the following description, given in an illustrative and in no way limiting manner, with reference to the appended figures in which - FIG. 1 schematically represents the principle of
the energy production installation of an oil tanker, - Figure 2 represents the grouping according to the invention
means shown in Figure 1, - Figure 3 shows the consumption curve of the
propulsion group, - figure 4 represents the variation of the coefficient
heat exchange in the recovery unit, - Figure 5 shows part of the production group
of energy, - Figure 6 represents the consumption curve of
steam from the turbo alternator depending on the power.

 FIG. 1 schematically shows the principle of the installation for producing energy from an oil tanker, supplied with fuel. This installation comprises a diesel engine (1) supplied with fuel (3) for driving the propeller (2). The evacuation of the burnt gases from the engine itself feeds a recovery boiler (4) which allows the production of steam. This steam is stored in a tank (5) which can also be supplied by an auxiliary boiler (6).

The cover (5) also supplies an energy production group (7) constituted by a set of heaters which allows the heating necessary for the main engine (8) the heating (9) necessary for the auxiliary boiler (6) the heating ( 10) domestic installations and the reheating of the cargo (11).

 The steam tank also supplies turbines (12) for driving pumps (13) as well as winches (14) and a turbo-alternator (15) for the production of electricity.

 There is shown in Figure 2 the grouping according to the invention, means shown in Figure 1 which have the same references, as well as complementary elements associated with them.

 The first group (100) which can be called propulsion group, includes the diesel engine (1), associated with the propeller (2) and its power system. This supply system consists of a fuel supply (3), an air supply (101) which includes a pump (102) and a refrigeration system (103). The pump (102) is supercharged by a turbo-compressor (104) itself connected to the engine (1) by a pipe (-105). The engine (104) comprises a pipe (106) for evacuating the gases to the second group.

 The second group (200), which is a recovery group, comprises the recovery boiler (4) and an economizer (201). The boiler (4) is connected to the pipe (106) and its burnt gas discharge pipe (202) is connected to the economizer (201). The boiler (4) and the economizer t201) each have a steam outlet pipe (206) and (207) which opens into the tank (5).

 This cover (5) is itself part of a boiler (6) which is contained in the auxiliary module (300). This auxiliary module also includes a pump (209) for the recirculation of hot water from the boiler (6) which is itself provided with a device (not shown) for fuel supply.

 It comprises a pipe (210) for evacuating the steam to the energy production module (7).

 All the elements contained in the energy production group (7) are supplied with steam by the pipe (210). The power generation unit comprises a turbo generator assembly for producing electricity, itself constituted by a turbo generator (215), a discharge pipe (216) and a condenser (217). The turbo alternator is connected to the condenser by the pipe (218). The vacuum condenser is connected to a food cover (219) by a tube (220) which allows the recovery of the condensed vapor.

 The reheating assemblies of the main reheating engine of the auxiliary boiler and of the domestic hot water heating for the hotel are represented by the reference (220). They are located in parallel with the cargo heater (11). These. two assemblies (220) and (11) are connected to the steam pipe (210) and at the outlet open into the food cover (219) through an observation box (230) and three pipes (231, 232, 233). The water heating assembly (10) is supplied by the tubing (210) and opens into the food cover (219) through the tubing (235).

 The cargo pump control assembly (12) is supplied with steam through the tubing (210) and opens into the tank (219) through the tubing (236) and the condenser (237). The winch control assembly (14) is also supplied by the tubing (210) and opens into the food cover (219) through the tubing (238).

 The condensed steam coming from the food cover (219) is evacuated by the pump (240) and the tube (241) to the assembly (201) for preheating water via a heater (242).

 Each of the groups, or modules, thus represented is monitored by a single parameter in the manner which will be explained below.

 To control the powertrain, we will monitor its consumption according to its power.

For this, a theoretical curve is established as shown in FIG. 3. This curve represents the variation in consumption as a function of the power supplied by the engine.

 To monitor the powerplant, you measure its actual consumption in 24 hours at a given time. We get the point (120). Before carrying out any comparison with the standard, corrections are made to this parameter which are necessary for carrying out the comparison under good conditions; these corrections can, for example, take into account the state of wear of the equipment, the sea water temperature, the air temperature, the calorific value of the fuel, etc.

 We then obtain the point (121) which represents the corrected consumption. The difference between the corrected consumption and the theoretical consumption is then calculated. Preferably, this difference is converted into a percentage and it is followed. This difference is recalculated every quarter of an hour. The comparison of this deviation with a standard deviation makes it possible to determine at all times the proper functioning of the propulsion unit, and thus the proper functioning of all the elements of this propulsion unit.

 Different adaptations have been tested. In particular, these calculations can only be made in special circumstances provided that stable measurements are obtained.

 To monitor the recovery assembly (4), we will monitor the variation in the heat exchange coefficient as a function of the smoke flow. Figure 4 represents the theoretical curve of this variation. This monitoring mode by developing a real point then corrected then compared to the theoretical point, makes it very easy to follow the evolution of fouling of the exchangers included in the assembly (4), and therefore to detect any anomaly, for example any anomaly related to fouling problems. We can therefore easily predict the sweeping dates.

 In the same way, we will monitor the assembly (5) of auxiliary steam production by monitoring the efficiency of the boiler as a function of the steam flow.

 With regard to the energy production assembly, we will monitor the auxiliary heaters by monitoring the flow of steam produced as a function of the engine power. The correction will be made according to the sea water temperature.

 But in this assembly, we will more particularly monitor the electrical energy production assembly using the following installation shown in FIG. 5.

 We recognize in this figure the same elements as those of Figure 2, namely the turbo-alternator assembly (215), the discharge pipe (216), the condenser (217) connected to the turbo by the pipe (218), and the tubing (220) ensuring the connection between the condenser (217) and the food cover (219). The discharge pipe (216) is provided with a controlled valve (240).

Downstream of the condenser (217), the tubing (210) is provided with a measuring device (241) allowing the measurement of the vapor flow rate.

 In normal operation, that is to say when the steam flow rate in the discharge pipe (216) is zero - valve (240) closed -, the turbo-generator is monitored by measuring the steam consumption with respect to the power supplied; the steam consumption being known by measuring the flow rate on the pipe (210). The monitoring curve is represented in figure (6) by the reference (242). This consumption is denoted dO.

 When the discharge valve is open, the steam flow in the pipe (210) increases and takes the value dl. To monitor the discharge rate and therefore monitor the operation of the turbo-generator, the difference between dl and do is calculated, dO being the last known value of the flow rate before discharge.

Optionally, this value dO is corrected as a function of the power supplied (curve 242).

Claims (6)

1 - Method for monitoring the propulsion installation  and power generation from a powered ship  mechanical, said installation comprising means  allowing the transformation of an energy source  primary in mechanical, thermal or electrical energy,  said method being characterized in that said  means are fictitiously grouped into  groups, the energy performance of all means  of each group that can be represented by the same  greatness and in that for each group, we acquire  real-time measurements representative of the state  energy of the group, we develop from these  measures a quantity representative of the state  energy of the group, we assess the difference between  this last quantity and a standard quantity, in  function of this difference, we act on the variables of  group conduct to make said gap less than  a predetermined value. 2 - Process for monitoring and controlling  the propulsion and power generation facility  of a mechanically propelled ship, said installation  including  - a propulsion group essentially consisting of  at least one diesel propulsion engine, supplied with  fuel and air, the air supply being by  1 'through a turbo-compressor,  - a recovery group consisting essentially of  by a heat recovery boiler on  engine exhaust gases, said boiler  producing steam,  - an auxiliary group comprising at least one  auxiliary boiler allowing the storage of the  steam produced by the recovery unit and its  evacuation or the production and evacuation of  vapors, an energy production group,  powered by steam, evacuated by said group  auxiliary and comprising at least one  turbo-generator for power generation  electric and at least one heat exchanger of which  the outputs are linked to the group,  characterized in that for each of these groups,  develops a parameter representative of the operation of  all the constituents of the group, we compare this  parameter to a setpoint so as to elaborate  a signal representative of proper operation of the  group, and depending on this last signal we act on  the group's driving variables to make the said  deviation less than a predetermined value. 3 - Monitoring method according to claim 2,  characterized in that the parameter representative of the  powertrain operation is made up  by consumption as a function of power. 4 - Method according to ia claim 2, characterized in that  the parameter allowing the monitoring of the group of  recovery is constituted by the variation of the  heat exchange coefficient as a function of flow  fumes. 5 - Monitoring method according to claim 2,  characterized in that the parameter allowing the  monitoring of the auxiliary production set is  constituted by the efficiency of the boiler in function  of the steam flow. 6 - Method according to claim 2, characterized in that  the parameter representative of the operation of  the whole of energy production is constituted by the  variation in the flow of steam produced as a function of the  engine power.