FUEL OIL

SYSTEM

FUEL OIL SYSTEM

The fuel oil system for a diesel engine can be considered in two
parts:
the fuel supply and
the fuel injection systems.
Fuel supply deals with the provision of fuel oil suitable for use by
the injection system.

BUNKERING
Before bunkering, a meeting should be held between the members that
will take part in the bunkering process and they should be explained
about the following:a. Which tanks are to be filled.
b. Sequence order of tanks to be filled.
c. How much bunker is to be taken.
e. Emergency procedure in case oil spill occurs.
f. Responsibilities of each officer are explained.
g.

Sounding is taken before bunkering and record is made.

Sounding is taken before bunkering and record is made.

A checklist is to be filled so that nothing is missed on.
Overflow tank is checked to be empty.
During start of the bunker the pumping rate is kept low, this is done so as
to check that the oil is coming to the tank to which the valve is opened.
After confirming the oil is coming to the proper tank the pumping rate is
increased as agreed before.
The max allowable to which tank is filled is 90 % and when the tank level
reaches about to maximum level the barge is told to pump at low pumping
rate so as to top up the tank, and then the valve of other tank is opened.
Four samples are taken during bunkering. One is kept onboard, one for
barge, one for analysis, one for port state or IMO. One sample is given to
barge.
After everything is settled the hose connection is removed.
The sample is sent for laboratory analysis.

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The
mainOIL
fuel oil
storage tanksTANK
are part of the
FUEL
STORAGE
ship's structure. They may be located forward
and aft of the machinery spaces or abreast of
these spaces. They maybe in double-bottom
compartments as long as those compartments
are not directly under boilers. Some tanks have
connections that allow them to be filled with fuel
oil or with seawater from the ballasting system.

FUEL OIL OVERFLOW TANKS

Fuel oil overflow tanks receive the overflow from fueloil
storagetanks that are not fitted with independent overboard
overflows. Overflow tanks also serve as ballast tanks because
they can be filled with seawater from the ballasting system.

FUEL STORAGE TANK LOCATIONS

(VARIES IN SHIPS)

TRANSFER PUMP
The primary function of a transfer pump is to remove liquid from
one location and transfer it to another location. Transfer pumps in
FO system is used to move fuel oil from storage tanks to the
settling tank.
If you are in the market for a transfer pump, it is best to determine
the type of liquid you will be transferring. The thickness of the
liquid to be transferred will determine what type of transfer pump
you need. Thinner liquids can be moved with simpler pumps while
thicker liquids require special pumps. In this case, rotary pumps are
an excellent means of loading/unloading, transferring, and
circulating fuels.

SETTLING TANK
The contaminated oil settling tanks hold oil that is contaminated
with water or other impurities. After the oil has settled, the
unburnable material, such as water and sludge, is pumped out
through low suction connections. The burnable oil remaining in
the tanks is transferred to a storage tank or a service tank.

CENTRIFUGE PUMP /
PURIFIER FEED PUMP
The feed pump transfers the fuel oil from the settling tank to the
purifier for purification. Usually, the feed pump comes with the
purifier when purchased from the manufacturer.

HEATER
Usually, fuel oil is heated to reduce its viscosity and thus improving
the flow and purification. Heating could be the steam produced
from the boiler that are supplied to the system or through an
electric heater. Throughout the system, heaters are installed in
order to have a steady flow of fuel oil.

HEATER

CENTRIFUGE/PURIFIER
Purification and clarification takes place in the centrifuge where
fuel oil, water, and solid particles are separated in order to have
a supply of clean fuel oil to the engine. In older systems, the
separation system consist of a series operation of a purifier and
a clarifier. In modern systems, separation is achieved in a single
separation system where both purification and clarification takes
place such as the ALCAP system developed by Alfa Laval AB.

CENTRIFUGE/PURIFIER

SERVICE TANK
Clean oil from the centrifuges are then transferred into the service tanks.
Mostly two service tanks are found onboard which are the HFO service tank
and the DO service tank. All fuel for intermediate use are drawn from the
service tanks. Fuel oil tanks are vented to the atmosphere through pipes
vent
allow above
air todecks.
leave or enter the
leading from the top ofThe
each
tankpipes
to a location
tank as fuel is added or removed. Most fuel oil tanks
are equipped with manholes, overflow lines,
sounding tubes, liquidlevel indicators, and lines by
which you may fill, empty, and cross-connect the
tanks.

THREE-WAY VALVE
A diesel oil daily service tank may be installed and is connected to
the system via a three-way valve. The engine can be started up
and maneuvered on diesel oil or even a blend of diesel and heavy
fuel oil. Main engines designed to maneuver on heavy fuel oil are
to be operated according to the manufacturers instructions. All
other types of main engines are to be maneuvered on diesel oil
according to the manufacturers instructions. In the event of
problems during maneuvering on engines using heavy oil there
must be no hesitation in changing over to diesel oil irrespective of
whether the engines are being operated using bridge control, or
using engine room control.

THREE-WAY VALVE
(PNEUMATIC CONTROLLED)

FLOW METER
A flow meter measures the flow rate of a gas or a liquid moving
through a pipe. It is fitted into the system to indicate fuel
consumption.

FLOW METER

MIXING TANK
The mixing tank is used to collect recirculated oil and
also acts as a buffer or reserve tank as it will supply fuel
when the daily service tank is empty. The system
includes various safety devices such as low-level alarms
and remotely operated tank outlet valves which can be
closed in the event of a fire.
Vapor trap is attached on the system due to changes of
state of the fuel oil from liquid togaswhile still in the
fuel delivery system. The fuel can vaporize due to being
heated by the engine or by the local climate.

MIXING TANK
TRAP

VAPOR

BOOSTER PUMP
Booster pump is a machine which will increase thepressureof a
fluid, generally aliquid. It is used to increase pressure of an already
pressurized gas.Boosters may be used for increasing gas pressure,
transferring high pressure fluids, charginggas cylindersand
scavenging.
They are used to pump the oil through heaters and a viscosity
regulator to the engine-driven fuel pumps.

BOOSTER PUMP

VISCOSITY REGULATOR
The viscosity regulator controls the fuel oil temperature in order to
provide the correct viscosity for combustion. Viscosity Regulator or
Viscotherm, is a device used to measure viscosity of the fuel oil
before sending it to the engine. It is generally fitted at the outlet of
the fuel oil heater. The regulator is connected with the heater so
that it can measure the viscosity of the oil and regulate the
temperature at the same time.

HEATED FILTER
Afuel
filteris
afilterin
the
fuel
line
that
screens
outdirtandrustparticles from the fuel. Unfiltered fuel may contain
several kinds of contamination, for examplepaintchips and dirt
that has been knocked into thetankwhile filling, or rust caused by
moisture in a steel tank. If these substances are not removed
before the fuel enters the system, they will cause rapid wear and
failure of the fuel pump and injectors, due to theabrasiveaction of
the particles on the high-precision components used in
moderninjection systems. Fuel filters also improveperformance, as
the fewer contaminants present in the fuel, the more efficiently it
can beburnt. It ensures free flow of fuel to the engine.

FUEL FILTER

FUEL PUMP
The fuel pumps will discharge high-pressure fuel to their respective
injectors. The purpose of the fuel pump is to convey the fuel
reaching from its fuel tank into the individualcylinders, under the
requisite high pressure in order to ensure good atomization
andgood combustion.

FUEL PUMP

FUEL INJECTOR
The function of the fuel injection system is to provide the right
amount of fuel at the right moment and a suitable condition for the
combustion process. There must therefore be some form of
metered supply, a means of timing the delivery, of atomization and
distribution of fuel.

There are two basic system in use. One is the common rail system,
in which a single pump supplies fuel at high pressure to a common
manifold feeding the cylinders. Injection of the fuel to each cylinder
takes place through a fuel valve operated from the camshaft which
releases a metered amount of fuel into each cylinder at the instant
it is required.
The other system is known as the jerk pump system, in which the
fuel is metered and raised in pressure by a separate fuel pump for
each cylinder. The pump is timed to force the fuel through the
injector into the cylinder at the appropriate moment.

COMMON RAIL SYSTEM

JERK PUMP SYSTEM

FUEL RETURN
A pressure regulating valve ensures a
constant-pressure supply to the engine
driven pumps, and a pre-warming
bypass is used to heat up the fuel
before starting the engine.

Fuel Path before

starting of engine

SUMMARY
The oil is stored in tanks in the double bottom from which it is pumped to a settling tank
and heated. After passing through centrifuges the cleaned, heated oil is pumped to a daily
service tank.
From the daily service tank the oil flows through a three-way valve to a mixing tank. A flow
meter is fitted into the system to indicate fuel consumption. Booster pumps are used to
pump the oil through heaters and a viscosity regulator to the engine-driven fuel pumps.
The viscosity regulator controls the fuel oil temperature in order to provide the correct
viscosity for combustion. The fuel pumps will discharge high-pressure fuel to their
respective
injectors.
A pressure regulating valve ensures a constant-pressure supply to the engine-driven
pumps, and a pre-warming bypass is used to heat up the fuel before starting the engine.