MARINE MACHINERY FAILURES

In early December 1971, Mr. B.K. Batten of the Technical Department of Lloyd's Register of Shipping gave a talk on Marine Machinery Failures, which this article summarizes. Mr. Batten reported that controllable pitch propellers showed a high incidence of failure due to their complexity compared to fixed pitch propellers. One reason for many failures and near failures was a broken blade pivot. It was found to be too weak, and was subsequently strengthened. Many gear failures have been found to be the result of a number of stresses including wheel tooth bending stresses, irregular cyclinder pressures which increase torsional vibration stresses, and changes in alignment. Couplings and clutches failed usually due to misalignment. Crankshafts usually fail due to "slipping." Turbines usually fail because of blading failures. The incidence of failure in watertube boilers has remained at the same level since 1947. He concludes that greater vigilance is needed to prevent further failures, since at some stage of the problem a person is almost always involved.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport and Technical Publications Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  London,   England 
• Publication Date: 1971-12-10

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 26-29
• Serial:
  • Shipbuilding and Shipping Record
  • Volume: 118
  • Issue Number: 24
  • Publisher: Transport and Technical Publications Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blades (Machinery); Boilers; Controllable pitch propellers; Couplers; Failure; Failure analysis; Turbines
• Old TRIS Terms: Boiler failure; Turbine blade failure
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00028928
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 21 1973 12:00AM