STARTING AIR LINE EXPLOSION AND ITS PREVENTIVE MEASURES

STARTING AIR LINE EXPLOSION

• MAIN AIR LINE CONTAIN 30 BAR AIR BUT THIS AIR IS NOT ALWAYS PURE. IT ALSO CONTAIN SOME TRACES OF OIL .
• THE OIL TRACES INSIDE THE 30 BAR AIR ACTS AS FUEL AND WE ALSO HAVE SUFFICIENT AIR SO FOR THE EXPLOSION TO TAKE PLACE WE ONLY NEED HEAT OR SPARK.
• THE LEAKY AIR STARTING VALVE ACTS AS HEAT SOURCE AND THUS LEAD TO STARTING AIR LINE EXPLOSION.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

• AIR COMPRESSOR TO BE MAINTAINED IN GOOD CONDITION.
• AIR BOTTLE IS TO BE DRAINED REGULARLY IN EVERY WATCH.
• STARTING AIR LINE TO BE DRAINED ONCE ENGINE HAS STOPPED.
• MAKE SURE AIR STARTING VALVE ON EACH CYLINDER HEAD IS  INSPECTED AND OVERHAULED AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
• RELIEF VALVE: IT IS FITTED ON COMMON AIR MANIFOLD WHICH SUPPLIES AIR TO THE CYLINDER HEAD. NORMALLY FITTED AT THE END OF MANIFOLD AND IT LIFT THE VALVE IN CASE OF EXCESS PRESSURE BUILD INSIDE THE MANIFOLD. THE ADVANTAGE OF RELIEF VALVE IS IT WILL SIT BACK AFTER REMOVING THE EXCESS PRESSURE THUS CONTINUOUS AIR IS AVAILABLE TO ENGINE IN CASE OF MANOEUVERING OR TRAFFIC.
• BURSTING DISC: IT IS FITTED IN THE STARTING AIR LINE AND CONSIST OF A PERFORATED DISC PROTECTED BY A SHEET OF MATERIAL WHICH WILL BURN IN CASE OF EXCESSIVE PRESSURE CAUSED DUE TO AIR LINE EXPLOSION. IT ALSO CONSIST OF A PROTECTIVE CAP SUCH CONSTRUCTED THAT IF THE ENGINE IS REQUIRED TO RUN EVEN AFTER THE DISC HAS BEEN RUPTURED, THE CAP WILL COVER THE HOLE WHEN IT IS TURNED. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT MANEOUVERING OR TRAFFIC AIR  IS AVAILABLE TO TURN ENGINE.
• NON RETURN VALVE: POSITIONED IN BETWEEN AIR MANIFOLD AND AIR RECEIVER IT WILL NOT ALLOW THE EXPLOSION AND ITS MIXTURE REACH THE AIR BOTTLE BECAUSE OF UNIDIRECTIONAL PROPERTY OF NON RETURN VALVE.
• FLAME ARRESTOR: IT IS SMALL UNIT COMPRISING OF SEVERAL TUBES WHICH WILL ARREST ANY FLAME COMING OUT OF THE CYLINDER THROUGH LEAKING START AIR VALVE . IT IS FITTED ON EVERY CYLINDER BEFORE THE START AIR VALVE.