MAN B&W Diesel A/S

Service Letter

SL00-377/CEE March 2000

Engine Room Safety Action Code: IMMEDIATELY Dear Sirs Recently a crankcase explosion was experienced on a large bore MC engine due to a main bearing failure. We have investigated the very few incidents of crankcase explosions on MC engines and, according to our findings, no such crankcase explosion has earlier been initiated by a main bearing failure. We have additionally been in contact with some of the classification societies, and their statistics also show that the probability of a crankcase explosion is very small. Safety has our highest priority and, even though the probability is small, we would like to emphasise the prevailing MAN B&W inspection instructions and recommendations: 1. Whenever the crankcase is entered (minimum every 2-3 months) the oil pan is, as a matter of routine, to be inspected for possible bearing material fragments. If such metal fragments are found, the origin must be traced, and the bearing concerned must be replaced by a spare. The lube oil filter also has to be checked for possible bearing metal debris. See the enclosed pages 702.01/02 from the Operation Instruction Manual.
HEAD OFFICE (& Postal address) Teglholmsgade 41 DK-2450 Copenhagen SV Telephone: +45 33 85 11 00 Telex: 16592 manbw dk Telefax: +45 33 85 10 30 E-mail: manbw@manbw.dk http://www.manbw.dk DIESEL SERVICE Teglholmsgade 41 DK-2450 Copenhagen SV Telephone: +45 33 85 11 00 Telex: 31197 manbw dk Telefax: +45 33 85 10 49 E-mail: diesel-service@manbw.dk PRODUCTION Teglholmsgade 35 DK-2450 Copenhagen SV Telephone: +45 33 85 11 00 Telex: 19023 manfw dk Telex: 19042 manfw dk Telefax: +45 33 85 10 17 E-mail: manufacturing/copenhagen@manbw.dk FORWARDING Teglholmsgade 35 DK-2450 Copenhagen SV Telephone: +45 33 85 11 00 Telex: 19023 manfw dk Telex: 19042 manfw dk Telefax: +45 33 85 10 16 MAN B&W Diesel A/S Denmark Reg.No.: 24 231

2. The oil mist detector, as recommended in our Service Letter SL90-262 dated March 1990, should always be coupled to the engine safety system. We emphasise that an alarm from the oil mist detector should provide an automatic slow down, subject to maximum 6 seconds delay after an alarm has been given. The automatic slow down must bring the engine rpm down to the pre-set value of 40% of normal mcr rpm, overriding a possible load reduction programme. We realise that a number of engines, usually with main engine driven generators, are provided with a manual slow down system. We strongly recommend that this should, at the earliest opportunity, be changed to automatic slow down as follows: A) The oil mist alarm should immediately cause the engine rpm to be reduced to the lowest possible rpm necessary for the shaft generator to stay connected to the grid. An auxiliary engine should be started automatically and, as soon as this has been connected to the grid, the main engine rpm should be reduced to the slow down level of 40% of normal mcr rpm.

B)

The time from the alarm is given to the slow down is activated should be as short as possible and in any event less than 1 minute. We furthermore refer to the enclosed pages 704.04, 05, and 06 from the Operation Instruction Manual.

Yours faithfully, MAN B&W Diesel A/S

Carl-Erik Egeberg

Uffe Mikkelsen

Enclosures