FAQs
- What is required for the flow meters?
- down time etc. 6 to 8 hours to install the standard flow meter manifold assemblies
- How long does an installation take?
- Can take typically 2 to 3 days, and will be undertaken by locally appointed installation contractors.
- How much?
- Dependent on contractor pricing and the complexity of the installation, ship layout etc.
- Can system be used for all types of fuel?
- Currently used on MDO, MGO and Diesel. Work being completed for IFO heavy fuel with high temperature flow meters.
- What is the level of crew involvement once fitted?
- Only involvement is required by bridge crew, monitoring screen display and adjusting vessel performance if required.
- Is training required?
- Training is given by Royston when system is commissioned
- If power out/internet failure, does system have to be re-commissioned?
- System has a battery back-up supply and will keep on acquiring data. If upload is interrupted, it will re-try, when comms restored.
- What is the data transfer rate to the FTP site?
- For simple fuel measurement -8Kb every hour, and for full engine monitoring approx. 36Kb every hour, so low cost as price dictated by data transfer size
- How often does it sample?
- How do customers access data?
- Via the website which customer will be given access to
- How accurate is the system?
- System accuracy is dependent on a number of variables but the flow meters are rated at +/-1.0% with +/-0.1% repeatability.
- Do meters require calibration?
- Recommended at yearly intervals for continuous accurate data recording.
- Are the flow meters bi-directional?
- Yes, the standard flow meters are bi-directional Positive Displacement oval gear type.
- Type approved?
- System approval is not required as non- intrusive and can be removed at any time without detrimental effect to the vessel. If approval asked for by Lloyds or any other classification society, we would work with the local surveyor to achieve this. Components such as Data-taker, flow meters etc have their own individual type approval, and no non-approved items are used in the system build up.
- Are the flow meters class approved?
- What happens if air gets in the system?
- System will be bled by contract installers upon completion of flow meter manifold installation. After installation, the fuel system will be airtight, and the fuel monitoring system will maintain this integrity.
- Do flow meters require bleeding?
- No, the system can be bled as per normal at a convenient point
- What happens if contaminants get into the flow meters?
- This is highly dependent on the filtration levels within the fuel system and can accelerate the flow meter wear, reduce accuracy and lead to flow meter failure. Flow-meters should always be installed downstream of a filter, maximum size of 100microns advised.
- How many sensors can the data-taker handle?
- A DT80 unit can handle 4 high speed digital inputs (10 kHz), 4 low speed inputs (20 Hz) and 5 analogue inputs.
- What if more inputs are required?
- This can be accommodated by various means, dependant on the input specification eg. Digital or 4-20mA and can be discussed by our engineers, subject to individual requirements.
- Can this system be used on any engine of any age?
- Yes. We can also provide the internet capability to the vessel if required.
- Can engine diagnostics information be used from newer engines?
- Yes. We can use standard CANbus, Modbus and other serial protocols as standard. For engines using Modbus to communicate with other systems but do not have a spare Modbus channel, we have eavesdropping technology, which allows us to gather the data without requiring a direct Modbus connection to the engine.
- Is there a restriction on flow meters due to pipework sizing/engine and fuel system architecture?
- No. The meters are dependent on the pressure drops to and from the engine and tanks, and the meters and pipework can be sized to accommodate this without affecting fuel delivery.
- What happens to the data?
- It is uploaded via ship’s internet, (typically a 3G/GPRS mobile data connection) to a secure shore based server
- Does the “sweet spot” vary from vessel to vessel?
- Yes. When the system is commissioned, data is analysed at idle, 25%, 75% and 100% loads and these values are then converted into fuel consumption figures for each engine. An initial estimate is programmed into the system and after a period of time, when data has accrued, the programme can be fine- tuned remotely if required.
- What is the measurement pulse frequency of the flow meters?
- Typically for an OG4 this is 100pulses/ltr.
- Are there any temperature restrictions on the system?
- Data-taker rated at 85°C.
- Is there service support for the data acquisition website?
- How accessible is the site?
- Anywhere where there is an internet connection and a computer.
- If anything goes wrong with the system, will the vessel be disabled?
- The flow meters have full by-pass capability as per maritime installation codes and can be removed without detriment to the vessel. The rest of the system architecture is non-intrusive, and does not affect any other ship systems
- Where do I go for spares or service?
- How successful is the system?
- Historical data available.
- How many engine types has it been installed on?
- To date 9 different types of varying ages
- Does this product void existing warranties?
- Can the system do anything else apart from monitor fuel usage?
- Yes – the system can be customised to take inputs from other sources, such as exhaust gas emissions, to indicate engine wear, engine RPM, turbo vibration, for indication of turbo wear.
- Can alerts be sent via SMS if a master exceeds engine or fuel consumption thresholds?
- Yes, alerts can be sent for any monitored parameter via SMS text or e-mail.
- How long can data be maintained?
- 14 days in the Data-taker and currently indefinitely.
- Are there any other costs?
- Yes, there is a monthly charge for secure data storage and access to it via the web site. Data transmission is very cost effective and is usually covered by your existing service agreement.
- Can the Fuel meters be used on both 380 and 500 fuel oil?
- Are there any changeover procedures? The same meters would be used. There are no changeover procedures – the meter will detect the change in density of the fuel and can record this along with the flow rate.
- What material are the engine sensors made of?
- Stainless Steel or cast Aluminium, depending upon type. Coriolis meters are Stainless Steel.
- How would we know when it needs calibrating?
- Recommended annually to maintain any warranty or extended guarantee periods. Any anomalies in fuel consumption data would also indicate that calibration should be performed as part of the fault identification process.
- Is this a service Royston perform? Do we send them to you?
- There is a service exchange program available.
- From an engine i/ Fuel point of view, is it the same equipment for medium and slow speed engines?
- Fuel flow meters will probably be different, depending upon fuel type and flow rates. All other equipment will be exactly the same.
- Does the move towards low sulphur fuel have any effect on engine I or Fuel?
- No effect whatsoever. Low sulphur fuel affects engines because they usually make use of the lubricant properties of sulphur at high temperatures during combustion. Special lube oil has to be used to replace the lubrication provided by the sulphur, which is not present in LS fuel. Fuel flow meters do not have this requirement.
- Can we switch between heavy fuel and gas oil (when in port, for boilers and generators).
- Using coriolis meters, yes. If this is a requirement, we would need to be aware at design stage so that we specify the correct meters.
- How can we determine the power rating of each engine using engine i?
- We would install a permanent torque meter on the propeller shaft. This would have a wireless link to the Enginei data logger, and would allow us to record shaft torque along with engine RPM. Engine power = Torque x RPM, so we can calculate power once we can measure the torque and rpm.
- In a 12 month life of a ship they could bunker with various grades of heavy fuel. How would our flow meters cope with a vessel using various grades of heavy fuel?
- We would use Coriolis meters which have no moving parts so can cope with liquids of any viscosity – they would be ideal for the full range of fuel types. They are the most reliable type of meter available. We would have no problem coping with this.
- How does the system take into consideration tidal influence?
- Measures speed over ground. Relates back to fuel consumption. Travelling against tide burn more fuel and maintain speed. Or reduce speed and save fuel.
- How do we measure for trim?
- Measure water in ballast tanks or install motion sensor
- Does the system accommodate fluctuation in weight and volume?
- Software can be set up if required to give the master the ability to input load
- How do you compensate for hull condition?
- Correlate S.O.G with hull fouling
- My vessels are in the Middle East how would you install over there?
- Send engineers or use local labour
- What GPRS system are you using, and can we use an existing GPRS / satellite platform?
- We would use the ships existing platform.
- How much is the airtime transmission of data going to cost?
- Average is £150 per month based on a transmission every 15 minutes. This includes the hosting and the management console
- Are there any ongoing costs?
- Data transmissions. Small packet data so very cheap and a monthly web hosting and server fee.
- Is my data secure?
- Yes all data is held on our secure server which is hosted off site in a professional server base.
- How far can I go back to obtain data from both the ship and from the interface?
- The data can be stored in the datalogger for up to 14 days worth of information.
- Can I have multiple accounts for different individuals to access?
- Yes set up individual secure passwords is possible
- Can I see my entire fleet on one interface?
- Can I have the interface skinned in my corporate colors?
