We’ve just finished helping a major client after it was found their engine wasn’t as protected as they thought and wondered how many other people are in a similar position?
It was a safety critical engine, designed to run to destruction, but NOT during the regular running tests.
This is why they needed the engine protection, which wasn’t as straightforward as it could have been!
The simplest way to protect the engine “over-speeding” was to use a magnetic pick up (MPU) which would check the speed and send a signal to the control box for an immediate shutdown.
Normally the MPU is fitted in the bell housing, where it detects the engine speed from the tip of the flywheel teeth, but because of site restrictions this wasn’t an option.
Instead the MPU had to be installed at 90 degrees and operate off the side of the teeth and as this was not the designed set-up, an extensive proving process had to be followed to satisfy the Management Of Change (MOC) protocol.
If you’ve ever been involved in a MOC process, you’ll know how involved they can be and this was no different, including the use of an oscilloscope to confirm the MPU readings during a mock-up of the engine set up using our test rig, see below.
Last week we shared some information on an oil condition sensor that can give you live information warning of an up-and-coming problem, but what if there is an immediate major problem, like the engine running away?
If anything like this was to happen, then you’d want more than a warning light, or indicator, you’ll want the engine to be protected and shut down as quickly as possible.
