Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, has announced that the company has developed and commercialized an onboard test kit called the "Fe-asy Checker 26," which enables crewmembers to analyze total iron content in scavenging drain oil safely, quickly, simply and with high accuracy, the company said in its press release.
The "Fe-asy checker 26" can make a highly accurate analysis of total iron content in the scavenging drain of diesel-powered main engines. The colorimetric method enables extremely accurate analysis of total iron content by using a specific wavelength filter for a photoelectric colorimeter and a special mix of two kinds of reagents. The result is displayed in parts per million (PPM) value.
The analysis result is displayed with high accuracy. Keeping the main engine in peak operating condition is indispensable for safe operation. Optimizing scavenging drain oil, which is one of the key elements, requires careful monitoring of conditions inside the diesel main engine during navigation. In recent years, many instances of low-temperature sulfuric acid corrosion (*2) have been reported due to an increase of design pressure inside the cylinders. This increases the need for measuring not only conventional magnetic iron particles, but also the total iron content including iron ions. Use of the "Fe-asy checker 26" kit will lead to earlier detection of abnormalities by allowing crewmembers to assess the iron content swiftly and accurately.
The company established its own MOL Safety Standards Specifications as part of its comprehensive approach to safe operation. The "Fe-asy checker 26" meets these specifications and will be adopted on MOL-owned/operated vessels that have diesel-powered main engines.
MOL takes a proactive stance in research and development that contributes to safe operation. The company also set forth "Reorganize operational safety system" in its midterm management plan STEER FOR 2020, with the aim of "forging ahead to become the world leader in safe operation." The new analysis kit is one of those initiatives.