Cleaning and LubricationCleaning is a continuous task. As a GS supervisor,you are already aware that good housekeeping practicesmust be maintained and passed on to your subordinates.The responsibilities for cleaning and lubricating thecomponents of the CRP/CPP systems are very similarto those for the MRG LO system. This is because themajority of the components that require cleaning in boththe MRG LO system and the CRP/CPP systems arevalves. When cleaning the valves of the CRP/CPPsystems, be sure to pay close attention to detail.Attention to detail is important because most of thevalves and piping of the CRP/CPP systems are locatedin the bilge area. Valves in the bilge area are constantlyexposed to corrosive elements.Other components that require cleaning andlubrication are the two CRP/CPP pump couplings.These pump couplings are not cleaned and lubricated asfrequently as the valves, but their cleaning andlubricating are still very important responsibilities.Alignments and AdjustmentsYou will routinely supervise alignments andadjustments to couplings and other system components.Your personnel usually perform these tasks after generalmaintenance (cleaning and lubrication). Alignmentsand adjustments are either scheduled or conditional.During the cleaning process, for example, you maydiscover that a coupling requires an alignment check oradjustment.The CRP/CPP system is one of the few systems thatyou as a supervisor will be required to train yourpersonnel to closely monitor locally. Local monitoringis necessary because of the lack of remote monitoringcapabilities.You will also be required to train yourpersonnel to make the necessary mechanical andelectrical adjustments. Your personnel will periodicallyperform these procedures through your ship’s PMS.Remember, first you must monitor the operation of theCRP/CPP system as a whole, and then isolate individualcomponents (one at a time) to ensure they arefunctioning properly. The following paragraphs containsome of the components you maybe required to adjustand the functions they are designed to perform.UNLOADING VALVE.— The unloading valveunloads the pressure of the attached pump back to thesump if the electric pump is operating and functioningproperly.SEQUENCING VALVE.— The sequencing valveserves two purposes:(1) It maintains a back pressure on the system toensure that a minimum of 400 psi is supplied to the inletside of the reducing valve, and (2) it provideshigh-pressure oil to the OD box.REDUCING VALVE.— The reducing valveprovides control oil to the OD box.AUXILIARY SERVO RELIEF VALVE.— Theauxiliary servo relief valve relieves excess control oilpressure back to the sump.MAIN RELIEF VALVE.— The main relief valverelieves excessive pump pressure, either from theelectric pump or attached pump, back to the sump.Besides adjusting the components at the OD box,both mechanical and electronic pitch position alignmentchecks must be accomplished periodically. Thesechecks will not only require your expertise to train yourpersonnel, but also require your presence while they arebeing accomplished.MECHANICAL ALIGNMENT.— The mechani-cal alignment procedure is basically the same for all theship classes. This procedure is performed according tothe PMS and is used to detect valve rod separation(unscrewing) or elongation. Remember, two peoplewill be required to perform this check One must bepositioned at the OD box and the other at the HOPM,and they must be able to communicate with each other(sound-powered phones or walkie-talkies). This test isnormally fairly easy to accomplish if no problems areencountered. By problems we mean the pitch scale andthe pitch position pointer being off by more than 1/16 ofan inch.If this difference cannot be explained bythermal growth or contraction of the valve rod assembly,it will be necessary to verify that all connections in thevalve rod assembly are tight. If the position of thepointer and pitch scale is subject to question at anytime,you must verify actual position of blade 1A to the hubbody marks. If the ship is not in dry dock, you must usea diver to observe and confirm hub body marks. Youmust have confirmation of the hub body marks at designahead and full ahead when pitch is ordered at normaloperating temperatures.NOTEIn most cases, an equipment malfunction is notthe cause of the pointer and scale discrepancy.Usually, it is an operator error. To avoid this problem,make sure your personnel strictly follow the MRCand always take all measurements at the same systemoil temperature.3-18
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