This free online course teaches the principles and operations of auxiliary machinery and equipment used aboard ships.

This course on marine auxiliary machinery introduces you to the various pumping systems found on a ship and examines extensive pipeline layouts with control valves. It explains the various types of heat exchangers necessary on board and describes the compressed air equipment as part of the auxiliary equipment on board. A ship is similar to a power plant, with a living quarter that requires an array of pipelines carrying fuel, lubricating oil, water, steam, air and other fluids meeting the power and housing needs on a ship. Understanding circuitry and how the pumping systems function, aided by various valves in facilitating the systems' function, are essential parts of knowledge for a marine engineer. This course takes a deeper look into the multiple piping systems on board, the materials used to make shipboard pipes and valves, maintenance procedures and regulatory requirements involving shipboard pipelines, types of repair procedures of shipboard valves and pipeline functions. We will discuss materials used in piping systems in great detail and you will learn about the compatibility of valves with fluids in a machine system.

Heat exchangers allow heat transfer between fluids. They are used in widespread applications, such as fuel heating, domestic water heating, lubricating oil cooling, charge air cooling and condenser cooling. In marine engineering, they design compressors to serve several needs using air under pressure. Although the various types and sizes of the compressor are available for the central air compressor, it is primarily the reciprocating tandem type used. Learning the basic principles and layout, including the air receivers, will help you operate the air compressors more efficiently. This course explains how pipes carry abrasive and corrosive fluids exposed to atmospheric corrosion and general wear and tear, along with how they sometimes operate at extremely high temperatures. The course describes the regulatory requirement used in pipeline maintenance and how classification societies have specific requirements regarding ships' piping systems that follow the general survey criteria for the rest of the vessel. Discover the maintenance procedures and troubleshooting measures for valves and pipeline systems and the basic maintenance procedures, systems, constructional features and principles of operation.

This course from Alison teaches extensively about the auxiliary machinery and equipment used at sea, from pumping systems to compressed air equipment. It describes the role of valves in a ship and how the purpose of all types of check valves is to allow flow in one direction only. It emphasises the functions of a valve and the routine maintenance that take place in the valve. The course discusses the various pump concepts, like the most common pump used to move large volumes of water and the centrifugal pump used in simple construction and operation. The course explores the classification of pumps, the principle of operation of a reciprocating pump, the constructional features of a reciprocating pump, the maintenance schedule of a reciprocating pump, how to observe the faults and their possible causes in a reciprocating pump. This course will be of significant interest to students, researchers, marine engineers and anyone seeking to learn about marine equipment and maintenance procedures. Register for this course today and improve your understanding of the principles guiding marine auxiliary equipment and the workings of the relevant systems.