LUBRICATION AND MARINE MACHINERY FAILURES

IN A PAPER to the Institute of Marine Engineers on 29th March, H. N. Pemberton (Chief Engineer Surveyor to Lloyd's Register of Shipping) dealt with marine machinery failures covering, mainly, cases which impinged on design, construction and materials. The subject of lubrication was mentioned many times and obviously, faulty lubricants or faulty lubrication systems have been the cause of probably more failures than most other reasons. Commencing with explosions in crankcases, Mr. Pemberton said that during the past six years there have been 30 explosions in the crankcases of main oil engines causing the deaths of 12 persons and injuring 13 others. In the same period there have been 22 explosions in auxiliary engines, and in one case the engine room was completely destroyed by fire.