Remote Monitoring, Simulation and Diagnosis of Electronically Controlled Marine Engines

The implementation of a system for acquisition, transferring and processing data essential for ma-rine engine diagnostics is the basis of condition maintenance. Determining the most influential operating parameters, their monitoring, analysis and action based on expert knowledge prevents downtime due to possible malfunctions. Timely corrections and replacement of worn parts based on condition diagnostics enable maintenance planning, which reduces the frequency of maintenance and the accumulation of unnecessary spare parts in warehouses. For research purposes, a system for remote data collection from electronically controlled marine engines was developed and applied. The system was installed on a four-stroke high-speed propulsion engine from a ferry and the operating parameters of the engine were monitored during regular sailing, in order to detect irregularities and possible failures at an early stage. The measurement system monitors the parameters obtained through the electronic engine control module via the J1939 protocol, and in this paper, the following relevant engine parameters are analyzed: engine speed, boost pressure, fuel consumption and engine load at the current speed. The analysis included the creation of trend diagrams to pre-sent the distribution of minimum, median and maximum values of each parameter of all measurements performed. This study also examines the simulation of faults of the high-speed four-stroke marine engine model. By utilizing sensor data from critical system components, the research investigates different scenarios. The analysis aims to elucidate the impact of these faults on engine performance. Based on the analyses of the relevant operating parameters of the engine, diagnostics were carried out.