Introduction
Like all other types of engine, Diesel engines require a starter motor to start. The starter provides the rotation required for the engine to start working under its own power. This is achieved by converting another form of energy into rotation. A typical starter motor is electrical, and uses electricity to turn the engine. However, in certain situations where continued engine operation is essential, a backup engine starter is required in case the primary starter motor fails. There are also engines that may be required to be started with no source of external power available. This is known as a "black-start" and requires a starter motor that doesn’t require electricity to operate. Also in locations such as mines, there is a risk of sparks causing explosions, which makes electrical starters unsafe to use in those environments. In both of these situations a secondary engine starter is required. A number of types are available, all with different ways of storing the required energy to rotate the engine. Each type has its advantages and will be discussed below. Spring Starters Spring engine starters are best suited to smaller engines. They store the required energy as elastic potential energy, stored in a collection of springs. To start the engine the springs are wound up and then released. The built up energy is then transferred to a flywheel, which converts the energy into rotation, which starts the engine. As no electricity is required to operate a spring starter, it can be used in black-start situations. Air Starters An air starter system uses compressed air to start engines. The air is compressed using a compressor and then stored in a tank. To start the engine the air is released from the tank using a value and an air starter motor converts the energy stored in the compressed air into rotation and starts the engine. The air can be compressed at a higher psi and converted down before reaching the motor to reduce the size of the tank, useful in areas where space is limited. Once the engine has started it can power the compressor, allowing the air starter to be used again. Also an air starter has no risk of creating sparks while in use, making it safe to be used in areas with an explosion risk. Hydraulic Starters Hydraulic starters use energy stored in hydraulic fluid under pressure. The hydraulic fluid is compressed using an electric motor or a manual pump and is released using a valve once sufficient energy has built up. The hydraulic fluid then passes through a hydraulic starter motor which converts the stored energy into rotation to start the engine. The hydraulic starter can be manually operated using a crank or a foot pump, making it suitable for black-start situations. This system also offers practically unlimited uses, as the hydraulic fluid can just be recompressed after each start attempt. Nitrogen Starters Nitrogen engine starters are essentially the same as a normal air starter, except they have no compressor. Instead they use pre-compressed commercially available nitrogen cylinders. These cylinders can simply be replaced when empty, allowing unlimited starting attempts. Also, as the nitrogen is pre-compressed, it requires no electricity to compress and can be manually operated by simply releasing a value, making it suitable for black-start. Nitrogen starters are also safe for use in hazardous environments, like the air starter. By IPU Group IPU Group design and manufacture high quality, engine starting, engine control, fuel and oil conditioning products for critical diesel and gas engine applications. Our engineered solutions provide reliability and confidence where you need it most – for power generation, the oil and gas industry, offshore and marine, industrial and off highway applications. By applying our knowledge and expertise we help you to be certain of your equipment productivity, performance and safety.
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diesel engine starting, engine starting, engine starters, secondary starters, hydraulic starters, nitrogen starters, air starters, spring starters, bl,
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