# Oil-pump failure sidelines H.M.S. Astute!!!



## Philthechill (May 8, 2007)

I read in yesterday's (Wednesday 26/12/07) Times that H.M.S. Astute is back in dock having the journals on her turbo-gennies lapped after suffering a lub-oil pump failure resulting in the bearings being "wiped" with subsequent journal damage.
In this day-and-age of highly sensitive "equipment-failure-sensors" how can it be that the lub-oil pumps, supplying oil to the bearings of the turbo-generators on the £1 billion submarine H.M.S. Astute, failed and no stand-by pump kicked in as soon as this failure occurred?
From a "running-pump-contactor-has-dropped-out", to a "motor-is-rotating" , or even "the oil-pressure-has-fallen-below-its-alarm-set-point", surely, on such a hugely expensive vessel, these sort of sensors are a mandatory fitting?
According to the report, in The Times, BAE Systems are removing the score-marks "in-situ". My experience of such score-marks says that they cannot remove them completely unless they metal-spray the shafts, to fill the score-marks in, and then hone the applied metal-spray to give the necessary two or three micron finish to the shafts.
No doubt a multi-thousand pounds job which could have been prevented by the fitting of some not very expensive sensors! Cheers!! "Wise-after-the-event Phil Roe"(Hippy)


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## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

This happened the first time they connected up the shore side steam generator to her in dock a week after she was put in the water Phil. They weren't under load and I agree someone messed up by not making sure all the sensors were connected properly. Something they will sort out in February from the info I have when they take her back into the building shed for final adjustments to the stern gland/etc


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

very good question phil.........

one or two of us here in the home town of astute have been asking the same questions........ checkout girls in asda......quikfit tyre fitters and the girl who issues the tickets in the local bingo hall.

even me....... and im a radio officer.


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## Philthechill (May 8, 2007)

*Wasted degrees?*

Sparkie! Sounds, (to me at least), as if you've got the typical over-supply of people with degrees (and no suitable positions where they can be utilised) there, what with the Asda check-out girls, Kwik-fit tyre-fitters and ticket-issuers in t'local bingo emporium all asking why this appalling incident happened to "Astute". I'd love to be a fly-on-the-wall, at smoko, in Asda, Kwik-fit and the Bingo Hall to eavesdrop on their conversations! 
Instead of the usual. "Hi-ya Trace!! Did you get wasted on Saturday night? I did (fourteen alcopops and twelve pints of Stella) then had a knee-trembler in the ladies bogs, lasted all of fifteen seconds, with that skin-head, (Terry, from Kwi-fit, the one with the City and Guilds in tyre-changing) then threw-up in the Chinese afterwards! Oh yes! I lost my knickers as well!!! Great night!!" 
It would be, "Hello Tracey! Have you had any further thoughts on what they could fit to "Astute's" lub-oil pumps to let the engineers know they've stopped? My fiance ( Terence from Kwik-fit, the one with the Doctorate in Quantum Physics) and I discussed it over a half-bottle of Lambrini and we both came-up with the idea of fitting a sensor of the "Low Oil Pressure Alarm" type would be more than enough! We then went to bed at 9 p.m. and made love for precisely eight minutes and thirty-three seconds followed by a Pot Noodle each! Marvellous!!" 
Or something like that!!!!! Cheers, Phil(Hippy)


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## Philthechill (May 8, 2007)

Davie Tait said:


> This happened the first time they connected up the shore side steam generator to her in dock a week after she was put in the water Phil. They weren't under load and I agree someone messed up by not making sure all the sensors were connected properly. Something they will sort out in February from the info I have when they take her back into the building shed for final adjustments to the stern gland/etc


 Thanks for the info Davie! No doubt the usual excuses will be trotted-out of the "lessons-will-be-learned" type!!!! Cheers! Phil(Hippy)


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## PAULD (Sep 6, 2006)

Should of had two oil pumps running in parrallel at the same time, both set up individualy, to supply the minimum amount of oil required to keep lubricated. Then both run together so if one does fail you still have adequate oil flow


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## Philthechill (May 8, 2007)

*Oh come on-------------!!!*



PAULD said:


> Should of had two oil pumps running in parrallel at the same time, both set up individualy, to supply the minimum amount of oil required to keep lubricated. Then both run together so if one does fail you still have adequate oil flow


Oh come on Paul! That comes under the heading of common sense and, as we all know, that's one commodity no longer allowed in modern-day Britain!! Toodle-pip! "Wise-after-the-event Phil"(Hippy)


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

hi phil........

i think an even more interesting conversation would have been the one when the news of this "cock up" reached the ears of this gentleman............


http://www.naval-technology.com/features/feature1224/



have a good new year phil from another ex a.c.l. man


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## Philthechill (May 8, 2007)

*Serious doubts!!!*

I read the report about "Mr. Astute" and I'm quite sure he's not been best pleased by the cack-handedness displayed by his commissioning team.
However having read through the write-up about just what an amazing bit of kit "Astute" (and her sisters) is I have serious doubts about the veracity of at least one statement made "--------------she could hit a sixpence from 1000 miles away with one of her Tomahawk missiles".
(1) Why would anyone waste a multi-million pound missile on trashing a sixpence?
(2) Nobody has eyesight good enough to see a sixpence from 1000 miles away!
(3) Where would you find a sixpence these days anyway?
Just a thought!!!!!
Good wishes for New Year reciprocated sparkie!!! Salaams, Phil(Hippy)


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## Bearsie (Nov 11, 2006)

"Mr. Astute" sounds like a man that can bring a team together.
Some of the report is plain salesmen hype...
But, I doubt he is a technical person.
A million parts on 7000 drawings begs for an error someplace.

On technical terms: it doesn't require computerised electronic sensors to protect machinery. That sort of thing was available already a hundred years ago, just mechanical back then, sounds more like somebody got cocky or fell asleep on the job...


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

hi to all astute fans.........

" mr astute " has just been awarded a c.b.e. in the new years honours list...........

whether this means much these days is open to debate..............

but the accuracy of our sixpence trashing is beyond reproach........

as long as we keep on good terms with the americans, who own the g.p.s.
tracking system.........


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## Chief Engineer's Daughter (Sep 17, 2005)

Wait a minute! Am I right in thinking that this H.M.S. Astute is an underwater going type of vessel??? Did nobody notice that things were getting kind of HOT, HOT, HOT? (EEK)


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