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Author Topic: Queen Mary 2 Explosion
LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 12-03-2010 10:52 AM      Profile for LeBarryboat   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Here's an interesting article describing a recent explosion that took place aboard the Queen Mary 2 Thankfully no one was injured or killed, but QM2 lost power.
Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005  |  IP: Logged
Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 12-03-2010 11:09 AM      Profile for Frosty 4   Email Frosty 4   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
In order to cause this much damage the capacitors must be pretty large.Usually electrolytics. They can be oil filled. Not sure how they are used here but usually to filter AC into DC. Noise and spikes.
Frosty 4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged
LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 12-04-2010 01:21 PM      Profile for LeBarryboat   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
There's more info about the QM2 explosion written by Gene Sloan.
Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005  |  IP: Logged
Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 12-04-2010 01:46 PM      Profile for Frosty 4   Email Frosty 4   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
My assunptions were correct on the oil filled caps.
Heat and a poor voltage rating (lower than or at near the voltage they are subjected to causes failure.
I used to double the rating in the circuits I designed and never had issues. (Retred Electrical Engineer).
I'm surprised that this happened ,someone did not check the design spec somewhere.
Frosty 4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged
Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 12-04-2010 02:05 PM      Profile for Ernst   Author's Homepage   Email Ernst   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Frosty 4:
My assunptions were correct on the oil filled caps.
Heat and a poor voltage rating (lower than or at near the voltage they are subjected to causes failure.
I used to double the rating in the circuits I designed and never had issues. (Retred Electrical Engineer).
I'm surprised that this happened ,someone did not check the design spec somewhere.
Frosty 4

Excuse me, but how do you know that the 'voltage rating' of the concerned capacitor was the problem? Maybe you should also be a bit more careful with assumptions like 'someone did not check the design spec'.


Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005  |  IP: Logged
Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 12-05-2010 10:48 AM      Profile for Frosty 4   Email Frosty 4   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Are you an electrical engineer with 40+ years of experience??? A MSEE or PHD?
One must be careful in designing power supply filter circuits. A little over design always helps.
One must ask why the explosion and another cap in bad shape????

Frosty4


Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged
Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 12-05-2010 10:57 AM      Profile for Ernst   Author's Homepage   Email Ernst   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Frosty 4:
Are you an electrical engineer with 40+ years of experience??? A MSEE or PHD?
One must be careful in designing power supply filter circuits. A little over design always helps.
One must ask why the explosion and another cap in bad shape????

Frosty4


It is entirely irrelevant but I do indeed hold a PhD in Physics and I am indeed working with similar equipment.

In your comment above you jump to the conclusion that a design flaw was the reason for the explosion. If bother you read the accident report you will see that there is no indication that this was the case.

It might be a surprise for you but other people are also aware of safety margins. Fortunately the people who design such equipment are far more competent than you seem to be based on your rather simple minded comments posted above.


Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005  |  IP: Logged
Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 12-05-2010 11:32 AM      Profile for Frosty 4   Email Frosty 4   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
When a circuit or any component fails one must review the possibilities starting with the SIMPLE issues first. The KISS principle.
The caps in question failed. I would ask first what was the enviorment- heat ,poor ventilation, maintenance. The second cap probably showed signs of leakage. hence their comment. Didn't maintenance see this?
We had a department that did component checking as they received samples from vendors. On one occasion we had a cap reviewed and used in a sweep circuit in a large screen TV. This cap failed causing fires and a BIG recall to the company.
After review it was found a secondary vendor was used who had a price half that of the normally used vendor. In this case it cost the company dearly because someone selected the secondary vendor.
Working with equipment and designing are two different things.
I'm a perfectionist ! Fortunately never had any problems arise on my designs. I used component ratings far above the need value.
I await the report (if we are told) as to what caused the explosion.
I stand on my comments from experience.
Sorry you don't agree.
F4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged
Italianliners
First Class Passenger
Member # 5446

posted 12-05-2010 11:37 AM      Profile for Italianliners   Email Italianliners   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Such a pitty... the topic becames "i know more than you".

Italianliners


Posts: 272 | From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged
Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 12-05-2010 12:00 PM      Profile for Ernst   Author's Homepage   Email Ernst   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Frosty 4:
[...]
I'm a perfectionist ! Fortunately never had any problems arise on my designs. I used component ratings far above the need value.
I await the report (if we are told) as to what caused the explosion.
I stand on my comments from experience.
Sorry you don't agree.
F4

Look, if you are indeed a perfectionist I wonder why you did not bother to read the report first before making such public (!) statements (see link in article posted above!).

Your unfounded public accusations are entirely based on very amateurish speculations which are certainly not becoming more factual by referring to your experience.

Your designs have nothing to do with what happened aboard QM2 nor does it matter what you think that I am doing for a living. It is simply embarrassing (sorry Italianliners) especially since some of you comments actually indicate a severe lack of knowledge on that matter.

[ 12-05-2010: Message edited by: Ernst ]


Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005  |  IP: Logged
PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 12-05-2010 12:26 PM      Profile for PamM   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
The real MAIB safety bulletin should perhaps be read. The news reports have re-worded some aspects.

Pam


Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001  |  IP: Logged
Tom Burke
First Class Passenger
Member # 5238

posted 12-05-2010 03:42 PM      Profile for Tom Burke   Author's Homepage   Email Tom Burke   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by PamM:
The real MAIB safety bulletin should perhaps be read. The news reports have re-worded some aspects.

Pam


Also the present MAIB Safety Bulletin is just that: a bulletin to cruise ship operators/owners, basically recommending that they should check the capacitors on their ships. It also recounts the facts, but doesn't give causes. There will be a full report in due course which will do that, I expect.


Posts: 1469 | From: Sheffield, UK | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
Frosty 4
First Class Passenger
Member # 5826

posted 12-05-2010 04:52 PM      Profile for Frosty 4   Email Frosty 4   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
We all have opinions. I gave mine.Did you notice who always seems to come back with a retort especially on technical subjects?
You can never win or get in the last word.
I'll let the CTers make their own opinions on these posts.
Frosty 4

Posts: 2531 | From: Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged
jeffrossatsea
First Class Passenger
Member # 2962

posted 12-06-2010 12:26 AM      Profile for jeffrossatsea   Email jeffrossatsea   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
i agree with italianliners...someone likes to pick knit pick with others...jeff
Posts: 1118 | From: vancouver | Registered: Apr 2002  |  IP: Logged
PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 12-06-2010 09:30 AM      Profile for PamM   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Someone reading the first few posts on their own in the future, might assume there was was a design fault, when there is nothing mentioned in the report to lead to such a conclusion. Preliminary findings by the manufacturer of the capacitor indicate it deteriorated gradually. Reasons are unknown yet.

We have to wait for the in depth investigations of causes before discussing whether design specs should have been checked or not. I can't imagine they weren't anyway, but who knows; usage could be over and above what they were designed for, or maintenance not what it should have been - we have no idea and all speculation, not fact. What the specs are would have been more useful as I don't have a clue on such matters

It's a safety bulletin, not a report on the explosion itself. Interesting enough in its own right; I knew she had had a black out at that time, but had heard nothing re an explosion of some sort causing it.

Pam


Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001  |  IP: Logged

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