Svanehøj’s DW Fuel Pump can be serviced without having to empty the tank

The unique DW Fuel Foot Valve System came into its own when a customer in Germany discovered a leak during bunkering. Within three hours, the pump had been taken apart and the service job was underway.

Svanehøj’s DW Fuel Pump is fitted with a unique foot valve system that makes it possible to perform a complete service of the entire pump – regardless of that tank’s contents and the liquid level inside the tank.

This unique feature was crucial when Svanehøj was recently called out to an offshore installation vessel in Germany.

The customer had discovered a leak in one of the ship’s DW Fuel Pumps during bunkering. However, by activating the foot valve system, Svanehøj’s service engineer was able to locate the fault and begin repairing the pump in just three hours.

“If the DW Fuel Pump had not been fitted with the foot valve system, the fuel tank would have to be emptied and rendered gas free prior to extraction. Instead of the three hours we spent prepping the pump for service, it could have taken days for us to prepare,” Says Anders Jæger Thomsen, superintendent at Svanehøj.

There are several types of foot valve system on the market, but Svanehøj’s is among the most stable and reliable. This is because the feature is designed to utilise pressure from the fuel tank to keep the foot valve closed, as the surrounding pressure in the tank is higher than in the pump caisson.

The foot valve can be activated from outside the fuel tank. In case of a leak or other pump malfunction, the service engineer will add nitrogen to press out the LNG from the pump caisson through the foot valve. Afterwards, when the foot valve has been closed and the remaining gas vented off, the fuel pump is ready for extraction, whether this is for a full overhaul or minor service job.

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Svanehøj Foot Valve System