Shaking Dust Collector Control System Using a Zelio PLC on The Tonasa Lines IX Vessel

Abstract

A shaking dust collector is a dust control system on cement carrier ships that operates via a vibration mechanism to release dust particles from the filter media. The conventional control system on the Tonasa Lines IX ship utilizes numerous electromechanical components such as analog timers, relays, contactors, and control transformers that have been in operation for approximately 52 years, making them prone to short circuits and breakdowns that disrupt cargo loading and unloading operations. This study aims to design, implement, and evaluate a shaking dust collector control system based on the Zelio Smart Relay SR2A101BD PLC as a replacement for the conventional system. The methodology employed is research and development (R&D), comprising existing system analysis, control circuit and function block diagram programming design, component installation, and system performance testing. Test results demonstrate that the Zelio Smart Relay PLC-based system successfully controls 3 shaker motor units automatically and sequentially with an operating duration of 30 seconds each and a delay time of 30 seconds between cycles, completely adhering to the programmed values (100% compliance rate across 6 test scenarios). Compared to the conventional system, the PLC implementation successfully simplified the control circuit by eliminating the use of control transformers and several analog timers, resulting in more compact panel wiring, easier troubleshooting, and a minimized risk of damage due to short circuits.