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ARABIAN GULF (JUNE 28, 2023) When Sailors embark on a ship, they are guaranteed only three
things: three meals a day, a place to sleep, and water to drink and use. However, for the
guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74), one of those guarantees was put into question
when one of the two reverse osmosis (RO) units failed as the ship got underway to complete
operational tasking in the Gulf of Oman, June 28, 2023.
As a result, a team of McFaul engineers, nicknamed the “A-Gang” and comprised of the ship’s
machinist’s mates, was called to respond to the casualty and find the source of the system
failure.
“The first thing we noticed was the excessive vibrations coming from the RO unit,” said
Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Omoy Graveney, the repair team leader. “When we tested the
system, we found that we were unable to make water, which reduced the amount of potable
water available on the ship by half. In addition to being drinking water, potable water allows
Sailors to shower, cook food in the galley, do maintenance using low pressure air, and use the
restrooms. So, getting the unit back up was a high priority.”
After completing the initial operational test, the first diagnosis was an issue with the suction
discharge valve within the unit. However, after performing a more in-depth inspection,
Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Harold Cornelio discovered a more severe issue.
“After we took the unit apart, I saw that one of the cross-head pistons was cracked,” said
Cornelio. “Without that piston working properly, the RO wouldn’t be able to pressurize the
water to the point where the unit could separate the salt and water, making it impossible to
make water for the ship.”
The team spent two days working on the unit, the first day being a 12-hour day and the second
being an 18-hour day. During that time, the ship rationed its water by using paper plates and
plastic utensils during meal times, decreasing the use of showers, and securing laundry.
“After we changed the piston out, we put everything back together, but the same noise
happened again,” said Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Andre Osborne. “After we troubleshot the unit
one more time, we finally found the last issue, which was that the bladder needed to be
changed. Once we changed it, the noise finally stopped, and the unit started making water
again.”
Within 48 hours of the initial casualty, McFaul’s A-Gang was able to restore the RO unit to its
fully operational status, enabling the ship to continue its mission in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of
operations.
“I’m extremely proud of my team and their hard work bringing potable water back to our ship,”
said Lt.j.g. Triston Ferguson, the auxiliary officer aboard McFaul. “These Sailors worked for two
days straight, removed a 350lb. pump by hand and rebuilt the pump, all while working in an
engineering space that averages 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks to them, McFaul was able to
stay mission ready and support the free flow of commerce in the Gulf of Oman.”
McFaul is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and
stability in the Middle East region.
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 01.25.2024 08:28 |
| Story ID: | 462397 |
| Location: | ARABIAN GULF |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, McFaul Engineers Complete Reverse Osmosis System Repairs, by PO1 Juel Foster, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
