Question 52Steam Plants - QMED

The correct answer is C) To provide a backup in case one of the heaters becomes inoperable. The reason this is the correct answer is that having two fuel oil heaters provides a redundancy in the system. If one of the heaters were to fail or become inoperable, the second heater would be able to maintain the necessary fuel oil temperature for the boilers, ensuring continued operation. This redundancy is an important safety feature to prevent disruptions in the fuel supply and maintain the overall reliability of the vessel's propulsion and power systems. The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the purpose of having two fuel oil heaters. Providing fuel at different temperatures to each boiler (option A) is not necessary, and having two heaters to supply fuel to different boilers (option D) is also not the primary reason for the redundancy.