View non-flash version
DIESEL POWER REVIEW One of the more difficult tasks facing both marine engineers and vessel owners contemplating new construction or the reengining of an existing vessel is keeping up with the latest developments in diesel engines for both main propulsion and auxiliary power. Manufacturers of marine diesel engines offer a mul- titude of selections and options to owners of vessels of all sizes, from small workboats to the largest oceangoing ships—low-speed, me- dium-speed and high-speed units; two-stroke and four-stroke cycle de- signs; cross-head- and trunk-piston types; loop-scavenged and uniflow- scavenged styles; and conventional- and opposed-piston machines. Ap- plication, engine availability range, fuel economy, fuel compatibility, maintenance and flexibility are just some of the criteria for an engine's selection. In an effort to sort out some of the newest choices being offered by die- sel engine manufacturers to the ma- rine industry, MR/EN asked major diesel engine manufacturers to pro- vide information on their latest de- velopments and advancements. The following review is based upon the replies received as of press time. Free product literature, bro- chures and technical reports are available from the manufacturers included in this review. Just circle the appropriate Reader Service number(s) on the postpaid card in the back of this issue. ALCO Circle 11 on Reader Service Card Alco Power Inc., a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. of Montreal, Cana- da, has opened a new service, train- ing and distribution center. Strategically located on the U.S. East Coast in Norfolk, Va., this new facility is staffed with trained tech- nicians dedicated to providing com- plete support for all Alco customers with emphasis on the popular Alco 251 model series. The 251 is offered in six-, eight-, 12-, 16- and 18-cylin- der configurations and its power range is from 700 to over 4,000 hp. These marine diesel engines comply with major classification society reg- ulations and the rigid specifications of the U.S. military. The Norfolk operation is head- quarters for Alco's U.S. sales and marketing team. A training depart- ment provides "hands-on" instruc- tion in the operation and mainte- nance of the Alco 251 diesel engine utilizing an actual 12-cylinder en- gine. Additionally, the after sales service department and the renewal parts order processing operations will be conducted from this center. The Norfolk office is also de- signed to complement and support Alco's sales office in Houston, Tex- as, as well as Alco's manufacturing facilities located in Auburn, N.Y., and Montreal, Canada. After a series of improvements to its pistons, cylinder heads and cam- shafts, the Alco 251 engine now offers reduced fuel consumption, lower maintenance costs and en- hanced engine/component reliabili- ty. ALSTHOM Circle 10 on Reader Service Card The French diesel engine manu- facturer S.E.M.T. Pielstick, a whol- ly owned Alsthom Group subsidiary which incorporated all assets and activities of Alsthom's Diesel Group in 1987, offers high- and medium- speed diesel engines within the pow- er range of 1,000 to 30,000 bhp for commercial and naval ship propul- sion, locomotives and stationary power plants. Only one year after being intro- duced in the marine market, S.E.M.T. Pielstick's PC40 type me- dium-speed diesel engines were sold in six-, seven-, eight-, and nine- cylinder versions. This successful introduction of S.E.M.T. Pielstick's biggest engine type started in Japan in 1986. Four 9PC40s with Recovery Power Tur- bine for two vehicle/passenger fer- ries of Shinnihonkai Ferry Co. Ltd., were ordered at IHI, one of S.E.M.T.'s Japanese licensees. Each of the 1,7261-grt ferries will be pow- ered by a twin engine arrangement of 2 x 9PC40. According to the company, the M/V New Hamansu and the New Shiirayuri now have the most eco- nomical medium-speed diesel en- gine installations. Both 9PC40s on the new Japanese interisland ferry New Hamanasu develop a total power of 21,870 kw (29,700 hp) and the engines set up new standards with a SFC of 164.6 g/kwhr. The shop-test program finished with a series of tests which were used to plot performance curves. The company reports that during these trials, the recorded SFC plunged below 120 g/hphr for the first time in medium-speed diesel engine history, to 119.7 g/hphr (162.7 g/kwhr). Already, more than 6,000 hours have been recorded on the working hour meters of the first engines. Overall, 17 PC40 engines are now in service or under construction. The PC40 derivates from the PC4 engine which appeared in 1977 as the first large bore medium-speed engine with high efficiency. Multipurpose, container, reefer, RO/RO vessels and tankers were fit- ted with single or twin engine instal- lations. In addition, the PC4 found immediate application in power sta- tions. For example, in Indonesia an installation consisting of 9 x 18PC4 together with PC2-5 engines repre- sents the biggest diesel engine pow- er station in the world (227.4 mw). More than 200 units of S.E.M.T. Pielstick's PC4 family have been built or are on order at present. The oldest PC4 type has completed al- most 80,000 operating hours. The S.E.M.T. Pielstick PC40 en- gine design offers a concentration of important advantages, such as: ex- tensive service experience accumu- lated over 10 years, high fuel effi- ciency, flexibility to almost all re- quirements or particular applica- tions, simplicity in design, advanced technology, worldwide service points and spare parts availability. ATLANTIC DETROIT DIESEL ALLISON Circle 12 on Reader Service Card The management of Atlantic De- troit Diesel Allison, Inc., has bought the Detroit Diesel Allison distribu- torship located in New York and New Jersey from Penske Corpora- tion. The announcement was made recently by Eugene C. Enlow, president of the newly formed At- lantic Detroit Diesel Allison distrib- utorship. The new company will continue operations at four facilities in New Jersey and two locations in New York formerly owned by Penske. Penske Power, Inc., has been the Detroit Diesel Allison distributor for the metro-New York/Northern New Jersey market since 1975. Its engineering, sales and marketing di- visions have been active in high-per- formance marine propulsion sys- tems for pleasure and commercial craft, power generating systems for both prime and standby applica- tions (most recently eight 1,400 kw- units for Shearson-American Ex- press World Financial center) and highly sophisticated onboard com- puterized monitoring systems for various diesel applications. Penske's parts and service divi- sion introduced two-hour response time, "around the clock," to the City of New York and is currently under contract with many large metropoli- tan area fleet customers. BERGEN DIESEL Circle 15 on Reader Service Card One of the latest designs from Bergen Diesel of Norway, the Type BR, is a four-stroke, turbocharged and intercooled engine with a bore of 320 mm and stroke of 360 mm. It is available in an in-line configura- tion with six, eight, or nine cylin- ders, with maximum continuous rat- ings of 425-500 bhp per cylinder at engine speeds of 720/750 rpm. Type BRM for main propulsion has engine ratings of 3,000-4,500 bhp at 750 rpm. Ratings of the Type BRG for power generation range from 2,015 to 3,020 kw at 720 rpm/ 60 Hz, and 2,100-3,150 kw at 750 rpm/50 Hz. Backed by more than 20 years of experience with heavy fuel operation, Bergen's BR series is an engine design that aims at very high reliability and long intervals be- tween overhauls, even when running on the poorest qualities of heavy fuel. Excellent access is provided for all maintenance work, and special tools such as hydraulic tightening jacks for the important bolt connec- tions further ease and reduce main- tenance time. The cylinder block is a one-piece design with underslung crankshaft, a very rigid structure in nodular cast iron. Cylinder liners are centrifu- gally cast, with bore cooling only for the upper part where needed. The cylinder head is a bore-cooled de- sign with thick bottom for good con- trol of mechanical and thermal loads. The fully forged crankshaft with continuous grain flow has a large diameter journal and pin for low bearing loads. Connecting rods are forged in al- loy steel and machined all over. Bearings are steel-backed with lead/ bronze bearing material and soft overlay. Pistons are of two-piece de- sign, with three compression rings and one oil scraper ring, all chromi- um-plated to insure low wear rates. The fuel injection system of L'Orange make was developed for 1,400 bar injection pressure and has constant pressure unloading for cav- itation-free operation at all loads/ speeds. CATERPILLAR Circle 14 on Reader Service Card In May, Caterpillar, Inc., Moss- ville, 111., increased production of its popular 3600 Engine Series and ad- vised its dealers to begin full-scale marketing. The 3600 Engine Family of four- cycle engines has a bore of 280 mm and a stroke of 300 mm. The 3600 Family, with an engine speed range of 720 to 1,000 rpm, has four mem- bers: in-line six- and eight-cylinder versions, a V-12 and a 4,500-kw con- tinuous-rated V-16. After 10 years of development and over three years and 500,000 operating hours, the 3600 Family is a proven performer. Customers throughout the world are respond- ing favorably. For example, in the U.S., the M/V Ce'Cile Erikson's 3606 engine has accumulated over 22,000 hours operating between Georgia and the Caribbean islands. Ashland Oil, Cincinnati, Ohio, recently chris- 10 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
