EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING

DATA

1 © Wärtsilä 27 September 2011 0-000R04CBA101A001S_01en / Turku Training Centre

 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Table of contents

„ Introduction to performance evaluation

„ Parameters needed for performance evaluation
„ Measuring points
„ Parameters used for condition monitoring
„ Other parameters
„ Evaluation of running parameters
„ Specific fuel oil consumption calculation
„ Evaluating the output of the engine

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Introduction to performance evaluation
Power rating
„ The practical maximum output of a diesel engine is limited by the following factors:
„ Maximum amount of fuel that can be effectively combusted in the cylinder volume available
„ Mechanical and thermal stresses that are applied on engine components
„ Piston speed and thus the maximum rotational speed of the engine (Power = torque x rpm)

„ Rating, which concerns the engine operator, is the maximum output guaranteed by the
engine manufacturer

„ High exhaust temperatures are usually the limiting factor for maximum load

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Introduction to performance evaluation
Derating or ”Economy-rating”

ISO 3045/1 standard rough estimate

(ideal conditions) (severe conditions)

Altitude Max 100m (above sea level)

Max. 1% load reduction for every 100m
above the first one

Charge Air Max. 25°C 0.4% load reduction for every

Cooling Water degree above the limit

Air Inlet Max. 25°C 0.5% load reduction for every

d
degree above
b th
the lilimitit

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Introduction to performance evaluation
Break mean effective pressure

P x 4,8
BMEP=
π x D2 x S x n

„ P = Power (kW)
„ D = Cylinder bore (m)
„ S = Piston stroke (m)
„ n = Engine
g speed
p ((rpm)
p )
„ BMEP unit (bar)

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Introduction to performance evaluation
Engine output vs. alternator output

„ When reading the engine output as electrical output,

output
the alternator efficiency has to be considered

„ Mechanical output is always smaller than electrical output

„ To find out exact efficiency number for a given load can also be difficult because alternator efficiency
changes when load and power factor changes

„ Al
Also th
the numbers
b given
i b
by th
the alternator
lt t manufacturer
f t are nott always
l matching
t hi th
the engine
i output
t t
levels
„ Example: the alternator 100% figure does not usually match the engine 100% load

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Parameters needed for performance evaluation
The most important parameters
Power
„ If the engine power can be read from a display, it will be the most important piece of information
„ All performance data recorded without some kind of load indication is worthless

Engine rotational speed

„ Specially if the load cannot be determined, this parameter can get very important
„ On auxiliary engines the engine speed is normally constant

Fuel rack position

„ Fuel rack position is directly proportional to engine load
„ Problems will occur if fuel quality changes (energy content, viscosity)

Load indicator position

„ Should be mechanically linked to fuel racks, i.e. same as above

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Parameters needed for performance evaluation
The most important parameters

Turbocharger rotational speed

„ An excellent load indicator, because the air quality doesn’t change that much
„ Usually turbochargers are optimized to 80% to 85% of the MCR.
Therefore the linearity of turbocharger speed is slightly disturbed when engine load approaches 100%
„ If the engine is equipped with an exhaust waste gate, air waste gate or air by-pass valve,
it will be more difficult to use this parameter in evaluation

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Parameters needed for performance evaluation
The most important parameters

Charge air pressure

„ Follows normally turbocharger speed very closely
„ Waste gate and by-pass valves will affect the turbocharger speed
„ Also changes in air receiver temperature will affect this parameter

Exhaust temperature after cylinders

„ Will react veryy strongly
g y when something
g is disturbing
g the engine
g p
performance
„ Not the best parameter when determining the engine load
„ In some cases the design of exhaust pipe system causes temperature differences between cylinders

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Parameters needed for performance evaluation
The most important parameters
Exhaust temperature after turbocharger
„ This temperature level is determined by the turbine efficiency, i.e. it will tell something about the
condition of the turbine
„ Higher back pressure in the external exhaust pipe system will increase the exhaust temperature
after turbocharger, this will also reduce the efficiency of the turbine and less air will enter the engine

Firing pressure of the cylinders

„ This parameter is also directly proportional to the engine load
„ However,
H it can b
be diffi
difficultlt tto measure thi
this pressure accurately
t l –specially
i ll iin modern
d di
diesell engines
i
which have a high compression ratio

Specific fuel oil consumption

„ This parameter will increase if there is something wrong with the engine
„ However, accurate measuring equipment is very seldom available on board

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Measuring points
How to measure
Power
„ In a diesel-electric application measuring
transformers are used in the alternator
„ In mechanical applications more difficult
- torque measurement is possible

Engine rotational speed

„ Electronic speed measuring systems are
supplied
pp with the engine
g
„ Calibration flaws, sensor failures and
indicator problems are sometimes found

Fig. name: Measuring points

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Measuring points
How to measure
Fuel rack position
„ Control shaft position sensors can be used
for remote reading of this parameter
„ Normally a visual check is necessary to
record fuel rack position

Load indicator position

„ A dial on the speed governor or/and on the
control shaft is used

Turbocharger rotational speed

„ Same as engine speed

Fig. name: Measuring points

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Measuring points
How to measure
Charge air pressure
„ A manometer is usually found on the engine
„ An analog pressure transmitter will allow remote
reading

Exhaust temperature after cylinders and turbocharger

„ Local thermometers at each cylinder and turbocharger
–practical, but sometimes out of calibration or broken
„ Thermocouples give an analog signal for remote
recording of temperatures –usually works well or
doesn’t work at all (no calibration problems)

Fig. name: Measuring points

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Measuring points
How to measure
Firing pressure of the cylinders
„ Mechanical and electronic gauges available –electronic
ones more reliable (if calibrated regularly)
„ Modern engines, with high compression ratios, are
very challenging –the difference between compression
pressure and firing pressure is very small (no space for
error)
„ When measuring, try to maintain a steady load on the
engine, record the fuel rack position in the cylinder in
question
ti

Specific fuel oil consumption

„ Mass flow meters, volume flow meters and scale tanks
can be used
„ Find out actual density of the fuel when using a volume
flow meter
„ Watch out for temperature
p changes
g with scale tanks

Fig. name: Measuring points

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Parameters used for condition monitoring

Main bearing temperature

„ Constant measuring of main bearing temperature with thermocouples
„ Alarm and stop functions on high temperature for increased engine safety
„ Early shut-down of the engine can save the crankshaft if a bearing starts to overheat

Big end bearing temperature

„ Wireless temperature measurement sensors are available
„ Same advantages as above

Cylinder liner temperature

„ Thermocouples are drilled in to the liner, very close to the sliding face for piston
„ Alarm and stop functions on high temperature for increased engine safety
„ Protects the engine against bigger break-down in case of piston seizure

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Parameters used for condition monitoring

Crankcase pressure
„ Constant monitoring of crankcase pressure to indicate increased blow-by
„ Protects the engine mainly against piston or piston ring break-down
„ Signal requires strong filtration because of strong pressure pulsation

Pressure drop over charge air cooler

„ Constant monitoring of this pressure drop will give indication when it’s time to clean the charge air
cooler(s)

Oil mist detector

„ When a bearing starts to overheat, lubricating oil will start vaporizing and an alarm is given when
these vapours are sucked through the detector
„ The main principle is to prevent crankcase explosions, but also to protect the engine against bigger
mechanical damage
„ This alarm comes often too late in medium speed engines; in case of a main or big end bearing
overheating, the crankshaft is already damaged before the engine is stopped by the oil mist detector

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Other parameters

Ambient conditions
„ Ambient temperature, also known as air inlet temperature
„ Barometric pressure
„ Relative humidity

Charge air temperature

„ Depends on ambient temperature and cooling water temperature entering the charge air cooler
„ Alarm and shut-down functions are applied

Cooling water temperature

„ Recorded before and after the engine, also before and after each cooler
„ Temperature raise over engine/cooler is an important factor
„ Thermostatic valves try to keep a steady temperature

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Other parameters

Lubricating oil temperature

„ Before and after the engine
„ Oil temperature affects the viscosity of oil

Fuel oil temperature

„ Critical information when operating on heavy fuel oil
„ Should be followed also during light oil operation

Cooling
C li water t pressure
„ Static pressure can be measured when the engine is stopped
„ Higher pressure when the engine is running (not very critical)

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Other parameters

Lubricating oil pressure

„ Lubricating oil is fed under pressure to the engine
„ Very critical alarm and shut-down functions

Fuel oil pressure

„ Very important pressure to achieve even load distribution between cylinders
„ Higher pressure requirement for heavy fuel operation than for light fuel operation

Exhaust
E h t back
b k pressure after
ft turbocharger
t b h
„ High back pressure will elevate the exhaust temperatures
„ Engine manufacturers give the maximum recommendation

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters
When and how to record operation parameters
„ The engine performance evaluation should be done every 500 operating hours,
i approximately
i.e. i t l once a month.th

„ It’s normal to record the general parameters daily – actually several times every day.

„ The monthly evaluation is a more thorough check of the engine condition.

„ When recording parameters for this monthly check, measure the firing pressures.

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters

NOTE!
Write down all
measurable values,
they may be needed in
further investigations

Fig. name: Cylinder pressure and temperature

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters

Fig. name: Diagram to visualize the engine parameters

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters
Conceivable reasons for abnormal operation parameters
„ Fuel rack position at high level:
„ Fuel viscosity too low, and/or fuel temperature too high
„ The pump elements are worn
„ There is water in the fuel
„ Fuel feed pressure is too low

„ High exhaust gas temperature after cylinders, high or normal turbocharger speed and
high charge air receiver pressure:
„ Dirty
Di t nozzle
l ring
i iin th
the exhaust
h t tturbine
bi

„ High exhaust gas temperature after cylinders, low turbocharger speed and
low charge air receiver pressure:
„ Exhaust turbine damaged by erosion (more common in small turbochargers)
„ Air supply to the turbocharger throttled

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters
Conceivable reasons for abnormal operation parameters
Low maximum firing pressure
„ Worn injection pump element
„ Fuel viscosity too low, or fuel temperature too high
„ Retarded timing of fuel injection
„ Low receiver pressure → low compression pressure → low firing pressure
„ Defect firing pressure indicator

High exhaust gas temperature after cylinder

„ High ambient temperature will raise the exhaust gas temperatures
„ Retarded fuel injection

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters
Good to know
Exhaust gas temperatures
„ If ambient temperature changes 1 ºC, exhaust gas temperatures will change 1,5 – 2,0 ºC
„ If charge air receiver temperature changes 1ºC, exhaust gas temperatures will change 1,0 – 1,5 ºC

Maximum firing pressure

„ If fuel injection timing is changed by 1º, maximum firing pressures will change 3 – 5 bar
„ If charge air receiver pressure is changed by 0,1 bar, maximum firing pressures will change 4 – 6 bar

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluation of running parameters
Changes that have an influence on charge air pressure
Charge air pressure will increase if
„ ambient pressure is high (higher than 1013 mbar or 750 mm Hg)
„ ambient temperature is low (lower than 25 ºC)
„ charge air coolant temperature is high
„ injection timing is retarded

Charge air pressure will decrease if

„ ambient pressure is low
„ ambient temperature is high
„ charge air coolant temperature is low
„ injection timing is advanced
„ there is a charge air or exhaust gas leakage
„ the exhaust gas back pressure is high (max. 300 mm H2O)

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Specific fuel oil consumption calculation
Facts about fuel consumption
The specific fuel consumption values given by the manufactures:
„ Medium speed 4-stroke engine 185 g/kWh
„ Low speed 2-stroke engine 175 g/kWh

The figures are given under reference ambient conditions according to ISO:
„ Total barometric pressure 1000 mbar
„ Air temperature 25 ºC
„ Relative humidity 30 %
„ Charge air coolant temperature 25 ºC
„ Lower calorific value of fuel 42,707 kJ/kg

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Specific fuel oil consumption calculation
Measuring methods
Calculation of the specific fuel oil consumption requires that the engine output and the
consumed d fuel
f l oil
il amountt are known
k for
f a certain
t i period
i d off time
ti

The consumed fuel can be measured in the following ways:

„ In case a day tank is used
used, the time for the consumption of the whole tank content will be suitable
„ If a flow meter is used a minimum of 1 hour is recommended

Always perform the measurements under calm weather conditions

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Specific fuel oil consumption calculation
Measuring methods
Example:
„ Effective engine power, Pe: 11,500 kW
„ Fuel consumption, Co: 7,125 m3 over 3 hours
„ Temperature at measuring point: 119 ºC
„ Fuel data from bunker sheet: Spec.
Spec gravity 936 4 kg/m3 at 15 ºC
936,4
Sulphur content 3%
„ Using calculating tables supplied by oil companies, the density (ρ) at 119 ºC is 868,4 kg/m3

Co x ρ119 x 103 7,125 x 868,4 x 103

Specific Consumption = = = 179,3 g/kWh
t x Pe 3 x 11500

Correction
C ti tto ISO reference
f conditions
diti regarding
di ththe llower calorific
l ifi value:
l
„ LCV = 40,700 kJ/kg according to the graph

Consumption will now be: 179,3 x 40700 / 42707 = 170,9 g/kWh

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluating the output of the engine
Loading of the engine
„ It is difficult to measure the output of a propulsion engine during operation of the vessel

„ However, it is very important to determine the engine load during different running conditions and to
ensure that the engine is not overloaded

„ Overloading does not only mean that the engine maximum continuous rating (MCR) is exceeded at
full engine speed, overloading can also take place at reduced engine speed

„ However, during acceleration of the ship some overload can be temporarily accepted

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluating the output of the engine
Loading of the engine
„ Highly supercharged diesel engines have bigger difficulties at lower engine speeds and therefore it
h b
has become necessary tto reduce
d th
the lload
d especially
i ll att llower engine
i speedsd

„ The reason is that the turbocharger is not capable of supplying enough air over the whole speed
range and consequently the thermal load on certain components may become too high

„ The loading of the engine at reduced speed has to be tested and controlled

„ For a fixed pitch propeller installation this loading limitation can be defined of the propeller law.
At lleastt a 10 % margin
i over th
the whole
h l speed d range iis needed
d d tto avoid
id overload.
l d

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluating the output of the engine
Loading of the engine

Contracted output
p

„ The most critical issues to be considered when checking the loading of an engine are:
„ The load capacity of a highly supercharged engine at reduced engine speed
„ The minimum requirement set by the physical behaviour of the propeller and especially that of
the fixed propeller
„ The operator is expecting to be able to utilize the output he has paid for.

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 EVALUATION OF ENGINE OPERATING DATA
Evaluating the output of the engine
Loading of the engine

Details in the contract

„ Important parameters:
„ MCR and nominal speed for the engine
„ max. overload
l d andd engine
i speed d att shop
h ttrial
i l and/or
d/ sea ttrial
i l
„ max. continuous output at different engine speeds
„ max. output at different engine speeds for temporary use only
„ clutching in speed
„ min. engine speed
„ max. output and engine speed at bollard pull condition
„ max. output and engine speed at free running

It sometimes happens that the requirements in the contract are in conflict with each other or
with the propeller law.

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