The new 820 mm-bore low-speed marine engines developed by Wärtsilä Corporation are proving to be highly successful in the market. With the second engine passing its factory acceptance test, orders booked by Wärtsilä’s licensed engine builders have amounted to 129 engines with an aggregate power of 4415 MW (6.0 million bhp).
The engines are being installed in panamax-sized container ships, large tankers such as VLCCs (Very Large Crude Oil Carriers), and VLOCs (Very Large Ore Carriers) being constructed at shipyards in South Korea, China and Germany.
The 129 engines so far ordered comprise 74 engines of the RT-flex82C type, 29 of the RT-flex82T type, 22 of the RTA82C type and four of the RTA82T type.
The first two engines, both eight-cylinder Wärtsilä RTA82C engines, have passed their factory acceptance tests at Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd in Korea. The eight-cylinder RTA82C engines have maximum continuous outputs of 36,160 kW at 102 rpm. They are being installed in 4300 TEU container ships.
The four 820 mm-bore Wärtsilä low-speed marine engine types
Four engine types of the same 820 mm bore, the RT-flex82C, RTA82C, RT-flex82T and RTA82T types, have been developed by Wärtsilä. The engines were introduced to the market in the end of 2005.
The four engine types have been developed on the basis of a common platform and sharing as many parts as possible to bring benefits of rationalization in the design and manufacturing, lowering manufacturing costs, and rationalizing also spare parts stocks.
The new Wärtsilä RT-flex82C and RT-flex82T engine types bring the benefits of both the electronically-controlled RT-flex common-rail system and up-to-date parameters to deliver optimum propulsion plants for the envisaged ship types.
The –‘C’ versions are intended to be ideal prime movers for container ships of panamax size with capacities up to around 5000 TEU and service speeds typically of about 24 knots. They will have a stroke of 2646 mm and will be available with six to twelve cylinders to cover a power range of 21,720 kW to 54,240 kW at 87 to 102 rev/min.
The –‘T’ versions will have a stroke of 3375 mm to suit the optimum shaft speeds for the propulsion of large tankers, VLCCs and ULCCs of 200,000 dwt to more than 350,000 dwt, as well as very large bulk, ore and combination carriers. The engines will be built with six to nine cylinders to cover a power range of 21,720 kW to 40,680 kW at 68 to 80 rev/min.
A particular feature of these 820 mm-bore engines is their novel extended layout field whereby the power/speed ranges of the engines are extended to higher speeds at ratings R1+ and R2+ with the same powers as the usual R1 and R2 ratings respectively. The extended fields offer widened flexibility to select the most efficient propeller speed for lowest daily fuel consumption. This widened layout flexibility is already proving beneficial in ship projects.
Wärtsilä RT-flex common-rail engines now the market leaders
The fact that the majority of the new 820 mm-bore engines ordered are of the RT-flex types – 103 out of a total of 129 engines – emphasizes the popularity of Wärtsilä’s RT-flex electronically-controlled common-rail low-speed marine engines. At the end of May 2008, a total of 678 RT-flex engines aggregating 21,880 MW had been ordered. This total includes all sizes of RT-flex engines in the programme, from 500 to 960 mm bore.
Wärtsilä RT-flex common-rail engines are now the market leaders in electronically-controlled low-speed marine engines. They have been contracted by 74 shipowners in 28 countries world-wide for ships built or under construction at 48 shipyards in 14 countries. The engines have been or will be built by 12 Wärtsilä licensed engine builders.
Incorporating the latest electronically-controlled common-rail technology for fuel injection and valve actuation, Wärtsilä RT-flex marine low-speed engines bring direct benefits to shipowners. The new technology provides great flexibility in engine setting for lower fuel consumption, lower minimum running speeds, smokeless operation at all running speeds, and better control of other exhaust emissions.
The RT-flex common-rail technology will also play a key role in meeting the need for tighter emission control under forthcoming IMO regulations. It will also better enable shipowners to meet the challenges of higher fuel costs.
Media contact:
Ms Marit Holmlund-Sund
Public Relations Manager
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1439
Direct fax: +358 10 709 1425
e-mail: marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com
Internet: www.wartsila.com
Wärtsilä in brief:
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of more than 17,000 professionals manning 160 Wärtsilä locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on The Nordic Exchange in Helsinki, Finland.
