Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd in Korea successfully tested a 14-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex96C common-rail low-speed engine on 29 May in its Ulsan engine works. The 14-cylinder RT-flex96C is the world’s most powerful diesel engine in production. It develops 80,080 kW (108,920 bhp) at 102 rpm. The official shop test was witnessed by representatives of the shipowner and the classification societies. The engine was built under licence from Wärtsilä Corporation.
The engine will be installed in the first of a series of eight 8600 TEU container ships being built at Hyundai shipyards for operation by the Korean shipowner Hyundai Merchant Marine Co Ltd (HMM).
The 14-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex96C engine is already in service in five large containerships, of which the first entered service in September 2006.
The RT-flex96C is a popular engine for the propulsion of large, fast container ships with some 188 engines of this type, with seven to 14 cylinders, now on order or already in service, having an aggregate power totalling 11,273 MW (15.33 million bhp). The first RT-flex96C engine entered service in November 2004.
The RT-flex96C is the most powerful engine type in the Wärtsilä RT-flex engine series which features fully electronically-controlled common-rail systems for fuel injection and valve actuation. The common-rail systems give unrivalled flexibility in the way the engines operate, to deliver benefits such as smokeless operation at all operating speeds and lower emissions in general, lower fuel consumption, reduced maintenance costs and lower steady operating speeds for better manoeuvring. The RT-flex system also has the potential for adaptation to future needs.
Media contact:
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
Notes to the editor:
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 14,000 professionals manning 130 Wärtsilä locations in close to 70 countries around the world.
