Uni-concept Auxiliary Systems for Two-stroke Main Engines and Four-stroke Auxiliary Engines

Introduction
This paper describes the uni-concept, i.e. the possibilities inherent in the design of common auxiliary systems for a twostroke main engine of the MC-type and four-stroke GenSets from MAN B&W Holeby. The purpose of designing common systems is to minimise the extent of auxiliary machinery, thereby minimising first cost, space requirements and mainte-nance work in the engine room. The descriptions given comprise the systems for fuel oil, seawater cooling, jacket water cooling, central cooling and starting air. The main engine and the GenSets must have separate lubricating oil systems owing to the use of different types of lubricating oil. With regard to cooling systems, our standard for the main engine is a seawater system, with a central cooling system as an alternative solution. The choice of system is based on both economical and technical considerations. The normal practice for external coolers folowed by many shipyards is to use shell or tube-type coolers for the seawater system, and plate-type coolers for the central cooling system.

The necessary dimensioning criteria for heat exchangers, pumps, preheaters, fuel oil separators and starting air auxiliaries have to be decided on the basis of the lists of capacities for both the main engine and the auxiliary engines chosen for the plant concerned. On request, MAN B&Ws installation department will assist in the evaluation of auxiliary machinery in each individual case, including the calculation of specific capacities for both the main and auxiliary engines.

Fig. 1: Fuel oil system

Fuel Oil System

Fig. 1 Design features and working principle The fuel oil system is a common, pressurised system in which either heavy fuel oil or diesel oil can be used. The primary purpose of pressurisation is to avoid gasification and cavitation in the system.This may occur when the heavy fuel oil is heated to achieve a viscosity of 10-15 cSt at the outlet from the heater, which corresponds to about 12-18 cSt at the fuel pumps. Operation at sea The fuel from the bunker tanks must be treated in centrifugal separators before entering the service tanks, items 1 and 2. From the service tanks, the fuel enters the supply system. In the supply system, the fuel is pumped by the supply pump, item 3, into a circulating system at a pressure of 4 bar. The supply system may include a fine filter. All overflow from the supply pump is recirculated in the by-pass piping, which incorporates the overflow valve shown in order to keep the inlet pressure to the circulation loop constant, irrespective of the actual consumption. The pump in the circulation loop, item 4, raises the pressure of the fuel oil from the supply system to a constant inlet pressure of 7-8 bar before the engines. The inlet pressure is maintained at the specified level by a springloaded overflow valve located on the main engine. The temperature or viscosity controlled heater, item 5, heats the heavy fuel oil until it reaches the necessary viscosity. To safeguard the injection system components on the main engine, a full-flow 50 m filter, item 6, must be installed as close to the main engine as possible. Such filters are built onto the auxiliary engines.

Excess fuel oil supplied to the engines is recirculated via the venting box, item 7, where gases, if any, are released by a deaerating valve, item 9, to avoid cavitation in the system. The flexibility of the system makes it possible, if necessary, to operate the auxiliary engines on different fuels, diesel oil or heary fuel oil, simultaneously by means of remote controlled 3-way valves, which are located close to the engines. A separate booster pump, item 11, supplies diesel oil from tank (2) to the auxiliary engines and returns any excess oil to the tank. In order to ensure operation of the booster pump, item 11, in the event of a black-out, the booster pump must have an immediate possibility of being powered by compressed air or by power supplied from the emergency generator. A 3-way valve is installed immediately before each auxiliary engine for changeover between the pressurised and the open MDO (Marine Diesel Oil) supply system. In the event of a black-out, the 3-way valve at each auxiliary engine will automatically change over to the MDO supply system. The internal piping on the auxiliary engines will then, within a few seconds, be flushed with MDO and be ready for start up.

Operation in port During operation in port, when the main engine is stopped but power from one or more auxiliary engines is still required, the supply pump, item 3, should be runnning. One circulating pump should always be kept running when there is heavy oil in the piping. The by-pass line with overflow valve, item 10, between the inlet and outlet of the main engine, serves the purpose of by-passing the main engine if, for instance, a major overhaul is required on the main engine fuel oil system. During this by-pass, the overflow valve takes over the function of the internal overflow valve of the main engine.

Fig. 2: Seawater cooling system

Seawater Cooling System

Fig. 2 Design features and working principle The seawater cooling system is a lowtemperature system. However, to be sure that the lubricating oil is kept at a viscosity level suitable for heat transfer, a recirculation arrangement controlled by the thermostatic valve, item 3, ensures that the inlet temperature of the cooling water does not fall below 10 C.

Operation at sea Seawater is drawn by the seawater pump, item 2, through two separate inlets or sea chests, item 1, and pumped through the various coolers for both the main engine and the auxiliary engines. The coolers incorporated in the system are the lubricating oil cooler, item 6, the scavenge air cooler(s), item 7, and a common jacket water cooler, item 8. The camshaft lubricating oil cooler, item 9, is omitted if a uni-lubricating oil system is applied for the main engine. The air cooler(s) are supplied directly by the seawater pumps and are therefore cooled by the coldest water available in the system. This ensures the lowest possible scavenge air temperature, and thus optimum cooling is obtained with a view to the highest possible thermal efficiency of the engines. Since the system is seawater cooled, all components are to be made of seawater resistant materials. With both the main engine and one or more auxiliary engines in service, the seawater pump, item 2, supplies cooling water to all the coolers and, through non-return valve, item 5, to the auxiliary engines. The pump, item 4, is inactive.

Operation in port During operation in port, when the main engine is stopped but one or more auxiliary engines are running, a small seawater pump, item 4, is started up, instead of the large pump, item 2. The seawater is led from the pump to the auxiliary engine(s), through the common jacket water cooler, item 8 and is divided into two strings by the thermostatic valve item 3, either for recirculation or for discharge to the sea.

Fig. 3: Jacket water cooling system

Jacket Water Cooling System

Fig. 3 Design features and working principle The jacket water cooling system controls the temperature of the engines proper. The jacket water must be inhibited to protect the surfaces of the cooling system against corrosion, corrosion fatigue, cavitation and the formation of scale.

Operation at sea The jacket water pump, item 1, circulates hot cooling water through the main engine to the freshwater generator, item 2, and from there to the jacket water cooler, item 3. Here a thermostatically controlled 3-way valve, item 4, mixes cooled and uncooled water to maintain an outlet temperature of 80-85 C from the main engine. An integrated loop in the auxiliary engines ensures a constant temperature of 80 C at the outlet of the auxiliary engines. There is one common expansion tank, item 6, for the main engine and the auxiliary engines. To prevent the accumulation of air in the jacket water system, a deaerating tank, item 5, is to be installed. An alarm device is inserted between the deaerating tank and the expansion tank, so that the operating crew can be warned if excess air or gas is released, as this signals a malfunction of engine components.

Operation in port The main engine is preheated by utilising hot water from the auxiliary engine(s). Depending on the size of main engine and auxiliary engines, an extra preheater may be necessary. This preheating is activated by closing valve A and opening valve B. Activating valves A and B will change the direction of flow, and the water will now be circulated by the auxiliary engine-driven pumps. From the auxiliary engines, the water flows through valve B directly to the main engine jacket outlet. When the water leaves the main engine, through the jacket inlet, it flows to the thermostatically controlled 3-way valve, item 4. As the temperature sensor for the valve in this operating mode is measuring in a non-flow, low temperature piping, the valve will lead most of the cooling water to the jacket water cooler, item 3. The integrated loop in the auxiliary engines will ensure a constant temperature of 80 C at the auxiliary engine outlet, the main engine will be preheated, and auxiliary engines on stand-by can also be preheated by operating valves F3 and F1.

Fig. 4: Central cooling system

Central Cooling System

Fig. 4 Design features and working principle The central cooling system is an alternative to the seawater cooling system. It is based on the same design principles with regard to cooler locations, flow control and preheating, but has a central cooler and an additional set of pumps. Maintenance work is minimised by the use of a central cooler, as this is the only component that is in direct contact with seawater. All other parts of the system use inhibited freshwater in accordance with MAN B&Ws specifications. The camshaft lubricating oil cooler, item 4A, is omitted in plants using the uni-lubricating oil system for the main engine. The low and high temperature systems are directly connected to gain the advantage of preheating the main and auxiliary engines during standstill. As all fresh cooling water is inhibited and common for the central cooling system, only one common expansion tank, item 10, is necessary for deaeration of both the low and high temperature cooling systems. This tank accommodates the difference in water volume caused by changes in the temperature. To prevent the accumulation of air in the cooling water system, a deaerating tank, item 11, is located below the expansion tank. An alarm device is inserted between the deaerating tank and the expansion tank so that the operating crew can be warned if excess air or gas is released, as this signals a malfunction of engine components.

.Operation at sea The seawater cooling pump, item 1, pumps seawater from the sea chests through the central cooler, item 2, and overboard. Alternatively, some shipyards use a pumpless scoop system. On the freshwater side, the central cooling water pump, item 3, circulates the low-temperature fresh water, in a cooling circuit, directly through the lubricating oil coolers, item 4, of the main engine, the auxiliary engines and the scavenge air coolers, item 5. The jacket water cooling system for the auxiliary engines is equipped with engine-driven pumps and a by-pass system integrated in the low-temperature system. The main engine jacket system has an independent pump circuit with a jacket water pump, item 6, circulating the cooling water through the main engine to the fresh water generator, item 7, and the jacket water cooler, item 8. A thermostatically controlled 3-way valve, item 9, at the jacket cooler outlet mixes cooled and uncooled water to maintain an outlet water temperature of 80-85 C from the main engine.

Operation in port During operation in port, when the main engine is stopped but one or more auxiliary engines are running, valves A are closed and valves B are open. A small central water pump, item 3, will circulate the necessary flow of water for the air cooler, the lubricating oil cooler, and the jacket cooler of the auxiliary engines. The auxiliary engine-driven pumps and the previously mentioned integrated loop ensure a satisfactory jacket cooling water temperature at the auxiliary engine outlet. The main engine and the stopped auxiliary engines are preheated as described for the jacket water system, diagram Fig. 3.

Fig. 5: Starting air system

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Starting Air System

Fig. 5 Design features and working principle Two starting air compressors, item 1, with automatic start and stop maintain a starting air pressure of 30 bar in the starting air receivers, item 2. The 30 bar starting air is fed directly from the receivers to the main engine. After reduction of the pressure in the reduction station, item 3, compressed air at 7 bar is supplied as control air for the manoeuvring system, and as safety air for the shut down system of main engine. Starting air and control air for the auxiliary engine(s) is supplied from the same starting air receivers, via reducing valves, item 4, that lower the pressure to the values specified for the relevant type of MAN B&W four-stroke auxiliary engines. An emergency air compressor, item 5, and a starting air bottle are installed for emergency start of the auxiliary engines. If high-humidity air is sucked in by the air compressors, the oil and water separator, item 6, will remove drops of moisture from the 30 bar compressed air. When the pressure is subsequently reduced to 7 bar, e.g. for use in the main engine manoeuvring system, the relative humidity remaining in the compressed air will be very slight. Consequently, further air drying will be unnecessary. From the starting air receivers, item 2, a special air line, item 7, leads to the valve testing unit.

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