Description Page 1 (1)

Guidelines for Longterm Low-Load Operation on HFO

501.15
Edition 02

General
Part load/low load operation
In certain ship operation situations the diesel-generator sets are sometimes exposed to part load/low load operation. During manoeuvring all diesel-generator sets are often started up for safety reasons, resulting in low load conditions for all sets. During harbour stay even one diesel-generator running could be lowloaded when hotel purposes are the only electricity consumers. At part load/low load it is important to maintain constant media temperatures, i.e. for cooling water, lubricating oil and fuel oil, in order to ensure adequate combustion chamber temperature and thus complete combustion. At loads lower than 20% MCR there is risk of timedependant retardation of the engine performance condition due to fouling of gas- and air channels, combustion chambers and the turbocharger. HFO-operation at loads lower than 20% MCR should therefore only take place within certain time limitations according to the curves. After a certain period of HFO-operation at a load lower than 20% MCR, a change to MDO should take place in order to prevent further retardation of the engine performance condition, or the engine load should over a period of 15 minutes be raised to 70% MCR and maintained here for a certain period of time in order to burn off the carbon deposits, thus reestablishing adequate performance condition. After such "cleanburning period" low-load operation on HFO can be continued. However the operator must be aware of the fact that fouwling in the air inlet channels, if any, will not be cleaned with high load running. Extensive low-load running can therefore result in necessity off manual cleaning of the inlet channels. If special application conditions demand continuous HFO-operation at loads lower than 20% MCR. and occasionally performed "clean-burning" periods are inconvenient or impossible, special equipment and arrangements must be established.

Load % 20

Admissible low-load operation (load percent/period) on HFO.

Necessary operating period with min. 70% load after lowload operation on HFO. Running-up period to 70% load: approx. 15 min.

15

10

70% load HFO or MDO

08028-0D\H5250\94.08.12

Operating period (h) Example: or a) b)

Operating period (h)

with 10% load 19 hours maximum operation on HFO admissible, then change-over to MDO operate engine for approx. 1.2 hours with 70% rating minimum, in order to burn off residues. Afterwards low load operation on HFO can be continued.

Fig 1 Low-load operation.

00.11 - ES1