Automatic lters for mineral oil

Technical information for oil ltration

Inside view

This technical information deals with filtration technology in general and the Alfa Laval automatic filters in particular.

3 4 5 8

Summary Background Filtration theory The Alfa Laval filter

Design, automatic filter with diversion chamber Features of the Alfa Laval automatic mineral oil filter Operating principle, automatic filter with diversion

12

New filter range

Design, automatic filter with integrated centrifuge Features of the Alfa Laval Eliminator automatic mineral oil filter Operating principle, automatic filter with integrated centrifuge

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Lubricating oil filtration

General Designation and operation conditions for Alfa Laval lubricating oil filters Alfa Laval lubricating oil filters for crosshead engines Pre-lubrication Dimensioning criteria for Alfa Laval lubricating oil filters

19

Fuel oil filtration

General Designation and operation conditions for Alfa Laval fuel oil filters Dimensioning criteria for Alfa Laval fuel oil filters

Alfa Laval Automatic Filters

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Alfa Laval Automatic Filters

Summary
Automatic lters from Alfa Laval offer continuous engine protection. The lters effectively use clean oil as the ushing medium to prevent any particles present in lubricating oil or fuel oil from causing injector and engine damage.

Alfa Laval offers a range of automatic lters that provide fullow ltering of fuel and lubricating oils for trunk piston and crosshead engines. Used in conjunction with a centrifugal separator as part of a complete lubricating oil system or fuel oil treatment system, these lters effectively separate impurities, according to size. Conguration is exible, depending on the application. Continuous backushing helps prevent adhesion of retained solids to lter surfaces. This ensures long service intervals and drastically reduces the costs for manual cleaning, lter replacement and lter disposal. The robust disc-type lter elements operate at a low and constant pressure drop, providing high ltering efficiency and reducing the risk of cracking. These four different lter types are available: automatic lter for lubricating oil, automatic lter for lubricating oil with diversion chamber, automatic lter for lubricating oil with integrated centrifuge, and, automatic lter for fuel oil. The Alfa Laval lters have been installed on virtually all types and brands of diesel engines.

The purpose of this document is to provide technical information about Alfa Laval automatic lters. This includes information about the ltration process, lter design and dimensioning, working principles and operating conditions.

Benets Easy to install and operate. These compact, lightweight automatic lters require very little oor space. Hydraulically driven by the pressure of the backushing oil, the lters do not require external power supply, compressed air or electricity for operation. Flexible design. These lters are easily installed in varying pipework congurations. Alternatives to the standard conguration of these automatic lters are available to meet the specic requirements of the engine manufacturer. High ltration efficiency. Robust disc-type lter elements efficiently separate impurities according to size from the oil. These elements operate at a low and constant pressure drop, thus reducing the risk of cracking. Reduced maintenance costs. Continuous backushing helps prevent adhesion of retained solids to lter surfaces. This ensures longer service intervals up to 12,000 hours and drastically reduces the costs of manual cleaning, lter replacement and lter disposal.

Lubricating oil lter

Lubricating oil lter with diversion chamber

Lubricating oil lter with integrated centrifuge

Fuel oil lter

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Background
The lter, in a mineral oil treatment system for diesel engines, is installed primarily for preventing particles in the oil from entering the engine. Hence, the lter should be placed as close to the engine as possible, whether it is operating as a fuel oil or lubricating oil lter.
The centrifugal separator, on the other hand, cleans the oil and removes the water. For these reasons, both the separator and the lter are required in a modern mineral oil cleaning system. The main difference between a lter and a centrifugal separator is that a lter separates the impurities according to size, while a separator works with the density difference between the impurities and the oil.

Automatic full-ow lter for fuel oil.

Automatic full-ow lter for lubricating oil.

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Filtration theory
Filtration can be dened as the process of collecting solid particles from a uid by passing the uid through a lter medium (which could be a lter screen or a paper element) where the particles are retained.

Two basic methods of ltration are used:

Fluid with solid particles

1. surface ltration, used in strainers and cake lters, and,

Filter medium

2. deep-bed ltration, used in depth lters.

Filtrated fluid (Filtrate)

The principles of particle collection in surface ltration and deep-bed ltration are entirely different.
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of a ltration system.

In surface ltration the particles are collected on the surface of the lter medium, whereby a lter cake of retained particles is created. This cake can be removed by backushing the lter. In deep-bed ltration the particles pass through a lter and are collected inside the lter. Since different capture mechanisms are used in surface ltration and deep-bed ltration, the value of comparing lter nenesses of the two types is questionable. Figure 2 shows the different mechanisms operating in surface ltration and deep-bed ltration, respectively. As the solid particles accumulate in a depth lter, the pressure drop increases during ltration. When the pressure drop reaches a certain level, the lter elements must be replaced. Figure 3 shows examples of lter screen congurations used on surface lters.

Surface filtration

Deep-bed filtration Fluid

Fluid

Cake of captured particles Filter medium

Filter medium

Figure 2. Principles of surface and deep-bed ltration.

Figure 3. Examples of lter cloths.

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Figure 4. Examples of particle shapes.

Due to the different screen congurations, comparisons of given lter nenesses on different lter screens with one another are of doubtful value. The advantage of using a surface lter, rather than a depth lter, is that the lter screens can be cleaned, thus the lter can be reused. If the lter is backushed continuously, the pressure drop across the lter will remain constant. In practice, a lter can be retained in operation without interruption, provided that the backushing is a part of the lter construction. If so, the lter is called automatic backushing, or just automatic. How efficiently a surface lter will remove solid particles is a complex question, because the particles do not have a regular spherical shape. Particles of different sizes and

shapes could therefore pass through, or be stopped by, the same square opening, depending on how they enter the lter screen. Figure 4 shows some different particle shapes. If all the particles had a regular spherical shape, the removal efficiency rate in a lter screen with a square opening of 35 m would be as shown in Figure 5. All particles larger than the square opening would be removed and all particles smaller than the square opening would pass through. However, as the particles are not spherical, the question of whether a certain particle may or may not pass through the lter screen openings will depend on how the particle approaches the screen. In practice, particle removal is as shown in Figure 6.

% Removal eff. 100

% Removal eff. 100

75

75

50

50

25

25

0 0 10 20 35 50 60 m

0 0 10 20 35 50 60 m

Figure 5. Example of removal efficiency for spherical particles.

Figure 6. Example of removal efficiency for irregularly shaped particles.

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() and differential pressure across the lter (p) is found to be Q=K x A x p x (1)

(K = a constant depending on the permeability of the bed)

Absolute filter fineness

The formula describing this relationship, Darcys basic ltration equation, is named after the man who formulated it. This formula is valid when the differential pressure through the lter cake is low and the main pressure drop occurs across the lter medium itself, i.e., when the lter medium is fairly clean. In these circumstances, the ltrate ow through each square opening in the lter medium is low, and the ow is said to be laminar. If the suspension medium is an absolutely clean liquid, the cumulative ltrate volume will increase linearly with time, in accordance with Darcys equation. In practice this holds true at the beginning of the ltration period, but as time passes, the cumulative ltrate volume tapers off. This is shown in Figure 8. When a lter cake begins building up, the simple relationship expressed by Darcys equation is no longer valid, because the resistance through the lter (K/ in Darcys equation) is no longer constant. The resistance increases as ltration time increases, and can be written as: Total resistance = K/ (constant) + Rc (increasing with time), where Rc = resistance through lter cake. When the lter cake is compressed, the relationship becomes even more complex. In this case the resistance through the lter is also a function of the differential pressure through the lter, i.e., both the differential pressure and the lter resistance increase during ltration.

Figure 7. Denition of absolute lter neness.

Consequently, some particles larger than the square opening will pass through, and some particles smaller than the square opening will not. When comparing surface lters, it is important to specify the size of the square opening being used. Since particles have irregular shapes, their ability to pass or not pass through the lter depends on whether they arrive at the lter screen with their small end rst, or broadside. The term nominal lter neness has therefore been applied to surface lters. The term for absolute lter neness (often called absolute mesh size) refers to the square opening, as shown in Figure 7. In the marine and power industries, the following example is often cited to clarify the relationship between nominal and absolute neness in a surface lter, measuring for example 20 m nominal lter neness: 8590% of all particles larger than 20 m are retained in a surface lter with a lter neness of 35 m absolute. When the same relationship is applied to other lter nenesses, the following gures are obtained: 10 m nominal 25 m absolute 20 m nominal 35 m absolute 25 m nominal 40 m absolute 30 m nominal 45 m absolute 35 m nominal 50 m absolute 40 m nominal 60 m absolute However, this does not apply to depth lters. Normally, particles smaller than the given lter neness are removed more efficiently in a depth lter compared to a surface lter with the same given lter neness. Therefore, depth lters might become clogged by these small and harmless particles, which need not be removed. Due to difficulties in manufacturing a depth lter with equal sized pores, it may be less effective for large particles than a surface lter.

Cumulative filtrate volume, V Clean liquid Suspension

Time, t

An empirical relationship valid for surface ltration between ltrate ow (Q), ltrate viscosity (), lter area (A) and thickness

Figure 8. Cumulative ltrate volume as a function of time.

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Alfa Laval Automatic Filters

Hydraulic motor

To lubricating oil sump Drain cock

Diversion chamber

Filtered oil

Unltered oil

Filtered oil Filtered oil to hydraulic motor

Filtered oil to engine

Full-ow chamber

Distributor

Strainer Unltered oil

Figure 9. Automatic lubricating oil lter with diversion chamber.

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The Alfa Laval lter

Design and operating principle
The Alfa Laval automatic lters are designed specically for full-ow ltering of fuel and lubricating oils for trunk piston and crosshead engines.

Design The Alfa Laval lter consists of: the lter housing, the ltering unit and distributor, and, the hydraulic motor. The lter housing for the automatic lter can have one or two chambers. The rst chamber, where the cleaning of the oil occurs, is called the full-ow chamber. The second chamber, where the impurities stopped by the full-ow chamber are collected, is called the diversion chamber. Cross-sections of the lter with diversion chamber are shown in Figure 9. The lter unit contains disc-type lter elements placed on top of one another forming a very robust lter disc stack. The construction is designed in such a way that the lter elements are pressed together not only by rods, but also by the oil pressure on the end cover at the bottom of the lter stack. Full-ow and diversion elements are shown in Figure 10. This construction efficiently prevents leakage of oil between the lter elements because the elements are pressed more rmly together as the pressure drop over the lter increases. A part of a lter disc stack is shown in Figure 11.
Figure 11. Alfa Laval disc-type lter elements. Diversion ltering element Full-ow ltering element

Figure 10. Filtering elements.

Filter cloth Filter frame Rib

The elements are divided into sections by ribs. Together they form independent ltering columns. The number of lter elements in the lter disc stack, the diameter of the discs and the neness of the lter screen are factors that determine the capacity of the lter. The capacity of the Alfa Laval lter system can be further increased by using a special arrangement of two or three lter units in parallel. The lter disc stack, together with sleeve, covers, rods, etc., forms a ltering unit, in which the distributor for the automatic lter is located. The distributor, driven by the hydraulic motor, in a step-wise manner feeding unltered oil to all columns except one that is open for backushing. In this way, each column is backushed once per rotation of the distributor (continuous backushing). The lter is backushed approximately once every second minute, but as the backushing is always made on at least one sector, the backushing ow is continuous. A ltering unit is shown in Figure 12.

Diversion elements Cover Distributor

Sleeve

Rod

Full-ow elements

Figure 12. Filtering unit.

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The ltering unit and distributor are placed in the lter housing, which, for the automatic lters with ltration of the backushing oil, forms two lter chambers: the full-ow chamber with full-ow lter elements, where the harmful solids are removed from the oil owing towards the engine the diversion chamber with diversion lter elements, where the backushed oil is ltered and the solids will be concentrated and removed from the oil system by periodic draining. The distributor is rotated by the hydraulic motor, which in turn is driven by a small supply of the oil from the outlet of the lter (approximately 200 l/h). The hydraulic motor is located on top of the lter housing. (See Figure 13, which also shows the lter inlets and outlets.)

Features of the Alfa Laval automatic mineral oil lter Constant pressure drop during operation due to continuous backushing. Filter screen is kept clear by continuous backushing, which means that long service intervals can be achieved, without accumulation of particles on lter screen. Robust disc-type lter elements. Simple installation and operation, without electricity or compressed air. Compact, lightweight design.

Pressure drop indicator

Hydraulic motor

Return

Drain valve Diversion chamber

Outlet

Full-ow chamber

Inlet

Figure 13. Automatic lter for lubricating oil, with diversion chamber.

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Operating principle, automatic lter with diversion chamber The operating principle of an automatic lter is explained below. (The capital letters in the text refer to Figure 14.) Phase 1 Filtering in the full-ow chamber 1. Unltered oil enters the full-ow chamber of the lter at A and ows into chamber B the space between the distributor C and the inner perimeter of the sleeve where the lter elements D are tted. 2. From chamber B the oil is distributed into and through the ltering columns formed by elements D. The solids present are trapped. 3. The ltered oil is fed into chamber E, where it ows to the engine through the lter outlet F. Approximately 200 l/h of the ltered oil ows from chamber E to the hydraulic motor H through the feed pipe G to drive the hydraulic motor. Backushing in the full-ow chamber 4. While the full-ow ltration takes place in all columns except one, solids are removed in one column by backushing, using part of the ltered oil from chamber E.

N M L

Phase 1

5. The backushing oil with its solids passes through channel K in the distributor C to the diversion chamber L. Filtering in the diversion chamber 6. The backushing oil passes from diversion chamber L through the diversion lter elements M to the passage in the distributor N. 7. Filtered oil is taken back through passage N in the distributor via outlet P.
L

P M N

8. In this rst phase, no backushing is performed in the diversion chamber. Phase 2 Filtering in the full-ow chamber and diversion chamber Backushing in the diversion chamber In this phase, the distributor has rotated one step compared with Phase 1. 9. Part of the ltered oil in chamber E can now pass through the channel R in the distributor and through the diversion lter elements M (from inside to outside) removing the trapped particles from the outer side of the elements. 10. The particles trapped by the ltering elements M can thus settle to the bottom of the diversion chamber L. Removal of the ltered solids 11. The solids ltered out in the diversion chamber are then discharged from the system by periodic draining by an automatic or manual valve V.

Phase 2

Figure 14. The ow of oil through an Alfa Laval lter.

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Alfa Laval Automatic Filters

New lter range

Automatic filter with integrated centrifuge

Design The Alfa Laval Eliminator lter consists of: the lter housing, the ltering unit and distributor, the hydraulic motor, and, the centrifuge. The rst chamber, where the harmful particles are stopped before they can nd their way to the engine, is called the fullow chamber. The particles trapped in the full-ow chamber are driven to the solid bowl centrifuge by backushing, where all the particles, even the smallest ones, are trapped on the centrifuge wall. Clean oil is driven back from the centrifuge to the oil sump. The centrifuge is driven by the circuit oil pressure. Cross-section of the lter is shown in Figure 15. The ltering unit contains disc-type lter elements. Assembled together they form a robust disc stack. The ltering elements are divided into sections by ribs. When assembled together, they form independent ltering columns.
Unltered oil

Figure 16. Full-ow ltering element.

Backushed oil (to the centrifuge) Distributor

Clean oil to the engine

The lter disc stack, together with lter head, sleeve, distributor, rods and covers, forms the ltering unit. The distributor, driven by the hydraulic motor, rotates at regular

Figure 17. Flow distribution through the full-ow ltering element.

Full-ow chamber

Centrifuge chamber

Filtered oil to the engine

Unltered oil

Centrifuge

Hydraulic motor

Cleaned oil back to oil sump Distributor Filtering unit

Figure 15. Automatic lubricating oil lter with centrifuge.

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intervals, feeding unltered oil to all columns except one, that is open for backushing. In this way, each column is backushed once per full rotation of the distributor (continuous backushing). A ltering unit is shown in Figure 18. The distributor is rotated by the hydraulic motor, which is driven by a small amount of the clean oil downstream the lter elements. The hydraulic motor is located on the side of the lter housing (see Figure 20). The backushed oil from the full-ow chamber enters the centrifuge, where a high efficiency axial disc stack separates the harmful particles from the oil. The particles collect on the rotor wall. The cleaned oil is ejected through the nozzles, which give the rotating energy for the centrifuge, then the oil goes back to the lubricating oil sump by gravity. (See Figure 19.)
Complete ltering unit

Filter head

Distributor

Rod

Sleeve

Filtering element

Figure 18. Filtering unit.

Features of the Alfa Laval Eliminator automatic mineral oil lter Constant pressure drop during operation due to continuous backushing. Contamination level of the oil kept at very low level, thanks to the high efficiency disc-stack centrifuge. Filter screen kept clear by continuous backushing which means that long service intervals can be achieved. Robust disc-type lter elements. Simple installation and operation, without electricity and compressed air. Compact, lightweight design.
Figure 19. Centrifuge chamber. Backushed oil from full-ow lter

Rotor wall

Axial disc stack

Nozzles

To lubricating oil sump

Filtered oil to the engine Hydraulic motor

Unltered oil

Cleaned oil back to oil sump

Full-ow chamber Figure 20. Eliminator Automatic Filter with centrifuge.

Centrifuge chamber

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Alfa Laval Automatic Filters

Operating principle, automatic lter Filtering in the full-ow chamber 1. Unltered oil enters the lter at A and ows through the strainer S into the chamber B the space between the distributor C and the inner perimeter of the sleeve J on which the full-ow lter elements D are mounted. 2. The oil is distributed from this space through the full-ow lter elements D in eleven of the twelve ltering columns (the twelfth column is being backushed). The solids are trapped on the inner side of the elements in the eleven ltering columns. 3. The ltered oil ows into the full-ow chamber E and is fed through the lter outlet F to the engine. 4. A few hundred litres per hour of the ltered oil are routed from the full-ow chamber E to the hydraulic motor H to drive the distributor C.

Backushing in the full-ow chamber 1. While the full-ow takes place in eleven columns, solids are being removed from the elements in the twelfth column by backushing (from outside to inside of the column) using part of the ltered oil from the full-ow chamber E. 2. The backushed oil with removed solids ow through the passage K in the distributor C and is routed to the centrifuge W, where the solids will be removed from the oil before it goes back to the sump.

Figure 21. Eliminator Automatic Filter with centrifuge.

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Operating principle, centrifuge Introduction The purpose of separation is to separate solid particles from a liquid. Separation by gravity A liquid mixture in a stationary bowl will clear slowly as the heavy particles in the liquid mixture sink to the bottom under the inuence of gravity. A liquid rises, while solids sink. Continuous separation and sedimentation can be achieved in a settling tank that has outlets arranged according to the difference in density. Heavier particles in the liquid mixture will settle and form a sediment layer on the tank bottom. Centrifugal separation In a rapidly rotating bowl, the force of gravity is replaced by centrifugal force, which can be thousands of times greater. Separation and sedimentation are continuous and occur quickly. The centrifugal force in the separator bowl can achieve in a few seconds what takes many hours in a tank under inuence of gravity.
Clean oil

Figure 22. Operating principle.

Dirty oil

Power transmission The energy necessary to rotate the bowl is taken from the oil pressure, which rotates the bowl using the force of the reaction created when the oil passes through the calibrated nozzles.

Figure 23. Separation by gravity.

Nozzle

Clean oil Dirty oil

Figure 24. Centrifugal separation.

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Lubricating oil ltration

General The complete lubricating oil system of a diesel engine incorporates a full-ow oil circuit (the main lubricating oil system) and, for almost all engines operating on residual or heavy fuel oils, a bypass lubricating oil circuit (the cleaning system). The oil ow in the cleaning system is approximately one percent of the oil ow in the main lubricating oil system. The full-ow circuit contains a lubricating oil lter system (see Figure 25). The role of the lter system is to protect the engine from harmful particles. The entire lubricating oil ow to the engine passes through the lter system, where the harmful particles are stopped. The role of the bypass circuit is to remove harmful contaminants (solid particles and water) from the lubricating oil system in order to keep the contamination concentration at an acceptable level. This is done by means of the centrifugal separator. The lter system contains one main lter, or, if the lubricating oil ow is high, two or several main lters in parallel. Often there also is a bypass lter in parallel with the main lter, which is used if the main lter is stopped. An indicator or security lter is often installed. Its function is to stop particles from entering the engine in case of malfunction of the main lter. This lter (or lters if the oil ow is high) also indicates if something is wrong with the main lter.

The lter system can be built by using one of the following three systems: Two parallel identical manual lters (one in use, one on stand-by). Common on smaller engines operating on diesel or marine diesel oil. One automatic backushing lter as main lter plus one manual lter as bypass lter (in parallel). Often there also is a manual lter built on the engine. This is a common feature on engines operating on heavy fuel oil.

Main filter

One automatic backushing lter as main lter, followed by two parallel manual lters as indicator lters. The two indicator lters may be built in one unit designated as a duplex indicator lter. This is a common feature on engines operating on heavy fuel oil.

Main filter

Indicator filters

Filter system

Diesel engine

100% Figure 25. The complete lubricating oil treatment system.

Cooler

Pump

Lubricating oil sump

Pump

Heater

Centrifugal separator

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3 Diesel engine 2

Filter

Lubricating oil sump

Cooler

Pump

Stand-by pump Figure 26. Installation ow sheet for Alfa Laval lubricating oil lter.

Designation and operation conditions for Alfa Laval lubricating oil lters The denomination of lubricating oil lters is built up in the following manner: Single or module lter: Protector T 280 D 1 2 4 5 Duplex lter: Protector T 1 2

5 Type of diversion chamber No diversion chamber D Filter with diversion chamber C Filter with centrifugal separator 6 Automatic lters: Number of full-ow ltering elements (total number of elements for module lters). Manual lters: Filtering area in dm3 (total surface area of module lters).

50 6

8 7

A07 8

L 3

280 4

D 5

50 6

8 7

A07 8

7 Number of diversion elements (if applicable). 8 Filtration code. Alfa Laval lubricating oil lters can be equipped with different nenesses of lter screens. The lter neness is specied by the engine manufacturer. A sketch of an Alfa Laval lubricating oil lter installation is shown in Figure 26. The lter normally has a pressure drop between the oil entering the lter and the clean oil (P1P2) of 0.20.5 bar. The amount of ltered oil needed to backush the lter screen and drive the hydraulic motor (Q3) is between three and ve percent of the oil entering the lter. For reliable backushing and driving of the hydraulic motor, it is important to have a pressure difference of at least 1.4 bar for crosshead engines and 2.8 bar for trunk piston engines between the ltered oil and the oil returning to the sump (P2P3).
Alfa Laval Marine & Diesel Equipment 17

1 Generic name for the Alfa Laval lters 2 Type of main lter T Automatic lter for Trunk Piston Engines X Automatic lter for Crosshead Engines L Manual lter 3 Type of secondary lter (if duplex lters only) T Automatic lter for Trunk Piston Engines X Automatic lter for Crosshead Engines L Manual lter 4 External diameter of the ltering elements (automatic lters), of the lter insert (manual lters). Dimensions: 120, 140, 150, 240, 280.

Alfa Laval Automatic Filters

Alfa Laval lubricating oil lters for crosshead engines The Alfa Laval lubricating oil lters for crosshead engines differ from those for trunk piston engines. Higher ow rate of the lubricating oil, different demands on lter neness, properties of contaminants, low oil pressure at the inlet to the engine, etc., are factors that require additional lubricating oil lter specications on the part of the engine manufacturer.

Pre-lubrication In some installations the lter must operate during prelubrication. (The engine is stopped, but the lubricating oil is pumped with reduced capacity through the engine for rapid startup.) This can inuence the ltering process. If the pre-lubrication period is longer than 24 hours and the pressure difference between the cleaned oil and the return oil to sump (P2P3) is less than 0.8 bar, the pressure difference is not sufficient to operate the automatic lter. In this case an additional lter has to be installed in a separate prelubrication circuit.

Dimensioning criteria for Alfa Laval lubricating oil lters When dimensioning a lubricating oil lter, parameters such as lter neness, fuel oil type (heavy fuel oil or marine diesel oil) and type of engine (trunk piston engine or crosshead) are taken into consideration as well as specications from engine builders. The specic load measured as litres of oil per square centimetre of the effective lter area and hour is presented in Table 1.

Type of engine

Type of fuel

Specic load (l/cm2 per hour) 610 58 1016

Nom. lter neness (m) 1030 1030 2035

Abs. lter neness (m) 2545 2545 3550

Trunk piston Trunk piston Crosshead

Marine diesel oil Heavy fuel oil Heavy fuel oil

Table 1. Specic load (l/cm2 effective lter area per hour) for lubricating oil lters. The gures are given in intervals, depending on which ltering neness is chosen.

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Fuel oil ltration

General A complete fuel oil treatment system for a diesel engine consists of a cleaning system, in which the separators are included, and a conditioning system. The conditioning system includes lters to remove particles and impurities that may have entered the system after the separators. Since the lters are intended to protect the engine, they should be installed as close to the engine as possible. An additional lter immediately before the engine is often included in the engine supply. A typical fuel oil treatment system for heavy fuel oil is shown in Figure 27. Some engine builders recommend placing the lter upstream from the deaerator tank (No. 7 in Figure 27). When the lter is placed in this position the fuel oil ow through the lter is smaller, since there is no recirculation of oil as is the case downstream from the deaerator tank. Also the oil viscosity is higher since the temperature is lower. Both these factors are taken into consideration when calculating the throughput capacities. If the lter is placed upstream from the deaerator tank, placement of an additional lter downstream from the deaerator tank is recommended. For a heavy fuel oil installation, an automatic lter is often placed in parallel with a manual bypass lter (Figure 28).

Due to the construction principle of the Alfa Laval lter, the oil pressure into the engine is not affected when the lter is backushed. For fuel treatment installations designed for handling high viscosity fuels (up to 700 cSt at 50C), the operating temperatures for the fuel oil lter can be as high as 160C downstream from the deaerator.

Figure 28. Automatic fuel oil lter with a manual bypass lter (duplex lter unit).

1. Feed pumps 2. Heaters 3. Separators

4. Supply pumps 5. Automatic lter 6. Flow meter

7. Deaeration tank 8. Circulating pumps 9. Viscosity transmitter

(Indicator lter is optional)

3 Settling tank 2 Service tank 1 2 4 3 5 7 6

FM

Diesel engine

8 2

Figure 27. Fuel oil treatment system with lters situated on the cold side. Filters can also be installed on the hot side.

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Due to the high operating temperatures, the lter is also available with an electrical motor drive for the distributor rotation, replacing the hydraulic motor. This motor assembly is designed specically for low-speed and high-temperature operating conditions. This arrangement provides simplied maintenance and assures rotation of the distributor even in the most arduous operating conditions. The motor can be supplied for 110 or 220 VAC supply, 50 or 60 Hz, and it draws around 0.1A to 0.4A according to lter size and current during normal operation. The electrical motor can be upgraded onto existing installations using a simple upgrade kit available for most models.

6 Type of driving motor for backushing Hydraulic motor E Electric motor 7 Automatic lters: Number of full-ow ltering elements (total number of elements for module lters) Manual lters: Filtering area, in dm3 (total surface area of module lters) 8 Number of diversion elements (if applicable) 9 Filtration code The use of the electrical motor means that this lter is suitable for hot and cold side installations, according to customer requirements and without limitations. To ensure proper backushing (and rotation of the hydraulic motor on the automatic lter when tted), it is important that the pressure difference between the ltered oil and the oil going back to the suction side of the fuel oil pump (P2P3) is at least 2 bar. For this reason the viscosity of the fuel oil should also be below 75 cSt when the lter is placed downstream from the deaerator tank (150 cSt upstream from the deaerator tank). In contrast to the lubricating oil lter, the hydraulic motor of the fuel oil lter is driven by the ltered oil from the diversion chamber. The pressure drop between the unltered and ltered oil (P1P2) is normally 0.20.5 bar. The necessary amount of oil for backushing the lter is approximately 15 percent of the oil ow entering the lter. The same oil that is used for backushing is also used to drive the hydraulic motor. Another factor that inuences the sizing of the lter is the neness of the lter screen. This is determined by the requirements of the diesel engine manufacturers. The lter size for a given fuel ow increases when a smaller lter screen is used, due to the fact that the number of particles collected on the lter screen will increase.

Designation and operating conditions for fuel oil lters The denomination of fuel oil lters is built up in the following manner: Single or module lter Protector F 150 D 1 2 4 5 Duplex lter Protector F 1 2

E 6

30 7

12 A05 8 9

M 150 3 4

D 5

E 6

30 7

12 A05 8 9

1 Generic name for the Alfa Laval lters 2 Type of main lter F Automatic fuel oil lter M Manual fuel oil lter 3 Type of secondary lter (if duplex lters only) F Automatic fuel oil lter M Manual fuel oil lter 4 External diameter of the ltering elements (automatic lters), of the lter insert (manual lters). Dimensions: 120, 140, 150, 240, 280. 5 Type of diversion chamber D lter with diversion chamber

Dimensioning criteria for Alfa Laval fuel oil lters The maximum allowed load for a fuel oil lter depends on which type of fuel is ltered and lter neness. Due to the oil ow, the lter size can roughly be calculated from Table 2 below. Note that the oil viscosity through the lter is less than 75 cSt and that P2P3 2 bar.

Type of fuel

Specic load (l/cm2 per hour) 48 upstream 23, downstream 36

Nom. lter neness (m) 1030 1030

Abs. lter neness (m) 2545 2545

Marine diesel oil Heavy fuel oil

Table 2. Specic load (l/cm2 effective lter area per hour) for fuel oil lters. The gures are given in intervals, depending on which lter neness is chosen. (Note! Upstream viscosity 150 cSt. Downstream viscosity 75 cSt, P2P3 2 bar.)

20 Alfa Laval Marine & Diesel Equipment

Alfa Laval reserves the right to make changes at any time without prior notice. Any comments regarding possible errors and omissions or suggestions for improvement of this publication would be gratefully appreciated. Copies of this publication can be ordered from your local Alfa Laval company. Published by: Alfa Laval Tumba AB Marine & Diesel Equipment SE-147 80 Tumba Sweden

Copyright Alfa Laval Tumba AB 2004.

Alfa Laval in brief Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of specialized products and engineering solutions. Our equipment, systems and services are dedicated to helping customers to optimize the performance of their processes. Time and time again. We help our customers to heat, cool, separate and transport products such as oil, water, chemicals, beverages, foodstuff, starch and pharmaceuticals. Our worldwide organization works closely with customers in almost 100 countries to help them stay ahead.

How to contact Alfa Laval Contact details for all countries are continually updated on our web site. Please visit www.alfalaval.com to access the information.

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