NEWS


design will offer 2% fuel savings, the DC Grid 1% and the smaller main engine 3% with the demand driven frequency converters offering a further 1.5% saving. He says that a pilot project that includes the DC Grid


system aboard a 93m platform supply vessel has seen fuel savings of up to 20%.


Engine Lubrication Castrol and Total


in lube dispute Marine lube oil manufacturers Castrol and Total are in dispute over the effectiveness of universal lube oil, with the UK manufacturer warning ship operators that slow steaming and low sulphur fuels may adversely affect engine wear if a low base number (BN) lubricant is used. For its part Total refutes Castrol’s view and claims to


have evidence that shows its universal lubricant Talusia Universal has altered the marine lubrication landscape. But according to Total’s Jean-Philippe Roman, techni- cal director for the lubricants division, it is new regula- tion that is driving changes in lube oil development. Roman says that in order to meet the requirements


imposed by future constraints MCL [marine cylinder oil] must improve in four areas: • better handling and control of deposits result- ing from contamination and varying operating conditions;


• better control of lubricant degradation to avoid detrimental lack of performance during its lifetime on the liner surface;


• significantly higher resistance to wear to insure the reliability of the high rated engines;


• flexible basicity with high neutralisation efficiency to cover operations with the whole range of fuels available.


He added that: “Te chemistry of current MCL is based on the mineral CaCO3


[calcium carbonate],


known for its anti-wear potential and obviously its basicity. However this chemistry is definitely not optimised for future requirements and is already known to have adverse effects. Although the decrease of additive content in actual formulations is the simplest way to adjust the basicity to the targeted level, the resulting MCL will have degraded proper- ties. The figure (above right) illustrates the impact of a down-treatment from BN70 to BN10 on the thermal stability.” Castrol, on the other hand, has come up with


evidence that gives a conflicting view on the lubrica- tion of marine engines. Paul Harrold, Technology Manager Marine & Energy Lubricants says: “Until recently many shipping companies concentrated


10


Basicity


100 80 60 40 20 0


260 270 280 290 Temperature (°C)


Performance rating of thermal stability versus basicity level on coking bench test at different temperatures.


Caption: Performance rating of thermal stability ver test at different temperatures


on trying to find the most efficient cylinder oil feed-rate taking into account the sulphur content of the heavy fuel oil in use. With the development of slow steaming practices a further variable now has to be considered, making it a more complex equation to calculate which cylinder lubricants offer the most efficient cylinder lubrication solution.” He goes on to say that new evidence shows that


Castrol, on the other hand, has come up with evidence th lubrication of marine engines. Paul Harrold, Technology Lubricants.


slow steaming and low sulphur requirements are significantly lowering the temperature in the cylinder, increasing wear and tear on pistons and piston rings as a result. “Tis is particularly true when using higher sulphur


fuels if a cylinder lubricant of insufficient BN is used,” says Harrold. Requirements for low sulphur fuels to be used


“Until recently many shipping companies concentrated o cylinder oil feed-rate taking into account the sulphur con the development of slow steaming practices a further va making it a more complex equation to calculate which c efficient cylinder lubrication solution,” writes Harrold.


in environment control areas (ECA) mean that ship operators are increasingly turning to universal lubricants rather than swapping between oils with varying BN numbers. Harrold argues that: “Ideally shipping companies


would prefer only to have to use one cylinder oil that would work with a variety of different sulphur fuels, but recent engine inspections suggest that the desire for simplicity may be compromising reliability and damaging to the engine, particularly under slow steaming conditions.” Castrol believes that those difficulties will be


He goes on to say that new evidence shows that slow ste are significantly lowering the temperature in the cylinde and piston rings as a result.


“This is particularly true when using higher sulphur fuel Base Number (BN) is used,” says Harrold.


exacerbated with ship operators using HFO outside of the ECA and distillate fuels within the ECA regions complicating the mix of slow steaming, higher lube oil feed rates and variable sulphur levels.


Correction: In the October Marine Power and Propulsion supple- ment we ran a story titled “HydroComp updates for the future”, in which we incorrectly spelt the HydroComp name and the name of the VP and technical director Don MacPherson. Te Naval Architect would like to apologise to HydroComp and to Mr MacPherson for any embarrassment caused.


Correction: In the October Marine Power and Propulsion supplemen


Requirements for low sulphur fuels to be used in Enviro ship operators are increasingly turning to universal lubri oils with varying BN numbers.


Harrold argues that: “Ideally shipping companies would oil that would work with a variety of different sulphur fu suggest that the desire for simplicity may be compromis engine, particularly under slow steaming conditions.”


Castrol believes that those difficulties will be exacerbate outside of the ECA and distillate fuels within the ECA r steaming, higher lube oil feed rates and variable sulphur The Naval Architect January 2012


300 310 (mg KOH/g)


70 50 40 25 10


rating/100


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60