Feature sponsored by Test & measurement
WHY ACCURATE ENGINE PRESSURE MEASUREMENT HOLDS THE KEY TO OPTIMUM VESSEL PERFORMANCE
T 54
he stresses imposed by long periods of operation in a wide variety of operating conditions can take their toll on diesel engines in shipping applications. With potentially thousands of miles between ports, and the need to keep to
delivery schedules, the last thing any crew wants is an unexpected engine failure while at sea that could cause potentially long delays and missed collection and delivery deadlines. Combined with this is the need to meet increasingly stringent environmental legislation that is putting tighter controls on emissions at sea. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has introduced a strict cap on sulfur emissions, cutting the permitted levels from 3.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent. In the long run, the industry will also have to achieve a 40 per cent target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2008 levels. While this is being partly achieved by the introduction of cleaner lower sulfur fuels, there is a need to ensure that engine combustion performance is also maximised to help further lower emissions. With fuel costs representing a significant proportion of total operating costs, especially as prices continue to rise, it is also essential for
Rising fuel costs have made ships more expensive to operate and squeezed margins, while tightening global regulations are putting pressure on reducing engine emissions. Björn Kindblom of ABB’s Force Measurement business looks at how ABB’s Cylmate pressure transducers can help to enhance vessel efficiency and improve environmental performance.
shipping operators to keep a close eye on engine performance to maximise fuel efficiency.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE ENGINE PRESSURE MEASUREMENT Ship engines typically run for days, weeks or even months without stopping, either for propulsion or for generating electrical energy. With this constant operation increasing the risk of wear and tear that could affect engine performance and increase the risk of excessive emissions and impaired fuel efficiency, it is important to be able to identify any problems before they can escalate.
One way to do this is by measuring the combustion pressure in the engine cylinders. An engine in good balance will avoid thermal
and mechanical overloads by assuring equal power distribution between the cylinders. By effectively sharing the load, wear and tear is reduced and fuel efficiency is improved. An optimised engine will also make it easier to comply with environmental regulations. If the engine balance is impaired, all these benefits will be lost, increasing maintenance requirements and running costs, reducing fuel efficiency and potentially risking compliance with emissions legislation. To help ensure that engine performance is maintained at optimum levels, ABB’s Cylmate pressure transducers can be used to provide real-time measurement of the combustion pressure in each cylinder, continuously and in parallel, under all load conditions.
April 2023 Instrumentation Monthly
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 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82
