Excerpt from August 6 Press Release from Wärtsilä:
Wärtsilä-Hyundai Engine Company Ltd., the new joint venture between Wärtsilä and Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, has received a major order. The order calls for a total of 16 Wärtsilä 50DF-engines for four ships to be built by Samsung Heavy Industries. The contract also includes an option of four more engines for a fifth vessel. The order is recorded in the order book of Wärtsilä-Hyundai Engine Company Ltd.
The engines are to be installed on so called Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessels ordered by FLEX LNG. The first engine will be delivered in February 2010.
Read the full press release HERE
About the Wärtsilä 50DF:
The new Wärtsilä 50DF applies the sophisticated tri-fuel technology incorporated in the reliable and well-tried Wärtsilä 46 HFO engine. It can be run either on natural gas or on light fuel oil (LFO) or on heavy fuel oil (HFO). The engine can smoothly switch between fuels during engine operation and is designed to give the same output regardless of the fuel.
The engine operates on the lean-burn principle. Lean combustion enables high compression ratio which increases engine efficiency and reduces peak temperatures, and therefore also reduces NOx emissions.
Both the gas admission and pilot fuel injection are electronically controlled. The engine functions are controlled by an advanced automation system that allows optimum running conditions to be set independent of the ambient conditions or fuel.
via www.wartsila.com
Check out these links to previous gCaptian posts on Wärtsilä’s most mind boggling creations:
Lately there has been some exciting news about the development of new diesel engines with improved emissions, cost and effectiveness. But what is not discussed is the operating and maneuvering characteristics of the improved motors. While piloting a 60,000 BHP 12 cylinder 800-1000 foot ship one must stop and start the engine often while in congested waters. Therefore knowing the capacity for start and stops (usually with compressed air) is essential and should be included in the operating information. Also, while transiting waterways, confined channels and canals an almost wakeless transit is sometimes required. Many engines have a minimum RPM that exceeds safe navigation speeds.therefore pilots must devise means to reduce the speed of advance (anchors, tugs or stop and starts.) The rules for safe speed includes wakes. Ship owners may save on fuel but may have to pay for tugs. JGD
Lately there has been some exciting news about the development of new diesel engines with improved emissions, cost and effectiveness. But what is not discussed is the operating and maneuvering characteristics of the improved motors. While piloting a 60,000 BHP 12 cylinder 800-1000 foot ship one must stop and start the engine often while in congested waters. Therefore knowing the capacity for start and stops (usually with compressed air) is essential and should be included in the operating information. Also, while transiting waterways, confined channels and canals an almost wakeless transit is sometimes required. Many engines have a minimum RPM that exceeds safe navigation speeds.therefore pilots must devise means to reduce the speed of advance (anchors, tugs or stop and starts.) The rules for safe speed includes wakes. Ship owners may save on fuel but may have to pay for tugs. JGD
[...] am impressed with the significant improvements that large diesel engine manufacturers are making in reducing offensive emissions, improving [...]