Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.

com, ISSN 1743-3509

MAN B&W medium-speed engines - the

right propulsion system for the merchant

ship types
J. Albers

This year saw the centennial of the Diesel engine's birthday. On 23 Febru-
ary 1893, MAN and Rudolf Diesel signed a contract in Augsburg for the
development and design of a thermal engine which bears the name of its
inventor to this day. This was the birth of the Diesel engine (Fig. 1).

After the development target, namely an efficiency superior to that of

all the engines which then were available, was reached in the year 1897,
there was no stopping of the success of this engine any longer. In the year
1909 already, Diesel engines were being manufactured in almost all the Eu-
ropean countries.

At a ceremony held in Augsburg on 26.02.93, which was attended,

among others, by notable professors, it was confirmed once again that to
this day, the Diesel engine still is the most economical thermal engine, and
engines with a large swept volume reach efficiencies up to above 50% con-
tribute to the protection of our environment. And this will not change - so
believe the experts - during the foreseeable future.

MAN B&W was able at the beginning of May 1993 to present to the
public the new L 32/40 engine, which is again a trend-setting development
for the future.

The fact that generally speaking this engine has similar combustion
space dimensions as thefirstDiesel engine, suggests to make a comparison
of the two four-stroke engines (Figs 2 + 3). This comparison presents 100
years of development work. MAN then was, and MAN B&W nowadays still
is leading in the development and designing of four-stroke and two-stroke
Diesel engines for all fields of application.
106 Marine Engineering
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Traction engines
Engines for power generation
Engines for marine propulsion

This leading role in development is due to the fact that essential com-
ponents of the engine are being developed and manufactured in the MAN
B&W/MAN factories. The vertical range of production for large medium-
speed four-stroke engines in Augsburg currently is high. This is to say that
vital engine components such as

the engine block

running gear components
charge renewal components
combustion space components
injection system components

components for the turbocharging system including the turbochargers proper

are being manufactured in our workshops. Moreover, MAN BfeW is in-
tensely involved in the development of other essential components such as
pistons, piston rings. No wonder, therefore, that the new engine concept
of the large medium-speed engines proved very successful, and the design
targets

high reliability
low lube oil and fuel oil consumption rates
long times between overhaul of vital engine components
ease of maintenance

were reached straight away.

The new engine family comprising the types L 32/40, L 40/54, L 48/60,
L 58/64, V 48/60 (Fig. 4) was developed from the beginning of 1980 on-
wards. The first engine was supplied in 1985, it was an engine of the L
58/64 type which to this date has reached an operating time of more than
50,000 hours and continues operating to the full satisfaction of the customer.

The output range extends from 2,640 kW to approximately 18,000 kW

at speeds between 750 and 400 rpm. The rating diagram (Fig. 5) includes
the 32/40 engine which only slightly differs from the large medium-speed
engines in design.

To mention some of the design features of modern MAN B&W four-

stroke engines:
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509
ENGINE CONSTRUCTION

One-piece engine block with individual cylinder jackets having through bolts
for the main bearings and longer cylinder cover bolts (Fig. 6). Suspended
crankshaft
Constant pressure turbocharging

CYLINDER LINER WITH FIRE RING

The cylinder liners of MAN B&W Diesel engines are laser-hardened in the
upper part, which lends them a useful life of 60,000 to 80,000 hours.

The cylinder liner is only cooled in the upper part, in way of the fire ring,
so as to reduce thermal stresses between the upper part of the cylinder liner
and the lower part of the cylinder liner. Furthermore, this selective cooling
of the liner provides for optimum temperatures also around the circumfer-
ence, whereby corrosion is avoided and dimensional stability is achieved.

The fire ring has a slightly smaller diameter than the cylinder liner as
such. The piston crown is matched to this reduced diameter. This ensures
that a contact between carbon deposits and the cylinder liner is avoided.
The phenomenon called 'bore polishing' is thus avoided. All our large four-
stroke engines feature separate cylinder lubrication (Fig. 7).

PISTON

The piston is of the composite type, consisting of a forged crown and a

nodular cast skirt (Fig. 8). The geometry of the cooling spaces ensures a
reliable, efficient 'shaker' effect with ideal temperatures at the piston crown.

CONNECTING ROD

As is the standard on such engines, the connecting rod is of the split type
and allows the piston with the connecting rod shank to be removed without
having to open the big-end bearing.

This solution of the joint being directly underneath the small end bear-
ing allows for low headroom and hence for advantageous engine room di-
mensions (Fig. 9).

CYLINDER COVER

With due regard to the experience gained, MAN B&W has for the new en-
gine types adopted cross-scavenged cylinder covers equipped with two ex-
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509
haust valves and two inlet valves again. This provides for optimum charge
renewal. An essential point also is the simple exhaust gas and charge air
piping system which contributes to ease of maintenance.

It goes without saying that all these elements, which have proven very
efficient, are also used in the new 32/40 engine.

Four-stroke medium-speed engines are at present being built up to an

output level of approximately 1,400 kW corresponding to approximately
1,900 HP per cylinder, at speeds of 375-750 rpm. Two-stroke engines are
nowadays being built with cylinder outputs up to 4,300 kW corresponding
to 5,850 HP at 105 rpm.

However, this does by no means set limits to the use of four-stroke en-
gines for marine propulsion, so that four-stroke engines can be appropriately
used for practically all types of ship propulsion, because there is also the
choice of multiple-engine propulsion systems instead of single-engine propul-
sions, means four-stroke engine plants - single or multi - offer a number of
advantages, such as:

a) space savings, especially in respect of the overall height (Fig. 10)

b) free choice of propeller speed, with full engine power being available

c) uncomplicated, and hence cost-effective drive of shaft generators using

the existing gearbox, up to the full rating of the Diesel engine and
allowing for a free choice of the generator speed

d) advantageous part-load behaviour

e) PTO-PTI with the known advantage at low ship speeds and top speeds

f) highflexibilityin case of multi-engine systems

g) redundancy - which means increased safety of multi-engine systems

h) resilient mounting

These advantages have meanwhile opened up practically all fields of

marine application for four-stroke Diesel engines. Some examples:

REFRIGERATOR VESSELS (Fig. 11)

A series of ten refrigerator vessels with a capacity of 400,000 and 450,000

cubic feet and a speed of 22 knots are equipped with the 9L 58/64 engine
type. This engine develops an output of 11,925 kW resp. 12,500 kW at 428
rpm and drives a controllable pitch propeller via aflexiblecoupling and a
 Marine Engineering
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509 109

reduction gearbox. The propeller speed is 116 rpm. A shaft generator devel-
oping 1,800 kW is driven via the gearbox and contributes to the shipboard
mains supply, together with the auxiliary gensets (3x 900 kW - 1,800 rpm).
The auxiliary gensets alone would not be capable of cooling the cargo down
to the necessary temperature. Particularly high temporary power input is
required for this purpose and can be provided by the shaft generator.

CONTAINER VESSELS (Fig. 12)

Among others, four container ships of the Sietas type 148 were equipped
with one 6L 48/60 engine each. This engine develops an output of 5,310
kW at 450 rpm but is operated at a reduced output of 4,750 kW - 447 rpm
- with the benefit of a fuel oil consumption rate of 173 g/kWh. It drives
a controllable pitch propeller viaflexiblecoupling/reduction gearbox at a
speed of 160 rpm. A shaft generator of 810 kW capacity at 150 rpm is
driven via the gearbox.

MULTI-PURPOSE (Fig. 13)

The motor vessel 'ANTJE' has been equipped with an MAN B&W four-
stroke engine of the 7L 40/54 type developing 4,235 kW at 514 rpm. The
engine drives a controllable pitch propeller via flexible coupling and gear-
box, at a speed of 160 rpm. A shaft generator developing 500 kW/1,500
rpm is driven via the gearbox.

TANKERS (Fig. 14)

The chemicals tanker M/T 'CONGER' has a capacity of 23,400 tdw. The
propulsion engine is an MAN B&W 6L 58/64 main Diesel engine. The
power developed by the engine, 7,440 kW at 400 rpm, is transmitted via
a reduction gearbox to a controllable pitch propeller running at a speed of
approximately 130 rpm. With this rating, the tanker reached a speed of
15.5 Kn during sea trials, which corresponds to a service speed of 14.5 Kn.

The on-board power supply is provided by a gear box-driven shaft gen-

erator. The electrical output is 838 kW, the speed is 1,500 rpm. The tanker
will additionally have three generator sets each developing an electrical out-
put of 736 kW at 1,000 rpm.

It goes without saying that the propulsion system (except the auxiliary
engines) is operated on heavy fuel oil. The first one of these tankers was
delivered to the shipowners on 09.03.91. Two further tankers of this type
have in the meantime also taken up service.
110 Marine Engineering
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

No wonder that the same engine concept has been chosen for all these
various types of vessels requiring various outputs.

CRUISING VESSELS

It is a fact that four-stroke engine propulsion systems are predominantly

used for modern cruise liners, but also for roll-on/roll-off vessels and ferries.
These types of vessels can take full advantage of the above-mentioned ben-
efits offered by four-stroke engines. Due to the high level of comfort which
is expected from present-day luxury cruising liners, measures of reducing
vibrations and structure-borne noise enjoy top priority.

At a very early time already, MAN B&W was looking into the possibil-
ity of resilient mounting of large-bore four-stroke engines, and as early as
1968, thefirstferry was equipped with four large-bore MAN B&W Diesel
engines that were resiliency mounted. However, the engine concept which
was then followed did not yet allow the engines to be resiliency mounted
directly on the double bottom, without an intermediate frame.

One of the design objectives in the development of the four-stroke en-

gine concept which MAN B&W commenced early in the 80s was the direct
resilient mounting of engines (Fig. 15). Vibration damping is known to de-
pend, to a large extent, on the softness of the resilient mounting elements.
The softer the mounting, the higher will the acceleration torques on the en-
gines and their components be. Therefore, in order to provide for effective
resilient mounting, a particularly rigid engine frame is indispensable. This
fact necessarily points towards one-piece engine blocks. Nevertheless, the
designing and attachment of components such as the turbocharger, charge-
air cooler, Woodward governor, etc. has to be given particular attention.
The technical layout of the engine mounting as such calls for particular
care and has to be adapted to requirements. As the structure-borne noise
becomes particularly disturbing at the frequency range from 35 to approx-
imately 1,000 Hz, the mounting is engineered so that attenuation is partic-
ularly effective in this frequency range (Fig. 16).

The graph very clearly shows the high damping effect over this range.
Three distinct drive concepts have been developed for cruising liners - and
practically applied in numerous cases.

1. Diesel-electric

2. Diesel-mechanic with shaft generators

3. Diesel-mechanic with PTI/PTO.

 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509
A representative example of Diesel-electric drive doubtless is the cruis-
ing liner 'QE2', which you all know. What has been installed here is a
power station comprised of nine MAN B&W 9L 58/64 propulsion engines
developing an aggregate output of 95,600 kW at 400 rpm. The nine engines
were installed in two separate engine rooms. Each of the engines drives
a two-bearing generator with a power output of 10,500 kW. The voltage
is 10,000 Volts, the frequency 60 Hz. The electric power so produced is
used, inter alia, for the shipboard mains supply which takes approximately
7,000 kW. The ship's propulsion is via two electric motors of a capacity
of 44,000 kW each at 144 rpm. These synchro motors drive a controllable
pitch propeller, at a speed that can be varied between 144 and 72 rpm. This
becomes possible by the use of two synchro converters of 11 MW capacity
each. Surely this is the Diesel-electric propulsion system best known in the
world at present (Fig. 17).

By the end of 1992/beginning of 1993 the French shipyard Chantiers de

1'Atlantique delivered the two cruising liners 'Windward' and 'Dreamward'
to the Klosters Cruise Line. The vessels are powered by a twin-screw father-
and-son propulsion system, with one 6L 40/54 engine developing 3,960 kW
at 510 rpm and one 8L 40/54 son engine developing 5,280 kW at 510 rpm
each driving one of the two controllable-pitch propeller screws via double
reduction gearbox and clutches. There is one primary generator for each of
the son engines, developing 3,300 kW at 1,200 rpm. Moreover, the system
includes two auxiliary gensets of approximately 3,300 kW each (Fig. 18).

A type of propulsion system called hybrid drive has come more and
more into use lately. Hybrid drives are a combination of Diesel-electric and
Diesel-mechanic propulsion. Similarly to a mechanical drive, the relatively
large shaft generators are driven via the gearbox. These generators can also
be used as propulsion motors powered by generator sets. The advantage
of such systems is to be seen in the possibility of shutting down the large
propulsion engines and using the PTI motors for delivering the propulsive
power. For propulsion at relatively low ship speeds, both or either one of
the two propulsion Diesels would have to be operated at low output, and
hence with unfavourable efficiency, to deliver the necessary propulsion en-
ergy. The more economical solution will then be the PTI propulsion motor
powered by the auxiliary generator sets.

To reach the ship's top speed, the PTI motor for each shaft can be
added to the two propulsion Diesels so as to upgrade the propulsion output,
and hence the ship's speed.

It goes without saying that in normal service the main Diesels are ca-
pable of also driving the primary generator for the shipboard mains system.
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509
The benefit of this hybrid propulsion is its highflexibility,and at the same
time economic efficiency over all operating and output ranges.

A typical example for the hybrid propulsion mode is the cruise liner
'Oriana' which is being built at Meyer Shipyard, Papenburg. The main
propulsion engines will be, per shaft, one 6L 58/64 engine and one 9L
58/64 engine. The vessel will receive four auxiliary generator sets with
the engine type 6L 40/54 each developing 4,320 kW at 514 rpm. One
PTI/PTO/motor/generator developing 5,250 kW at 1,200 rpm per shaft
will be installed (Fig. 19).

It goes without saying that all these engines, the main propulsion as
well as the auxiliary engines, will be directly resiliency mounted.

The few examples I mentioned show that large-bore medium-speed

Diesel engines are being installed in all kinds of ships. A more convincing
proof of the reliability of large-bore MAN B&W four-stroke Diesel engines
can hardly be thought of. The reasons why so many shipowners decide to
choose large-bore MAN B&W four-stroke engines are:

- the definitely superior fuel economy

- the definitely low lube oil consumption

- the ease of maintenance which is reflected in short dismantling times

for various components and low wear rates resulting in long times
between overhaul and long service lives.

As already mentioned at the beginning, environmental aspects are under

discussion everywhere. This is not only true for the automobile traffic but
also for large-bore Diesel engine applications in power stations and ships.
It is well known that SOx and NOx concentrations in the exhaust gas are
problematic and NOx concentrations, in particular have to be kept at a low
level. NOx reacts with the air-borne oxygen to form ammonium hydroxide.
The ammonium hydroxide which forms is responsible for what we call acidic
rain with its detrimental effects on the environment.

MAN B&W's present-day fuel-optimised engines reach NOx values of

16-19 g/m3. Regulations must be expected to be amended by the year 2000
to the effect that NOx concentrations of only 11 g/m3 are permissible. To
reach this goal, engine builders will have to make quite some effort. MAN
B&W is dealing with these problems quite some time already, and the first
results have already been reached. It may be expected that measures such
as:

- derating
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Marine Engineering 113

- ignition time variation

- addition of water to the fuel

will make it possible to reach the value of 11 g/m3 - although at the expense
of fuel oil consumption which will deteriorate by up to 10 g/kWh.

On the occasion of the Licensees Meeting in Augsburg, in his laudatory

speech recalling Rudolf Diesel's merit and his idea, Prof. Dr. Ing. Dr. Ing.
Hans Dinger, Honorary Chairman of the Society for the Advancement of
Scientific Research Combustion Engines called the Diesel:

'Good friend', 'Old boy', or 'Old fellow'.

This affection reflects the confidence we have in the Diesel. I think this
applies, in particular, to the marine sector. MAN B&W has earned a big
share in the merits of more than one century of Diesel engine development.
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

114 Marine Engineering

Figure 1
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Marine Engineering 115

Figure 2
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

116 Marine Engineering

Comparison of Technical Data

First Diesel Engine and Modern
MS - Diesel Engine

1st L 32/40
Diesel Engine
Cylinder bore [mm] 250 320
Piston stroke [mm] 400 400
Cylinder output [kW] 14,7 440
Speed [Upm] 172 750
Mean piston speed 2,29 10
[m/sec]
Mean eft. pressure [bar] 5,2 21,9
pe x cm 11,9 219
Firing pressure [bar] 35 180
Spec, output [kW/l] 0,75 13,7
SFOC [g/kWh] 326 182

Figure 3
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Comparing the results from the strain gauges

measurements and the piezo sensors it is observed
that for short wave periods the piezo sensors gives
slightly higher strain than the strain gauges. For
longer waves the opposite result is found. The strain
gauge measurements should be regarded as a point
measurement of the strain due to the short length of
the strain gauge (in the order of 1 cm). The measured
signal may therefore to some extent be influenced by
local stress concentrations The length of the piezo
cable is 15 cm in the measurement will therefore
represent an average over this area. This difference
in measuring area may be one reason for the observed
deviation between the two sensors. Another effect is
that the signal from the piezo cable to some extent
is influenced by pressure forces acting on the cable
from the surrounding material.

FASTSEA
D Model Tests Piezo
O Model Tesls Strain Gauges Rsg.Vcves
— —•;*— Model Tests Strain Gauges Irp Waves
60-

50-

40-

20-

10-

13
*Gve per ice (s)
Figure 4: Vertical bending moment at midship,
transfer function
A comparison between the measured time signal from
the strain gauge sensor and the decoded fibreoptic
sensor results is shown in Fig. 5 in the case of an
impulse wave. It is seen that both the magnitude and
time trace are very similar. The measuring length of
the fiber is 15 cm. The good agreement between these
two measurements indicate that the point measurement
of the strain gauges do not represent any significant
source of error compared to the strain averaged over
a longer distance.
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Slrcin g.
Fiber
~ 50-

20-

10-

-10-

(_ -20-

-30-

-40-

-50-
65 70 75 80 90

Figure 5: Comparison between measured time history

for vertical bending moment using strain gauges and
fibreoptic sensors, impulse wave.

Effect of Hvdroelasticitv
The encounter frequency range covered by the tests
was fg=0.1 - 0.65Hz (full scale values). This imply
that we do not reach the natural frequency of the
2-node mode of the model which is f^j^=1.80 Hz. This
imply that steady state wave induced response at the
elastic natural frequency (springing) will not be
excited for this model.
A typical result of measured response spectrum in
regular waves is shown in Fig 6. The model scale
encounter frequency was 0.6 Hz corresponding to a
full scale value of 0.13 Hz. (note that the result in
the figure represent model scale results and the
given frequency is model scale encounter frequency).
All wave energy is concentrated at one single
frequency, but for the measured vertical bending
moment at midships a pronounced response contribution
is observed at the frequency of the first elastic
mode.
In the case of impulse waves a much more pronounced
response was observed at the elastic frequency. The
time history of the wave and the vertical bending
moment at midships is shown in Fig 7. In the same
figure the resulting response spectra are shown. It
is observed that the impulse wave excited a
transient, elastic response in the hull which gives a
significant contribution to the measured global
bending moment.
 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Marine Engineering 119

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 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

120 Marine Engineering

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Marine Engineering 121

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 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

122 Marine Engineering

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 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Marine Engineering 123

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 Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509
124 Marine Engineering

GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS OF THE

MAIN ENGINES
QUEEN ELIZABETH 2

Figure 17
 Marine ISSN
Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, Engineering
1743-3509 125

Figure 18

Figure 19