MAN B&W Two-stroke Engines for Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) Plants and for Plants with Declutchable

Propeller

Introduction
Although mostly installed with fixed pitch propellers, MAN B&W two-stroke diesel engines directly coupled to CPPs is a much-used configuration for engine sizes up to the 70-cm bore. This is particularly the case where off-shore loading is called for or where ice class is demanded. A CPP propulsion plant is often equipped with a shaft generator. In principle, two types of shaft generators are used, viz. simple synchronous generators requiring constant engine speed to deliver power (Fig. 1), and generator installations cap- Fig. 2: Shuttle tanker with two-stroke main engines coupled to CPPs and shaft generators able of delivering constant frequency power at varying engine speeds. The following is a description of the Flexibility of Load Profile on design considerations made in order to Furthermore, all sizes of MAN B&W twoMC/MC-C and ME/ME-C make such operational patterns possible. Engines stroke engines are specified for plants where the propeller is declutchable. On such plants, the two-stroke engine can Long-term service experience has conFor simple synchronous generators, be operated for power generation at full firmed the adequacy of our design operation at (or close to) full speed is practice. It should be noted that this speed with the propeller declutched at necessary in order to be able to use the design practice in general increases loads from 0 to 100% for prolonged safety margins, for example in bedplates, shaft generator in sea-going conditions periods. also. This means that when using the against fatigue damage, also for engines shaft generators in harbour, or wheninstalled with fixed pitch propellers. The above types of generator load are ever the vessel is operated with zero-pitch normal on MC/MC-C and ME/ME-C on the propeller, it is necessary to optwo-stroke engines, which are designed erate the engine at full speed and down to to run at all load conditions, at high 10-20% engine load (normal consumpengine speed, incl. very low load. tion of a propeller in zero pitch). With constant frequency generator installations, a relatively wide engine speed range is available for electrical power production. This means that when there is no need for propulsion power, the engine speed is reduced, and electrical power can be delivered with reduced propeller speed and, thereby, reduced loss of power. In this situation, the full engine speed and low load combination is not called for. A third plant configuration, also frequently applied with MAN B&W two-stroke engines, consists in connecting the engine to a declutchable propeller and a large generator for electrical power proFig. 1: 6S42MC engine coupled to CPP and simple synchronous generator

Engine load (%)

120 Permissible "Heavy Load Range"

duction. This plant configuration is used on shuttle tankers operating, for example, in the North Sea, Fig. 2. For such plants, full speed and loads down to 0% are to be expected as recurring events. Furthermore, a large number of the MC/MC-C and ME/ME-C engine versions are used as prime movers on stationary power plants, where the full-speed-idle load is a necessary mode during synchronising and some grid switching. In order to be able to apply MC/MC-C and ME/ME-C engines in the above plant configurations, the engines are designed for continuous operation in the flexible load range, as illustrated in Fig. 3. To allow the 0% engine load and 100% engine speed case (called the full-speed-idle load mode) special care has to be paid to the design of the following components/structures:

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100% pitch propeller curve

60 Normal load range for plants coupled to FPPs or CPPs Additional load range for plants coupled to declutchable propellers

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0 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 0% pitch propeller curve 95 100 105 Engine Speed (%)

Fig. 3: Flexible load range (green areas) for MC/MC-C and ME/ME-C engines

Main bearing assembly in bedplate,

bearing shells and main bearing cap

Crankpin bearing assembly Crosshead bearing assembly Piston/piston rod assembly Piston rod/crosshead assembly Main bearing, crankpin bearing and
crosshead bearing.

Structural Integrity of Main Assemblies

With respect to the structural integrity of the main assemblies of the engine, the most complicated assembly to analyse is that of the main bearing cap in the bedplate. The model used to perform such analysis is shown in Fig. 4. This model is

Fig. 4: Model used for evaluating the main bearing assembly in a K98MC bedplate

Fig. 5: Contact pressure distribution for a K98MC main bearing. Fig. 6: Overhaul inspection of the back of a main bearing shell on an Left-hand graph shows distribution in upper shell, right-hand graph S60MC-C. As seen, the condition is very satisfactory shows distribution in lower shell

used for evaluating several steps in the production, assembly and operation of the engine. One of the most important parts of the analysis is the evaluation of the contact pressure between the bearing shell and the bearing saddle. This contact pressure distribution is calculated during assembly when the main bearing caps are tightened. The calculation is illustrated by contour plots of the contact pressure distribution as shown in Fig. 5. It is very important to control the contact pressure distribution in order to avoid fretting of the back of the bearing shell.

In other steps of the analysis, this contact pressure distribution is superimposed with the variation in the contact pressure distribution originating from the various running conditions. Among these running conditions, the full-speed-idle load mode is naturally of special importance, as this condition requires the most attention in order to avoid fretting of the bearing shell back. Fig. 6 shows an example from an overhaul inspection, confirming a very satisfactory condition.
MPa 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 mm 0.08 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.03 0.02 0.01 0 0 50 100 0 50 100

Elasto-Hydrodynamic Bearing Analysis

The crosshead bearings show a significantly different load pattern when operating in the full-speed-idle load mode. At the full load condition (100% engine load and 100% engine speed), the bearing load mainly points downwards,

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Deg.

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-30.000 -20.000 -10.000 0 10.000 20.000

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Deg.

Fig. 7: Load orbit (N) for crosshead bearing of S46MC-C, full-speed-idle load mode

Fig. 8: Load mode: Full-speed-idle, Upper: Maximum oil film pressure, Lower: Minimum oil film thickness

thus creating high oil film pressures in the lower shell of the crosshead bearing. Much effort is being directed towards creating optimal conditions with respect to load carrying capacity and optimal oil film build-up in this highly loaded bearing. However, in the full-speed-idle load mode, the upper shell in the crosshead bearing will participate in the load carrying process. The load orbit of the full-speed-idle load condition for the crosshead bearing of an S46MC-C engine is shown in Fig. 7, which also shows the upward-directed forces. Elasto-Hydrodynamic bearing analyses are always conducted at the design stage of new or redesigned (uprated) engine types, and the full-speed-idle load mode is always taken into consideration. The results of such an analysis are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. For the full-speed-idle load mode, the maximum oil film pressure peaks at two crank-angles, 57 deg. and 339 deg. The film pressure distribution at these two crank-angles is shown in Fig. 9. In both cases, the max. pressures are, as expected, found on the upper crosshead bearing shell. However, the calculated oil film pressures are well within the design limits for continuous operation. Similar Elasto-Hydrodynamic bearing calculations are performed for the other principal bearings in the engine, including the full-speed-idle load mode, and verification is thus done for the complete load range as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 9: Elasto-Hydrodynamic bearing calculation for crosshead bearing of an S46MC-C. Oil film pressure distribution is shown for half bearing shell. Left: at 57 deg., Right: at 339 deg.

Conclusion
This presentation has shown that the MC/MC-C and ME/ME-C engines are designed to operate at any load combination according to the range outlined in Fig. 3. It is important to emphasise that the full-speed-idle load mode is fully applicable for continuous operation. This load mode is relevant for many applications of engines connected to various types and sizes of generator. Examples of our design practice have been shown. Long-term service experience confirms the adequacy of this design practice which, in general, increases safety margins for all MC/MC-C and ME/ME-C engines.

MAN B&W Diesel A/S Teglholmsgade 41 DK-2450 Copenhagen SV, Danmark Telephone: +45 33 85 11 00 Telex: 16592 manbw dk Telefax: +45 33 85 10 30 manbw@manbw.dk www.manbw.com 4

Copyright MAN B&W Diesel A/S Reproduction permitted provided source is given. MAN B&W Diesel A/S Reg. No: 39 66 13 14 December 2002 P.404-12.02