Engine Room Ventilation

APPLICATION AND INSTALLATION GUIDE
ENGINE ROOM
VENTILATION
Contents
Engine Room Ventilation ......................................................... 1
Sizing Considerations ......................................................... 2
Cooling Air .................................................................... 2
Combustion Air.............................................................. 2
Ventilation Airflow ......................................................... 3
Calculating Required Ventilation Airflow ....................... 3
Engine Room Enclosure Temperature............................ 4
Atmospheric Heat Rejection Correction Factor............... 5
Ventilation Fans ................................................................. 7
Fan Types ..................................................................... 7
Fan Location.................................................................. 7
Fan Sizing ..................................................................... 7
Exhaust Fans ................................................................. 7
Two Speed Fan Motors................................................... 8
Routing Considerations ....................................................... 9
General Routing Principles ............................................... 9
Single & Dual Engine Applications .............................. 10
Multiple Engine Applications ...................................... 14
Special Application Routing ....................................... 17
Marine Exhaust Ejector – Automatic
Ventilation System ................................................... 24
Additional Considerations.............................................. 24
Radiator Sizing ......................................................... 24
Radiator Fan Sizing................................................... 24
Moveable Louvers .................................................... 25
Refrigeration Equipment ............................................ 25
Exhaust Pipe Insulation ............................................. 25
Test With Doors and Windows Closed........................ 25
Ducting Considerations ............................................. 26
Cold Weather Considerations......................................... 26
Air Cleaner Icing ...................................................... 26
Extreme Cold ........................................................... 27
Boost Control .......................................................... 27
Foreword
This section of the Application and Installation Guide generally describes
Engine Room Ventilation for Caterpillar® engines listed on the cover of this
section. Additional engine systems, components and dynamics are addressed
in other sections of this Application and Installation Guide.
Engine-specific information and data is available from a variety of sources.
Refer to the Introduction section of this guide for additional references.
Systems and components described in this guide may not be available or
applicable for every engine.
Information contained in this publication may be considered confidential.

Discretion is recommended when distributing. Materials and specifications
are subject to change without notice.
CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the

POWER EDGE trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used
herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without
permission.
Engine Room Ventilation Application and Installation Guide
Engine Room Ventilation

This guide addresses engine room ventilation considerations that apply to
the successful installation, operation and maintenance of Caterpillar engines,
generator sets, compressor units, and other packaged units.
The primary aspects of a properly designed engine room ventilation system
are cooling air and combustion air. Cooling air refers to the flow of air that
removes radiant heat from the engine, generator, other driven equipment and
other engine room components. Combustion air describes the air the engine
requires to burn fuel.
Cooling and combustion air directly impact engine and package unit
performance and dependable service life; these must be considered in the
design of an engine room ventilation system. It is also important to consider
all engine room equipment in the design of a ventilation system and provide
a comfortable environment for service personnel to perform maintenance.
Some driven equipment, such as a generator in a large engine installation,
may require a dedicated ventilation source.
SECTION CONTENTS
Sizing Considerations ............... 2 Additional Considerations ........ 24

• Cooling Air • Radiator Sizing
• Combustion Air • Louvers
• Ventilation Airflow • Refrigeration Equipment
Ventilation Fans....................... 7 • Exhaust Pipe Insulation
• Fan Types • Ducting
• Fan Location Cold Weather
• Fan Sizing Considerations ....................... 26
Routing Considerations ............. 9 • Air Cleaner Icing
• General Routing Principles • Extreme Cold
• Boost Control
©2008 Caterpillar®
All rights reserved. Page 1
Application and Installation Guide Engine Room Ventilation
Sizing Considerations
through the ship’s hull. The
Cooling Air remaining radiated heat must be
A portion of fuel consumed by an carried away by the ventilation
engine is lost to the environment in system.
the form of heat radiated to the
surrounding air. In addition, heat A system for exhausting ventilation
from generator inefficiencies and air from the engine room must be
exhaust piping can easily equal included in the ventilation system
engine-radiated heat. Any resulting design.
elevated temperatures in the engine Combustion Air
room may adversely affect Combustion air is discussed in detail
maintenance, personnel, switchgear, in the Air Intake Systems section
and engine or generator set of the Application and Installation
performance. Guide. Some aspects of the intake
Engine room ventilation air (cooling air system are discussed in this
air) has two basic purposes. guide because they significantly
impact the engine room ventilation
• To provide an environment that
system design.
permits the machinery and
equipment to function properly In many installations, combustion
with dependable service life. air is drawn from outside the engine
• To provide an environment in room via ductwork that is designed
which personnel can work to move a large amount of air with
comfortably and effectively. very little restriction. These
installations have very little impact
It is important to note that cooling on engine room ventilation design.
air is needed for more than just the Other installations, however, require
engine; the generator intake also that combustion air be drawn
requires cool clean air. The most directly from the engine room. In
effective way to do this is to provide
these installations, combustion air
a ventilation air source low to the
requirements become a significant
ground at the rear of the package. ventilation system design parameter.
The use of insulation on exhaust Approximate consumption of
pipes, silencers, and jacket water combustion air for a diesel engine is
pipes will reduce the amount of heat 0.1 m3 of air/min/brake kW (2.5 ft3
radiated by auxiliary sources. of air/min/bhp) produced. Engine-
specific combustion air requirements
Radiated heat from the engines
can be found using the resources
and other machinery in the engine
mentioned in the foreword of this
room is absorbed by engine room
guide.
surfaces. Some of the heat is
transferred to atmosphere or, on
marine installations, to the sea
Page 2 All rights reserved.
Ventilation Airflow F = Routing factor based on the

Required ventilation airflow depends ventilation type discussed in the
on the desired engine room air Routing Considerations section of
temperature as well as the cooling this guide.
air and combustion air requirements Note: If combustion air is supplied
outlined above. While it is to the engine through dedicated duct
understood that total engine room work, “Combustion Air” should be
ventilation airflow must take all omitted from the formula.
equipment and machinery into
account, the following sections Example:
provide a means for estimating the The engine room for a 3412 DITA
airflow required for the successful genset has a Type 1 ventilation
operation of Caterpillar engines and routing configuration and a
packages. dedicated duct for combustion air.
It has a heat rejection value of
Calculating Required Ventilation 659 kW (37,478 Btu/min) and a
Airflow permissible rise in engine room
Engine room ventilation air required temperature of 11°C (20°F).
for Caterpillar engines and packages
can be estimated by the following Solution:
formula. The estimated engine room
ventilation required for this
H
V= + Combustion Air x F arrangement:
D x CP x ∆T
659
V= +0 x1
1.099 x 0.017 x 11
Where:
V = 3206.61 m3/min
V = Ventilating Air (m3/min), (cfm)
H = Heat Radiation i.e. engine, 37478
V= +0 x1
generator, aux (kW), (Btu/min) 0.071 x 0.24 x 20
D = Density of Air at air V = 109970.7 cfm
temperature 38°C (100°F).
The density is equal to
Proper ventilation is heavily
1.099 kg/m3 (0.071 lb/ft3)
dependent on the path of the
CP = Specific Heat of Air ventilation air. Applications involving
(0.017 kW x min/kg x °C), high load factors and continuous full
(0.24 Btu/LBS/°F) power operation require a rigorous
∆T = Permissible temperature rise in approach based on classical heat
engine room (°C), (°F) transfer calculations accounting for
radiant heat and allowable room
(Note: Max engine room temperature temperature rise and adjusting with
is 120°F) a ventilation routing factor.
Caterpillar recommends a ventilation

Engine Room Enclosure Temperature
design that ensures engine room
The primary reason for maintaining
temperature should not exceed
engine room temperature at an
50°C (122°F). If the engine room
appropriate level is to protect
temperature cannot be maintained
various components from excessive
below 50°C (122°F), outside air
temperatures. Items that require cool
should be ducted directly to the
air are:
engine air cleaners.
• Electrical and electronic
Temperature limits of the driven
components.
equipment must also be considered.
• Cool air to the air cleaner inlet. If the engine room temperature
• Cool air to the torsional vibration exceeds 40°C (104°F), the
damper. generator must be derated per the
• Habitable temperatures for the generator derate schedule and cool
engine operator or service outside air must be ducted directly
personnel. to the generator air intake. Alter-
natively, custom generators can be
• Cooling air for the generator or sized to handle specific ambient
other driven equipment. conditions.
For electrical and electronic com-
In larger multiple engine sites, the
ponents, the surface temperature
normal 8.5 to 12.5°C (15 to 22.5°F)
should not exceed 90° C (194° F)
temperature rise guidelines for
unless otherwise specified in the
engine rooms may require unobtain-
component EDS sheet. This is
able or uncomfortable air velocities.
especially important, since many
For these larger sites, a ventilation
electronic components are placed in
system needs to give priority to the
high temperature areas of the engine
five items listed above and provides
and can be shielded from the direct
a bottom to top airflow similar to
airflow provided by the engine room
that shown in Figure 8 and Figure 9.
ventilation system.
In all cases, engine room/enclosure
A properly designed engine room design must ensure that air
ventilation system will maintain temperature around the engine will
engine room air temperatures within not exceed 50° C (122° F). Critical
8.5 to 12.5°C (15 to 22.5°F) locations include the engine torsional
above the ambient air temperature. damper and generator coupling. Air
For example, if the engine room temperature reading should be taken
temperature is 24°C (75°F) without no more than 6 inches away from
the engine running, the ventilation these components. Note that in
system should maintain the room these extreme situations, it may be
temperature between 32.5°C (90°F) necessary to duct cool air directly
and 36.5°C (97.5°F) while the to these critical components.
engine is in operation.
Atmospheric Heat Rejection To obtain the corrected atmospheric

Correction Factor heat rejection value, multiply the
Atmospheric heat rejection values TMI value by the WCF or DCF.
published in TMI are based on Radiant Heat
ambient cell conditions between
25°C and 29°C. Engine rooms can Radiant heat values for the engine
be designed at much higher ambient and driven equipment is needed to
conditions; therefore a correction calculate the required ventilation
factor can be utilized to define the airflow.
atmospheric heat rejection at the Note: For the packaged generator
higher ambient condition. sets, ensure that there is adequate
The correction factors defined airflow near the engine torsional
below have been developed using damper. Excessive piping and
fundamentals of heat transfer and cooling system structures may
can be applied to any object under prohibit proper airflow near the
the same conditions. torsional damper. Monitor
damper temperatures per the
There are two distinct correction recommendations found in the
factors, one is used with wet Operation and Maintenance
exhaust and turbo manifolds, Service Manual.
the other is used with dry exhaust
and turbo manifolds. The skin This data is available in the TMI for
temperature utilized in the dry Caterpillar products. It is located in
manifold calculation is 200°C, the Performance Data section.
approx value of the wrapped, or Engine
insulated manifold. Engine generated radiant heat (heat
Wet exhaust and turbo manifold rejection to atmosphere) is routinely
correction factor. provided with published engine
technical data. Values are typically
WCF = -.0156 * TER + 1.4505 nominal with their tolerance noted.
Where: Tolerance should always be added
before using published data in
WCF = Wet Correction Factor
calculations.
TER = Ambient Engine Room
Ambient (°C)
Dry exhaust and turbo manifold
correction factor.
DCF = -.011* TER +1.3187
Where:
DCF = Dry Correction Factor
TER = Ambient Engine Room
Temperature (°C)
Generator Example:
For generator set installations, the A 3512B, 975 ekW standby
heat radiated by the generator can generator set has a generator
be estimated by the following efficiency of 92%. The generator
formulas. radiant heat for this genset can be
1 calculated as follows.
HRG (kW) = P x
EFF-1 Solution:
P = 975 ekW
1
HRG (Btu/min) = P x x 56.9 Efficiency = 92% / 100% = 0.92
EFF-1
HRG = 975 x (0.92 – 1)
Where: HRG = 84.78 kW
HRG = Heat Radiated by the HRG = 975 x (0.92 – 1) x 56.9
Generator (kW), (Btu/min)
HRG = 4824 Btu/min
P= Generator Output at
Maximum Engine Rating
Note: This data is available in the
(ekW)
TMI for Caterpillar generators. It is
Eff = Generator Efficiency % / 100% located in the Performance Data
section.
Ventilation Fans
Except for special applications, natural axial or tube-axial fans, sometimes
draft ventilation is too bulky for puts them at a disadvantage.
practical consideration. Adequate
quantities of fresh air are best supplied Fan Sizing
by powered (fan-assisted) ventilation Fan sizing involves much more than
systems. just selecting a fan that will deliver
the airflow volume needed to meet
Fan Types the cooling air and combustion air
The following types of ventilation requirements. It requires a basic
fans are typically used. understanding of fan performance
characteristics and ventilation system
• Vane-axial
design parameters.
• Tube-axial
Similar to a centrifugal pump, a fan
• Propeller operates along a specific fan curve
• Centrifugal that relates a fan’s volume flow rate
(squirrel cage blowers) (m3/min or cfm) to pressure rise
The selection of fan type is usually (mm H2O or in. H2O) at a constant
determined by ventilation air volume, fan speed. Therefore, fan selection
pressure requirements and space not only requires that the volume
limitations within the engine room. flow rate be known, but also that
The fans have various qualities that the ventilation distribution system
make them better suited to certain be known in order to estimate
applications. the system pressure rise. This
information allows the optimum
Fan Location fan to be selected from a set of
Fans are most effective when they manufacturers’ fan curves or tables.
withdraw ventilation air from the
engine room and exhaust the hot air Exhaust Fans
to the atmosphere. However, ideal Ventilation air exhaust systems
engine room ventilation systems will should be designed to maintain a
utilize both supply and exhaust fans. slight positive or negative pressure
This will allow the system designer in the engine room, depending on
the maximum amount of control the specific application.
over ventilation air distribution. Positive pressure should normally not
The fan motors should be mounted exceed .050 kPa or (0.2 in. H2O). This
outside the direct flow of hot positive pressure provides the
ventilating air for longest motor life. following advantages.
The design of centrifugal fans (squirrel
cage blowers) is ideal in this regard,
but their size, relative to the vane-
• It prevents the ingress of dust The excess exhaust ventilation

and dirt, which is especially provides the following advantages.
beneficial for those applications • It compensates for the thermal
involving engines that draw their expansion of incoming air.
combustion air from the engine • It creates an in draft to confine
room. heat and odor to the engine room.
• It creates an out draft to expel
heat and odor from the engine Two Speed Fan Motors
room. Operation in extreme cold weather
may require reducing ventilation
Some applications, such as a marine
airflow to avoid uncomfortably cold
application where the engine room
working conditions in the engine
is adjacent to living quarters, require
room. This can be easily done by
that a slight negative pressure be
providing ventilation fans with two
maintained in the engine room. This
speed (100% and 50% or 67%
negative pressure should not normally
speeds) motors.
exceed 0.1275 kPa (0.5 in. H2O).
Routing Considerations
supply air be properly distributed
General Routing Principles around the primary heat sources.
Correct ventilation air routing is vital
• Avoid ventilation air supply ducts
for proper operation of Caterpillar
that blow cool air directly toward
engines and packaged units.
hot engine components. This mixes
Maintaining recommended air
the hottest air in the engine room
temperatures in the engine room is
with incoming cool air, raising the
impossible without proper routing
average engine room temperature.
of the ventilation air. The following
This also leaves areas of the
principles should be considered
engine room with no appreciable
when designing an engine room
ventilation.
ventilation system.
• For installations where
• Fresh air inlets should be located engines draw combustion air
as far from the sources of heat as from inside the engine room, the
practical and as low as possible. routing should provide the coolest
• Ventilation air should be possible combustion air to the
exhausted from the engine room turbocharger inlets.
at the highest point possible, • For marine and offshore
preferably directly over the applications, the potential exists
engine. for seawater to be drawn into the
• Ventilation air inlets and outlets ventilation air supply; systems
should be positioned to prevent for these applications must be
exhaust air from being drawn into designed to prevent seawater
the ventilation inlets from being drawn into the air
(recirculation). intake filters and ingested by
• Ventilation air inlets and outlets the turbocharger. Generator
should be positioned to prevent cooling air must also be filtered
pockets of stagnant or to minimize the ingestion of salt.
recirculating air, especially in the These general routing principles,
vicinity of the generator air inlet. while driven by the same basic
• Where possible, individual principles of heat transfer, will
exhaust suction points should be vary with the specific application.
located directly above the primary This section discusses the general
heat sources. This will remove considerations relating to single and
heat before it has a chance to dual engine applications, multiple
mix with engine room air and engine (3+) applications, and several
raise the average temperature. It special applications.
must be noted that this practice
will also require that ventilation
Single & Dual Engine Applications Outside air is brought into the engine
Single and dual engine applications room through a system of ducts.
are arguably the most common These ducts should be routed
applications encountered, regardless between engines, at floor level, and
of engine market. discharge air near the bottom of the
engine and generator as shown in
These applications will generally
Figure 1.
require smaller engine rooms, which
are especially challenging in regard Ventilation air exhaust fans should
to the use of good routing practices. be mounted or ducted at the highest
point in the engine room. They should
Recommended ventilation systems
be directly over heat sources.
for these applications, presented in
order of preference, are Type 1, This system provides the best
Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4. ventilation with the least amount of
air required. In addition, the upward
Ventilation Type 1 (Preferred Design)
flow of air around the engine serves
Note: In ventilation airflow
as a shield which minimizes the
calculations, Type 1 systems have
amount of heat released into the
a Routing Factor of 1.
engine room. Air temperature in the
exhaust air duct will be higher than
engine room air temperature.
Ventilation Type 1
Figure 1
Ventilation Type 2 (Skid Design) oilfield base. Regular care must be

Note: In ventilation airflow used to ensure grating remains clean
calculations, Type 2 systems and the airflow unrestricted.
have a Routing Factor of 1. Ventilation air exhaust fans should
A skid design may be preferred be mounted or ducted at the highest
in petroleum applications. Similar point in the engine room. They should
to the Type 1 system, Type 2 be directly over heat sources.
brings outside air into the engine This system provides the best
room through a system of ducts ventilation with the least amount of
and routes it between engines. air required. In addition, the upward
Type 2, however, directs airflow flow of air around the engine serves
under the engine and generator so as a shield which minimizes the
the air is discharged upward at the amount of heat released into the
engines and generators as shown engine room. Air temperature in
in Figure 2. the exhaust air duct will be higher
The most economical method to than engine room air temperature.
achieve this design is to use a Although the Type 1 system provides
service platform. The platform is effective ventilation for the engine,
built up around the engines and it does not consider the special
serves as the top of the duct. This ventilation needs of the driven
requires the service platform to be equipment. Large generators,
constructed of solid, nonskid plate configured with an air inlet
rather than perforated or expanded positioned high on the generator,
grating. The duct outlet will be the will require an additional source of
clearance between the decking and ventilation air.
Ventilation Type 2
Figure 2
Ventilation Type 3 (Alternate Design) generators, or other large sources

If Ventilation Type 1 or Type 2 of heat.
is not feasible, an alternative Ventilation air exhaust fans should
is Type 3; however, this routing be mounted or ducted at the highest
configuration will require point in the engine room. Preferably,
approximately 50% more airflow they should be directly over heat
than Type 1. sources.
Note: In ventilation airflow Engine heat will be dissipated with
calculations, Type 3 systems have this system, but a certain amount of
a Routing Factor of 1.5. heat will still radiate and heat up all
As shown in Figure 3, outside air adjacent engine room surfaces.
is brought into the engine room If the air is not properly routed, it
utilizing fans or large intake ducts. will rise to the ceiling before it gets
The inlet is placed as far away as to the engines.
practical from heat sources and
discharged into the engine room as This system will work only where
low as possible. The air them flows the air inlets circulate the air between
across the engine room from the the engines, for dual engine
cool air entry point(s) toward the applications. Air inlets located at
sources of engine and equipment the end of the engine room will
heat; these include the engine, provide adequate ventilation to only
exposed exhaust components, the engine closest to the inlet.
Ventilation Type 3
Figure 3
Ventilation Type 4 This system mixes the hottest air in

(Less Effective Design) the engine room with the incoming
If Ventilation Type 1, Type 2 cool air, raising the temperature of
and Type 3 are not feasible, the all air in the engine room. It also
following method can be used; interferes with the natural convection
however, it provides the least flow of hot air rising to exhaust fans.
efficient ventilation and requires Engine rooms can be ventilated this
approximately two and a half times way, but it requires extra large
the airflow of Ventilation Type 1. capacity ventilating fans.
Note: In ventilation airflow Incorrect Airflow
calculations, Type 4 systems have Figure 5 illustrates an incorrect
a Routing Factor of 2.5. method to vent engine room heat.
Although the inlet duct has louvers
As shown in Figure 4, outside air is
to direct airflow toward the engine,
brought into the engine room using
rising heat will warm the cool air
supply fans, and discharged toward
before it can reach the engine.
the turbocharger air inlets on the
engines.
Ventilation exhaust fans should be
mounted or ducted from the corners
of the engine room.
Ventilation Type 4
Figure 4
Incorrect Airflow
Figure 5
Multiple Engine Applications Large multiple engine sites will

The ventilation systems recommended generally utilize multiple ventilation
for single and dual engine applications fans. These sites often use one or
also apply to multiple engine two fans for each engine and an
applications. However, there are additional fan to direct air to the
additional considerations that are inlet of the generator or other driven
specific to multiple engines. equipment. This practice allows for
a very simple arrangement requiring
As previously mentioned, using
minimal ductwork.
normal temperature rise guidelines
will likely result in the requirement The use of multiple ventilation fans,
for extremely large volumes of air for either supply or exhaust, will
on multiple engine installations. require that airflow between the
Although the guidelines for these engines be arranged, either by fan
sites may be more generous placement or by distribution
in regard to temperature rise ductwork.
allowance, the ventilation system Figure 6 and Figure 7 show examples
must be designed to provide of correct and incorrect airflow
sufficiently cool air in the immediate patterns for multiple engine sites.
vicinity of the engine and driven (Note: generator ends would be
equipment to meet their ventilation on right side of diagrams)
requirements.
Correct Airflow
Figure 6
Incorrect Airflow
Figure 7
Figure 8 and Figure 9 show

examples of the bottom-to-top
airflow pattern generally used in
large power plant applications.
Bottom-to-Top Airflow
Figure 8
Bottom-to-Top Airflow
Figure 9
Special Application Routing Two methods can be used to

overcome this problem.
Engine Mounted Radiators
Applications with engine-mounted • Remote mounted and specially
radiators using engine room air ducted engine-mounted radiators
for cooling generally provide do not require engine room air for
more airflow than is necessary cooling; refer to Figure 11. One
for adequate ventilation; refer advantage of such a system is that
to Figure 10. The high airflow the air used to cool the radiator is
combined with low ambient not pre-heated by the engine, thus
temperatures, below 21°C (70°F), increasing the ambient capability
can cause water to condense inside (or reducing the size) of the unit.
exposed engine components, such The disadvantage is that motor-
as valve covers. This can result driven fans must be installed to
in oil and maintenance problems. provide ventilation for the engine
Therefore, special installation which increase the overall cost
considerations must be made in of the system.
cold climates.
Engine-Driven Fan Arrangement
Figure 10
Engine-Driven Fan Arrangement
Figure 11
Radiator with Thermostatically Controlled Louvers
Figure 12
• Thermostatically controlled louvers maintenance personnel. Caution

can be installed to recirculate some must be exercised so that the
of the radiator exhaust in order to recirculated air is reintroduced
maintain a warm airflow across upstream of the engine and is
the engine. Refer to Figure 12. well mixed by the time it reaches
This also maintains a comfortable the radiator.
working environment for
For any arrangement where a radiator Air Curtains

fan is used to ventilate an engine
room, the vacuum created in the
engine room must not exceed
0.1275 kPa (0.5 in. H2O). Any
restriction above this limit could
reduce airflow through the radiator
and overheat the engine.
Air Curtains
Air curtains, totally enveloping the
generator set, provide ventilation Figure 13
without exposing the equipment
room to high air velocities. Refer to It is important to stretch the air curtain
Figure 13. Radiated heat is removed inlet the full length of generator set.
with approximately half the airflow Special care must be used to ensure
of a horizontal flow system. adequate cool airflow at the generator
air intake and at the generator
coupling.
Air curtains present ducting challenges
when local fan radiators are used.
Power Modules derate 5 to 7°C (9 to 13°F) when

Power modules generally utilize enclosed. Refer to the Enclosure
radiator cooled diesel generator sets. Installation section of the
The power module enclosures trap the Application & Installation Guide for
radiated heat from the engine and spacing recommendations for power
generator, and direct it through the modules. Figure 14 and Figure 15
radiator, decreasing cooling show examples of typical Caterpillar
capabilities 8 to 10°C (14 to 18°F). containerized power modules.
Even with doors open, radiators can
40’ Containerized Power Module
Figure 14
1. Caterpillar D/G Set 5. Fuel/Water Separator
2. Radiator 6. Fuel Tank
3. Switchgear 7. Vertical Discharge Chute
4. Silencer
40’ Containerized Power Module
Figure 15
1. Caterpillar D/G Set 5. Fuel/Water Separator
2. Radiator 6. Fuel Tank
3. Switchgear 7. Partition Wall
4. Silencer
Drop-Over Enclosures system that is subject to the same

Drop-over enclosures are utilized requirements as previously outlined
for applications requiring some for single and dual engine applications.
degree of weather protection or Figure 16 illustrates a typical diesel
noise attenuation, when a standard generator set with a drop-over
building is not available for housing. enclosure. While this example uses
If the enclosed package is cooled by exhaust fans for ventilation, the
an engine-mounted radiator, then the use of supply or exhaust fans
power module requirements outlined on a particular application will be
above apply. If the enclosed package determined by the need to maintain
is cooled by a remote radiator or other either a slight positive or negative
means, then the enclosure must be pressure inside the enclosure.
provided with a fixed ventilation
Drop-Over Enclosure Example
Figure 16
Land SCR Rig Ventilation Systems Figure 18 shows an engine room

Land SCR rig engines equipped with designed to provide a combination
suction or blower fan radiators have of ventilation and engine/generator
airflow in excess of that required for air inlet ducting.
recommended engine ventilation.
Ventilation is provided by the air
As long as radiator airflow is not
discharged from the generator. In
obstructed, no further ventilation
warm weather, the air source valve
requirements are needed.
is positioned to provide outside air
Land rig engine installations with to the generator ventilation air inlet.
remote radiators or vertical discharge Air discharged from the generator
radiators should be inspected to exits through the roof vent door and
determine if sufficient engine open rear of base, providing engine
ventilation is provided. ventilation as a secondary result.
Figure 17 illustrates a land rig In cold weather, the air source valve
installation where ventilation will be positioned to provide partial
should be considered. Natural or total generator ventilation air from
draft ventilation is almost completely within engine room.
blocked by roofs, SCR house,
If doors are added to rear of base,
tool room, and vertical discharge
make sure that total enclosure is not
radiators. Warm weather operation
airtight. This prevents pressurizing
may result in unacceptable engine
engine room (reducing generator
and generator temperatures.
ventilation airflow) when doors
are closed and air source valve is
Land Rig Engines Requiring
positioned to provide outside air
Ventilation
to generator.
An air duct size of 2.0 sq. ft.
(0.19 m2) is adequate for 3508,
3512, and 3516’s on up to 40 ft.
(12.2 m) bases. The ducting to the air
cleaners from air source valve can
match the sizes of the optional air
cleaner inlet rectangular adapters.
Figure 17
Typical SCR Land Rig Ventilation
Figure 18
Marine Through-Hull Opening Design through accommodation spaces can

There must be openings for air to be troublesome.
enter the engine room and openings
for air to leave the engine room. Features of Through-Hull Ventilation
Openings
There should be an inlet for cool air
to enter, and a discharge for hot air
to leave, on each side of the hull. If
it is impractical to have two separate
openings per side, then avoid having
hot discharged air mix with cool air
entering the engine room.
Features of the Marine Through-Hull
Opening are shown in Figure 19.
Opening ‘A’ should be sized to
maintain air velocity through the
openings below 610 m/min
(2000 ft/min).
Air Entering the Engine Room
The engine room must have openings Figure 19
for air to enter. The intake air opening
should be located forward of, and, If air is to enter the engine room from
if convenient, at a lower elevation, the accommodation spaces, good
than the discharge. The air may design practice will include sound
also enter from the accommodation deadening treatments for the
spaces, such as the galley and opening(s) that conduct air from
staterooms, or directly through the the accommodation spaces to the
hull or deck. Engine room air inlets engine room. Heating and/or air
conditioning of accommodation rooms and minimal ventilation

spaces will be made much more requirements, and is discussed in
complicated if the engines must more detail in the Exhaust Systems
rely on that heated/cooled air for section of the Application and
combustion. Engine room air inlets Installation Guide.
through accommodation spaces
simplify the task of ensuring the Additional Considerations
engine room inlet air is kept clean Radiator Sizing
and free from rain or spray. The frontal area of a radiator core
Air Leaving the Engine Room should be as large as possible to
The through-hull or through-deck minimize restriction of airflow. Low
openings for discharge of heated radiator core restriction allows the
ventilation air should be located aft use of a larger slower turning fan.
of and higher than all intake openings Radiators that are nearly square
to minimize recirculation. can provide the most effective fan
The ventilation air opening, performance. They can be installed
discharging heated ventilation air, with a minimum of unswept core
should be located aft of, and at a area. As a rule, keep core thickness
higher elevation than the intake to a minimum, with a maximum
air opening in order to minimize of 11 fins per 2.54 cm (1.0 in.).
recirculation. Cross- and following- Increasing the number of fins per
winds make total elimination of cm (in.) does increase the radiator
ventilation air recirculation nearly heat rejection for a given air velocity
impossible. through the core, but also increases
the resistance to airflow.
Marine Exhaust Ejector – Automatic
Ventilation System While the most economical initial cost
A relatively simple system utilizing will be maximum core thickness and
an engine’s exhaust for ventilating fins per cm (in.), this involves higher
an engine room can be arranged fan horsepower with consequent
with most dry exhaust systems. operating cost and noise penalties
throughout the life of the installation.
Ductwork can be installed around In addition, a radiator with more fins
the engine exhaust piping in such a per cm (in.) is much more susceptible
way that the exhaust flow creates to plugging from insects and debris.
a vacuum that is utilized to draw the
hot air out of the upper part of the Radiator Fan Sizing
engine room. As a rule, the most desirable fan is
one having the largest diameter and
An exhaust ejector system may turning at the lowest speed to deliver
draw out a quantity of ventilating air the required airflow. This also results
approximately equal to the flow of in lower fan noise and lowest fan
exhaust gas. This method has been horsepower draw from the engine.
used successfully in marine
applications with small engine
Blade tip speed, while being only starts and install them to open
one of the elements of cooling fan fully in case of an emergency.
design, is an item easily changed • Heat sensors needlessly
by choosing an appropriate fan drive complicate the system and their
ratio. An optimum fan tip velocity of malfunction can reduce airflow
6096 cm/s (12,000 fpm) is a good to the engine which can cause
choice for meeting noise legislation shutdown.
requirements and cooling system
performance requirements. The Refrigeration Equipment
maximum acceptable fan blade tip When refrigeration equipment is
speed is 7620 cm/s (15,000 fpm) installed within the engine room
for Caterpillar fans. space, ensure its location is such
that any refrigerant leakage will not
Moveable Louvers be drawn into the engine’s combustion
If moveable louvers are used, airflow. Refrigerant chemicals, such
specify those which open in a as Freon® and ammonia, become
positive manner. Pneumatic and highly corrosive acids in engine
electric-actuated louvers are combustion chambers. This corrosion
satisfactory. Refer to Figure 20. will cause severe damage. Locating
refrigerant compressors near an
engine room air exhaust area is
appropriate.
Exhaust Pipe Insulation
Long runs of hot, uninsulated exhaust
piping can dissipate more heat into
the engine room than all other
machinery surfaces combined.
Figure 20 Completely insulate all exhaust

piping within the engine room area.
Louver Operation All hot surfaces within the engine
• Louvers which open from the room should be insulated if high air
discharge pressure of the radiator temperatures are to be avoided. Do
fan are discouraged. Rain, ice and not insulate engine turbochargers.
snow can render them inoperative Test With Doors and Windows
within a short time and result in Closed
engine overheating and shutdown. Ventilating systems must be designed
• Do not wait to activate the to provide safe working temperatures
louvers until the engine warms and adequate airflow when windows,
up. In an emergency, the engine doors, and other normally closed
will be loaded immediately and ports are secured for bad weather
require full airflow. Open the conditions. Test the ventilation
louvers as soon as the engine system fully secured for bad weather.
This condition will reflect the most
severe test of the ventilation Cold Weather Considerations

system. Remember that a small
room suction can exert a large Air Cleaner Icing
pressure on an entrance door Air cleaner icing can occur in saturated
or window. air environments when the dew point
of the ambient air is near freezing.
Ducting Considerations Small disturbances to the air such
Design all ducting to withstand as velocity and pressure changes
extremes of vacuum or pressure at the air cleaner inlet reduce the
and still maintain tight joints. moisture-holding capacity of the air.
Provide inspection ports (or areas This results in moisture condensation
that are easily disassembled) to and ice crystal formation. The ice
allow removal of foreign objects. buildup reduces the airflow area and
Inspection ports are especially increases the pressure differential
important for standby applications. across the air cleaner. Eventually,
a plateau is reached where the
pressure differential remains
constant even though ice buildup
may continue. Power loss and
increased fuel consumption will
result during these periods.
Typical Air Plenum Arrangement
Figure 21
Typical Warm Air Arrangement
Figure 22
Several techniques may be used drawn from outside the engine

to overcome air cleaner icing. One building, and the engine is
solution is to heat the intake air preconditioned with pre-heaters for
slightly. It is not necessary to heat metal, water and oil temperatures
the air above freezing. The air requires of 0°C (32°F). Admitting engine
only enough heat to be above the room air must be done without the
dew point. Heat can be supplied to possibility of allowing dirt or debris
the air cleaner housing by recirculating into the air inlet system of the
warm engine room air; Figure 12 engine. Figure 12 and Figure 22,
shows how this can be accomplished as indicated above, will also apply
for a radiator cooled application. here.
Figure 21 shows a typical air plenum Boost Control
arrangement for a marine application A boost control valve is available for
and Figure 22 illustrates the how the 3600 diesel engine family for use
a warm air arrangement may be in extremely cold ambient conditions,
configured. 0°C (32°F). The valve is used to
Extreme Cold limit the air inlet manifold pressure
Heated engine room air may be during low air temperature conditions
required (for starting purposes only) to maintain acceptable cylinder
in applications at very cold ambient pressure.
temperatures, -25°C (-13°F). This
assumes combustion air is being
LEBW4971-03 ©2008 Caterpillar Printed in U.S.A.
All rights reserved.

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APPLICATION AND INSTALLATION GUIDE

Information contained in this publication may be considered confidential.

CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the

Engine Room Ventilation

Sizing Considerations ............... 2 Additional Considerations ........ 24

Ventilation Airflow F = Routing factor based on the

Caterpillar recommends a ventilation

Atmospheric Heat Rejection To obtain the corrected atmospheric

• It prevents the ingress of dust The excess exhaust ventilation

Ventilation Type 2 (Skid Design) oilfield base. Regular care must be

Ventilation Type 3 (Alternate Design) generators, or other large sources

Ventilation Type 4 This system mixes the hottest air in

Multiple Engine Applications Large multiple engine sites will

Figure 8 and Figure 9 show

Special Application Routing Two methods can be used to

Engine-Driven Fan Arrangement

Engine-Driven Fan Arrangement

Radiator with Thermostatically Controlled Louvers

• Thermostatically controlled louvers maintenance personnel. Caution

For any arrangement where a radiator Air Curtains

Power Modules derate 5 to 7°C (9 to 13°F) when

40’ Containerized Power Module

Drop-Over Enclosures system that is subject to the same

Drop-Over Enclosure Example

Land SCR Rig Ventilation Systems Figure 18 shows an engine room

Typical SCR Land Rig Ventilation

Marine Through-Hull Opening Design through accommodation spaces can

conditioning of accommodation rooms and minimal ventilation

Figure 20 Completely insulate all exhaust

severe test of the ventilation Cold Weather Considerations

Typical Air Plenum Arrangement

Typical Warm Air Arrangement

Several techniques may be used drawn from outside the engine

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