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MAN B&W slide type fuel valves.

The fuel valve design was changed a few years ago from the conventional type to the
slide type.

Conventional fuel
valve with a sac
volume of 1690
mm3
For this model, fuel
from the sac enters
into the combustion
chamber at low
pressure and
contributes to the
emission of smoke
and unburned
hydrocarbons.
Carbon deposit
occurs.

The relatively large sac volume in a standard design fuel nozzle thus has a negative
influence on the formation of soot particles and hydrocarbons. A new type of fuel
valve, essentially eliminating the sac volume, was subsequently developed and
introduced by MAN B&W as standard to its larger low speed engines.

The slide type fuel valve is

designed for eliminating
the sac volume to prevent
any fuel oil from entering
in combustion chamber
without being injected.
The combustion is
improved. However this
function is assured by the
cut off shaft which is a
fragile piece requiring a
special attention.

In pressure testing conventional fuel valves, the testing device is only capable of
supplying 1 to 2 per cent of the normal fuel flow rate on the engine, which is not
sufficient to ensure proper atomization. As the atomization test can be omitted, it is
not described in new testing procedures, so verification of a humming sound is
neither longer possible nor necessary.
Pressure testing procedures for slide fuel valves are quite different from those for
conventional valves. Slide fuel valves must be dissambled and cleaned before
pressure testing and an atomization test must not be performed. Cleaning is
necessary because the cold and sticky heavy fuel oil, in combination with the very
small clearance between the cut off shaft and the fuel valve nozzle, would
significantly restrict movement of the spindle.
An atomization test is not acceptable because the very small needle lift obtained
during such a test would result in an unequal pressure distribution on the cut off
shaft, resulting in a relatively hard contact in a small area. This, together with the
high frequency oscillations during an atomization test, and the low lubricity of the test
oil, would significantly increase the risk of seizure.
The full lift of the needle and the good lubricity of the fuel oil ( attention with the low
sulfur HFO ) completely eliminates this risk during normal engine operation.

MAN BW 6 S MC-C 90.

FUEL VALVE.

The fuel valve consists of a valve head 197, union nut 148 and valve body 124.
Fitted within the valve body are non return valve 220 with a combined slide/valve,
thrust spindle 232 with spring 256, thrust foot 268, and spindle guide complete
053. When the fuel valve is fitted in cylinder cover, the valve parts are tightened
together by the pressure from the nuts being transmitted through valve head, non
return valve, thrust spindle, and spindle guide complete to the valve body, which is
pressed into the tapered bore in the cylinder cover. The union nut keeps valve head
and valve body together during dismantling of the fuel valve.
The spindle guide complete 053 consists of spindle guide 077, nozzle 090, thrust
piece 016 and cut off shaft 028. The spindle guide is assembled with a press fit.
The cut off shaft 028 is pressed against the tapered seat of spindle guide 077 by the
action of the spring 256, the spring pressure being transmitted through the slotted
thrust foot 268.
The thrust spring determines the opening pressure of the valve. Optionally, an extra
disc can be inserted to raise the opening pressure by 20 bar.
The non return valve 220 consists of housing, thrust piece, slide and spring. The non
return valve is assembled with a press lift.
The slide of the non return valve is pressed by the spring against the tapered valve
seat inside the non return valve. In this position the head of the slide uncovers a
small bore arranged for circulation purposes in the thrust piece.

The functioning of the Fuel Valve.

Position 1.
The electrical fuel oil circulating pump circulates preheated oil through the fuel pump
and fuel valve. In the fuel valve the oil passes through the central bore of the valve
head and continues to the thrust piece in the non return valve, leaving through the
circulation bore of the latter. Thence the oil is passed through the interior of the valve
body to an outlet pipe on the side of the valve head.

The space round the tapered valve seat of the spindle of

the non return valve is also filled with oil, but the
circulating pump pressure is insufficient to overcome the
force of the spring and the lift spindle.

If for some reason, cut off shaft 028 should not close during engine standstill, then
the closed spindle of the non return valve will prevent the circulating pump from
pressing oil through the nozzle, and thus obviate the risk of the engine cylinder being
filled with oil.

Position 2.
When, at the beginning of the delivery stroke, the pressure has risen to about 10 bar,
the force of the spring of the non return valve will be overcome and the spindle
pressed back against the shoulder of the thrust piece.
Position 3.
When the spindle of the non return valve is pressed upwards, the circulation bore of
the thrust piece is closed, and the oil passes the seat of the spindle and enters the
space round cut off shaft 028 in the spindle guide. When the pressure has risen to
the preset opening value of the fuel valve, the spindle is lifted, and oil is forced
through the nozzle into the engine cylinder.

At the termination of the delivery stroke first cut off shaft 028 and then the spindle of
the non return valve will be pressed against their respective seats, the injection of
fuel stops, and oil is again circulated through the valve (position).

Fuel Valve checking.

The fuel valves must be given the utmost attention and care, as the greater part of
irregularities that may occur during the running of the engine can be attributed to
defects in these valves.
If the engine gives normal performance in accordance with diagrams and exhaust
temperatures, it is only necessary to inspect the fuel valves after the service period
stated in the Checking and Maintenance Programme.
In order to obtain reliable results during testing of the fuel valves, all the fuel valves
that are dismantled from the engine must be disassembled, cleaned, inspected and
re-assembled before testing.
In the event that the slide type fuel valve is pressure tested without being
cleaned between the fuel nozzle and the cut off slide, the opening pressure
value measured might be considerably lower than specified.

1. Pressure testing pump.

Working air of 7 bar could be used with hydraulic oil ( rust preventing) with a viscosity
of between 7 and 10 cst at 50c.

2. Setting up the fuel valve.

Place the fuel valve in the test

rig and secure it with the
spring housings and nuts.
Tighten the nuts until the top
face of the pressure disc is
flush with the top face of the
spring housings. Mount the
oil pipe between the pressure
testing pump and the fuel
valve.

To ensure that overtightening has not taken

place, check that the locking/indicating pin has
not been bent or broken off.
In the event of overtightening, replace the spring
housing by a new one.

3. Flushing and jet control.

To remove air in the system and check the fuel jet.

The control handle must be in the

open position, slowly increase the
working pressure until straight jets
of oil are ejected from the nozzle
holes without atomization.
There is to be a continuous jet of oil
through at least one of the nozzle
holes.
Owing to the geometry of the
internal part of the nozzle, and
because the height to which the
spindle is lifted during pressure
testing is lower than the height it is
lifted
during
normal
engine
operation, the fuel oil will not
necessarily flow from all of the
nozzle holes.

Cause of fault.
If the jets do not fulfil the above point C, the cause may be :
Dirt in the nozzle holes.
The nozzle is not mounted correct.

Do not attempt to carry out an atomization test on slide type fuel

valves, as this may damage the cut off slide and nozzle.
The reason is that the atomization test may damage the valve because it makes the
needle oscillate, with a small lift at a very high frequency. The high pressure drop
across the cut off edge and the high contact pressure between slide and fuel nozzle,
in combination with poor lubricity of the test oil, increase the risk of seizures between
cut off slide and nozzle.
All these conditions involve the risk of seizure between the cut off slide and the
nozzle.

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4. Opening pressure.
To check the opening pressure.
The control handle is to be in open position.
Increase the oil pressure until the oil is admitted through the nozzle holes, check the
opening pressure on the pressure gauge.
Cause of fault.

If the opening pressure is higher than specified, the cause

may be that wrong type of spring is used. Replace the
spring on the thrust spindle, if necessary, replace the
complete thrust spindle.
If the opening pressure is lower than specified, the cause
may be that the spring has sagged. Replace the spring or
add a special thin disc.
If a spring or a disc has been changed, the pressure testing
procedure of the fuel valve must repeated .

5. Sealing test and sliding function.

To check the needle valve seat for tightness and the slide for correct closing.
The control handle must be in open position. Slowly increase the oil pressure to
about 50 bar below the opening pressure. Maintain the built up pressure by moving
the control handle into closed position. Repeat the procedure two or three times.
Oil must not flow from the nozzle holes.
The pressure drops relatively slowly to about 15 bar, after which it drops quickly to 0,
the slide is pressed against the conical seat and opens for circulation oil.
Oil flows out of the leak oil outlet when the fuel valve is full of oil.
Cause of fault :
If oil flows out of nozzle holes, the cause is either
1. Defective spindle guide at needle seat or a sticking spindle.
2. Too quick pressure drop The clearance of the movable parts both
of spindle and of thrust piece / valve slide in the non return valve are too large.

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3. The seats between the thrust piece / spindle in the spindle guide or
thrust piece / valve slide in the non return valve are damaged.
4. Sliding function.
If a quick pressure drop from 15 bar to 0 can not be registered , the valve slide is
sticking or the vent hole in the thrust piece is blocked.
6. Pressure test, O ring sealings.
To ensure that the leak oil ( circulation oil) remains in the closed system.

The control handle is in the open

position, build up a working
pressure of about max. 10 bar until
oil flows out of the leak oil outlet.

Close the leak oil outlet with a gasket and a plug screw. Increase the working
pressure to about 100 bar. Move the control handle to closed position. The build up
pressure of 100 bar should be maintained.

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If the oil leaks out at the union nut, the O ring inside the fuel valve head is defective,
and must be replaced.

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Fuel valve dismantling and overhauling.

Safety precautions.
Stopped engine
Block the starting mechanism
Shut off starting air supply
Shut off fuel oil
Drain the high pressure pipe and the fuel valve.

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Close the fuel oil inlet and outlet valves, and drain the high pressure pipe and the fuel
valve. Dismantle and remove the fuel oil high pressure pipe.