The Intelligent Engine: Development Status and Prospects

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Development Goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Intelligent Engine Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design Features of the Second-Generation IE System. . . . . . General description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power supply system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuel injection system, design features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuel injection system, rate shaping capability . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exhaust valve actuation system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cylinder pressure measuring system (PMI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Electronic cylinder lubricator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advantages of the Intelligent Engine Concept. . . . . . . . . . . . . Service Experience with the Intelligent Engine Design of IE systems for M/T Bow Cecil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Service experience with IE systems on M/T Bow Cecil. . . . . . Commercialisation of the IE Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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The Intelligent Engine: Development Status and Prospects

Introduction
This paper will discuss MAN B&Ws development of computer controlled low speed crosshead engines and the application prospects for such Intelligent Engines. Computerised systems, e.g. for cargo management, satellite navigation and satellite communication, have been used for quite some time in merchant vessels. However, the market has traditionally not favoured having electronics integrated as essential parts of the main engine an exception being the use of electronic governors. We believe that this situation will change over the next few years, as has happened in the automobile industry over the past 10-15 years. The need for flexibility to cope with diversified emission limits and increasing demands for reliability will undoubtedly lead to comprehensive use of electronic hardware and software in marine engines. This is why we established a separate Electronics & Software Development Department some years ago, with hardware and software expertise and the capacity to do professional development work. This significant investment in development capacity was not only meant for the development of our future Intelligent Engine. We also use it to develop building blocks of hardware and software systems that can be used with the conventional engines in our current programme. This will enhance the reliability of conventional as well as Intelligent engines and facilitate new applications for the former provided, of course, that the owners are prepared to invest in the new systems and that the crews use them accordingly!

The three major areas of concern in this context are:

Enhanced engine reliability:

within the prescribed limits and to keep it up to as new standard over the lifetime of the engine. The above indicates that a new type of drive has to be used for the injection pumps and the exhaust valves and that an electronic control and monitoring system will also be called for. The resulting concept is illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper part shows the Operating Modes which may be selected from the bridge control system or by the intelligent engines own control system. The control system contains data for optimal operation in these modes, which consist of a number of single modes corresponding, for instance, to different engine loads and different required emission limits. The fuel economy modes and emissioncontrolled modes (some of which may incorporate the use of an SCR catalytic clean-up system) are selected from the bridge. The optimal reversing/crash stop modes are selected by the electronic control system itself when the bridge control system requests the engine to carry out the corresponding operation. The engine protection mode is, in contrast, selected exclusively by the condition monitoring and evaluation system, regardless of the current operating mode. Should this happen in circumstances where, for instance, reduced power is unacceptable for reasons of the safety of the ship, the protection mode can be cancelled from the bridge. The centre of Fig.1 shows the brain of the system: the electronic control system. This analyses the general engine condition and controls the operation of the following engine systems (shown in the lower part of Fig. 1): the fuel injection system, the exhaust valves, the cylinder lubrication system and the turbocharging system. Some of the control functions for these units are, as mentioned above, pre-optimised and can be selected from the bridge. Other control func3

- on-line monitoring ensures uniform load distribution among cylinders - an active on-line overload protection system prevents thermal overload - early warning of faults under development, triggering countermeasures - significantly improved low load operation.
Enhanced emission control flexibility:

- emission performance characteristics optimised to meet local demands - later updating possible.
Reduced fuel and lube oil con-

sumption: - engine performance fuel-optimised at all load conditions - as new performance easily maintained over the engine lifetime - mechatronic cylinder lubricator with advanced dosage control.

The Intelligent Engine Concept

To meet the operational flexibility target, it is necessary to have great flexibility in the operation of at least the fuel injection and exhaust valve systems. Achieving this objective with cam-driven units would require substantial mechanical complexity that would hardly contribute to engine reliability. To meet the reliability target, it is necessary to have a system that can protect the engine from damage due to overload, lack of maintenance, mal-adjustment, etc. A condition monitoring system must be used to evaluate the general engine condition so as to maintain the engine performance and keep its operating parameters

Development Goals
The basic goal of the development is to reduce the cost of operating the engine and to provide a high degree of flexibility in terms of operating modes.

Fuel economy mode Emission controlled mode

Engine protection mode

Optimal reversing / crash stop

Cylinder lubricating oil dosage

Cylinder condition monitoring Scuffing Ring / Liner condition Cylinder pressure monitoring

Operating Mode Control Programs

Fuel pump control PMI control of individual cylinders pmax control of individual cylinders

Engine Condition Analysis

Engine Control System Programs

Torsional vibration monitoring

Integrated governor with OPS

Turbocharger system control Exhaust valve control pcomp control of individual cylinders

Fig. 1: The Intelligent Engine concept

tions are selected by the engine condition monitoring system on the basis of an analysis of various input from the units on the left and right sides of Fig. 1: general engine performance data, cylinder pressure, cylinder condition monitoring data and output from the Load Control Unit. More detailed descriptions of these systems can be found in Ref. [1]. The Condition Monitoring and Evaluation System is an on-line system with automatic sampling of all normal engine performance data, supplemented by cylinder pressure measurements, utilising our CoCoS-EDS system. When

the data-evaluation system indicates normal running conditions, the system will not interfere with the normal pre-determined optimal operating modes. However, if the analysis shows that the engine is in a generally unsatisfactory condition, general countermeasures will be initiated for the engine as a unit. For instance, if the exhaust gas temperature is too high, fuel injection may be retarded and/or the exhaust valves may be opened earlier, giving more energy to the turbocharger, thus increasing the amount of air and reducing the exhaust gas temperature.

At all events, the system reports the unsatisfactory condition to the operator together with a fault diagnosis, a specification of the countermeasures used or proposed, and recommendations for the operation of the engine until normal conditions can be re-established or repairs can be carried out. The 4T50MX research engine in our R&D Centre in Copenhagen was operated from 1993 to 1997 with the first-generation Intelligent Engine (IE) system. The engine has been running with this system for the IE development as well as for its normal function as a tool for our general engine

Fig. 2: Second-generation Intelligent Engine system fitted to the 4T50MX research engine in 1997

development. The 1990 running hours logged during that period of time has provided us with significant experience with this system. Being the first generation of IE, the system was somewhat over-engineered and relatively costly compared with the contemporary camshaft system. On the other hand, the system offered much greater flexibility, which has proved its value in the use of the research engine as one of our most important development tools.

In 1997, the engine was fitted with second-generation IE systems, please refer to Fig. 2 showing the fuel injection and exhaust valve actuating systems on the engine. The second-generation systems, to be described in more detail in the following, have been developed in order to:
simplify the systems and tailor them

to the requirements of the engine

facilitate production and reduce the

costs of the IE system

simplify installation and avoid the use

On the electronic software/hardware side, the original first-generation system was used for a start. Since then, significant development efforts have been invested in transforming the electronic part of the IE system into a modular system, where some of the individual modules can also be used in conventional engines. This means development of a new computer unit and large software packages both of which have to comply with the demands of the Classification Societies for marine applications.

of special systems wherever possible.

Design Features of the Second-Generation IE System

General description The principle layout of the new system, replacing the camshaft system of the conventional engine, is illustrated in Fig. 3. The system comprises an enginedriven high-pressure servo oil system, which provides the power for the hydraulically operated fuel injection and exhaust valve actuation units on each cylinder. Before the engine is started, the hydraulic power system (or servo oil system) is pressurised by means of a small electrically driven high-pressure pump. Furthermore, the starting air system and the cylinder lubrication system have been changed compared with the conventional engine series. A

redundant computer system controls all these units. The following description will outline the main features of these systems, together with our recent development work and experience. Power supply system Engine-driven multi-piston pumps supply high-pressure lube oil to provide the necessary power for fuel injection and exhaust valve actuation and thus replace the camshaft power-wise. The multi-piston pumps are conventional, mass-produced axial piston pumps with proven reliability. The use of engine system oil as the activating medium means that a separate hydraulic oil system is not needed, thus extra tanks, coolers, supply pumps and a lot of piping etc. can be dispensed

with. However, generally the engine system oil is not clean enough for direct use in high-pressure hydraulic systems, and it might be feared that the required 6 m filter would block up quickly. We have undertaken quite extensive development work in collaboration with a filter supplier (B&K) in order to ensure the cleanliness required for such systems the very positive long-term results are described below. Against this background, and based on the fact that the clean lube oil from the engine was at least as suitable for use in the hydraulic system as conventional hydraulic oil, we decided to base our system on fine-filtered system lube oil. This is supplied from the normal system oil pumps, providing a higher inlet pressure to the high-pressure pumps than otherwise this being yet another benefit.

InFI Bypass valve Engine driven pumps Cylinder arrangement InVA

Return arr. Return arr. Return arr. Return arr. Return arr. Return arr. Return arr. Return arr.

Accumulator arrangement

Control pump Main filter

Supply

Redundancy filter

InFI Cylinder arrangement InVA

From main lube oil system

High pressure

Control pump Bypass valve Engine driven Driven pumps Pumps Bypass valve

InFI Cylinder arrangement InVA

InFI Cylinder arrangement InVA

Low pressure supply

Tank return

Fig. 3: System diagram for the hydraulic flow (servo oil system)

The key components have a proven reliability record: the NC valves have been in serial production for some ten years and are based on high-performance valves for such purposes as machine tools and sheet metal machines in car production applications where high reliability is crucial. The fuel injection pump features well-proven fuel injection equipment technology, and the fuel valves are of our well-proven and simple standard design. As can be seen in Fig. 5, the 2nd and 3rd generations of pump design are substantially simpler than the 1st generation design, the components are smaller, and they are very easy to manufacture. By mid-2000, the 2nd generation pump had been in operation on the 4T50MX research engine for more than 1400 hours, whereas the 3rd generation is starting service testing on the 6L60MC (see below). The major new design feature for the 3rd generation pump is its ability to operate on heavy fuel oil. The pump plunger is equipped with a modified umbrella design to prevent heavy fuel

Fig. 4: General system layout for fuel injection and exhaust valve actuation systems

Fuel injection system, design features The general design of the system is shown in Fig. 4. A common rail servo oil system using pressurised cool, clean lube oil as the working medium drives the fuel injection pump. Each cylinder unit is provided with a servo oil accumulator to ensure sufficiently fast delivery of servo oil in accordance with the requirements of the injection system and in order to avoid heavy pressure oscillations in the associated servo oil pipe system. The movement of the plunger is controlled by a fast-acting proportional control valve (a so-called NC valve), developed by our cooperation partner Curtiss Wright Drive Technology GmbH (formerly known as SIG Antriebstechnik) of Switzerland. The NC valve is, in turn, controlled by an electric linear motor that gets its control input from the cylinder control unit (see below). This design concept has been chosen in order to maximise reliability and functionality after all, the fuel injection system is the heart of the engine, and its performance is crucial for fuel economy,

emissions and general engine performance. An example of the flexibility of the fuel injection system will be given below.

Fig. 5: Design development of fuel injection pumps

oil from entering the lube oil system. The driving piston and the injection plunger are simple and are kept in contact by the fuel pressure acting on the plunger, and the hydraulic oil pressure acting on the driving piston. The beginning and end of the plunger stroke are both controlled solely by the fast acting hydraulic valve (NC valve), which is computer controlled. Fuel injection system, rate shaping capability The optimum combustion (thus also the optimum thermal efficiency) requires an optimised fuel injection pattern which is generated by the fuel injection cam shape in a conventional engine. Large two-stroke engines are designed for a specified max. firing pressure, and the fuel injection timing is controlled so as to reach that firing pressure with the given fuel injection system (cams, pumps, injection nozzles, etc.). For modern engines, the optimum injection duration is around 18-20 degrees crank angle at full load, and the max. firing pressure is reached in the second half of that period. In order to obtain the best thermal efficiency, fuel to be injected after reaching the max. firing pressure must be injected (and burnt) as quickly as possible in order to obtain the highest expansion ratio for that part of the heat released. From this it can be deduced that the optimum rate shaping of the fuel injection is one showing increasing injection rate towards the end of injection, thus supplying the remaining fuel as quickly as possible. This has been proven over many years of fuel injection system development for our two-stroke marine diesel engines, and the contemporary camshaft is designed accordingly. The fuel injection system for the Intelligent Engine is designed to do the same but in contrast to the camshaft-based injection system, the IE system can be optimised at a large number of load conditions.

Fig. 6: Comparison between the fuel injection characteristics of the ME engine and a Staged Common Rail system in terms of injection pressure, mass flow rate and flow distribution

the rail (to the fuel injectors) is much faster than the supply of fuel into the rail (from high-pressure pumps supplying the average fuel flow). As an example, an 8-cylinder engine will have a total injection duration per engine revolution of 160 deg. CA (8 x 20 degrees CA) during which the injectors supply the same mass flow as the high-pressure supply pumps do during 360 deg. CA. Thus, the outflow during injection is some 360/160 = 2.25 times the inflow during the same period of time. Consequently, the rail pressure must drop during injection, which is the opposite of the optimum rate shape. To counteract this, it has been proposed to used Staged Common Rail whereby the fuel flow during the initial

injection period is reduced by opening the fuel valves one by one. The Rate Shaping with the IE system (using proportional control valves) and the Staged Common Rail are illustrated in Fig. 6. This shows the injection pressure, the mass flow and the total mass injected for each fuel valve by the two systems, calculated by means of our advanced dynamic fuel injection simulation computer code for a large bore engine (K98MC) with three fuel valves per cylinder. In the diagram, the IE system is designated ME (this being the engine designation, like 7S60ME-C). As can be seen, the Staged Common Rail system supplies a significantly different injection amount to each of the three fuel valves.

Fig. 7: Fuel spray distribution in the combustion chamber (schematically) corresponding to the injection patterns illustrated in Fig. 6

Common Rail injection systems with on/off control valves are becoming standard in many modern diesel engines at present. Such systems are relatively simple and will provide larger flexibility than the contemporary camshaft based injection systems. We do apply such systems for controlling the high-pressure gas-injection in the dual-fuel version of our MC engines, where the (two-circuit) common rail system provides the necessary flexibility to allow for varying HFO/gas-ratios, please refer to [3]. However, by nature the common rail system provides another rate shaping than what is optimum for the engine combustion process. The pressure in the rail will be at the set-pressure at the start of injection and will decrease during injection because the flow out of

Fig. 8: Four examples of fuel injection pressures at the fuel valve, and the corresponding fuel valve spindle lifting curves

Fig. 9: Effect of injection pattern on combustion rate, NOx emission and specific fuel oil consumption (test on 4T50MX research engine at 75% load)

Though the Staged Common Rail system will provide a fuel injection rate close to the optimum injection rate, combustion will not be optimal because the fuel is very unevenly distributed in the combustion chamber whereas the combustion air is evenly distributed. This is illustrated (somewhat overexaggerated to underline the point) in Fig. 7: the valve opening first will inject the largest amount of fuel and this will penetrate too much and reach the next fuel valve nozzle. Experience from older engine types indicates that this may cause a reliability problem with the fuel nozzles (hot corrosion of the nozzle tip). The uneven fuel injection amount means that there will be insufficient air for the fuel from the first nozzle, the correct 10

amount for the next and too much air for the third fuel valve. The average may be correct but the result cannot be optimal for thermal efficiency and emissions. Uneven heat load on the combustion chamber components can also be foreseen - though changing the task of injecting first among the three valves may ameliorate this. Thus, the IE injection system is superior to any Common Rail system be it staged or simple. Extensive testing has fully confirmed that the IE fuel injection system can perform any sensible injection pattern needed for operating the diesel engine. The system can perform as a single-injection system as well as a pre-injection system with a high degree of freedom to modulate the injection in terms of injection rate,

timing, duration, pressure, single/double injection, etc. In practical terms, a number of injection patterns will be stored in the computer and selected by the control system so as to operate the engine with optimal injection characteristics from dead slow to overload, as well as during astern running and crash stop. Change-over from one to another of the stored injection characteristics may be effected from one injection cycle to the next. Some examples of the capability of the fuel injection system are shown in Fig. 8. For each of the four injection patterns, the pressure in the fuel valve and the needle-lifting curve are shown. Tests on the research engine with such patterns (see Fig. 9) have

Fuel injection

Valve activation

Fig. 10: Hydraulic cylinder unit with fuel injection pump and exhaust valve actuator

confirmed that the progressive injection type (which corresponds to the injection pattern with our optimised camshaft driven injection system) is superior in terms of fuel consumption. The double injection type gives slightly higher fuel consumption, but some 20% lower NOx emission with a very attractive trade-off between NOx reduction and SFOC increase. Exhaust valve actuation system The exhaust valve is driven by the same servo oil system as that for the fuel injection system, using pressurised cool, clean lube oil as the working medium. However, the necessary functionality of the exhaust valve comprises only control of the timing of opening and closing the

valve. This can be obtained by using a simple fast-acting on/off control valve. The system features well-proven technology from the present engine series. The actuator for the exhaust valve system is of a simple two-stage design, please refer to Fig. 10. The first-stage actuator piston is equipped with a collar for damping in both directions of movement. The second-stage actuator piston has no damper of its own, and is in direct contact with a gear oil piston transforming the hydraulic system oil pressure into oil pressure in the oil push rod. The gear oil piston includes a damper collar that becomes active at the end of the opening sequence, when the exhaust valve movement will be stopped by the standard air spring.

Control system Redundant computers connected in a network provide the control functions of the camshaft (timing and rate shaping) - please refer to Fig. 11. This new Engine Control System (see also [2]) is an integrated part of the Intelligent Engine that brings completely new characteristics to the engine. It comprises two Engine Control Units (ECU), a Cylinder Control Unit (CCU) for each cylinder, a Local Control Terminal and an interface for an external Application Control System. The ECU and the CCU have both been developed as dedicated controllers, optimised for the specific needs of the intelligent engine. The Engine Control Unit controls functions related to the overall condition of 11

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immediately takes over and continues the operation without any change in performance (except for the decreased tolerance for further faults until repair has been completed). In the event of a failure in a controller, the system will identify the faulty unit, which is simply to be replaced with a spare. As soon as the spare is connected, it will automatically be configured to the functions it is to replace, and resume operation. As both the ECU and the CCU are implemented in the same type of hardware, only a few identical spares are needed. If failures occur in connected equipment sensors, actuators, wires, etc. the system will locate the area of the failure and, through built-in guidance and test facilities, assist the engine operating staff in the final identification of the failed component.
Fig. 11: Control system for the Intelligent Engine

Cylinder pressure measuring system (PMI) A reliable measurement of the cylinder pressure is essential for ensuring as new engine performance. A conventional mechanical indicator in the hands of a skilled and dedicated crewmember can provide reasonable data. However, the necessary process is quite timeconsuming and the cylinder pressure data obtained in this way is not available for analysis in a computer, which means that some valuable information is less likely to be utilised in a further analysis of the engine condition. A computerised measuring system with a high quality pressure pick-up connected to the indicator bore may provide this. We have developed such a system, PMI Off-Line, of which more than 100 sets have been sold for application on our conventional engines. For the Intelligent Engine, on-line measurements of the cylinder pressure are necessary or at least greatly desirable. In this case, the indicator cock cannot be used since the indicator bore will clog up after a few days of normal operation, making further measurements useless.

the engine. It is connected to the Plant Control System, the Safety System and the Supervision & Alarm System, and is directly connected to sensors and actuators. The function of the ECU is to control the action of the following components and systems:
The engine speed in accordance

controlled on each cylinder. Its function is to control the activation of features like:
Fuel injection Exhaust valve Starting valve

with a reference value from the application control system (i.e. an integrated governor control)
Engine protection (overload protec-

Cylinder lubricator for the specific

cylinder. As faults can never be completely ruled out, even with the best design of electronic (or mechanical) components, the concept for the intelligent engine has been designed with great care regarding fault tolerance and easy repair, to ensure the continuous operation of the ship. Since each cylinder is equipped with its own controller (the CCU), the worst consequence of a CCU failure is a temporary loss of power from that particular cylinder (similar to, for instance, a sticking fuel pump on a conventional engine). The engine controller (ECU) has a second ECU as a hot stand-by which, in the event of a failure,

tion as well as faults)

Optimisation of combustion to suit

the running condition

Start, stop and reversing sequencing

of the engine
Hydraulic (servo) oil supply (lube oil) Auxiliary blowers and turbocharging.

The Cylinder Control Unit is connected to all the functional components to be

12

is used to calibrate all cylinders means that the cylinder-to-cylinder balance is not at all influenced by differences between the individual pressure sensors. The on-line as well as the off-line system provide the user with unique assistance for keeping the engine performance up to as new standard and reduce the workload of the crew. The systems automatically identify the cylinder being measured without any interaction from the person carrying out the measurement (because the system contains data for the engines firing order). Furthermore, compensation for the crankshaft twisting is automatic, utilising proprietary data for the engine design. If there is no such compensation, the mean indicated pressure will be measured wrongly and when it is used to adjust the fuel pumps, the cylinders will not have the same true uniform load after the adjustment although it may seem so. Twisting of the crankshaft may lead to errors in mean indicated pressure of some 5% if not compensated for!

Fig. 12: PMI on-line cylinder pressure sensor of the strain-pin type, built into the cylinder cover, without contact with the corrosive combustion gases

Since we realised this quite some time ago, we have been working on the development of a reliable system for longterm continuous cylinder pressure measurements. The first, successful, attempt involved the use of strain gauges on two cover studs on each cylinder, thus in fact using the cylinder cover itself as a pressure transducer. A long-term test was carried out on the main engine of a Danish ferry about ten years ago, and the system provided us with stable measurements over a period of more than 10,000 operating hours. However, there was some electrical noise in the signals, and we decided to use another system that had been introduced on the market in the meantime: the strain-pin type of pressure sensor. The pressure-sensing element is a rod located in a bottom-hole in the cylinder cover, in close contact with the bottom of the hole, close to the combustion chamber surface of the cylinder cover, as can be seen in Fig. 12. Thus, the sensor measures the deformation of the cylinder cover caused by the cylinder pressure without being in contact with the aggressive combustion products and without having any indicator bore that can clog up. The position of the sensor also makes it easier to prevent electrical noise from interfering with the cylinder pressure signal.

The pressure transducer of the off-line system is used for taking simultaneous measurements for calibrating the on-line system. By feeding the two signals into the computer in the calibration mode, a calibration curve is determined for each cylinder. The fact that the same, high-quality, pressure transducer

Fig. 13: Example of PMI system output: cylinder balance table with recommended adjustments

13

The computer carries out the tedious and time-consuming work of evaluating the indicator card data which are now in computer files, and the cylinder pressure data can be transferred directly to our CoCoS-EDS Engine Diagnosis System for inclusion in the general engine performance monitoring. Furthermore, the result presented to the crew is far more comprehensive and comprises a list of the necessary adjustments, as illustrated in Fig. 13. These recommendations take into account that the condition of the non-adjusted cylinders changes when the adjustments are carried out. So it is not necessary to check the cylinder pressure after the adjustment. Electronic cylinder lubricator The concept of the new electronic cylinder lubricator is illustrated in Fig. 14. A pump station delivers lube oil to the lubricators at 45 bar pressure. The lubricators have a small piston for each lube oil quill in the cylinder liner, and the power for injecting the oil comes from the 45 bar system pressure, acting on a larger common driving piston as shown in Fig. 15. Thus, the driving side is a conventional common rail system, whereas the injection side is a high-pressure positive displacement system, thus giving equal amounts of lube oil to each quill and the best possible safety margin against clogging of single lube oil quills. For the large bore engines, each cylinder has two lubricators (each serving half of the lube oil quills) and an accumulator, while the small bore engines (with fewer lube oil quills per cylinder) are served by one lubricator per cylinder. The pump station includes two pumps (one operating, the other on stand-by with automatic start up), a filter and coolers. The lubricator can be delivered for our conventional engines in which case it is controlled by a separate computer unit comprising a main computer, controlling the normal operation, a switchover unit and a (simple) back-up unit. A shaft encoder (which can be shared with a 14

Fig. 14: System design of the electronic cylinder lubricator

Fig. 15: Cylinder lubricator unit, controlled by the computer and driven by 45 bar lube oil pressure

conditions whereas a conventional engine is optimised for the guarantee load, typically at 90-100% MCR
constant pmax in the upper load

range can be achieved by a combination of fuel injection timing and variation of the compression ratio (the latter by varying the closing of the exhaust valve). As a result, the max. pressure can be kept constant over a wider load range without overloading the engine, leading to significant SFOC reductions at part load process ensures that the load distribution among the cylinders and the individual cylinders firing pressure can be kept up to as new standard, maintaining the as new performance over the lifetime of the engine.

the on-line monitoring of the cylinder

Fig. 16: Pressure measured in cylinder lubricating oil quills, and timing of lube oil injection

Operational safety and flexibility: PMI system) supplies the necessary timing signal in that case. When used on Intelligent Engines, these functions are integrated in the engine control computers and their shaft encoders. The lubrication concept is intermittent lubrication a relatively large amount of lube oil is injected for every four (or five or six, etc.) revolutions, the actual sequence being determined by the desired dosage in g/bhph. The injection timing is controlled precisely and by virtue of the high delivery pressure the lube oil is injected exactly when the piston ring pack is passing the lube oil quills, thus ensuring the best possible utilisation of the costly lube oil. This is illustrated in Fig. 16. The control computers have passed the necessary tests (E10), and the final approval by a number of Classification Societies took place in Copenhagen in April 2000, paving the way for largescale commercial deliveries. Production of the electronic hardware has started and the first commercial units are in service on K90MC/MC-C/MC-S and S90MC-C engines. Prior to that, the system was tested in operation on a 7S35MC for more than two years with good results, and tests on a cylinder of a K90MC engine over some 12,000 service hours have given very satisfactory results, with low lube oil dosage (for more details, please see [4]). . On the Intelligent Engine, the pneumatic control system for the starting air valves has been replaced by an electronically controlled system with solenoid valves on the starting air valves, offering greater freedom and more precise control. The slow turning function is maintained.
the engines crash stop and reverse

running performance is improved because the timing of exhaust valves and fuel injection can be optimal for these situations too
engine braking may be obtained,

reducing the stopping distance of the vessel

faster acceleration of the engine be-

cause the scavenge air pressure can be increased faster than normal by opening the exhaust valve earlier during acceleration
dead slow running is improved

Advantages of the Intelligent Engine Concept

The electronic control of the fuel injection system and the exhaust valve operation means a number of advantages that are briefly listed below, categorised in three main groups. Reduced fuel consumption:
fuel injection characteristics can be

significantly: the minimum r/min is significantly lower than for a conventional engine, dead slow running is much more regular, and combustion is improved thanks to the electronic control of fuel injection
the electronic monitoring of the engine

optimised at many different load

(based on our CoCoS-EDS system) identifies running conditions which could lead to performance problems. Damage due to poor-ignition-quality fuel can be prevented by fuel injection control (pre-injection) 15

Service Experience with the Intelligent Engine

Fuel injection pump The worlds first Intelligent Engine in service as the main propulsion engine for a merchant vessel is the 6L60MC of the chemical product carrier M/T Bow Cecil, which was delivered in October 1998 to the Norwegian owner Odfjell ASA by the Kvrner Flor Yard in Norway. Design of IE systems for M/T Bow Cecil The engine was prepared for the IE systems during its production. The mechanical/hydraulic components of the IE systems were fitted to the engine during its installation in the vessel at the yard. These systems are installed on the upper platform of the engine, in parallel with the conventional camshaft, as shown in Fig. 17. With this set-up, it is possible to change over completely from the conventional system to the IE system, or vice versa, within some three hours, so there is full redundancy. Fig. 18 is a photo taken at the yard in 1998, showing the installation of the IE systems on the upper platform of the engine. The power for operating the fuel injection system and the exhaust valves is supplied by a hydraulic powerpack. This comprises high-pressure axial piston pumps, driven by the engine (see Fig. 19), together with electrically driven pumps, supplying oil pressure prior to starting the engine and controlling the oil flow during its operation. The working medium is fine filtered engine system oil, as described in detail below. Service experience with IE systems on M/T Bow Cecil The ordinary camshaft system was used on the sea trial in accordance with the original contract between the parties, and it has also been used during the first operating period of the vessel. During this time, the auxiliary systems have been put in operation and tested thoroughly. The following has been experienced

Fig. 17: Installation of the IE fuel injection and exhaust valve control systems in parallel with the conventional camshaft of the 6L60MC main engine of M/T Bow Cecil

the engine control system includes

our on-line OPS-feature: Overload Protection System, which ensures that the engine complies with the load-diagram and is not overloaded (as is often seen in shallow waters and with heavy propeller operation)
maintenance costs will be lower

Flexibility regarding exhaust gas emissions:

the engine can change over to

various low emission modes where its NOx exhaust emission can be reduced below the IMO limits if desirable due to local emission regulations
by suitable selection of operating

(and maintenance easier) as a result of the protection against general overloading as well as overloading of single cylinders, and the as new running conditions for the engine, which is further enhanced by the ability of the engine diagnosis system to give early warning of faults, thus enabling proper countermeasures to be taken in due time.

modes, the vessels may sail with lower exhaust gas emission within special areas where this may be required (or be economical due to special harbour fee schemes) without having negative effects on the SFC outside such special areas.

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with these systems prior to the operation as a complete Intelligent Engine: Hydraulic oil conditioning system. The power medium employed for operating the fuel injection pumps and the exhaust valves is fine-filtered system oil from the engine, thus avoiding a separate hydraulic oil system with tanks, pumps, coolers, etc. The driving system utilises lube oil at a moderate working pressure (160200 bar), but even so it is essential for ensuring a long lifetime of such hydraulic systems that the oil is clean, which requires ISO x/16/13. However, the requirements for the engine system oil are not that strict nor are they needed for the engine itself; therefore, the oil for the IE systems requires extra filtration. For this purpose we use an automatic 6-micron filter located in the supply line to the IE system from the main lube oil pipe of t he engine. From a system point of view, this acts as by-pass filtration and thus, over time, will fine-filter the whole oil charge of the engine obviously with the risk of clogging the filter. Before deciding to use this system, we had tested it on our 4T50MX research engine with good results, confirming that filter clogging was not a problem and that the higher inlet pressure supplied to the hydraulic power supply unit (engine-driven axial piston pumps) was indeed an advantage for these pumps. Subsequently, the filter system was fitted to a sister vessel to M/T Bow Cecil and service tested over a period of one year. The results were very satisfactory, again confirming that filter clogging was not a problem and that also the whole oil charge of the engine became significantly cleaner than before an added benefit for the engine. The fine-filtering system has also been in operation on M/T Bow Cecil ever since the sea trial. The commissioning of the filter during the sea trial is illustrated in Fig. 20. The first operating hours during a sea trial must be expected to deliver rather high amounts of 17

Fig. 18: Installation of IE system on the upper platfrom of the 6L60MC main engine of M/T Bow Cecil

Fig. 19: Engine driven high-pressure pumps on the front end of the 6L60MC engine

in the case shown here) together with index status and the actual propeller pitch for the CP propeller. Control of the hydraulic power supply. The control software for the hydraulic power supply (engine and electrically driven hydraulic pumps) has been finalised and tested. The control system was successfully installed and tested on board M/T Bow Cecil in April 2000. Full scale IE service tests on M/T Bow Cecil. After completion of the demonstration of system functionality for DNV, the next step was to start actual operation with the computer controlled fuel injection and exhaust valve actuation systems the worlds first full scale Intelligent marine engine in service. In consideration of the vessels service schedule, it was found feasible to start this test with a quay trial outside Hamburg, Germany, on 1st-2nd October 2000. During this trial, all systems were tested with very satisfactory results including perfect dead slow operation at 15 r/min. The final step before the vessel resumed its schedule now as an Intelligent Engine, i.e. without a camshaft was a sea trial wich was carried out in the presence of surveyors from Det Norske Veritas in order to have the final approval from DNV and to maintain the vessels certificate. This sea trial was carried out off Borneo on 7th and 8th November 2000. The final approval document from DNV states: All tests were passed and it is judged that the engine and associated systems perform equally as good or better with the Intelligent Engine system in operation as with the traditional camshaft system. Thus, the end of the successful sea trial marked the beginning of the long-term service test which will be conducted over a period of some 10,000 operating hours to confirm the efficient and reliable operation of both the IE systems and the engine proper.

Fig. 20: Commissioning of fine-filter during the sea trial of M/T Bow Cecil

particles (i.e. a high filter load). However, it can be seen that back-flushing of the filter is not triggered by the permissible pressure drop across the filter (max. 0.6 bar) being exceeded, but only by the timer, which is set to backflush every hour. The subsequent service experience with the system has been very satisfactory the only problem encountered was a cold soldering on the print card for the filter control, which has been rectified by the supplier. On-line cylinder pressure measuring system PMI, and CoCoS-EDS. These two systems were installed on the engine in August 1999 and are now being used by the crew as normal tools for monitoring the engine. After some minor teething troubles onboard, the PMI system is working stable and reliably, providing on-line data on the working of the cylinders to the CoCoS Engine Diagnosis System (EDS). Electronic hardware and software. The development of the electronic control systems for fuel injection and exhaust valve actuation was delayed due to the complexity of the software. The hardware has passed the required test (E10). Software approval is a 18

two-step procedure: first, a SW development audit must be performed by the Classification Society in question (Det Norske Veritas). This has been done, and we have been approved for developing such software. The second step comprises a demonstration (on the 4T50MX research engine) of the functionality of the SW in the actual HW, for the purpose of proving that the complete system works as described in the design specification. This test was performed to the full satisfaction of DNV in September 2000. The Mode Selection screen of the HMI (Human Machine Interface) is shown in Fig. 21. Using this, the operator has the possibility to switch between the operating modes for the engine (Fuel Economy and Emission Control), as well as to switch between governor control modes such as Constant Speed and Constant Torque. An overview of the engine status is available from the Main Status Display, as can be seen in Fig. 22. This shows (at the top) the actual mode for the engine, the governor and the hydraulic power supply system. It indicates from where control is taking place (the bridge

Commercialisation of the IE Concept

In 1999, two V-Max class ULCCs (Fig. 23) were ordered at Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea for delivery in first-half of 2001, each with two 7S60ME-C engines, the Intelligent Engine version of the well-established 7S60MC-C engine. As a result of the previously mentioned delays in the development of the control software, and in order to ensure that the vessels are delivered on time, it has been agreed to make provision for conventional operation during the initial service period of the two vessels. The engines will be delivered prepared for later conversion to the 7S60ME-C version and will have the PMI on-line cylinder pressure measuring system, the CoCoS-EDS engine diagnosis systems, the CoCoS-MPS maintenance planning system and the electronic cylinder lubrication system in operation from the outset. This will allow time to gain appropriate service experience with M/T Bow Cecil. Subsequently, the engines will be converted to proper 7S60ME-C Intelligent engines during the scheduled docking of the vessels. At that time, the conventional camshaft system will be removed and replaced by the IE systems, which will utilise the existing camshaft housing as oil pan and foundation.

Fig. 21: Mode Selection Display

Fig. 22: Main Status Display

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Conclusion
To meet the increasingly diversified propulsion requirements, MAN B&W Diesel has continuously introduced up-to-date engines to supplement the well-known MC engine series. Hence our company offers the most comprehensive and versatile engine programme in the market for virtually all commercial vessels, over the full range of sizes and types. Environmental friendliness and impeccable reliability will be the dominant development goals in the years to come. To meet these requirements at an acceptable production cost, an increasing use of electronics is foreseen, and the concept of the Intelligent Engine will be applied in the marine engines of the future just as has been seen in the automotive engine field in recent years.

References
[1] P. Sunn Pedersen: Development Towards the Intelligent Engine, 16th International Marine Propulsion Conference, London 10-11 March 1994, Proceedings pp 77-88 [2] P. Srensen & P. Sunn Pedersen: The Intelligent Engine and Electronic Products - A Development Status. Proceedings of the 22nd CIMAC International Congress on Combustion Engines, Copenhagen 18-21 May 1998, pp 551-564 [3] Utilisation of VOC in Shuttle Tankers, MAN B&W Diesel A/S, company publication P.342-98.11, 1998 (25 pages) [4] P. Sunn Pedersen & P. Srensen: Computer Controlled System for two-stroke Machinery (A Progress Report). 22nd Marine Propulsion Conference, Amsterdam 29-30 March 2000. Conference Proceedings, pp 1733.

S2000 V-Max

Main engines: 2 x 7S60ME-C

Fig. 23: S2000 V-Max shallow draught 314,500 dwt VLCC for Concordia Maritime (of the Swedish Stena Group)

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