Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Equipment said it is delivering MET Turbochargers for the world’s largest two-stroke dual-fuel X-DF engine, the 12X92DF.
The engine was developed by Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. (WinGD) of Switzerland and is being built by CSSC-MES Diesel Co., Ltd. (CMD) of China.
These engines are scheduled to be mounted in nine 23 000 TEU container vessels to be built at a shipyard that is under the China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC) group. Many MET Turbochargers have already been mounted on WinGD’s X-DF engines, and this major project further confirms the compatibility between MET Turbochargers and X-DF engines, according to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. A ceremony to unveil the project’s first completed unit was held Dec. 2 at a CMD, where the engine was built.
The X92DF low-pressure, dual-fuel engine is available in 6- to 12-cylinder configurations covering a power range from 21 179 to 85 610 hp at 70 to 80 rpm.
The combination of the MET Turbocharger with the 12X92DF engine is designed to achieve the uniform lean combustion of gas mixed air in the engine. At the same time, the effective utilization of the exhaust gas enables both cleaner emissions and high efficiency. It makes it easy to accommodate the strict International Maritime Organization (IMO) nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx) emission regulations on specified ships, while also reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with the contribution changing the fuel from diesel to dual fuel.
The IMO’s NOx Tier 3 standards, which require an 80% reduction in NOx emissions from Tier 1 standard, have been in effect since 2016 in Emission Control Areas (ECA). The waters subject to these standards are expected to expand going forward. As for SOx, in addition to the ECA where strict emissions regulations are already in effect, the requirements will be intensified in all other waters from 2020, reducing the allowable sulfur content in marine fuels from the current limit of 3.5% to 0.5% or less. The combination of MET Turbochargers with X-DF engines are an option for meeting these stricter rules, the company said.
MHI-MME developed new models of small, lightweight and high-efficiency turbochargers in 2018, aiming to complete the first such turbocharger in 2020. The MET-MBII turbocharger series are available to install the turbocharger on WinGD diesel engines as well as former MET-MB series.
Going forward, MHI-MME said it will continue to keep in step with WinGD and other engine designers and boost the capability of MET Turbochargers to meet environmental regulations. MHI-MME will also continue to commit to the further technological advancement of the product and make MET Turbochargers a leading brand in the industry.
