Chinese ship owner and operator Zhejiang Huaxiang Shipping has purchased a five-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF engine, together with the gas valve unit and other relevant equipment for its new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier vessel.
The vessel is being built by the Qidong Fengshun Ship Heavy Industry Co. in China according to Chinese Class Society (CCS) standards.
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The 14,000m³ LNG carrier, which is planned for delivery in August 2015, will operate along the Chinese coastline to serve domestic LNG transportation lines.
Said to be compliant with the IMO’s Tier III emission regulations, the Wärtsilä’s low-pressure, dual-fuel (DF) technology for two-stroke engines offers capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX) benefits.
Studies suggest that Wärtsilä’s low-pressure DF engines offer capital expenditure reductions of 15%-20%.
According to Wärtsilä, the new DF application makes use of LNG fuel available to all vessel types, virtually.
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By GlobalDataWärtsilä Ship Power two-stroke vice-president Martin Wernli said: “This is the first time a Wärtsilä low-speed DF engine will power an LNG carrier.
“The extension of Wärtsilä’s low-speed DF engine portfolio to bigger bore sizes, such as the Wärtsilä X62DF and Wärtsilä X72DF engines, will further expand the range of applications for the low-speed DF engine family to larger container vessels, tankers, LNG carriers and bulk carriers.”
The Wärtsilä DF engine uses a low-pressure gas handling system with a maximum 16bar pressure.
Prior to compression, LNG and air are mixed in the cylinder and no additional external engine compressors are required, avoiding additional parasitic load.
Image: Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF engine. Photo: courtesy of Wärtsilä.
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