ABB Turbocharging has recently further emphasised its leading position in two stage turbocharging systems.
Baden, Switzerland, April 7, 2011 - Having equipped the first gas engine to enter commercial service with “Power2” two stage turbocharging equipment, ABB Turbocharging has now carried out Type Testing on a Power2 system in the presence of the Classification Societies on a hot gas test rig at its Technical Center in Baden, Switzerland. In this way, Power2 has passed a major milestone on its way to gaining Type Approval for use on 4-stroke, medium speed marine diesel engines.
The Type Test of Power2 took place in early March 2011. It consisted of running a two stage turbocharging system consisting of a high and low pressure turbocharger connected in tandem on the hot gas test rig for one hour at its maximum operating speed and maximum operating temperature. Subsequently the turbochargers were dismantled and their components inspected.
The tests and component inspection were witnessed by representatives from Lloyd`s Register (LR), Germanischer Lloyd (GL), American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), Registro Italiano Navale (RINa), Russian Register (RS), Polish Register (PRS), Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK), Korean Register (KR), Det Norske Veritas (DNV) und China Classification Society (CCS), in addition to a representative of the Japanese Government Ministry for Land, Infrastructure and Transport. (JG/MLIT).
About Power2
Power2 two stage turbocharging technology is capable of producing pressure ratios as high as 8 and above. It is one of the major enabling technologies of strong Miller Cycles, which can substantially reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from diesel engines, while also making possible enhanced power densities and fuel efficiencies.
On 4 stroke diesels it has been demonstrated that the turbocharger pressure ratios produced by ABB Turbocharging’s Power2 technology are high enough to achieve Miller Cycles capable of giving very high double digit NOx reduction percentages on 4-stroke diesel engines. Simulations for Power2’s potential made by ABB Turbocharging’s development engineers using advance software indicate that, for example, the 80 % reduction in NOx values vis-à-vis IMO Tier I required under IMO Tier III for ships operating in designated Emissions Control Areas (ECAs), is a prospect.
The basic technology
The Power2 two stage turbocharging system consists essentially of high pressure and low pressure turbochargers in tandem. On the compressor side they are connected via an intermediate air cooler which reduces the work second turbocharger needs to do and thus allows it to be more compact. ABB Turbocharging’s Power2 two stage turbocharging has already been adopted on two stationary gas engines from GE Jenbacher and is in daily use in a commercial pilot application. Development is also well advanced on diesel applications with systems under test on both the turbocharger test beds at the ABB Turbocharging Technical Centre in Baden and on engines from major manufacturers.
About ABB Turbo Systems Ltd
ABB Turbocharging is the world leader in turbocharging diesel and gas engines with outputs from 500 kW to well over 80 MW. About 200,000 ABB turbochargers are in operation worldwide, on ships, in power plants, on locomotives and in large off-highway vehicles.
With more than 100 Service Stations in more than 50 countries across the globe, the company guarantees fast, high quality Original Service whenever and wherever it is needed.
Production, R&D and sales and marketing are based at headquarters in Baden, Switzerland, where the global Service Center is also located.