Service

experience

MAN B&W two-stroke engines

 3

Contents
Introduction 05
Dual-fuel service experience 06
Cylinder condition with focus on dual-fuel engines 11
Sequential injection 20
Exhaust valves 23
Bearings 25
Emission technologies 27
Service experience with ECS 29
Remote access to engines 34

Engine observation storage 35

Conclusion 36
4 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience
 5

Introduction

MAN Energy Solutions has introduced MAN B&W

dual-fuel engines (ME-GI/E and ME-LGIM/P) for
liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol (MeOH),
ethane (LEG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The range of application of these engines has

expanded from main engines on LNG, methanol,
and LPG carriers to cover the full range of vessel
types.
6 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Dual-fuel service experience

ME-GI service experience close (WVFC) has been introduced, and been reduced considerably, but the
a gas channel relief valve (GCRV) has safety margin against gas shutdown
ME-GI Mk. 1 vs. ME-GI Mk. 2 design been added to the ME-GI Mk. 2 design. due to missing gas ignition has also
When comparing Mk. 1 and Mk. 2 All ME-GI Mk. 2 changes have been improved significantly.
designs of the ME-GI engine, several introduced to simplify the design.
improvements have been implemented Hereby both reliability and cost have The reduced lift of the cut-off shaft only
in the Mk. 2 design: been addressed. allows injection of oil through the two
– ME-GI Mk. 2 has only one chain pipe. small atomising nozzle holes (Fig. 3).
– Resume valve, purge/blow-off and Pilot injection valves (PIV), with control
non-return valves have been omitted. valve, sludge valve, sensor, and When injecting through the two small
– New gas injection valves, where the high-pressure (HP) pipes, are standard holes only, the amount injected will be
supply of control and sealing oil has on ME-GI Mk. 2 engines. kept at a low level and the duration will
been led through bores in the be longer. The longer injection duration
cylinder cover, making high-pressure We have added a sealing oil block valve gives a more reliable gas ignition.
pipes obsolete. (SOB) and a sealing oil sensor to the
ME-GI Mk. 2 to accommodate ME-GI Mk. 2 gas cylinder cut-out
The hydraulic interlock has been single-cylinder gas cut-out. Fig. 1 Based on feedback from engine
changed by adding an extra valve, the illustrates the ME-GI Mk. 2 gas block operators, we have introduced a new
electronic gas injection block (ELGIB) design. feature with the ME-GI Mk. 2. The new
valve. The window valve (WV) has been gas cylinder cut-out (GCCO) feature
designed with one-step hydraulic Pilot injection valve enables the engine to continue running
actuation, and the sealing on the The introduction of the PIV has been on gas even if one cylinder is unable to
connection pieces has been changed successful, see Fig. 2. Not only has the run on gas.
to axial seals. A window valve forced specific pilot oil consumption (SPOC)

ELGI

WV ELGIB

WVFC Sensor

ELWI

SOB
ELWC

Fig. 1: ME-GI Mk. 2 gas block design

 7

A hazard and operability study 225/300 bar high-pressure oil moves the thrust piece to reduce movement of the cut-off shaft
(HAZOP) was made to determine which
failure scenarios would allow GCCO.
The HAZOP identified that GCCO
would be allowed with one of the
following components failing:
1. Electronic window (ELWI) valve
2. Electronic gas injection (ELGI) valve
3. Electronic window control (ELWC)
valve
4. ELGIB. Thrust piece lift: 0 or 1.6 mm Cut-off shaft lift: 2.8 or 1.2 mm

If both ELGI and ELGIB valves fail on a

cylinder, gas operation on the Fig. 2: Pilot injection valve
remaining cylinders with GCCO is not
allowed.

Only one cylinder can be cut out of gas

operation and run on fuel oil instead.
Fig. 4 shows gas cut-out of cylinder No.
8 via the MOP and the second fuel
cylinder sensor unit (SCSU) gas
channel sensor measurements on an
11G90ME-C10.5-GI Mk. 2 engine.

2.8 mm lift:

2.8 mm

1.2 mm lift: reduced for pilot injection:

1.2 mm

Only small atomising holes open for

pilot injection

Fig. 3: Cut-off shaft with full lift as well as reduced

lift Fig. 4: Gas cut-out of cylinder No. 8 via the MOP and the SCSU gas channel sensor
8 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

ME-LGIM service experience period of Tier III operation in a NOX a. G60ME-C9.5

emission control area (NECA). b. S60ME-C10.5
This section outlines the service c. G60ME-C10.5
experience from three generations of At the time of writing, tungsten material
50-bore LGIM engines. is being tested as an alternative to For a and b, a major redesign has been
stainless steel nozzles. made of all hydraulic pipes (ELWI
A few vessels have reported a high actuation pipes, control oil pipes, and
hydrocarbon (HC) level in the outer pipe Further development of the LGIM gas sealing oil pipes) and the new pipes
after approximately 200 hours of nozzle specifically designed for the have entered into operation on engines
methanol running. Inspections showed G95-LGIM engine is in progress. This in service.
that the connection piece seals were design includes a heat shield, as
damaged, and O-ring seals will illustrated in Fig. 9. Furthermore, a safer pipe connection
therefore replace the U-cup seals, see design for both sealing oil and control
Fig. 5. oil pipes has been introduced on all
ME-LGIP service experience 60-bore engines, see Fig. 10.
A new and stronger thrust piece design
combined with a new suction valve Especially the 60-bore ME-C-LGIP A new material has been introduced for
forms a new one-piece solution of the engines have caused issues in service. the sealing O-ring on the thrust piece.
thrust piece-suction valve design, see 60-bore LGIP engines are available in The old HNBR type O-ring suffered
Fig. 6. three different versions: “explosive decompression” when the

The new thrust piece-suction valve

design has been rolled out on all
50-bore LGIM engines.

The most challenging component on

the 50-bore LGIM engines has been the
gas nozzles. Stainless steel nozzles, as
shown in Fig. 7, have been provided for
the main part of the operation time for
all three generations of 50-bore LGIM
engines.

However, in Tier III mode, the third

generation of 50-bore LGIM (LGIM-W)
engines uses either water emulsified in
fuel or water in methanol to achieve Tier
III compliance. The much longer
injection periods used in this operating
mode give rise to increased thermal
fatigue stress on the nozzles, and
examples of cracks are seen. Fig. 8
shows a case where five nozzles broke
more or less at the same time after a Fig. 5: New O-ring seals for the connection piece

Fig. 6: New one-piece thrust piece-suction valve design Fig. 7: Stainless steel gas nozzles
 9

Erosion mark at nozzle tip hole

Nozzle tip broken

Fig. 8: Nozzle failure after a period of Tier III operation with water addition

Fig. 9: LGIM gas nozzle with heat shield for

G95-LGIM engines

Fig. 10: New pipe connection design for sealing oil and control oil pipes
10 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

pressure was rapidly released, see Fig. Nozzle clogging has been one of the In order to make the fuel booster
11. A new O-ring design made of PU main obstacles for reliable LPG injection valve with control oil needle
material (Fig. 11) has demonstrated operation on the LGIP engines. Fig. 12 control (FBIVP) more reliable with
good service results and is now being shows the redesigned nozzle. respect to de-aeration, a new concept
introduced as the standard on all comprising the following parts will be
engines. The updated nozzle is slightly longer (5 introduced:
mm), and the central main bore is also 1. New FBIV top cover
The integrity of this thrust piece O-ring longer. The new nozzle design has 2. New piping to low-pressure supply
will also reduce the sealing oil reduced the need for removing clogged (LPS) and drain
consumption and, thereby, also reduce material in the nozzle holes. 3. ELGI adapter block.
the risk of nozzle clogging.
The new parts can be seen in Fig. 13.

PU - seal Original

New design

Fig. 11: Updated O-ring material for the thrust piece Fig. 12: Redesigned nozzle for LPG operation

ELGI adapter block LPS supply ELGI New FBIV top cover

Check valve

ELGI “T” port ELWI

Drain

ELGI

ELGI block

NRV

Drain

LPS supply

Fig. 13: New ELGI adapter block, piping (LPS and drain), and FBIV top cover
 11

Cylinder condition with focus on dual-fuel engines

The number of engine running hours abrasion wear types are almost absent feed rate and condition-based
spent in a low-sulphur regime has in dual-fuel engines operating on maintenance, the expected TBO can be
increased significantly compared to <0.10% S fuels, <0.50% S fuels, and met and even prolonged. But cold
pre-2015 values. This is mainly the LNG. The reason is the low corrosion and abrasive particles in the
result of the global IMO 0.50% S fuel concentration of sulphur in the fuels fuel, nonetheless, lead to continuous
limit (2020) and the 0.10% SECA (2015), and the possibility to remove cat fines wear that has to be monitored
but it is also the result of the availability efficiently from <0.50% S fuels, which continuously.
of dual-fuel engines operating on the generally have a lower viscosity than
new low-sulphur fuels. This change high-sulphur fuel oils (HSFO). And
affects cylinder condition and wear pat- <0.10% S fuels and LNG do not contain Changed fuel – changed wear
terns. cat fines. pattern

The outlook is positive. Low wear rates, Also, service experience has not shown When operators started to prepare for
longer times between overhaul (TBO), any increase in the adhesive wear. the IMO 0.50% S fuel limit and
and longer component life times are bunkered <0.50% S fuel and <0.10% S
possible when using a cylinder oil with fuel for use as single or pilot fuel, wear
sufficient cleaning ability. ME-GI service experience patterns started to change. One
pre-0.50% S limit example is that the running-in coating
(alu-coat) on the piston rings remained
Wear types Many of the first ME-GI engines started on the surface much longer compared
using high-sulphur fuel as pilot fuel and to high-sulphur operation. The
There are a number of different wear for single-fuel mode operation. The wear-down rate of the cermet coating
types, the most commonly occurring challenges with wear on cylinder liner, was also reduced.
inside the combustion chamber are: piston, and piston rings were similar to
those seen for single-fuel engines The corrosive wear was reduced
Abrasion operating on high-sulphur fuel. During considerably when using LNG or
Abrasion is created by hard particles this type of operation, most wear methanol and <0.50% S fuel or <0.10%
that are mixed into the cylinder oil film, comes from corrosion, abrasion (from S fuel as pilot fuel. The abrasive wear
causing wear on piston rings, piston cat fines), and adhesion. also decreased because of the very low
crown, and cylinder liner. Cat fines content of abrasive material in LNG and
(catalytic fines) are small, very hard The high neutralisation ability of methanol.
particles originating from the refining high-BN cylinder oils keeps the
process. They can wear down the corrosive wear in control. Proper fuel With less sulphur, the need for
engine very fast, and must be removed cleaning that removes cat fines is key neutralisation in the cylinder oil is
by a fuel cleaning system on board the to keeping abrasive wear low. When reduced, whereas the importance of
ship. combining an optimised cylinder oil other properties increases, such as the

Corrosion
Corrosion occurs when acid is present
in the combustion chamber. Sulphuric
acid is formed when operating on
sulphur-containing fuels. The acid must
be neutralised to prevent harm to the
components. High base number (BN)
cylinder oils are excellent for this
purpose.

Adhesion
Micro-seizures or scuffing may be
initiated if the lube oil film is disturbed
and contact between the metal
surfaces occurs. A B

The case studies presented in this Fig. 14: Condition after test bed when A. using a low-BN cylinder oil, B. using a 70-BN cylinder oil.
paper show that the corrosion and Notice the difference in the piston ring land cleanliness.
12 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

cleaning ability of the lubricant, as the The issues were detected on test bed, been formed, the lubricant should
free movement of the rings in the during sea trial, and later in service. preferably support deposit removal.
grooves is crucial. The deposit build-up and damage was
partly attributable to the cylinder oil, The actions taken have improved the
This paper describes how low-sulphur partly to the operating conditions, and deposit situation, see Fig. 14.
fuels and proper lubrication can partly to the engine design.
facilitate the introduction of a new Initiative – the controlled pressure
maintenance strategy (preventive Service experience from other engine relief three-ring pack
maintenance) and realise dock-to-dock types also showed that many of the To improve the cylinder condition and
lifetimes of the piston rings. previous cylinder oils aimed for cleanliness, and also improve the
low-sulphur applications had difficulties margin against scuffing, MAN Energy
keeping the ring pack area in good Solutions introduced the controlled
Keeping the balance – cylinder condition. This issue meant extra pressure relief (CPR) three-ring pack.
condition challenges and expenses to both The rings are all coated with a cermet
engine owners and licensees. coating that provides a more
The basis for a good cylinder condition seizure-resistant surface against the
requires that the engine process, the Measures introduced liner.
design of the parts, e.g. piston rings, To solve this issue, MAN Energy
the lubrication, and the fuel all fit Solutions reintroduced the use of The rings are designed with gastight
together. When one or several of these 70–100 BN cylinder oils on shop test finger locks on all three rings. The gas
parameters change, the balance and sea trial, regardless of fuel type. In leakage is managed by the controlled
between acceptable or less acceptable addition, 70–100 BN cylinder oils were leakage (CL) grooves on the two upper
cylinder conditions changes, and the recommended for certain engine types rings, whereas the third ring is gastight.
time between overhaul (TBO) may during the initial 2,000 running hours to Thereby, the gas leakage is reduced to
change and actions have to be taken. prevent deposit-formation and ensure a minimum. Another major benefit of
the free movement of the rings. this design is that the leakage through
One example was the cold corrosion the piston rings is not affected by
challenge in 2012 and later, following Another measure was to start using 100 cylinder liner or piston ring wear. The
the introduction of new and more BN as a cleaning lubricant and then pressure distribution is thus kept
efficient engines with a higher part-load switch back to the low-BN product, a constant throughout the entire service
cylinder pressure (Mark 8 and newer) so-called alternation regime. life of the components.
combined with changes in operating
conditions. These changes led to an However, deposit formation is a quick This ring design reduces the risk of
increased corrosive tendency of the process. It occurs within a few days of extensive deposit build-up on ring
engines. Design changes were made operation, whereas the cleaning lands, the back of the rings, in the ring
and the balance was partially restored. process is usually slow and steady, if grooves, and to some extent on the top
The real game changer was the an appropriate cylinder oil and land, see Fig. 15.
introduction of 100-BN cylinder oil. It appropriate feed rates are employed. A
could keep the corrosion in control spotless condition is not required; Initiative – raise the performance of
during high-sulphur fuel operation, and however, the piston ring design and the cylinder oils
thereby reestablish the balance. lubricant should cooperate to minimise Another initiative was presented to the
the deposit build-up. If deposits have lube oil industry under the slogan ”let’s
Hence, cylinder lubricating oil has
always been an important tool in
obtaining a good cylinder condition and
an acceptable TBO.

Deposits in ring pack area

The balance shifted again some years
ago. After utilising the low-BN cylinder
oils available at the time, a severe
deposit build-up was experienced on
ring lands, in ring grooves, and on the
back of the rings leading to stuck
piston rings. The engines affected by A B
this issue were the optimised and
fuel-efficient ME-C and ME-GI 9.5 Fig. 15: Comparison between A. a four-ring pack and B. a three-ring pack on an ME-GI engine. The
engines operating on low-sulphur fuel. cleanliness is improved by changing the ring pack.
 13

Ca-based detergents control deposit

formation together with other additives.
Cat. II 40 BN Cat. II 100 - 140
In general, the cleaning ability of the
100-BN oils on the market is excellent
and these have been valuable in a
Cleaning ability → higher

mitigation of issues related to deposit

formation. However, for the current and
future engines, it is important to
motivate the lube oil industry to go
further: that is to decouple
neutralisation ability, detergency and
dispersancy.

Reduce ash to lower the risk of

deposits
MAN Energy Solutions considers it
BN level → higher
unnecessary to feed excessive
amounts of CaCO3 into the engine, and
Fig. 16: Schematic representation of the perceived relationship between BN level and cleanliness and thereby increase the risk of ash
the new category II 40-BN, 100-BN, and 140-BN lubricants deposits in and after the engine.

Engines operating on fuels with less

than 0.50% S do not require the
raise the performance level of cylinder liner from each other. Inadequate neutralisation ability of a 100-BN oil.
oils”. Fuels are changing, and engines protection may result in increased wear Deposit build-up in the NOX Tier
are operating at constantly increasing if the situation is not managed. III-equipment can drastically hamper the
pressures, hence, it is only natural that performance of these systems, and less
lubricants must also change. Aggressive corrosive wear will occur if ash in the lube oil may lower this risk.
a low-BN lubricant is used together
Scope: An excellent overall performing with a high-sulphur fuel. The solution is This has already been the experience
40-BN cylinder oil with a special focus to change to a high-BN cylinder oil and with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)
on cleaning ability. A cleaning ability optimise the feed rate. systems. In 2020, MAN Energy
equal to or better than a 100-BN Solutions released a Service Letter
cylinder oil led to the development of a “Lubricate” covers the lubrication of (SL2020-699/JRR) on how to manage
category II 40-BN cylinder oil. piston and liner, and the reduction of deposit build-up in the EGR system.
friction, which are both crucial. The Service Letter recommends
Lubricate, protect, and clean including EGR operation in the vessel’s
The cylinder oil should be designed to: “Cleaning” is important for the free planned maintenance system. Regular
1. lubricate the piston and liner movement of the rings, which is crucial operation of the EGR system minimises
2. reduce friction for an efficient engine operation. If the the risk of systems failing due to
3. introduce wear protection free movement of the rings is restricted sticking valves, stuck blowers, or
4. minimise risk of seizures by deposits, or for other reasons, there blocked filters.
5. neutralise acids and oxidation is a risk of seizures, loss of ring tension
products in accordance with the and scuffing, in the worst case, and MAN Energy Solutions has also
fuel used and engine requirements ultimately a scavenge box fire. introduced the following design
6. flush to keep the piston, piston changes to manage the particles/
rings, piston crown, ring lands, ring Cleaning ability and base number granulates coming mainly from the
grooves, and liner clean. Over the years, it has been found that lubricant:
the ability to keep the engine clean – EGR cooler design changed to
The above list can be summarised in seemed to be coupled to the BN level tube-type coolers
three words: lubricate, protect, and in the lubricant, see Fig. 16. – filter introduced in the EGR water
clean. The main mission of a cylinder oil system
is to “protect”. Without a lubricant, the BN is a measure of the neutralisation – EGR shut-off valve (SOV)
engine will be subject to acute wear, ability of the calcium-based detergents repositioned to avoid particle
and major overhaul will be necessary. with varying over-basing levels (amount build-up on the top of the closed
The oil film separates the moving of calcium carbonate, CaCO3). Apart valve during Tier II operation (with no
surfaces and protects the rings and the from constituting the base, the EGR operation).
14 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Emission reductions are kept high on oil with a cleaning ability better than or The wear of combustion chamber
the world agenda. Reducing the equal to a 100-BN oil. components is typically checked during
amount of ash in lubricants aimed for scavenge port inspections, where
low-sulphur applications which have a In 2022, MAN Energy Solutions was piston rings and piston crowns are
limited neutralisation need, is an proud to present the first Cat. II 40-BN measured to obtain the wear of the ring
obvious step towards reducing cylinder oils in SL2022-728. The lube oil grooves in the crown and the coating
potential issues in the aftertreatment industry showed that it is indeed on the piston ring.
systems, but also a step towards possible to decouple the neutralisation
reducing emissions. ability from detergency and Engines specified for running on
dispersancy. A huge leap in cylinder VLSFO and ULSFO (including dual-fuel
Performance categories for lubrication oil development! engines) are equipped with piston rings
cylinder oil with a cermet coating for the duration
MAN Energy Solutions’ target for of the operational lifetime. These rings
cylinder oil development is to improve G70ME-C9.5-GI case study need to be replaced once the coating is
the performance of the cylinder oils and in risk of wearing off.
simplify operations. Today’s and future The G70ME-C9.5-GI engine has been
engine designs, together with many the preferred choice for LNG carriers, Cylinder liner and piston ring wear are
different types of fuel, require suitably typically with twin engines, using LNG typically the most critical, and cermet
high-performing lubricants. Such from the cargo tanks. coating wear is relatively easy to
high-performing lubricants are a measure during scavenge port
necessary part of a well-functioning Many engines of this type entered inspections, and is therefore a good
two-stroke engine. service before the 2020 sulphur indicator of the general wear.
legislation came into effect, and used
The general lubrication strategy is to HSFO as pilot fuel. However, over time Fig. 17 shows a plot of cermet coating
use a low-BN oil when operating on the pilot fuel type changed, and wear on the first ring of multiple
0-0.50% S fuels and high-BN cylinder late-2019 engines typically started to G70ME-C9.5-GI engines. It shows a
oils for high-sulphur fuels. Utilising a use MGO (marine gas oil with <0.10% positive overall trend, where wear
high-BN cylinder oil when operating on S) as the pilot fuel. progresses slowly. For all engines, the
0-0.50% S fuels or using the alternating
regime (changing between low-BN oil
and high-BN oil for keeping the cylinder
components clean) should be viewed
Coating thickness [my]
as interim solutions.
800
● G70ME-C9.5-GI-EGRBP
Performance categories (Cat. II and
● G70ME-C9.5-GI-TII
Cat. I) for cylinder oils were formally 700
● G70ME-C9.5-GI-TIII
communicated in 2020. Cat. II is the
higher performing level, and to receive 600
this status, the oil must have an
excellent overall performance with a
500
special focus on cleaning ability.

Service Letter SL2020-694 introduces 400

the Cat. II 100-BN and 140-BN cylinder
oils. To receive this status, lube oil 300
suppliers had to apply for a
reevaluation of their already approved
100-BN and 140-BN formulations. The 200

application included information about

service experience and a team of 100
experts from MAN Energy Solutions
evaluated the application. A Cat. II no 0
Minimum cermet
objection letter (NOL) was issued if the 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000
results were satisfactory. Ring running hours [h]

Simultaneously, lube oil suppliers

worked on formulating a Cat. II 40-BN Fig. 17: Cermet coating thickness on the first piston ring. Data points from measurements on nine
cylinder oil, which is a 40-BN cylinder vessels (data from 90 cylinder units) during five years in service (G70ME-C9.5-GI).
 15

wear trend indicates that wear-out will A field study of three vessels has been operating hours for a period of
occur after 33,000 running hours, conducted (the red series in Fig. 17). approximately five years for two of the
which is usually after five years. Each vessel has two main engines with vessels, and just over four years for the
five cylinders each, which means a total third vessel, resulting in a total of
of 30 cylinders. The study covers 900,000 cylinder running hours.
Coating thickness [my]

800 Fig. 18 shows cermet coating thickness

● Ship 1 on the first piston ring as measured
● Ship 2 during scavenge port inspections. The
700
● Ship 3 three series of measurements from
each vessel (two engines each)
600 represent ten cylinders of similar
design. The x-axis shows the time
500 range: 0–35,000 running hours, and the
figure illustrates these data.
400
Ships 2 and 3, with most running hours,
started using HSFO as pilot fuel and as
300 main fuel when not operating on LNG in
dual-fuel mode. As a consequence,
200 wear was observed. However, after the
0.5% S cap came into force, the pilot
fuel was changed to 0.5% S or lower.
100
The wear rate change can be observed,
Minimum cermet and the rings installed later in service
0 also showed improved wear potential.
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000
Ring running hours [h]
As explained, many cylinder lube oils
Fig. 18: Cermet coating thickness on the first ring for Ships 1–3 and a total of 30 cylinder units have lacked a proper cleaning ability.
(G70ME-C9.5-GI) This was also showing on these
engines. On Ship 3, six of the ten units
Coating thickness [my]
had the piston rings replaced since the
ring locks were burnt, and rings got
800
stuck, or lost tension.
● Ship 3

700 The wear prediction shows that

wear-down will not necessarily be the
600 decisive matter for piston ring
exchange, and it will improve in the
future as higher performing cylinder oils
500
will increase ring cleanness and keep
them running. Fig. 19 shows
400 measurements for the oldest vessel
(Ship 3) where all rings were replaced
300 during the 5-year dry docking
regardless of the running hours.
200
Liner wear was measured at the 5-year
dry docking and showed little or no
100
wear. Fig. 20 shows liner wear
Minimum cermet measurements after 12,747 and 33,000
0 running hours.
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000

1 year 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year Fig. 20 shows that the wear does not
increase from 12,747 to 33,000+ hours.
Ring running hours [h] The liner wear measurement was in fact
Fig. 19: Cermet coating thickness on the first ring of ten cylinder units for Ship 3 (G70ME-C9.5-GI) slightly higher after 12,474 running
hours. The reason was an in-situ
16 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

measurement and a tight cylinder Liner bore [mm]

cover, which resulted in deformation
703,5
wear being added to the wear 0.1 mm/1,000
1S 2S
measurement. The measurement at 3S 4S
703
33,000+ running hours was made with 5S 1P
the cylinder cover removed. 2P 3P
702,5 4P 5P
0.1 mm/1,000 0.005 mm/1,000
The experience on the second vessel 0.025 mm/1,000
702
was similar to the first vessel (Fig. 21). 0.05 mm/1,000

701,5
The third vessel (Ship 1) entered service
in 2019 and used HSFO for only three
701
months, after which the pilot fuel was 0.025 mm/1,000
changed to ULSFO. The short period
700,5
on HSFO had little effect on wear. The
progression of wear is shown in Fig. 22,
700
and it could be expected that the piston 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000
rings would last for much longer than
Main engine running hours [h]
the 5-year docking period.
Fig. 20: Liner wear during five years in service for Ship 3 (G70ME-C9.5-GI)
For all three vessels, the wear rate on
the cylinder liner and piston ring cermet
coating was reduced once the fuel was Coating thickness [my]
changed to ULSFO. Other factors 700
resulted in a need for replacing the ● Ship 2
piston rings, as, at the time, the
cylinder oils were not adequate, and 600
deposit control became the main cause
of the challenges as shown in Fig. 23.
500

Note the amount of deposits on the

piston ring lands and piston top land. 400

G70ME-C10.5-GI case study 300

The updated G70ME-C10.5-GI has the 200

same general application as the
G70ME-C9.5-GI engine, and is often
chosen for LNG carriers. As this engine 100
type is newer, the service history is not
as extensive as for the G70ME-C9.5-GI. Minimum cermet
0
However, the same positive wear trends 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000
are seen for the G70ME-C10.5-GI
engine. This can be seen on Fig. 24, 1 year 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year
where a plot of the wear from this
Ring running hours [h]
engine type compared to the
G70ME-C9.5-GI engine shows similar
wear. Fig. 21: First ring wear-down for Ship 2 during 35,000 running hours (G70ME-C9.5-GI)

A better understanding of the role of

the cylinder oil and improvements of
the combustion chamber component The alu-coating is the running-in and the running-in coating remains,
design have also led to better deposit coating sprayed on top of the cermet indicating a very low wear rate.
control. Fig. 25 shows a typical picture coating, intended to be worn off after
of the piston rings after more than one 1,000–1,200 running hours. The piston
year in service, where the yellow rings shown in Fig. 25 have been in
alu-coating is still visible. service for around 8,000 running hours
 17

Coating thickness [my]

800
● Ship 1

700

600

500

400

300
Fig. 23: View of cylinder condition after 32,000
running hours ̶ note the deposit build-up
(5G70ME-C9.5-GI)
200

100

Minimum cermet
0
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000

1 year 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year

Ring running hours [h]

Fig. 22: First ring wear-down for Ship 1 during 20,000 running hours

Coating thickness [my]

800
● G70ME-C9.5-GI-EGRBP
● G70ME-C9.5-GI-TII
700
● G70ME-C9.5-GI-TIII
● G70ME-C10.5-GI-HPSCR
600 ● G70ME-C10.5-GI-EGRBP

500

400

300

200

100

Minimum cermet
0
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000

Ring running hours [h]

Fig. 24: Cermet-coated first piston ring wear measurements (G70ME-C10.5-GI) compared to the Fig. 25: Cylinder condition after 8,000 running
G70ME-C9.5-GI engine (grey) hours ̶ remaining running-in coating is yellow
(G70ME-C10.5-GI)
18 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

G90ME-C10.5-GI case study Coating thickness [my]

800
ME-GI engines have also entered ● Ship 1
service as the main engines on large ● Ship 2
700
container vessels. Some ▼ Ship 3
G90ME-C10.5-GI engines have been in ▼ Ship 4
service for over two years and have 600 ▼ Ship 5
demonstrated excellent service
experience. When using high-detergent 500
Cat. II cylinder oils, the cylinder
condition looks great. Fig. 26 shows a
400
typical view of the piston rings during a
scavenge port inspection.
300
When looking in detail on the wear
trend of the piston ring wear for the 200
G90ME-C10.5-GI engine it shows a
trend similar to the 5G70ME-C9.5-GI
100
engine. The wear is low, as Fig. 27
shows. Minimum cermet
0
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000
Fig. 28 gives an estimate of the wear to
come, indicating that the ring Ring running hours [h]
wear-down will not happen until after Fig. 27: First ring cermet coating thickness measured during scavenge port inspection
the 5-year docking, potentially, lasting (G90ME-C10.5-GI)

far beyond five years.

Coating thickness [my]

800
● Ship 1
● Ship 2
700
▼ Ship 3
▼ Ship 4
600 ▼ Ship 5

500

400

300

Fig. 26: Cylinder condition after 9,532 running

hours (G90ME-C10.5-GI) 200

100

Minimum cermet
0
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000

1 year 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year

Ring running hours [h]

Fig. 28: Estimated progression of the wear rate up to 35,000 running hours (G90ME-C10.5-GI)
 19

Maintenance strategy Corrective maintenance

Running the engine until piston ring
Given the outlook of low wear rates and failure is not a recommended
long TBOs, the philosophy of maintenance strategy. Broken,
maintenance planning needs to be collapsed, or stuck rings increase the
thought about. The progression of the risk of scavenge fires or other
wear should be recorded on consequential damage.
inspections, wear trends should be
followed, and the lube oil dosage Preventive maintenance
should be adjusted to support a This strategy is time based. The aim is
condition-based maintenance strategy. low wear rates and the possibility to
The typical indicators supporting operate within the planned
condition-based maintenance are maintenance period, for example, until
piston ring wear, piston crown ring dry docking. A preventive maintenance
groove wear, cylinder liner wear, and strategy is recommended when a high
the physical appearance of the parts, availability of the ship is important or
for example, deposit-build up, and when main engine maintenance is
seizures. difficult to arrange on short notice.

On a dual-fuel engine, these indicators Condition-based maintenance

do not show much progression as the The aim is to ensure the longest
wear of piston rings and cylinder liners possible use of the wearing parts, such
is between slight to none. But, the as piston rings. This strategy requires a
physical appearance comes into focus. trained crew that records wear down
The indicators of reduced piston ring during inspections and a supervision
performance will typically only show on system that can record the
the surface appearance and/or as black measurements and evaluate the
deposits concentrated on the top and condition. This strategy is mainly for
ring lands on the piston crown. vessels where maintenance can be
performed on short notice without
Keeping a close eye on the amount of interfering with the ship schedule.
deposits on the ring land is important,
and using the correct cylinder oil is
necessary. If accumulation of deposits
occurs, it is highly recommended
switching to a cylinder oil with a high
cleaning ability, such as a Cat. II
cylinder oil.

Scavenge drain oil is a useful tool to

spot unfortunate situations of abrasion,
adhesion, or corrosive wear. Frequent
sampling gives early indications on
lubrication disturbance and makes
quick action possible, thereby ensuring
a long service life.

Dual-fuel engines may have the

possibility to operate for long service
periods, longer than the typical 5-year
dry dock schedule. However, to achieve
this, operators must plan ahead and
assess which planned maintenance
type is most suitable for their operation.
The planned maintenance strategies
can typically be divided into three
types.
20 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Sequential injection

A hydraulic oil pressure of 300 bar There are two sequential injection 300 bar
hydraulic oil
generates a fuel oil pressure at 800 bar. system designs:
When the non-return valve opens, fuel 1. Design with integrated
oil at 800 bar fuel enters the spring top-controlled exhaust valve
chamber through bores and is ready for (TCEV). The design is used on the
injection. The hydraulic oil pressure at first generation of G95ME-C10.6
300 bar on top of the hydraulic piston engines, see Fig. 30.
keeps the valve closed, and when this 2. Design with hydraulic control unit
pressure is released, the cut-off shaft is – sequential (HCU-S). The design is
lifted and fuel oil is injected, see Fig. used on G60ME-C10.6 and
29. G80ME-C10.6 engines, and on 800 bar
fuel oil
second generation of
Non-return 8 bar fuel oil
An electronic sequential valve (ELSQ) G95ME-C10.6 engines, see Fig. 31. valve iniet
controls the pressure release from 300
300 bar
to 0 bar on the hydraulic piston. There At the time of writing, ten vessels with hydraulic oil
is one ELSQ control valve for each the TCEV version of the sequential Hydraulic
FBIV. This enables individual actuation injection design are in service. Service piston

of the three FBIVs and therefore experience from these ten engines will
opening timing and injection amount. be described.
Cut-off
shaft

Fuel oil
outlet

Fig. 29: Injection of fuel

Fig. 30: Sequential injection system with integrated top-controlled Fig. 31: Sequential injection system with a hydraulic control unit – se-
exhaust valve quential
 21

ELSQ pipe vibrations Spindle guide failures failure. As a countermeasure, an

Vessels have experienced pipe Spindle guide failures for the FBIVS alternative and more ductile tool steel
breakage due to elevated vibration have been reported after 100 hours of has been chosen, and the seat contact
levels where the breakage resulted in operation, see Fig. 34. is now defined as an area with parallel
an ejection of oil mist between the pipe contact surfaces.
and the union, see Fig. 33. In a few cases, this resulted in a
substantial fuel oil spray into the engine All spindle guides of the old design
The cause was found to be poor room, see Fig. 35. have been exchanged.
manufacturing of the piping combined
with excessive vibrations induced by The line contact between the spindle
the TCEV. The ELSQ pipe was and spindle guide seat creates highly
supported by brackets to reduce concentrated stress during landing, see
vibrations, see Fig. 30. Fig. 32.

Furthermore, the union design was Combined with the brittle nature of the
updated to prevent oil sprays in the spindle guide material S85W6Mo
event of an inner pipe breakage. (55–60 HRC), this is the cause of the

Fig. 32: High stress at contact between spindle and spindle guide seat
22 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Fig. 33: Oil mist leak point Fig. 34: FBIVS spindle guide failure
 23

Exhaust valves

During recent years, exhaust valve Soft closing, see Fig. 37, keeps the inspection of an XV3 exhaust valve on
issues have caused some concern. exhaust valve slightly open for a slightly an S60ME-C10.5 engine.
Excessive burn-away on the flame face longer time.
of the exhaust valve spindle has led to A satisfactory condition can be seen for
a search for more heat-resistant spindle Hereby, the spindle is cooled by all parts.
materials and a redesign of the bottom relatively cold scavenge air. Soft
piece in the seating area. The closing compensates for the
well-proven W-seat has been changed temperature increase resulting from
to the wide-seat design as the reintroducing the W-seat.
standard. This design can remove more
heat from the spindle, especially when The latest design development of
combined with a bore-cooled version exhaust spindles has been the
of the bottom piece, see Fig. 35. introduction of the XV3 design.

For some engines (e.g. G80ME-C9.5), This design with an improved geometry
we have seen an increase in units with of the bottom piece and the spindle
blow-by from the seating area, see Fig. reduces the heat input on the seat,
36. improves cooling, and offers colder
conditions in general for the valve
For these engines, we have spindle.
reintroduced the W-seat with the
so-called soft closing damper system. Fig. 39 shows the results of an Fig. 36: Blow-by from the seating area

W
W-seat + bottom piece without bore cooling

Valve housing

Spindle guide

Spindle stem

Bottom piece

Spindle disc

Wide-seat + bottom piece with bore cooling

Fig. 35: W-seat design and wide-seat design

24 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Soft closing Standard

Oil on top of air piston, secure controlled

oil level (COL) inside air spring

Fig. 37: Soft closing piston and standard piston

Previous XV3 Previous XV3

Multi-studs manually tightened from S60
design design
and down

New spindle design

Fig. 38: Exhaust spindles of XV3 design

Clean and perfect spindle guide

condition

Fig. 39: Inspection of XV3 exhaust valve on

S60ME-C10.5 engine at 5,500 running hours
 25

Bearings

Crosshead bearings on some Based on this, an update of the bearing crankpin bearing was not changed. As
large-bore engines of Mk. 10.5 design design has been introduced on all a result, the bearing centre suffered
have suffered peel-off in the lead newer large-bore (80-95) designs. This fatigue damage (Fig. 41) that could
overlay and, consequently, scuffing in update ensures a higher margin against potentially develop and spread to the
the white metal bearing lining. In some various minor, production-related entire bearing shell and spread debris
cases, this has led to fatigue in the deviations and deficiencies. to the crankpin bearing.
bearing lining. Service tests with
various updated designs show good The shell thickness of the G50ME-C
performance when the oil grooves are crosshead bearing has been reduced
moved from +/-35 degrees to +/-25 from 12.5 mm to 9 mm. However, the
degrees. Fig. 40 shows the result of the diameter of the lubricating oil hole in
design change. the connecting rod for lubrication of the

Fig. 41: Crosshead bearing centre suffered fatigue

damage on G50ME-C engine

Fig. 40: Oil-groove design change (upper: old design – lower: new design)
26 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

The design was updated with a smaller The bearing wear monitoring system failing sensors, increased number of
lubricating hole in the connecting rod (BWMS) was introduced as the false alarms, or other abnormalities.
for engines not yet produced, see, standard on MAN B&W two-stroke
Fig. 42. engines 12 years ago. Since the Based on the above excellent records
introduction, five cases of severe for BWMS, MAN Energy Solutions
For engines already produced, bearing damage on engines equipped emphasises the importance of
including those in service, we specified with BWMS have been recorded by the maintaining the BWMS to keep the
an AlSn40 type bearing shell, which Operation department in Copenhagen. system operational. If any abnormalities
has a higher fatigue limit. are encountered, the shipowner should
Three of those cases involved alarms contact the maker.
A Circular Letter was issued to the which for different reasons had been
shipowners and ship managers ignored, and in two cases the BWMS
operating this engine type. was not operational.

Slightly more than 1,400 bearing shells Recently, we have experienced some
must be replaced in service, and this cases where the BWMS was not
has created some logistical challenges. operational due to reasons such as

Fig. 42: Design update – smaller lubricating hole in connecting rod

 27

Emission technologies

MAN Energy Solutions has two main so-called EcoEGR. By optimising the Based on observations and feedback
technologies for Tier III compliance – engine for low-SFOC operation and from the 350 EGR engines in service,
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and applying a 10–15% recirculation rate, we have updated the design of the EGR
selective catalytic reduction (SCR) – the NOX emission level is kept within unit to improve the support of the EGR
and both technologies have been in Tier II limits, see Fig. 43. cooler. To achieve a simpler and more
service on our engines for more than a
decade. The number of vessels with Initially, we had only two EcoEGR-test-
Tier III technologies is increasing fast. vessels, and the feedback after 1,000
In 2022, 80% of new orders included EcoEGR service hours was good, and
either EGR or SCR – and in 2023 the the cylinder condition was acceptable
share is even higher. after operating continuously on HFO. In
2022, new EcoEGR engines running on
How much the EGR or SCR systems gas (ME-GI) entered service.
are used depends on the trade pattern
of the vessels, and the difference is The amount of sludge and dirt
substantial. Some vessels operate 30% accumulated in the scavenge air
of the time in Tier III areas, while others receiver increases in EGR operation.
trade in Tier II areas only and never This is observed for both EcoEGR on
need to run the EGR or SCR system. gas and EcoEGR on HFO, but the
amount of dirt is significantly higher for
Both technologies have proven to be HFO operation, see Fig. 44.
reliable, and the general feedback from The feedback from owners operating
owners of vessels with EGR or SCR is continuously with EGR or EcoEGR is
good. that the cleaning interval of the
scavenge air receiver has been slightly Fig. 44: Sludge and dirt accumulation in the
In 2018, we introduced the Tier II reduced. scavenge air receiver when operating on HFO with
EcoEGR
version of the EGR system, the

Tier lll operation: Tier ll operation:

NOx< 3.4 g/kWh NOx< 14.4 g/kWh

35-40% exhaust gas 10-15% exhaust gas

recirculation recirculation

Fig. 43: EGR and EcoEGR

28 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

cost-efficient EGR design, we have

updated the design:
– oxygen sensor setup
– EGR water handling system
– low-speed EGR blower.

Fig. 45 and Fig. 46 show the condition

of ME-GI engines with EcoEGR.

All ME-GA engines have EGR and, like

EcoEGR engines, the EGR system will
operate continuously.

Based on observations and feedback

from the more than 750 SCR engines in
service, we have updated the design:
– Pressure equalising valve (PEV)
introduced to reduce the air Fig. 45: ME-GI with EcoEGR. EGR unit (below
consumption for venting of the EGR-cooler) with no accumulation of dirt or
sludge
reactor and to get a better control of
the pressure equalisation between
the SCR reactor and exhaust
receiver in Tier II operation.
– Pipe size for differential pressure
transmitters has been increased to
avoid clogging of the pipes.
– Updated control of NOX sensors for
increased lifetime.

There is still a high interest in

installation of scrubbers for running on
high-sulphur fuels. But most owners
choose to install the low-sulphur
version of EGR or SCR and run on
compliant (low-sulphur) fuel in Tier III
areas, and use the scrubber for running
on high-sulphur fuel in Tier II areas.
Scrubbers are installed in all shipping Fig. 46: ME-GI with EcoEGR. Scavenge air
segments, however, the largest receiver coloured by a thin layer of oil and dirt.

segments are cruise ships, RoRo, bulk

carriers, and container vessels. The
number of scrubber ships in service by
2023 is more than 5,000 (retrofits
around 67%, newbuildings 33%).
 29

Service experience with ECS

Engine control system

The ME-ECS engine control software is

undergoing constant improvements
and updates to meet market demands
and improve engine performance.

One of the most fruitful improvements

has been the adaptive cylinder control
(ACCo). ACCo is an improvement of the
well-known Autotuning system that has
been the standard in ME-ECS for many
years. With ACCo, the automatic
capabilities have greatly increased, and
the system is continuously monitoring
and adjusting cylinder pressures. This
is a great advantage compared to the
previous Autotuning system that would
only make automated adjustments to Autotuning
the mean values, but did not ensure a
correctly balanced engine
performance. The service experience
with ACCo is solid and shows that
engines with ACCo are adjusted to
optimal performance at all times.
ACCo is default on selected engine
types and it is available for all ME-C
engine types. We expect to have a
version ready for ME-B in the near
future.

The example in Fig. 47 compares a

change from gas running to diesel
running. The lower side shows that ECS
will quickly and without intervention
adjust cylinder pressures. In
comparison, the Autotuning system
needs user intervention to get the
balance in place, upper diagram.
ACCo

Fig. 47: Change from gas running to diesel running with Autotuning (top) and ACCo (bottom)
Case story ̶ ACCo solves liner
scuffing on 8G95ME-C9.5

From the early introduction, the G95 – lower second and third piston rings started to experience issues that were
engines experienced challenges with – improved alu-coating and cermet similar to the past, whereas the
the piston ring coating quality. The coating specifications. remaining G95 engines continued
issue led to liner scuffing cases, and successfully.
various design features were therefore The design changes successfully
introduced to improve the general improved the cylinder condition for the Initially, the investigation led to the
cylinder condition and increase the G95 engine type. introduction of already proven features,
margin against scuffing. The innovative such as using 40-BN cylinder oils and
new features incorporated, among However, after the 2020 fuel switchover modifying older engines to feature one
others: from high-sulphur to compliant 0.5% high top-piston ring and two lower
– index rate limiter function sulphur fuels, a fleet of G95ME-C9.5 piston rings in the second and third ring
30 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

grooves. Improvements were seen, but Besides the hardening, steps have also ECS parameter updates in service
the results did not meet expectations. been taken to ensure that only To ensure that the ECS is easily
approved service engineers from MAN maintained with the latest parameters,
Further studies of the scuffing incidents Energy Solutions have access to a software tool has been created that
and how the crew operated the engine, modify engine control parameters and allows parameter corrections to be sent
showed an indicative correlation make changes to the control system. to vessels in service. This parameter
between the use of CE index limiters A “locking” system has been update tool – referred to as PUT – has
and the scuffing incidents. It is believed introduced, and a unique password is been a huge success. Before, even a
to result in thermal instability and needed to unlock an EC-MOP. The simple correction to the ECS would
changes in deformation of the hot password is generated by the MOP, but normally require attendance by a skilled
components. before it can be used, it must be service engineer, it is now possible for
decrypted. The decryption can only be the crew to install this in a safe and
To counteract the fluctuations and done via a server at MAN Energy reliable way. The tool includes a
thermal changes, all vessels were Solutions which will only allow selected roll-back feature that will allow the crew
upgraded to the latest versions of ECS service engineers to have a password to revert the update if it has an
and ACCo. The crew were instructed to decrypted. unexpected influence on the engine.
stop using index limitation and run the This is only used on rare occasions, but
engines in torque mode in opposition to With this setup, it is possible to is a huge advantage because the crew
the owner’s practice of operating in a constantly control who has access to is willing to install an update if they are
fixed power mode. unlock EC-MOP computers, and any sure that they can revert to the original
password decryption will be logged. To setting.
This was implemented while the ease the process, the encrypted
vessels were in port in Singapore and password is presented as a QR code The PUT will work on all electronically
with the support of engineers from on the MOP, see Fig. 48. Service controlled MAN B&W two stroke
MAN Energy Solutions, and all vessels engineers can easily access the MOP engines. On newer ME-ECS software
were upgraded in the period between by scanning the code to receive a versions, the installation is handled
September and December 2022. A password from the server directly in the MOP GUI like all normal
remarkable improvement was automatically. interactions with the MOP, see Fig. 49.
immediately noticed by the crews. At
the time of writing (end of March 2023),
only a single relevant case of liner
seizure has been reported, just as the
upgrades were finalised at the
beginning of December 2022. This
makes it the longest period without
incidents since the start of 2020. We
therefore trust that the issue has indeed
been mitigated, and that the superior
effect of ACCo has been proved.

Cybersecurity
MAN Energy Solutions has introduced
improvements to meet the raising
concern for cybersecurity. The MOP
computers now have a hardening
based on application whitelisting. This
means that the MOP computers will
only allow applications to be executed
if they are approved by MAN Energy
Solutions. This greatly diminishes the
risk of a ransomware attack or other
malware infection. Any software that
needs to run on either the energy
management system (EMS) on the
EMS-MOP, or the engine control
system (ECS) MOP (the EC-MOP) must
have a unique MAN Energy Solutions
signature. Fig. 48: QR code for EC-MOP unlock
 31

old multi-purpose controllers (MPC)

system and the new Triton system.

Service experience with Triton has

been very good. The main obstacle to
the success has been the semiconduc-
tor shortage that has resulted in a
delayed introduction of the hardware
and forced the use of MPC on engines
that were originally designed with
Triton. The hardware itself has proven
extremely reliable, the chassis and
modules are robust and reliable and
have proven the same low claim rates
as the well-known MPC controllers,
well below 0.5%.

The issues observed and addressed

are mainly related to the network and
software. Many engines have
experienced false alarms, which
Fig. 49: MOP GUI for PUT indicate that network telegrams have
not been received as expected. Such
false alarms cause gas stoppage on
dual-fuel engines and have been the
main issue for all dual-fuel engines with
Triton, see Fig. 51.

An investigation of software and

electric network connections revealed
a number of issues.

The most important issue was related

to task handling in the software. A
phenomenon known as ”priority
inversion” meant that a time-critical
task in the software was held back by
a lower priority task because of a
shared resource. The problem was
found, and corrected on the SCSU. In
2022, several software releases were
Fig. 50: Triton hardware Fig. 51: Missing telegram alarms causing gas introduced with improvements and
shutdown on dual-fuel engines additional software instrumentation to
locate and troubleshoot this issue.
In parallel with the software
On older ME-ECS versions, PUT is corrections. Something that would investigations, the control network
executed in a stand-alone application. otherwise require travelling, to attend a components were also thoroughly
vessel. investigated, and corrections
The ability to create corrections using implemented. The control network on
PUT was recently opened to the Triton – the new ECS hardware Triton is Ethernet-based using the IEEE
licensees. This allows for an even platform 1588 Precision Time Protocol to ensure
smoother follow-up on parameter The new hardware platform, see Fig. that time-critical information, such as
settings as licensees will easily be able 50, has seen the light of day and is in on the fuel injection, is controlled with
to ensure that corrections are always use on +100 engines in service. The high accuracy.
updated on all engines in a series. PUT first engines with Triton began service
enables MAN Energy Solutions and testing in early 2020. The vessels have It was identified that the network
licensees to react fast to events that operated on Triton since then, even installations were not always made
can be handled by ME-ECS parameter though they were built with both the according to the specification that was
32 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

required to ensure the electrical

robustness of the network. Since the
high-speed cable work was new to
electricians, many installations were
made with unshielded cable loops, see
Fig. 52.

Also, cables from one manufacturer

proved not to deliver the expected
performance, and the usage was
therefore stopped temporarily.

Substantial changes to the alarm

system interface with Triton
The modular design gave the ability to
have more input channels in the Triton
system compared to the MPC. It means
that many signals previously monitored Fig. 52: Installation mistake – unshielded cable loops
by the alarm and monitoring system
(AMS) are now handled directly in the
ECS through input channels on the
Triton controllers. This is a major in running conditions that could call for Furthermore, it is now possible to set
improvement because the ECS will now reduced cylinder pressure or increased up more intelligent alarm limits for
be able to act directly on these signals. cylinder lubrication. these signals, and the limits and rules
The ECS can instantly react to changes can be updated together with the ECS.

Fig. 53: New MOP GUIs on Triton-controlled engine

 33

This is a challenging task on the MPC,

because the alarm limits must be
described to all AMS makers, who must
then implement the rules.

Consequently, the rules are difficult to

change and cannot be differentiated for
the engines in the engine programme.

Great effort has gone into making

graphical representations to illustrate
where signals are measured on the
engine, see Fig. 53.

Communicating and understanding this

new setup has proven difficult.
Situations have been observed where
both AMS and ECS have alarms on the
same measured value. This is not
intended, and any such installation
should be corrected. The alarms in the
AMS are in these cases based on the
non-redundant MODBUS interface,
which means that a single failure may
cause many alarms to be raised by
mistake. The MODBUS interface is
intended to be used by the AMS to
make a visualisation of the values.

The Triton control hardware has proven

to possess the expandability that was
desired with the modular design. This
has also been proven in connection
with the introduction of the ME-GA
engine. A Triton module has been
designed to drive the micro booster
injection valve (MBIV). The 1770
versatile fast injection driver (VFID)
module will deliver accurate control of
the high voltage and current needed to
drive the injection of pilot oil for the
Otto process of the ME-GA engine. A
similar task was done by the CRISD
amplifier for the common rail design,
but in this application as an external
unit.
34 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Remote access to engines

Online Datgat

A new digital solution has been

released for all MAN B&W engines. The
Online Datgat offers remote access to
all engine data from the Datgat tool.

Historically, the only way to access

events, alarms, parameters, line
recorder files, etc., was either by asking
the vessel to ship the data or by visiting
the vessel with a USB stick, see Fig. 54.

We are now introducing a new

development where an internet
connection enables access to the
Datgat data via the MAN CEON cloud.

We have built an API that can be

controlled remotely via a secure
connection. It is possible to check what
data is on the asset, order a new
Datgat file, and download it over the Fig. 54: Current solution on vessels
internet.

Access to Online Datgat data is

provided via a web service on the MAN
CEON platform, see Fig. 55. The
platform can display which engines are MYA / CEON
online, a Datgat start can be ordered, MANCronus
and the result can be downloaded.
Ceon-UI vATU EMS
Prerequisites for Online Datgat:
– internet cable to engine firewall S3

(DUN 17.2018)
– EMS MOP HW Cronus 1S/2
REST-API:
(DUN 05.2020) Action: Start collect datgat_start-collect
– engine connected to CEON
(DUN 36.2020)
successful
– EMS software release 2203-5 or Start collect was successful

newer (DUN 27.2022)

Check state of
– signed data sharing agreement with collector and the artifact
in Content-Listing
owner.

REST-API:
Action: Upload file outbox_file

ZIP archieve

Upload ZIP ZIP archieve successfully uploaded

archieve to S3*
(encrypted)

Fig. 55: Working principle of Online Datgat

 35

Engine observation storage

Good management of the wear parts is based on recommendations from MAN The app can be extended with analysis
key for a well-running MAN B&W Energy Solutions and gives a simple and recommendations as well as
engine. For MAN Energy Solutions, it is overview of the engine condition based prediction of remaining running hours
also key to get data feedback on the on the data submitted. On the free based on data. Such extensions come
lifetime of the same components to default version, the recommendations at a cost for the shipowner.
ensure that we can continuously are based on running hours only.
improve the quality.

The most important data source for

keeping track of the component status
is the wear measurements and visual
observations made by the crew during
operation and overhaul.
Service engineer
has a Windows app
Engine observation storage (EOS) is a
with an offline function
platform that provides a solution for
collecting data systematically and use
it to the benefit of both the engine
owner, engine maker, and designer.
Fig. 56 illustrates the input options.
EOS database
Service engineers have a version that
does not require an internet connec- Chief engineer can report directly at
tion, and they must still bring data with the engine
them in the field.

Engine owners have two solutions for

sharing data, an EOS app on the new
app server concept, or a simpler
Option to report by
solution where the shipowner submits
sending results via
our templates by e-mail. Fig. 57 shows email service
a mock-up of the EOS app.
Fig. 56: Principle drawing of input options
Both the app and the e-mail solution
will provide feedback to the owner on
the current state assessment of the
components based on the reported
observations. The app will be directly in
the program, whereas in the e-mail
solution, a report file with submitted
data is returned to the mailbox.

Data observation templates supported:

– scavenge port inspection
– exhaust valve
– piston crown
– piston rings
– drain oil
– liner.

EOS on app server

The EOS for the app server is built to
support the chief engineer and the
crew in their maintenance work. The
app reminds them if a report is overdue Fig. 57: Mock-up for EOS app version 1
36 MAN Energy Solutions
Service experience

Conclusion

In this paper, we have presented relevant

service experience for all MAN B&W
two-stroke engines. This goes for both
single-fuel engines and the various
versions of dual-fuel gas engines.

As the fleet of dual-fuel engines will

expand significantly in the coming years
to assist the maritime energy transition
towards net-zero carbon emissions, we
will definitely gain more experience in the
near future, and implement more design
modifications to follow up on and ensure
the reliability of these engines.

Furthermore, to help push the maritime

energy transition, retrofitting of
single-fuel ME/ME-C engines will also be
carried out in the near future. The
experience from such retrofit projects
will increase the service feedback, and
make efficient updates possible.
MAN Energy Solutions
2450 Copenhagen SV, Denmark
P +45 33 85 11 00
F +45 33 85 10 30
[email protected]
www.man-es.com

All data provided in this document is non-binding.

This data serves informational purposes only and
is not guaranteed in any way. Depending on the
subsequent specific individual projects, the
relevant data may be subject to changes and will
be assessed and determined individually for each
project. This will depend on the particular
characteristics of each individual project,
especially specific site and operational conditions.

Copyright © MAN Energy Solutions.

5510-0275-00ppr Sep 2023. Printed in Denmark.