The different sulphur levels as such have only a small impact on the choice of engine, as today’s WinGD designed marine two-stroke engines can burn any kind of diesel fuel without restrictions (considering the adapted fuel treatment and cylinder lubrication).
WinGD engines perform well with the current range of fuels, from zero sulphur LNG to 3.5% sulphur heavy fuels. Our well proven piston running concept is compatible with 2020 compliant fuels without the need for component updates.
Our guidelines identify the correct lubricant to use for optimal engine performance.
For WinGD X-engines or X-DF engines operated in diesel mode, the following options are applicable to meet IMO SOx regulations:
LNG Fuel
The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) would eliminate the need for additional emissions reducing technology and minimise the concerns around fuels and incompatibility.
Resulting in no sulphur emissions, LNG is a promising alternative fuel to meeting global sulphur cap requirements.
WinGD’s X-DF engine portfolio is the right choice for the use of LNG as fuel in order to comply with the SOx and NOx regulations.
Low Sulphur Destillate Fuels (MGO) or Low Sulphur Residual Fuels* (HFO)
WinGD has specifically designed engines to operate on fuels with all available marine fuel sulphur contents. With suitable adjustments related to fuel viscosity and revisions to operational aspects such as fuel handling, conditioning and storage, WinGD engine types including the RL, RTA, RT-flex, and X-series will operate on the proposed low sulphur fuels.
Further information and recommendations regarding fuels can be found in the Validated Fuel Types documentation.
When using low sulphur fuels, the relevant recommendations regarding cylinder lubrication as outlined in Service Bulletin RT-161 Issue 2 or the Lubricant section have to be observed.
* Various marine fuel suppliers have developed low sulphur fuel oils which are specially designed to help marine operators comply with sulphur limits. These new fuel oils contain low sulphur, like MGO, but have a higher flash point and higher viscosity similar to HFO and require preheating.
Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems for SOx
Scrubbers are a cleaning systems to remove sulphur from the exhaust, permitting ships to use high sulphur fuel oils in ECAs. Scrubbers are also known as ship exhaust gas cleaning systems although they only remove SOx emissions from exhaust gas.
Treatment approaches include the use of sea water, chemically treated fresh water or dry substances.
Scrubber are typically installed downstream of the economizer as an independent exhaust gas cleaning solution. No special interface to the main engine is needed as scrubber supplier normally retrieve the necessary information from ship automation system. For details the foreseen scrubber maker must be consulted.
Further information about scrubber technology and scrubber supplier can be found on the homepage of the EGSA (Exhaust Gas Cleaning System Association).