This is the second time I've come across information on big marine diesels while researching another topic. This time I'm going to record some of what I found because I think the big diesels are fascinating.
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| Screenshot from video |
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| Screenshot from making a Cat marine engine video |
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| Screenshot from video of making the world's most powerful Wartsila's web page for these engines |
I found these two videos on You Tube's sidebar for the above video. And of course there are several more videos on this topic.
Note in the bottom screenshot that the crankshaft is taller then the men on the platform.
And this video answered my question of how is a crankshaft made. The answer is that it is machined from a cylinder of steel that is as wide as the flywheel on the end. That is, a lot of metal is removed. I wonder when they will learn how to make these with 3D printing.
I'm also noting that most of these plants are in Europe. I wonder why.
Update:
I knew MAN made big diesel engines. I didn't know that they pioneered them with Rudolf Diesel.
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| Ub-88 posted Now that is an engine! This is a MAN diesel engine (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg). From 1893 to 1897 MAN worked with Rudolf Diesel to develop his combustion cycle and build the first diesel engines. The MAN design was an inline, two-stroke engine that used double-acting cylinders. Each of the closed cylinders had a combustion chamber at its top and bottom. MAN began constructing this beast in 1909. It’s a 12,000 hp (8,948 kW), six-cylinder diesel engine. Six of these engines would be needed to produce the 70,000 hp (52,199 kW) required for the latest German battleships. FOR MORE DETAILS: See Johannes Ritter comment below. Johannes Ritter: None of those were ever installed. It was intended for the middle propeller shaft of SMS Prinzregent Luitpold of the Kaiser Class. It was never installed so the Prinzregent was a two propeller ship instead of three and somewhat slower than her sisters, though this was compensated by bigger propellers. Paul Moore: Omg i've just noticed the men at the bottom of this engine.Huge ! [And there is one standing above them.] Friedrich Busch: The engine from the picture (2000hp/cylinder) was plagued by many problems mainly cracked castings and was eventually destroyed by a major fire on its test stand, causing some casualties. The project was stopped and not pursued during WW I. Molly Delaney: Exactly concurrent with changing from reciprocating steam to turbines, and coal to oil-fired. Those navies had a lot on their plates. Alan Richrod: Also, as per Rudolph Diesel's design, these engines originally ran on peanut oil. John M. Baxter: Very fine! MAN was the first licensee of the Diesel patents and Krupp Co. the second. Friedrich Alfred Krupp apparently signed the Diesel patents immediately uipon seeing the principle. Since the idea was to control the rate of energy release with gradual injection of fuel to smooth combustion, it likely reminded him of the smokeless Nobel powder they'd been manufacturing for years. as the gunpowder produced a slower, more controlled burn with not only made guns lighter, but actually accelerated the projectile to a higher velocity by reducing heat transfer to the gun barrel. [Some comments explained that the Fairbanks Morse Opposed Piston engine ran well in submarines because they had a constant load (charging batteries) and endless cooling. They did not run well in locomotives because "frequent throttle changes led to frequent temperature changes."] [There are a lot of other interesting comments on this post.] |
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| Dennis Crowley commented on the above post A sulzer 6 cylinder engine built in Melbourne Australia. I did my apprenticeship there. Photo taken in 1967 |
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| Willie Macleod Chree commented on the above post Today's MAN |
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| The History of Mechanics posted MAN Double-Acting Diesel Marine Engines. Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg (MAN) was involved with diesel engines since their inception. From 1893 to 1897, MAN* worked with Rudolf Diesel to develop his combustion cycle and build the first diesel engines. When Diesel’s engine first ran in 1894, it produced around 3 hp (2 kW) at 88 rpm. Just 15 years later, MAN was contracted to develop a diesel engine capable of 12,000 hp (8,948 kW) at 120 rpm. Details in the first comment. https://amazing.caphemoingay.com/man-double-acting-diesel-marine-engines/ Steve OConnor shared |
John W. Coke posted two photos with the comment:
The bigger the engine, the bigger the booboo. This gives new meaning to a "bent rod." It looks like it broke off part of the crankshaft as well.
Video of Caterpillar engine production in Lafayette, IN.
Warsila-Sulzer RTA96-C has a total of 107,389 horsepower and it provides power for some of the largest sea vessels on the planet. It features a two-stroke turbo that runs on heavy fuel and is a total of 89 ft. long and 44 ft. wide.
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| Jason Jordon shared |
Video of Caterpillar engine production in Lafayette, IN.
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| EngineeersPost Website posted World's Largest Crankshaft Stevenr Logan: I remember my father maintaining V16 Enterprise diesels at my hometown powerplant, backups for steam turbines. They were almost 2 stories tall, turbo charged and were started by air during emergencies after about 30 minutes of initial oil pressure pumps and water cooling. Milo Austin: Stevenr Logan When I was stationed at DaNang, our squadron (intelligence) was considered so mission critical that we had our own power station, with its own backup, not on the base grid. We had a total of 3 generators, one running and 2 backup. They were not the V-16s, but the big in-line 9 cylinder engines I think, like used to be used for small city utilities. I forget the megawatt capacity, but they were bigger than any V-16s I have seen. They too, were air started. Had a huge air tank, maybe 5,000 gallon for starting. I believe they ran at around 600 or 900 RPM. You couldn't even hear yourself think next to them. Wayne Ramey: It's very interesting. I've worked for years in the reciprocating natural gas compressor industry. The largest compressor the company I work for is a 10,000hp. requirement. I believe it's married to a converted Wartsilla engine for the driver. Cobus Bones Meintjies: We once had a ship in port (Durban, South Africa)with a V10 Pielstick, Which had twisted the crank as well as the one big end picking up on the bearing, due to oil filter nuts that came loose and ended up in the oil port We (Dorbyl Marine) managed to get the crank back to its original angle, and a crew from a Swedish company built a grinding machine around the Big end journal, and ground it down to an acceptable finish. Oversize bearings (White metal shells) were manufactured in Germany, and sent to us, after which we reassembled the engine, did test runs and sea trials. The whole repair took just under 5 weeks to complete, and the party afterwards created a hangover that took just as long to get rid of. 🤣 Unfortunately, that level of ship repairs are no longer done in South Africa, which is a real shame, as we have done some daring and innovative repairs to many vessels, both in port, and out at sea. Tony Wilson: This could be a Cooper Bessemer Energy Engine. Manufactured in Grove City Pa. Stated building ship engines too compressor engines for oil fields and offshore oil rigs. Alaska pipe lines pump the oil we use every day and the Colonial Pipe Line down the East Cost. 6,8,10 up to 20 cylinder all with drive shafts, bodies, cylinders, flywheels all weighing tons. All where smelted, poured, chipped, machined, piped, welded, erected and tested. In Grove City up to the early 1990’s. Many of the nuclear reactors have 12 to 20 cylinder Diesel in natural gas engines. Used to power these plants, keeping the reactor cool, as a failsafe system. Yes built by my father-in-law, myself, and many others. All risked their health and lives creating these mechanical marvels. [And this is from just the first 50 comments. I skipped comments that talked about even bigger engines. There are over a thousand comments on this post.] |
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| The Marine buff posted The engines powering the world's largest ships are marvels of modern engineering, showcasing immense size, power, and efficiency. These engines can measure up to 44 feet in height and 87 feet in length, making them as tall as a four-story building and as long as a small apartment block. Weighing around 2,300 tons, the equivalent of approximately 1,000 medium-sized cars, these colossal engines are capable of producing over 107,000 horsepower. This immense power allows large container ships to maintain speeds of up to 25 knots (about 29 mph), ensuring timely global delivery of goods. Fuel consumption is equally staggering. At full operation, these engines can consume around 250 tons of heavy fuel oil (HFO) daily. Despite this high fuel usage, modern marine engines are designed for maximum efficiency, incorporating advanced electronic control systems to optimize fuel consumption and reduce harmful emissions. The sheer scale and efficiency of these engines highlight the extraordinary advancements in marine technology, enabling the transportation of vast quantities of goods across the world's oceans with remarkable reliability and speed. Alfred McClintock: looks like a 12 cyl 740 B & W, an older from the 1970s, it has the older push rod style to activate exhaust valves. Steve O'brien: Alfred McClintock yes it's an EF series engine. Pre mid 70's. Michael Douglas Foley: Alfred McClintock used to set that gap with engine at slow speed with a hacksaw blade on the run. Mike Hart: Michael Douglas Foley done that too....trying to hit the flogging spanner with a sledge hammer to tighten the lock nut, with the engine running, was always beyond me! Ofer Gatto: It remains, still today, that the biggest engine, in the Bore, is the GMT 1060S, designed maximum at 12 cylinders. Designed in Fiat Grandi Motori Turin, the two cylinders for testing, has been produced in GMT Trieste, starting from 1972. At that time, it was producing 4.000 HP per cylinder... Nicholas Grady: What’s that flywheel type thing on it? Siven Neb: Nicholas Grady Nicholas Grady That's the turning gear ring , the turning motor is just above it. This is engaged to slowly turn the engine for maintenance etc. Not for starting it! Starting is done by timed injection of compressed air into the cylinders. The turning ring gear can also include a detuner, which prevents unwanted vibrations at critical engine speeds. Brian Parkin: I worked for Sulzer in Leeds for a number of years. And reading its monthly technical bulletin, I was always taken aback by the seeming paradox of how its landlocked manufacturing base, Winteature, in Switzerland, produced the biggest engines for the world's biggest ships. |
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| Smart&mechanic posted The Most Powerful Diesel Engine in the world - Crankshaft |
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| The Marine Buff posted Crankshaft for a TI class supertanker's engine: it's a colossal piece of precision engineering, weighing over 150 tons, stretching over 15 meters in length, and forged from the toughest steel alloys. It's the powerhouse behind converting piston motion into the rotational force needed to propel these mammoth vessels across the seas. |
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| The History of Mechanics posted, cropped The crankshaft of the Sulzer RTA 96, the world's largest diesel engine, is a marvel of engineering. This colossal component, stretching over 14 meters in length, is forged from high-strength steel to withstand immense pressures and forces. Weighing approximately 300 tons, it comprises seven to fourteen crank throws, depending on the engine's configuration, each meticulously machined to precise tolerances. Details in the comment. The History of Mechanics: Details: https://amazing.caphemoingay.com/wartsila-sulzer-rta96-c/ |
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| The History of Mechanics posted This 80,080kW turbo diesel is the most powerful engine in the world. If you think 80,080kW is huge, wait until you see the torque figure. Meet the Wärtsilä RT-flex96C, the most powerful internal combustion engine ever made. Details in the first comment. The History of Mechanics: Details: https://amazing.caphemoingay.com/the-most-powerful.../ |
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| Tony Skilton commented on the above post Steve Heninger - photo coming out the workshop door is only a baby! The biggest is 109,000 hp at 103 rpm, weighs around 2,300 tonnes, and is 14-cylinders in line! There are a couple of blokes down there on the plates in white hard hats for size comparison. Engine is 25.5 CUBIC METRES DISPLACEMENT! |
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| Tony Skilton commented on the above post 2-stroke piston connects to the piston rod, which is connected to the cross head, which connects to the connecting rod, which connects to the crankshaft. There are a lot of dreamers on this thread who don't have any idea what they are talking about. I only spent 49 years in ship's engine rooms. |
I'm impressed by the size of the cranes needed to install them.
This is not a marine diesel, but these notes are essentially large diesel engines. And as the world's largest, this 1932 engine qualifies as large.
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| Sea screen posted The new LNG-powered engine has a maximum power of 58.270 kW at 76.5 revolutions per minute. This is about the power of more than 190 mid-size cars with 300 kW combined, Hapag-Lloyd said. |
This gives new meaning to "an inline six." There is more to that engine below the platform he is standing on.
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| Chef Lui posted |
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| Machine News posted Discover the Most Stable and Comprehensive Marine Diesel Engine Production Process https://recentzone.com/discover-the-most-stable-and-comprehensive-marine-diesel-engine-production-process-alva01/ |
This is not a marine diesel, but these notes are essentially large diesel engines. And as the world's largest, this 1932 engine qualifies as large.
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| safe_image for Largest Diesel Engine The World Stands 4 Stories Tall "The Danish built DM 884WS-150 is 80 feet wide and 40 feet tall." It has 8 cylinders and can generate 22,500 horse power (15,000KW). It is now a museum. I presume it used to generate electricity for a utility. "Although this engine still holds the record for size, she is not the most powerful diesel engine ever built. That distinction goes to the Finnish firm Wartsila, which has just completed a marine diesel engine to power the largest tanker ships in the world. The Wärtsilä14RT-flex96C is a 14 cylinder diesel engine which can generate a whopping 107,389 horse power!" It has the 5:04 video. |
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| 15:22 video @ 1:19 |
amazing
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