RT-flex50 Operation 2751–1/A1

Exhaust Valve

1. General

The exhaust valve is screw fastened in the centre of cylinder cover 22. The ex-
haust valve generally consists of the following parts: Upper housing 3 and lower
housing 2, valve cage 1, valve spindle 6, valve seat 21 and air spring ’LF’.
The stroke sensor 19 monitors and transmits the positions OPEN and CLOSED of
the valve spindle 6 to the WECS–9520 engine control system (see Fig. ’B’).
For safety reasons disc springs 16 are provided as a damping element to prevent
the exhaust valve from being damaged, if the balance of valve opening and the air
spring force are disturbed.

2. Function

Opening:
Controlled by the piston in the exhaust valve control unit, hydraulic oil ’HO’ is
pressed through the connection 14 into the upper housing 3, moving the step pis-
ton downwards. The valve spindle 6, with air spring piston 10 fastened to it, is also
pushed downwards against the pressure in the air spring ’LF’. The exhaust valve
opens. The exhaust gas outflow hits rotation wings 17, thereby rotating the valve
spindle.

Closing:
When the hydraulic oil pressure from the exhaust valve control unit diminishes (i.e.
the corresponding relief passages have been opened by the control rod in the ex-
haust valve control unit) valve spindle 6 is pressed upwards by the pressure in the
air spring ’LF’ acting on the air spring piston. The exhaust valve closes. The hy-
draulic oil in the upper housing 3 is pressed back to the exhaust valve control unit.

2.1 Venting of hydraulic system (see Fig. ’B’ and ’C’)

Through the vent screw 15 hydraulic oil and any air present in the system is contin-
uously drained into the leakage oil drain ’LO’ via bores in the housing 3, outside
and inside pistons (items 4, 5) and leakage oil collecting space ’LS’. This oil loss is
continuously made up to the hydraulic system by the oil which is led to the exhaust
valve control unit (internal bores).

2.2 Air supply to air spring (see Fig. ’D’)

Compressed air enters the air spring ’LF’ through connection ’LE’ and inlet bore
’EB’. When the exhaust valve opens, air spring piston 10 is pushed downwards
compressing the air in the air spring housing. Some air flows back into connection
’LE’ through inlet bore ’EB’. After the exhaust valve closes, the air spring space ’LF’
fills up again.

Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd 1/ 4 2005

2751–1/A1 Operation RT-flex50

Exhaust Valve

3. Lubrication (see Fig. ’B’ to ’D’)

Leak oil from step piston is used to lubricate the air spring piston 10. Surplus oil in
space ’LS’ is drained into leakage oil drain ’LO’. While the exhaust valve closes oil
enters the air spring ’LF’ via the air spring piston. Part of the accumulated oil is
atomized in the inlet bore ’EB’ by the in-flowing air. This oil mist lubricates the up-
per part of the valve spindle.
Excess oil is pressed out of air spring ’LF’ when the exhaust valve opens, and is led
to an accumulator via the air spring pipe. From time to time the contents of the
accumulator are automatically drained back to the crankcase via the leakage oil
collecting pipe of the exhaust valves.
The other part of the accumulated oil serves to lubricate valve spindle 6 in guide
bush 7 via annular space ’RR’ and throttle screw 20.

A I

II
III

IV IV

III

II
22

012.739/05

I
FUEL SIDE

2005 2/ 4 Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd

 RT-flex50 Operation 2751–1/A1

Exhaust Valve

B I-I

11

15
HO
4 V-V
12
5
14 8

13
LS 2 19

10
LF
012.741/05
6
16
9

1
17

21

22

012.740/05

Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd 3/ 4 2005

2751–1/A1 Operation RT-flex50

Exhaust Valve

C D
II - II III - III

LS

2
2
LO
RR

20
1
7
012.742/05
LF

EB 18
LE

Key to Illustrations: ’A’ Arrangement in cylinder cover

’B’ Exhaust valve
’C’ Leakage oil drain and air inlet to air spring
’D’ Oil supply to valve guide
1 Valve cage 16 Disc spring
2 Lower housing 17 Rotation wing
3 Upper housing 18 Non-return valve
4 Outside piston 19 Valve stroke sensor
Step piston
5 Inside piston 20 Throttle screw
6 Valve spindle 21 Valve seat
7 Guide bush 22 Cylinder cover
8 Piston guide
9 Distance ring EB Inlet bore to air spring
10 Air spring piston HO Hydraulic oil (high pressure)
11 Damper LE Air inlet to air spring
12 Thrust piece LF Air spring
13 Measuring cone LO Leakage oil drain
14 Hydraulic oil connection LS Leakage oil collecting space
15 Vent screw RR Annular space

2005 4/ 4 Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd