INTRODUCTION

By turbocharging an engine, the following advantages are obtained:

 Increased power for an engine of the same size OR reduction in size for an
engine with the same power output.
 Reduced specific fuel oil consumption - mechanical, thermal and scavenge
efficiencies are improved due to less cylinders, greater air supply and use of
exhaust gasses.
 Thermal loading is reduced due to shorter more efficient burning period for the
fuel leading to less exacting cylinder conditions.

 
The turbocharger
consists of a
single stage
impulse turbine
connected to a
centrifugal
impeller via a
shaft.

The turbine is
driven by the
engine exhaust
gas, which enters
via the gas inlet
casing. The gas
expands through
a nozzle ring
where the
pressure energy
of the gas is
converted to
kinetic energy.
This high
velocity gas is
directed onto the
turbine blades
where it drives
the turbine
wheel, and thus
the compressor
at high speeds
(10 -15000 rpm).
The exhaust gas
then passes
through the
outlet casing to
the exhaust
uptakes.

On the air side

air is drawn in
through  filters,
and enters the
compressor
wheel  axially
 where it is
accelerated to
high velocity.
The air exits the
impeller radially
and passes
through a
diffuser, where
some of the
kinetic energy
gets converted to
pressure energy.
The air passes to
the volute casing
where a further
energy
conversion takes
place. The air is
cooled before
passing to the
engine inlet
manifold or
scavenge air
receiver.

The nozzle ring is where the energy in the exhaust gas is converted into
kinetic energy. It is fabricated from a creep resistant chromium nickel alloy,
heat resisting moly-chrome nickel steel or a nimonic alloy which will
withstand the high temperatures and be resistant to corrosion.

 
Turbine blades are usually a nickel chrome alloy  or
a nimonic material (a nickel alloy containing
chrome, titanium, aluminium, molybdenum and
tungsten) which has good resistance to creep, fatigue
and corrosion. Manufactured using the investment
casting process. Blade roots are of fir tree shape
which give positive fixing and minimum stress
concentration at the conjunction of root and blade.
The root is usually a slack fit to allow for differential
expansion of the rotor and blade and to assist
damping vibration.  On small turbochargers and the
latest designs of modern turbochargers the blades are
a tight fit in the wheel. 

Lacing wire is used to dampen vibration, which can be

a problem. The wire passes through holes in the blades
and damps the vibration due to friction between the
wire and blade. It is not fixed to each individual blade.
The wire can pass through all the blades, crimped
between individual blades to keep it located, or it can
be fitted in shorter sections, fixed at one end,  joining
groups of about six blades. A problem with  lacing
wire is that it can be damaged by foreign matter, it can
be subject to corrosion, and can accelerate fouling by
products of combustion when burning residual fuels.
Failure of blading due to cracks emanating from lacing
wire holes can also be a problem. All the above can
cause imbalance of the rotor.

The turbine casing is of cast iron. Some casings are water cooled which complicates
the casting. Water cooled casings are necessary for turbochargers with ball and roller
bearings with their own integral LO supply (to keep the LO cool). Modern
turbochargers with externally lubricated journal bearings have uncooled casings.
This leads to greater overall efficiency as less heat energy is rejected to cooling
water and is available for the exhaust gas boiler.
The compressor impeller is of aluminium alloy or the more
expensive titanium. Manufactured from a single casting it is
located on the rotor shaft by splines. Aluminium impellers have
a limited life, due to creep, which is dictated by the final air
temperature. Often the temperature of air leaving the impeller
can be as high as 200°C. The life of the impeller under these
circumstances may be limited to about 70000 hours. To extend
the life, air temperatures must be reduced. One way of
achieving this is to draw the air from outside where the ambient
air temperature is below that of the engine room. Efficient
filtration and separation to remove water droplets is essential
and the impeller will have to be coated to prevent corrosion
accelerated by the possible presence of salt water.

The air casing is also of aluminium alloy and is in two parts.

Bearings are either of the ball or roller type or plain white metal journals. The ball
and roller bearings are mounted in resilient mountings incorporating spring damping
to prevent damage due to vibration. These bearings have their own integral oil
pumps and oil supply, and have a limited life (8000 hrs). Plain journal bearings are
lubricated from the main engine oil supply or from a separate system incorporating
drain tank, cooler and pumps. Oil is supplied in sufficient quantity to cool as well as
lubricate. The system may incorporate a header tank arrangement to supply oil to the
bearings whilst the turbocharger comes to rest should the oil supply fail. A thrust
arrangement is required to locate and hold the rotor axially in the casing. In normal
operation the thrust is towards the compressor end.

Labyrinth seals or glands are fitted to the shaft and

casing to prevent the leakage of exhaust gas into the
turbine end bearing, or to prevent oil being drawn into
the compressor. To assist in the sealing effect, air from
the compressor volute casing is led into a space within
the gland. A vent to atmosphere at the end of the
labyrinth gives a guide to the efficiency of the turbine
end gland. Discoloring of the oil on a rotor fitted with
a roller bearing will also indicate a failure in the
turbine end gland.

A labyrinth arrangement is also fitted to the back of

the compressor impeller to restrict the leakage of air to
the gas side
INTRODUCTION

The two main different methods of turbocharging are described below. These are the
Pulse and the Constant Pressure system.

Although a general rule nowadays is that two stroke slow speed crosshead engines
utilise the constant pressure system and that medium speed four stroke trunk piston
engines utilise the pulse system, this is not strictly true. Older 2 stroke engines used
the pulse system, and some larger 4 stroke engines use the constant pressure system.
 ABOVE: Pulse Turbocharged 2 stroke (B&W) Engine. These photographs were taken of a scale model in
The DieselHouse Museum Copenhagen

Constant Pressure Turbocharged MAN B&W Medium Speed 4 Stroke Engine (with wastegates)

THE PULSE SYSTEM

 The pulse system utilises the kinetic energy and
heat energy in the exhaust gas when the exhaust
valve opens to drive the turbocharger. The exhaust
system is "tuned"; the pipes are of small diameter,
bends smoothly radiused to maintain exhaust gas
pressure and to avoid energy loss within the system.
The exhaust valve may be timed to open slightly
earlier to increase the energy in the exhaust gas
pulse. To prevent exhaust gas pulses interfering
with each other, groups of two or three cylinders are
connected separately to sections of the turbocharger
nozzles. More than one turbocharger may be fitted:
for instance a 12 cylinder engine may have
cylinders 1-6 supplying one turbocharger, the
nozzle inlets arranged in groups of three cylinders,
while cylinders 7-12 supply a second turbocharger
with a similar arrangement.

The pulse system is very responsive to engine load

changes, and because of this are ideally suited for
engines used for electrical generators. Unlike the
constant pressure system they do not need an
auxiliary blower, although air assisted starting may
be utilised to prevent the puff of smoke on starting
the engine.

THE CONSTANT PRESSURE SYSTEM

In the constant pressure system the exhaust gas from
all the cylinders is discharged into a common manifold
of large diameter and volume; a simpler arrangement
thn the pulse system. The pressure in the exhaust
manifold is reduced below that of the scavenge
pressure and is maintained at a steady pressure for any
given engine load; this leads to greater efficiency at
higher loads. Because there is no need to supply a 
pulse of exhaust gas to the turbocharger, the exhaust
valve can be timed to open later in the engine cycle,
resulting in a longer power stroke.

Constant pressure systems do not react as quickly to

load changes and are inefficient at low loads. Because
of this, an auxiliary electrically driven blower is used
to supply the air for low load conditions.

On large engines two, three or even four turbochargers

may be connected to the constant pressure manifold to
supply sufficient air to the engine. These may be
arranged to operate sequentially at low load conditions
to improve overall efficiency.

THE PULSE CONVERTER

On medium speed engines the pulse system is normally used, the main advantage
being the rapid response to load changes, but at the sacrifice at less efficient
operation.. A number of manufacturers have studied the constant pressure system,
but found that there was an increased thermal loading of the cylinders due to the
systems poor response to load changes. A compromise has been reached by using
pulse converters. The pulse converter partly converts the kinetic energy into pressure
energy, but still retains the slug or pulse of energy entering the turbocharger. Pulse
converters also have another advantage in that it enables the exhaust piping system
to be made simpler, and avoid the multi-entry turbocharger casings
INTRODUCTION

The radial flow (sometimes referred to as a mixed flow) turbocharger is fitted to

smaller engines. Manufactured for outputs of up to 4700kW per turbocharger, the
size is limited by manufacturing techniques and materials. The radial turbocharger is
more efficient (84%) than the axial turbocharger in these smaller sizes. It can
operate with pressure ratios of  4.5 - 5. Other advantages include compact
lightweight design, reliability, long service intervals and easy maintenance.

Modern materials allow the use of HFO up to 720cSt. Earlier design of radial flow
turbines could only be used with MDO.   Can be used with exhaust gas temperatures
of up to 720°C

The turbine and nozzle ring is similar in appearance to the compressor and diffuser,
but of course the flow is in the opposite direction.
 
 The nozzles work in a similar way to conventional axial flow turbine
nozzles; i.e. pressure energy is converted into kinetic energy  and the
gas is directed onto the turbine wheel. As the gas passes through the
turbine wheel, it changes direction, and this change of direction
produces an impulsive force which turns the wheel. The nozzle ring can
be replaced without having to dismantle the turbine outlet casing and
exhaust gas pipe.
 
The single piece turbine wheel is of an investment cast nickel alloy
(highly wear resistant) friction welded to the hardened steel shaft.

 
The uncooled casing of nodular cast iron aids the simplicity of the design, reduces
the mass, and the risk of corrosion due to water washing.
 
The Compressor wheel is milled from high tensile aluminium alloy.
 
The rotor is supported in inboard plain bearings with the thrust being taken at the
compressor end, and expansion allowed for at the turbine end. This gives a short
strong rotor of high rigidity and low mass. It also allows undisturbed admission of
air and exit of gas, and easy access to turbine and compressor wheels. Bearing life
25000hrs+
 
Lubrication is from the main engine LO system. - no separate pump, cooler and
filter required. or from a dedicated turbocharger lubrication system
 
 Labyrinth glands (MAN B&W NR/S) or
piston ring sealing (ABB TPS) prevent
leakage of air and exhaust gas into the
bearing casing,

 
 
VARIABLE NOZZLE RING GEOMETRY
 

 
The radial turbocharger lends itself to variable nozzle ring geometry for more
efficient operation. In the type shown above, two nozzle rings are used one for part
load, the other for full load operation. Air pressure in a radial cylinder pushes the
nozzle ring from one position to the other.
 

In this experimental type the individual nozzle blades are

moved by a ring gear to the appropriate angle for the load.
The advantage her is that the angle of the nozzles is
infinitely variable.

 
SURGING

Surging of the turbocharger is also known as coughing, snorting, barking and

howling. When heard for the first time, it can be quite frightening, especially on a
large blower. It happens when for one reason or another, the engine cannot use the
air at the rate it is being delivered, or if the pressure differential between suction and
discharge is too high. The pressure of the air drops in the diffuser, and then the air
surges back through the compressor wheel. Repeated surging can cause damage to
the bearings, turbine blades, compressor wheel and silencer filter.

In normal operation, air is discharged from the compressor

wheel with a velocity of ‘a’. This is combined with the rotary
velocity ‘b’, giving a resultant velocity and direction ‘c’

The diffuser vanes are matched to this air direction, and so the
air enters the diffuser with a velocity ‘d’ which is approximately
equal to ‘c’

The area increases through the diffuser, and so the velocity

decreases to ‘e’, and the energy is converted from kinetic energy
into pressure energy.
If there is now a restriction in the air flow in the system, ‘a’ will
be reduced. Because the rotary velocity ‘b’ remains the same,
the direction of resultant ‘c’, and therefore ‘d’ will change, and
not be matched to the diffuser.

Because of the resulting turbulence in the diffuser caused by

this, the effective area through the diffuser will not increase and
thus ‘e’ will remain the same as ‘d’; i.e. no conversion of kinetic
into pressure energy.
At a certain point, the pressure built up in the air manifold will
blow back through the compressor, causing the surge in turbo
charger revolutions, the noise and vibration.

The system will now stabilise itself, pressure will be built up

again, and if the condition causing the surge is still present, the
cycle will repeat itself.
 Depending on the degree of restriction, the frequency can be
anything from a few seconds to a number of minutes.

Causes of Turbocharger Surging

 Dirty air filter.

 Dirty air cooler (on air side)
 Scavenge ports choked with carbon
 Scavenge air temp after air cooler too high
 Turbine side of turbocharger dirty
 Back pressure in exhaust system too high
 Sudden changes in engine load (heavy weather)
 One or more units not operating properly (fuel injection, exhaust valve)
 Any changes to engine /TC matching parameters ( emergency running with
one unit out of service for example).

If repeated surging occurs, reduce the load on the engine, open scavenge dump valve
or open turbocharger wastegate (if fitted)

MATCHING OF THE TURBOCHARGER TO THE ENGINE

The lines of constant speed in the diagram

opposite show that if the air flow increases,
the pressure rises and then falls. If a line is
drawn through the peak pressures, a surge
line is produced. If the air flow is reduced for
a particular compressor speed so that the air
flow is at the left of the surge line, then there
is a reduction in pressure. Once the delivered
pressure falls below that in the inlet or
scavenge manifold, then flow reversal will
occur and surging takes place.

The engine operating line is placed far enough to the left of the surge line so that in
the event of a change in engine operating conditions under normal operation, surging
will not take place. For instance, at higher ambient temperatures, the density of air is
reduced, and the mass flow for a given volume is less. Because there are fluctuations
in manifold pressure and turbocharger RPM, the full load point is not fixed, but is
within the shaded area as shown.

Broadly speaking, the further the operating line is from the surge line, the lower the
efficiency of the turbocharger.

The turbocharger may be matched

to the engine to produce full
output at 85% full load. This is so
that higher pressures can be
obtained at low powers, increasing
engine efficiency and reducing
thermal loadings. This means that
over 85% load, the engine is
producing more exhaust gas than
is needed for optimum running..
To overcome this an exhaust
waste gate is fitted on the system,
and some of the exhaust gas
bypasses the turbocharger, its
energy being utilised in the
exhaust gas economiser.

A  charge air waste gate may be

fitted to dump excess air when
necessary, and a charge air bypass
may be fitted to engines running
under variable load. This puts air
into the exhaust gas side and helps
avoid surging when the engine is
running at lower loads.
Waste Gates on an MAN B&W V48-60 Medium Speed Engine
INTRODUCTION

The procedure to be taken should a turbocharger fail will depend on whether the
turbocharger is pulse or constant pressure, and on whether it is a single unit, or one
of a number in a multi unit installation.

FAILURE

The reasons for failure are numerous; cracked casing, bearing failure, excessive
vibration, damage to nozzle ring, turbine blading or compressor wheel etc. In any of
these circumstances it may not be possible to effect an immediate repair, and the
turbocharger may have to be taken out of service for a period of time.

Four stroke engine fitted with pulse turbocharger(s).

Blanking casing on ABB VTR

Because of the complexity of the exhaust arrangement, the rotor is removed and a
blanking plate is fitted as shown. This will allow the exhaust gas to pass through the
casing and through to the uptake. If the casing is water cooled, maintain cooling
unless the casing has been badly cracked.

If it is an engine fitted with a single turbocharger, then the engine must be operated
as a naturally aspirated engine. If the air filter and compressor casing have been
removed, then fit some filter material over the inlet to the air cooler. (cooling shut
off). If inspection doors are removed from the inlet manifold then place filter cloth
over those as well. If possible pressurize the engine room using vent fans. The
engine will only be operable at low load conditions, the limits of which will be
determined by exhaust temperatures and combustion.

If the turbocharger is one of a multiple installation, where the air discharge is into a
common manifold, then after blanking off the gas casing as described above, the air
inlet to the air cooler  is also blanked off, and the engine run at reduced load with the
air supplied by the remaining turbochargers.

Two stroke crosshead engine fitted with constant pressure turbocharger(s).

 If the engine is fitted with one constant
pressure turbocharger, then either the rotor
can be removed in a similar manner to that
above, or as shown left, and the exhaust
gas routed through the blanked off casing.
Alternatively the rotor can be locked in
position, the gas inlet and outlet blanked
off, whilst the exhaust gas is routed
through an emergency bypass pipe. (blank
flanges may have to be removed and the
pipe fitted). To lock the rotor on an ABB
VTR type turbocharger with external
bearings, the exhaust end bearing is
removed, and the locking plate fitted. On
the ABB TPL turbocharger, the intake
filter or air suction branch is removed
along with the internal compressor casing
and the rotor is locked as shown below.

Blanking Casing on ABB TPL

 Locking Rotor on ABB TPL turbocharger

On MAN-B&W engines to improve the air flow to the auxiliary blower, the
expansion compensating piece (bellows) between compressor outlet and air cooler
inlet may have to be removed.  On Sulzer RTA engines, the doors on the scavenge
space are opened to improve air flow to the auxiliary blower. Engine power will be
limited by the amount of scavenging air the auxiliary blower can supply, but will
probably be limited to 'slow ahead'.
In the case of a multi - blower installation,
then on MAN-B&W engines, the usual
practice is to lock the rotor in position, and
blank off (or shut the valves/dampers if
fitted) the gas inlet and the compressor
outlet. The blanking plates have orifices to
allow a flow of a small amount of air or
gas, the former for compressor cooling, the
latter to prevent corrosion. If the
turbocharger rotor is to be removed or
replaced during engine operation, then the
gas inlet and outlet and the compressor
outlet must be blanked off without orifices.
On Sulzer RTA engines, the expansion
bellows on the air and gas side are
removed, and blanking plates fitted.
Blanking Points for Emergency Running With
T\C Out of Action - Sulzer RTA

     
Air assient lamda controller

Four stroke engines are not normally fitted

with auxiliary blowers. This means that
when starting, for a very short period, as the
turbocharger comes up to speed there will
be poor combustion in the cylinder leading
to smoke generation. This is especially true
when the turbocharger system is of the
constant pressure type.
 
One method of overcoming this problem is
to use the starting air to boost the inlet air
pressure. When a start signal is given to the
engine,
The flow of air is fed to the compressor
casing via channel 6 and directed to the
compressor wheel through nozzles 5
distributed around the outside. In this way,
the volume of air is increased and the
turbocharger accelerated which results in
the desired increase in charge pressure.
 
 
 

 
LAMBDA CONTROL FOR SMOKELESS LOAD INCREASE
The purpose of the lambda
controller is to prevent injection of
more fuel in the combustion
chamber than can be burned during
a momentary load increase. This is
carried out by controlling the
relation between the fuel index and
the charge air pressure.
 
Like the jet assist for starting, it
uses the high pressure starting air to
boost the turbocharger output
 
The diagram opposite illustrates
how the controller works. In case of
a momentary load increase, the
governor will increase the index on
the fuel injection pumps and as it
does so the regulator arm (1) turns.
The switch (2) will touch the piston
arm (3), completing the electrical
circuit.
The solenoid valve (4) is energised
and opens. The jet system is
activated, the turbocharger
accelerates and increases the charge
air pressure, thereby pushing the
piston (3) up in the lambda cylinder
(5). When the lambda (fuel/air)
ratio is satisfactory the jet system is
deactivated.
 
 
COMPRESSOR SIDE
 
The cleanliness of the compressor depends on how clean the incoming air is. The
filters themselves are not capable of removing fine particles of soot or oil vapour,
making it very important to seal leaking exhaust pipes and prevent oil losses.
 
Cleaning, carried out periodically, will prevent a thick layer of dirt from forming. A
thick layer of dirt can cause a drop in efficiency and increased unbalance on the
compressor side of the turbocharger, which could influence the lifetime of the
bearings. Besides affecting the efficiency, the layer of soot on the compressor
contains sulphur, which has a corrosive effect on the aluminium alloy and can lead
to a considerable reduction in the fatigue resistance of the inducer and compressor
wheels.
 
The cleaning interval will depend on environmental conditions, and the air filter, but
is generally once a day.
 

The compressor wheel of the turbocharger is cleaned during

operation by spraying water into the air inlet casing. This is
achieved by filling a cleaning pot ( as shown in photo) with
fresh water and then using the discharge air pressure from the
turbocharger to blow the water into the compressor inlet. The
dirt layer is removed by the impact of water. Since the liquid
does not act as a solvent there is no need to add chemicals.
 
The use of saltwater is not allowed, as this would cause
corrosion of the aluminium compressor wheel and the engine.

Compressor Water Washing Pot

 
Since the dirt layer is removed by the kinetic energy of the water droplets, the best
results are obtained by injecting water during full load operation of the engine, i.e.
when the turbocharger is running at full speed.
 
The complete contents of the water vessel should be injected within 4 to 10 seconds.
 
Successful cleaning is indicated by a change in the charge air or scavenging
pressure, and in most cases by a drop in the exhaust gas temperature.
 
If cleaning has not produced the desired results, it can be repeated after 10 minutes.
 
If a very thick layer has built up and it cannot be removed using the method
described, it will be necessary to dismantle the turbocharger in order to clean the
compressor side.
 
Chemical aids (i.e. solvents) are not necessary for cleaning during operation. The
water injection method is based on the mechanical effect of impinging droplets of
water. The water has to be injected with the turbocharger running at the highest
possible speed. if solvents were to be used, the speed would have to be lower and the
solvent injected for a longer time to have any effect.
 
Under no circumstances should the injection tubes be connected to a direct water
supply. The supplied dosing vessel, supplies the exact amount of water and prevents
uncontrolled amounts of water entering the turbocharger and engine, resulting in
major damage.
 
TURBINE SIDE
 
When heavy fuel is burnt the nozzle rings and turbine blades become dirty due to
combustion residue. Some of the deposits have their origin in soot, molten ash, scale
and unburned oil, partially burnt fuel and sodium vanadylvanadat. The calcium
additives in the cylinder oil combine with the sulphur in the fuel to form calcium
sulphate which is also a cause of fouling. The quantity of the deposits depends on
the quality of the combustion, the fuel used, and the lube oil consumption.
Turbochargers operating on engines using diesel oil are affected to a far lesser extent
and apart from a very thin coating of additives,  show no signs of dirt deposits.
 
 The result of this fouling is reduced turbine
efficiency and engine performance as well as
an increase in the exhaust gas temperature.
Experience has shown that the contamination
on the turbine side can be reduced by regular
cleaning in operation, and that such cleaning
allows longer intervals between turbocharger
overhauls.
 
The frequency of cleaning will depend on
the composition of the heavy fuel used and
the quality of the combustion.
Two cleaning methods exist; Wet cleaning
(water injection) and dry cleaning (solid
particle injection). Which method is adopted
Fouled Nozzle Ring depends on the engine load and the
temperature before the turbine.

 
 
Water Washing
 
Normally carried out every 48 - 500 hours of operation or when the gas temperature
after the turbine rises by 20°C above the normal average at full load. The exhaust
gas temperature before turbine should not exceed 430°C This is to prevent stress in
the turbine from thermal shock. During cleaning the turbine inlet temperature may
rise to 500°C
 
The boost pressure has to be high enough (0.3 bar) to ensure that the labyrinth seal
receives sufficient air and prevents water entering the turbine end oil chamber.
During cleaning a small drop in pressure is permissible.
 
Open the drain on the gas outlet casing and check that it is clear. (Exhaust gas will
flow out). Connect the water supply to the cleaning connector, ensure the water
pressure reducing valve is correctly set to the value recommended by the engine
manufacturer, and open the water valve slowly.
 
The quantity of injected water will depend on the exhaust gas temperature, water
pressure, size of the turbocharger and number of gas inlets. Details can be found in
the engine builder's manual.
 
Water should be injected for 5 to 10 minutes. The dirt layer on the turbine
components are removed by thermal shock rather than by the kinetic energy exerted
by the water droplets. Check the drain to ensure that water is flowing out. At first
this water will be very dirty as it carries away the deposits from the nozzle ring and
blades. After 10 minutes or so it should become clear, showing that the cleaning
process is complete.
 
Close the water valve and disconnect the supply. Observe the drain and when no
more water flows out close the valve. Run the engine at moderate load for 15
minutes to dry the turbine out before increasing load on the engine. When increasing
speed, keep a close eye on the chargers for any signs of vibration, due to out of
balance forces caused by incomplete removal of deposits. If vibration occurs, then
slow down and repeat the cleaning process.
 
The interval between water washing the turbine will depend on the combustion, the
fuel used and the fuel oil consumption. It can vary from 1 to 20 days of operation.
 
NOTE.
The turbine is braked during cleaning and the turbocharger speed fails by approx.
10%. The engine will receive less air and the exhaust temperatures may rise;
however, the maximum permissible exhaust gas temperature specified by the engine
manufacturer must not be exceeded under any circumstances.
If several turbochargers are fitted on one engine supplying the same air receiver, the
manufacturers recommend that  all the turbochargers are washed simultaneously..
 
The most convenient time to water wash the turbine on a charger is on departure, just after
>Full Away= is rung, before building up to full sea speed
 
It is not recommended that the operation is carried out when arriving in port, tied up
alongside before shutting down. The turbine isn't given time to dry out, and
corrosion will occur.
 
Dry Cleaning
 
 Dry solid
particles are
blown by
compressed air
into the exhaust
lines before the
turbocharger.
This is carried
out at full speed,
the layer of
deposits on the
turbine
components
being removed
by the kinetic
energy of the
granules causing
them to act as an
abrasive.
 
On account of
their hardness,
granulated
materials such as
natural kernel
granules, or
activated
charcoal particles
have  been used
with success.
 
The mean
particle size of
the cleaning
granules must be
between 1.2 -2.0
mm diameter.
 
 
 
The intervals between cleaning is dependent upon the extent of contamination and
the increase in exhaust gas temperature after the turbine. Dry cleaning has to be
carried out more often than water washing, as it is only possible to remove thin
layers of deposits. A cleaning interval of 1 to 2 days is recommended, or when the
gas temperature after the turbine increases to 20°C above the average temperature at
full load.
 
For a turbo-charger with more than one gas inlet, clean the turbochargers one gas
inlet after the other. On engines with several turbochargers clean one turbocharger
after the other.
 
Procedure for dry cleaning
 
The exhaust gas temperature before the turbine should not exceed 580°C to prevent
burning off of the granules before they reach the turbine.
 
To ensure effective mechanical cleaning, granulated dry cleaning media are best
injected into the turbine at a high turbocharger speed with a boost pressure of over
0.5 bar.
 
The quantity needed will vary from 0.2l to 3l, depending on the size of the
turbocharger.
 
  
Experience has shown a combination of the two cleaning methods to be very
effective, especially in the case of 2-stroke engines.
However if neither method has been used for a period of time and it is suspected that the
turbine and nozzle ring have a build up of heavy deposits, then it is unadvisable to try and
clean the assembly by either method as it may result in severe inbalance. The rotor must be
withdrawn at the earliest opportunity and cleaned manually.
 Turbochargers can be fitted with ball and roller bearings or plain journal bearings.
The ball and roller races are fitted to turbochargers at either end of the shaft and can
be replaced without removing the rotor. Journal Bearings are fitted between Turbine
and Compressor.
 
The bearings must be capable of being supplied with oil with a permanent tilt of 15°
or temporary tilt of 22.5°
 
BALL AND ROLLER RACES
 
Ball and Roller bearings have low friction drag,
and therefore provide a higher mechanical
efficiency when starting up or manoeuvering,
but are susceptible to vibration and fatigue, both
when running and also by vibrations from
outside sources transmitted while the engine is
stopped (brinelling). The sketch shows one end
of a turbocharger supported by ball and roller
bearings. The bearing at the compressor end is a
double ball arrangement which also acts as the
thrust bearing, whilst at the turbine end, the
bearing is a roller bearing. Integral oil reservoirs
or sumps contain the oil, the sump on the turbine
end being cooled by circulating water through a
jacketed casing.
Oil pumps are fitted to the end of the shaft.
Driven directly by the shaft they comprise of a
small gear pump which pumps the oil directly
into the bearing. This has the advantage of oil
being supplied as soon as the shaft starts to
rotate.
Ball and Roller bearings have a limited life
because of the brinelling referred to above
which causes rapid and repeated deformation
with resultant stressing and because
of overloading, corrosion and abrasive wear
which can all lead to failure, and must be
replaced at the recommended intervals.
Because failure of the bearings in a turbocharger would lead to perhaps catastrophic
damage to the rotor, and most certainly damage to the labyrinth seals, the bearings
are changed at intervals recommended by the manufacturer. This period is variable
but is usually 6 - 8 000 hours

 
 If the turbocharger bearings are of the ball and
roller type then they are mounted on damping
springs radially and axially. This helps prevent
vibrations being transmitted during running and
also when stopped,

Sleeve type bearings tend to be adopted in the latest generations of turbochargers,

the thrust being taken at the compressor end by a collar and thrust pads. Sleeve type
bearings are usually supplied with oil from the main engine LO system through a
fine filter, with a standby (header) tank for emergency lubrication. Alternatively an
independent system of pumps, cooler, filters, oil sump and alarms can be used.
Mounted between turbine wheel and compressor, they allow a shorter rotor with no
interference of gas and air flow. TBO is a lot longer (24000 hours).
 The ABB TPL turbocharger bearing
arrangement is shown above. The journal
bearings are dambed by a cushion of oil
known as squeeze oil damping.
The thrust bearing comprises of a free floating
thrust disc and two bearing faces. The thrust
disk is  is dragged around by the oil and
reaches about 50% of the rotor revolutions.
This means the relative speed between the two
surfaces is only half of what it would be for a
fixed thrust collar. This leads to increased
service life.
The auxiliary thrust face (for momentary
change in thrust direction) is of the standard
type
 
 

The pictures show the lead bronze journal and thrust

arrangement from a MAN B&W Turbocharger. The main
thrust face is shown with the auxiliary face at the other
end. The journal bearing can also be seen.

 
Plain journal bearings need to be supplied with copious amounts of oil to keep them
cool (because of the heat conducted from the turbine along the shaft). Sometimes the
turbocharger is fitted with a header tank to ensure the bearings are supplied with oil
during the run down period in the case of loss of power.