PrimeServ Customer Information

Action Code:
When convenient
Measures to avoid
Reason premature wear on
st
On January 1 2020, the revised IMO MARPOL Annex VI will
turbocharger components
come into effect. Within this regulation, the global Sulphur (S) when using low sulphur
limit of marine fuels will be reduced from 3.50% to 0.50%. fuel
Inside emission control areas (ECA), the sulphur limit is
currently 0.10%. MAN Energy Solutions
Further link to this subject: PrimeServ Customer Information
PCI No. 409 / October 2019
IMO - Sulphur oxides (SOx) and Particulate Matter (PM)

Since the performance of turbochargers, as well as the lifetime Concerns

expectation of single components is directly dependent on the
MAN Energy Solutions SE
quality of the exhaust gas, we have prepared for your
Turbochargers on 2-stroke- and 4-stroke
consideration a summary of the recommendations that will application
support you in order to avoid premature wear on certain
turbocharger components when switching to Low Sulphur Fuel
Oil (LSFO)

Treatment of lubrication oil and engine fuel

Engine Lubrication: A suitable matching of the lubrication oil

BN (Base Number) according to the engine maker
recommendation is essential at any time.

Cat Fines: The necessary removal of cat fines from the engine
fuel is mandatory to prevent any kind of abrasive wear on the
turbocharger components and to ensure a correct
turbocharger performance.

MAN Energy Solutions SE PrimeServ Turbocharger PrimeServ Turbocharger

Stadtbachstraße 1
86153 Augsburg, Germany
Phone: +49 821 322 0
Fax: +49 821 322 3382
info-de@man-es.com
www.man-es.com
Technical Service
Stadtbachstraße 1
86153 Augsburg, Germany
Phone: +49 821 322 4010 (24-h-hotline)
Fax: +49 821 322 2411
primeserv-tc-technical@man-es.com
Commercial Service
Stadtbachstraße 1
86153 Augsburg, Germany
Phone: +49 821 322 4030 (24-h-hotline)
Fax: +49 821 322 3998
primeserv-tc-commercial@man-es.com
PrimeServ Customer Information

1. Engine Lubrication

Depending on the fuel oil sulphur (S) content, it may be necessary to adjust the alkalinity of the engine
lubrication oil. This can be either the cylinder liner oil at two stroke applications or the circuit oil at four stroke
applications.

The selection of a corresponding lubricant with a suitable BN (Base Number) ratio is necessary to prevent
corrosion on the engine parts. The lubrication oil additive Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) neutralizes the sulphuric
acidity of the lubrication oil. The usage of lubricants with a too high BN (Base Number) may produce abrasive
residues/ashes in the exhaust gas.

Table 1 shows different constellations and possible effects.

Sulphur (S) in fuel can lead to Possible increased wear on engine No negative effects, if the level of
sulphuric acid (H2SO4) - corrosion and TC-parts due to a higher both – BN and S – is in balance.
on engine and TC-parts can amount of calcium carbonate
occur. (CaCO3) - abrasive, hard and brittle
particles (ashes).
Table 1: Constellations of BN and S ratio.

For further information, please refer to the following MAN service letters:

SL2014-593/DOJA - Operating on low Sulphur fuels (Dec. 2014)

PCI No. 398 - Possible impacts of the IMO 2020 Sulphur Cap on four stroke engines (Dec. 2018)

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PrimeServ Customer Information

2. Catalytic fines (cat fines)

Any kind of engine fuel contains a certain amount of cat fines. Cat fines mainly consist of aluminium oxide Al2O3
and silica SiO2. These hard and abrasive particles cause excessive wear on turbocharges components e.g.
nozzle ring, turbine blades, etc.

Low Sulphur Fuel Oils (LSFO) may have a higher content of catalytic fines than High Sulphur Fuel Oils (HSFO).
Reason for this is the specific refining process in general and/or the blending with residual fuel oils.

At any rate, the fuel oil standard ISO8217 always gives a cat fine limit of max. 60 mg/kg.

Attention!

MAN highly recommends keeping the cat fine level always as low as possible at the engine inlet. For
more details, please refer to the corresponding 2-stroke-/4-stroke engine operating manuals and the
following MAN service letter:

SL2017-638/DOJA - Cleaning of low Sulphur HFO (Feb. 2017)

An effective cleaning of the engine fuel is mandatory. Attention has to be paid on the proper operation condition
of the on-site treatment system: fine filter unit (10 μm) (1), separator(s) (2), settling tank (3) - see figure 1.

Figure 1: Fuel treatment system.

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PrimeServ Customer Information

3. Possible abrasive wear on turbocharger components caused by:

3.1 The noncompliance with the engine-maker’s recommendation regarding the matching of the lubricating
oil ratio as described in table 1. Further, the wrong handling of fuel with cat fines may cause excessive
wear on nozzle rings, shroud rings and turbine blades (see figure 2).

3.2 The high amount of hard and abrasive particles in the exhaust gas are causing an excessive of wear by
touching certain turbocharger parts with high speed and high kinetic energy. In some cases, field
service experience showed that this phenomenon may reduce the lifetime of certain turbocharger parts
(e.g. nozzle rings, shroud rings, diffusors) to maximum 6,000 operating hours!

Abrasive wear on turbocharger components will be expected, if fuel handling

and/or lube oil treatment has not been carried out according to the engine-
maker recommendations.

Undetected abrasive wear on turbocharger components may lead to a reduced

performance or, in the worst case, to a total loss of the turbocharger.

In case of any doubts having the correct fuel handling, we strongly

recommend to invite a turbocharger service engineer from one of the
worldwide MAN PrimeServ workshops as a preventive measure to check the
turbine side of the turbocharger.

The address of our MAN PrimeServ workshops can be found under the following web link:

https://primeserv.man-es.com/docs/librariesprovider5/primeserv-
documents/service_worldwide_2019_link_online-high.pdf?sfvrsn=31d515a2_22

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PrimeServ Customer Information

509.000 diffuser, external wall 520.008 turbine blades

513.000 nozzle ring

Figure 2: Excessive wear on turbocharger parts.

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PrimeServ Customer Information

Contact

In case of any queries, please do not hesitate to contact our Technical Service Department for further
assistance:

MAN Energy Solutions SE

Stadtbachstraße 1
86153 Augsburg, Germany
Tel.: +49 821 322-4010
Fax: +49 821 322-2411
E-mail: primeserv-tc-technical@man-es.com

ppa. Alexander Schäfer i.V. Klaus-Peter Ebel

Vice President Head of Technical Consulting
PrimeServ Turbocharger & Exhaust Gas Treatment PrimeServ Turbocharger & Exhaust Gas Treatment

Please forward this information to your technical operating personnel and

remember to inform us of the current operating hours of your MAN turbochargers.

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