Page 36: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Sep/Oct 2020)

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FEATURE POWER GENERATION

Mitigating Heat & Vibration in the Engine Room

By Greg Trauthwein hile the size, shape and purpose of maritime ves- and in fact it was the Deepwater Horizon accident that served sels varies widely, a common concern for every as an infection point with potential customers understand- shipowner is ensuring the long-life, effcient and ing that “sheet metal insulation cladding is the better product

W safe operation of a vessel’s biggest capital expendi- when it comes to safety onboard, whether it is a rig or a pro- ture: the propulsion machinery. Heat and vibration are the two pulsion engine for a vessel.“ main culprits in cutting machinery life short and raising main- According to IMO SOLAS the surface temperature of tenance cost. Offshore Engineer was in Mannheim, Germany modern marine engines must not exceed 220°C. In addition, late last year to visit Thermamax, a specialist in the design and engine builders are striving for better fuel effciency, mainly manufacture of thermal and acoustic insulation solutions for die- by increasing the engine`s power density what typically leads sel engines, spark ignited engines, exhaust aftertreatment systems to higher exhaust gas temperatures. Due to higher charge air and electric storage systems. pressures even the area of the compressor outlet of the turbo- charger becomes a concern in terms of surface temperatures.

According to Steffen Cronauer, an 18-year Thermamax vet- eran, the axiom that ‘you get what you pay for’ is particularly true in machinery insulation: “In some parts of the world, insulation mattings are used, and while they are cheaper from the beginning and can pass tests on the bench, they are not as effective in the long haul.”

Thermal and acoustic insulation is the business of tmax

Holding GmbH, a holding of six companies in Europe, USA and China with headquarters in Mannheim / Germany. of about 500 people working to provide engineered solutions to the automotive, on- and off-highway sectors, power sports ve- hicles, stationary power generation, ships, and oil platforms, both on land and at sea. For the marine industry, Therma- max is a solution provider for SOLAS-compliant insulation solutions for engine rooms. The company engineers and sup- plies insulation claddings for most of the leading engine and turbocharger OEMs. In addition, Thermamax is able to de- sign, manufacture and install SOLAS-compliant retroftting insulations also for engines that are already in service for a longer period of time and that eventually do not meet latest safety standards.

Something Old, Something New ...

According to Cronauer, the number one driver for Therma- max products in the maritime and offshore sectors is safety, 36 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM