1|16The customer magazine

of ABB TurbochargingSwitzerlandcharge!

ABB quality as a value proposition 14The never-ending quest for quality perfectionLow-speed engine turbocharger and silencer form the complete package 4ABB’s new compact A160-L completes the A100-L seriesContinous Product Improvement 16Benefits all around thanks to interdisciplinary teamwork

Polishing clear-cut quality

From the editor

2 ABB charge! 1|16

charge! 1|16

Magdalena OkopskaHead of Market Communication ABB Turbocharging

As our customers continue to see chal-lenges ahead, providing solutions thathelp to reduce overall costs remainscentral to our business in 2016. We willfulfill this promise through developmentof optimized products and customizedturbocharger service solutions.

Recently, we launched the A160-L turbo -charger for small bore, low-speed engines,across a range of fuel types. Similar toour previous A100-L and A-200-L prod-ucts, the new unit is designed for highestefficiency, reduced fuel consumption,and lower emissions. As it can be main-tained during engine servicing, opera-tional costs are reduced and applicationavailability is maximized. For more aboutthe new turbocharger and a silencer thatis part of the noise reduction package forthe A100-L and A200-L series, turn topage 4, or visit our Stand 2.211 at thePosidonia Exhibition in Athens on June 6to 10.

At the same time the 28th CIMAC Con-gress welcomes to Helsinki experts oncombustion engine technology for shippropulsion, power generation, and railtraction. Our highlight at this event is acompletely new turbocharger designedand optimized for marine auxiliaryengines. Its robust design provides goodpart-load efficiency and allows trouble-free operation under HFO conditions.The user-friendly design enables easycrew maintenance with standard toolsfor a reduction in Total Cost of Owner-ship. We will be very happy to presentthe product to you personally at ourStand and receive your valuable feed-back on the digital tool designed for itscondition based maintenance.

We heartily invite our industry partners tovisit us either at CIMAC or Posidonia todiscuss your operational needs and ourshowcased newest products. In themeantime: Please enjoy this issue ofcharge!

New A100-L series turbochargerThe compact A160-L has key benefits for low-speed engines across a range of fuels.04 Waterway emissions

Senior engineer Wang Shilong discusses newstandards aimed at cutting emissions in China.10

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Contents

Technology4 Low-speed engine turbocharger and silencer form the

complete packageABB’s new A160-L offers series benefits in combinationwith an innovative noise reduction package

Quality14 ABB quality as a value proposition

Köbi Brem explains some of the processes underway at ABB with the aim of zero defects

16 Continuous Product ImprovementWhy CPI, through interdisciplinary teamwork, is an excellent tool for tackling product issues

Service7 A helping hand for the little helpers

ABB’s ongoing commitment to developing better ways of keeping turbochargers on auxiliary engines inprime condition

21 Just-in-time delivery: Polar research icebreakerMeeting tight delivery schedules is a key ABB strength, as this example shows

Interview10 Chinese national standards for inland water shipping

emissionsSenior engineer Wang Shilong’s take on his country’sefforts to combat waterway emissions

18 Marine auxiliary collaborationKazuki Dobashi, head of IHI’s marine turbocharger business unit, looks at how IHI and ABB cooperate inproduct development and commercialization

News22 Awards, service agreements

Tips for the operator24 Turbine washing on medium-speed engines

The low-down on turbocharger cleaning and why preven-tion is better than cure

Recipe26 Bentos and cherry blossom

The meaning of and what to eat while enjoying Hanami

Target: zero defectsKeeping ahead means continuously pushingquality to the next level.14 Marine auxiliary collaboration

Successful long-term cooperation between ABB and IHI continues to flourish.18

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Technology

In these challenging times for mostsectors of the marine industry, shipowners are facing the pressures ofovercapacity, falling levels of demand

and, increasingly, tough new environ-mental rules that are coming into force.This is leading to greater demand fortechnology that helps reduce operatingcosts, while ensuring compliance withenvironmental and emissions regula-tions.

New A100 series turbochargerAt Marintec 2015 in Shanghai, ABB

unveiled a new, highly efficient and com-pact turbocharger for low-speed, two-stroke marine engines able to deliver valuein each of these areas. The latest A160-Lunit completes the A100-L series launchedon the market in 2009. The compact new turbocharger, which measures just

1.7 m × 0.9 m × 1.32 m and weighs only1,330 kg, is highly efficient with a pres-sure ratio of up to 5.0.

ABB has designed this latest turbo -charger for low-speed engines with a typi-cal power rating of 3,900 kW to 4,100 kW.It can be employed on diesel engines aswell as the dual-fuel and gas engines whichare now increasingly popular in a numberof small to medium vessel market sectors.

Joachim Bremer, Head of ProductLine Low Speed, says: “Our A100-L andA200-L turbochargers are designed forhighest efficiencies, enabling optimizedengine tunings to reduce fuel consump-tion and emissions. Bringing this com-petitive product to the market, we cannow offer these benefits for small bore,low-speed engines across a range of fueltypes. We anticipate interest for applica-tions on small tankers, bulk carriers,

Low-speed engine turbocharger andsilencer form thecomplete packageABB’s new A160-L turbocharger for two-stroke marine engines combines operational flexibility and low fuel consumption, while the industry’s first air outletsilencer offers unique noise abatement qualities.

Text Alexandra Christie, Photography ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

containerships, gas carriers and multi-purpose vessels of around 15 to 20,000dwt in size. Combining best-in-class effi-ciency with additional market require-ments makes this a very strong addition-al offering to the A100 series.”

High pressure ratios help to reducefuel consumption and lower engine emission levels, while the exceptionallywide compressor maps of the A160-Lenable optimized performance acrossdifferent operational situations. Bremersays: “Despite the small size of theA160-L turbocharger, the degree of effi-ciency available is still sufficient to meetthe parameters set by the leading marineengine designs. The wide compressormaps demonstrated by this design, andits efficiency in part load operations – akey requirement of many owners andoperators today – are significant benefits.”

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Technology

The robust axial turbine of the A160-Lfurther enables application of the latesttechnologies used for IMO Tier III compli-ance without compromising fuel economy.The turbocharger is, for example, com-patible with both low and high pressureselective catalytic reduction (SCR) sys-tems, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) andlow pressure gas injection technologies.

In response to reduced service costsand maximized application availabilitybecoming key priorities across theindustry, the A160-L has been designedto facilitate maintenance and repairactivity in line with engine servicing. Significantly, it ensures long intervalsbetween overhauls, with no need formaintenance work between dry dock-ings. “Responding to customer needs interms of increasing service intervals hasbeen an important focus for us for some

time. The A160-L service concept is inline with that of our successful A100-Land A200-L turbochargers: all key components have the same serviceintervals, time between overhauls andstreamlined maintenance requirements,reducing downtime to a minimum,” addsBremer.

Innovative noise reduction packageIn addition to expanding the A100

series, ABB also unveiled the first turbo -charger air outlet silencer as part of thenoise reduction package for applicationon A100-L and A200-L series turbo -chargers. The air outlet silencer reducesthe effects of noise generated by com-pressed air leaving these turbochargerson low-speed two-stroke engines. Withincreases in engine power, turbochargershave higher pressure ratios and specificvolume flows. Consequently, the increasedenergy in the compressed air exiting theturbocharger can lead to increased noiseemissions from the surfaces of enginecomponents, despite insulation.

Aiming to reduce noise emissions atsource, the air outlet silencer employsthe Helmholtz principle, adapted to highair flow speeds. Bremer says: “The design

“Our A100-L and A200-Lturbochargers aredesigned for highest effi-ciencies, enabling opti-mized engine tunings toreduce fuel consumptionand emissions.”

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Technology

ABB Turbocharging is meeting the challenges facing the marine industry with new products that combine high efficiency with emissions compliance.

of this product, which is a first in theindustry, ensures that only a minimum ofacoustic energy reaches the engine’s airducts. It effectively lowers noise radiationoriginating from the turbocharger, reduc-ing noise levels not just in the engineroom but in other parts of the ship aswell.”

IMO SOLAS regulations revised in2014 have made noise abatement on -board a key requirement. ABB’s innova-tive air outlet silencer can reduce air-related noise emissions by around 5 dB,cutting the level of noise perceived bythe human ear by half. It is unique in being the first product available on the market for reducing noise emissions for turbochargers on low-speed marineengines.

This new package aims to significantlyimprove conditions for crews, also reduc-ing the need for investment in additionalinsulation of engine rooms, particularly on smaller-sized vessels with two-strokeengines. These engine rooms are typicallyproportionately smaller, with shorterstructure-borne noise paths to otherparts of the vessel, including accommo-

dation spaces, resulting in the crew gen-erally being closer to the sources of noise.

Bremer concludes: “The developmentof this noise reduction package with airoutlet silencer underlines our focus on thesafe operation of our turbocharging prod-ucts, limiting potential for human errordue to noise distraction. It is also in line

with our commitment to reducing environ-mental pollution. Creating a quieter work-ing environment for seafarers demon-strates our business commitment tooccupational health and to supportingcustomers in complying with the revisedSOLAS regulation aimed at reducing on-board noise.”

ABB’s innovative air outlet silencer canreduce air-related noiseemissions by around 5 dB, cutting the level ofnoise perceived by thehuman ear by half.

Commitment to quality.

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Service

It is always essential to keep turb o -chargers in good condition. A particu-lar concern are deposits of combus-tion residues on the turbine, nozzle

ring and turbine casings. The result ofthis so-called “fouling” is reduced turbineefficiency, and hence engine perform-ance, as well an unwelcome increase inexhaust gas temperature, which can also

contribute to premature component wear.These combustion residues are especiallyprevalent on diesel engines using certaingrades of heavy fuel oil (HFO) and whencombustion is incomplete due to poorlyadjusted or defective fuel injection equip-ment. They are also influenced by factorssuch as the exhaust gas temperature,which varies with engine load.

On the gas engine side, another articlein this edition of charge! (see page 16)deals with countermeasures to depositsthat can arise from the wider range ofgaseous fuels now being burned. As withthe solution to the gas engine issue, ABB Turbocharging recently undertook amajor Continuous Product Improvement(CPI) project in order to find definitive

A helping hand forthe little helpersABB is continually developing improved solutions to the problemof turbocharger fouling on auxiliary engines. For severe cases,the company offers an exchange turbocharger program that helpsto reduce engine downtime.

Text Markus Rupp, Photography HHI, ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

Turbochargers on auxiliary engines need to be kept in prime condition for highest engine performance.

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Service

solutions to problems caused by carbondeposits on the turbine side of A100-Mand TPS turbochargers operating on cer-tain engine types.

The specific application was high-and medium-speed four-stroke auxiliaryengines powering generator sets aboardships. The engines were operating onHFO and during the course of the CPI, it was revealed that the quality of thecombustion of the fuel was central to theproblem.

“On one hand we only saw theseproblems on one or two engine makes,pointing towards them being ‘not turbo -charger-related’; on the other hand wehad to check if the materials we use in our turbochargers are satisfactory or if they could be a factor contributing tothe damage experienced,” notes RenéStoverink, Senior Manager TechnicalService, based in Baden. “Feedback fromour colleagues at ABB TurbochargingService Stations included reports ofproblems with nozzle rings on ABB turbochargers with radial turbines,including accelerated erosion by hardparticles in the exhaust gases. On theother hand, severe fouling of nozzle ringswas also reported, which could lead toturbine seizure and damage due to highcycle fatigue (HCF).”

Although HFO is carefully cleaned inseparators and fine filters to remove solidparticles before it is injected into anengine, combustion residues and abra-sive products of combustion readily attachthemselves to turbines and other turbine-side parts. In addition, they can remainsuspended in the exhaust gases andgreatly accelerate abrasion of housings,the vanes of the nozzle ring and theblades of the turbine itself.

“We should stress that this build-upof carbon deposits due to poor combus-tion of low grade fuels is not restricted to the turbocharger,” Stoverink explains.“According to the severity of the problem,combustion chambers with their valves

and injectors are also highly prone tocontamination. And as with turbochargerfouling, this can be the start of a down-ward spiral, where fuel injection becomesless and less effective, leading to evengreater problems with two of the majorfactors involved: poor combustion andunburnt fuel.”

In the case of the turbocharger, de -posits restricting the passage of exhaustgas through the nozzle rings and casingsand changing the aerodynamic profile ofthe turbine obviously reduce aerodynamicefficiency, while abrasive wear can weakenturbine blades and nozzle ring vanes. Inaddition, since the deposits on the nozzlering will not be evenly distributed, thedisturbance of the aerodynamic profilewill always result in higher excitation ofthe turbine blades. In the worst case, ifthese increased excitations match one ofthe natural frequencies of the turbineblades, a crack can develop under HCFconditions.

Auxiliary challengesAs their name implies, marine auxiliary

engines support the main propulsionengines on ships by powering the gener-ator sets which provide on-board electri-cal power. There are usually several high-or medium-speed four-stroke dieselswith smaller bore diameters than themain engines, and the operating profiles

Severely fouled turbine.

Heavily fouled nozzle ring.

of these “little helpers” contrast with thefairly constant load on main propulsionengines when a ship is at its design oper-ating speed.

“The wider range of loads generatorsets are expected to cover, as electricalconsumers are switched on and off,means prolonged operation at lowerloads, and this can cause severe prob-lems for the engine as a whole and theturbocharger in particular, especially whenoperating on HFO,” Stoverink explains.“For example, at lower engine loads,combustion tends to be cooler and canbe less complete, which compoundsexisting problems with turbine-side foul-ing and wear due to fuel quality.”

All these factors favor the formation ofcarbon particles and the build-up ofdeposits and negate the major targets ofall engine users: i. e. reliable engine oper-ation, long times between overhauls(TBOs), and above all, minimized operat-ing costs.

Findings and solutionsAfter a typically thorough investiga-

tion, employing the most modern meas-uring techniques, the CPI centring on theproblems of turbocharger fouling on aux-iliary engines resulted in a series of solu-tions. Since the use of various grades ofHFO will continue for commercial reasons,and part-load operation of marine gener-

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Service

Auxiliary engines

Markus Rupp is Senior Regional Manager End User Sales, supportingABB Turbocharging’s worldwide net-work in the sale of service products,service agreements and contractmanagement. He prepares and pres-ents customer information on ABBturbochargers to end users and atconferences, congresses and otherindustry events. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from theUniversity of Karlsruhe, Germany and joined ABB in 1982.

ator sets is inevitable, ABB is looking atcountermeasures for engines already inthe field as well as modifications whichcan be applied both on new turbochargersand, as far as possible, as upgrades during overhauls.

Bulletins and CIACsTo inform engine users about the new

measures, in addition to service bul-letins, ABB Turbocharging has incorpo-rated them into a so-called CIAC – Cus-tomer Information ABB Turbocharger.Customers attending this CIAC at one ofABB Turbocharging’s service centers willbe informed of the latest news and pro-cedures to keep the turbochargers in hiscare in prime condition. And, importantly,the attendee will be shown how to carrythem out.

Rectifying, preventing, exchanging The major recommendations from the

marine auxiliary engine CPI project con-cern turbocharger servicing and, espe-cially, preventive maintenance. In severecases only mechanical cleaning canhelp, and this involves removing the turbocharger from the engine for dis-mantling on the turbine side. In this caseABB Turbocharging’s exchange turbo -charger program helps to reduce enginedowntime. A unit reconditioned at anABB Service Station can be rapidly

swapped for the defective unit. This timesaving is important, because mechanicalcleaning may reveal badly worn or dam-aged parts which need to be replaced. Inany case, the turbo charger will needrebalancing after cleaning to guaranteesafe operation.

Water injectionFor less severe cases turbine cleaning

during engine operation may be enoughto bring the turbocharger back to a satis-factory condition, and regular repeatingof the cleaning procedure will ensure thatit stays that way. Two cleaning methodsexist for the turbine components. Theseare wet cleaning by water injection intothe turbine casings, either for three times30 seconds at three minute intervals or,alternatively, for 10 minutes continuously.

Tests have clearly shown much bettercleaning results with the 10 minutewashing interval, and this finding waspublished as a recommendation in Ser-vice News 3 /2012 (available from ABBTurbo Systems). Depending on the com-position of the HFO in use and the qualityof combustion, cleaning of the turbinesshould be carried out at regular intervals,as specified in their operating manuals.

These operations will certainly avoidmore severe and expensive mechanicalinterventions and will extend TBOs. Atthe same time, regular servicing is rec-

ommended at the intervals shown on theturbocharger rating plate. Again, ABB’sexchange scheme using factory refur-bished turbochargers is a time-savingalternative to dismantling and servicingon site.

New nozzle ring coatingA further, design-related result of the

CPI is the introduction of a new coatingprocess for nozzle rings affected by HFOresidues. “The new coated nozzle ring isa countermeasure against erosion due tohard carbon particles in exhaust gases,”Stoverink confirms. “The coated nozzlerings are available as an option on newturbochargers or as a service upgradeon selected specifications of our A100-Mand TPS turbochargers. ABB Turbo -charging service is reporting excellentresults on turbochargers fitted with thismodification,” he concludes.

The adjective auxiliary comes fromthe Latin word “auxilia” which in Eng-lish means “help”. Hence, theengines which have traditionally sup-ported the main propulsion engineson ships by powering generator setsare known as “auxiliary engines”.

Typically, these are four-stroke,high- or medium-speed engines inbore sizes smaller than the mainengines – for example 16, 20 and 32cm are common cylinder diameterson auxiliary engines.

The importance of on-board powergeneration is growing. The industry is seeing the start of a trend to hybrid

and electric propulsion, where all the ship’s functions rely on generatorsets. Vessels like cruise ships andsmall and medium size LNG carriersare already powered by a series ofgenerator sets whose electrical out-put is shared between propulsion andother on-board electrical consumers– including the massive “hotel load”on cruise ships. And it is forecast thatelectric and hybrid drives will take agreater share of the marine propulsionmarket, as regulations regarding vessel efficiency and CO2 emissionstighten.

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Interview

Chinese nationalstandards forinland water shipping emissionsEmissions from vessels on Chinese waterways are a cause ofsome concern. charge! recently interviewed Wang Shilong, senior engineer in Ji’nan Automotive Engine Testing Center toexplore the steps being taken to improve the situation.Interview Magdalena Okopska, BoZong Hu, Photography iStockphoto, ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

China is said to be the world’slargest manufacturing baseand second largest consumermarket, and the country’s

inland waterways play a prominent role inthis economic development. In fact, Chi-na’s river shipping is the world’s largestin terms of throughput, carrying 224 mil-lion people and 3,790 million tons offreight annually. However, this water-borne traffic contributes significantly toair pollution levels. Severe air pollutants,such as hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogenoxides (NOx ), sulfur oxides (SOx ) andparticulate matter (PM) emitted by rivershipping engines pose serious healthrisks to inhabitants of the river basins. Inparticular, sulfur dioxide (SO2 ), whichalso causes acid rain, exacerbates respi-ratory difficulties and can lead to prema-ture death.

The response of the government tomounting public pressure to improve airquality is the introduction of regulations

to reduce emissions in the shippingindustry. In July 2014, Shenzhen portlaunched a voluntary fuel switchingscheme that is expected to cost $ 3 mil-lion in subsidies over three years. InHong Kong, it has been mandatory sinceJuly 2015 for all berthing ocean-goingvessels to be powered by low-sulfur fuel,with a maximum SO2 content of 0.5 per-cent. Government subsidies cover halfthe cost of berthing fees in return for shipowners’ cooperation.

From January 2016, tough controlson merchant ship emissions aim to reducethe 2015 level of SO2 by 65 percent in2020, according to a document issuedby the Ministry of Transport. These new

rules apply to merchant ships navigatingor anchoring in the waters of the PearlRiver Delta, Yangtze River Delta andBohai Bay rim.

To gain a greater insight, charge!recently interviewed Wang Shilong, seniorengineer in Ji’nan Automotive EngineTesting Center. Mr. Wang was instrumen-tal in devising emission standards forheavy-duty trucks. He participated inChina’s 863 science and technologyproject on heavy-duty diesel vehicles andalso contributed to the development ofkey technical standards for pollutantemissions. He is currently on the expertteam that will formulate the national stan-dards for inland water shipping emissions.

From January 2016, tough controls on merchant ship emissions aim to reduce the 2015 level of SO2

by 65 percent in 2020.

ABB charge! 1|16 11

Interview

Cargo ship on the Huangpu river in Shanghai, China.

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Interview

Mr. Wang, it seems that air pollution isbeing discussed by almost everyonerecently. Why is this?

Air quality in China is deterioratingand air pollution affects people’s dailylives in many ways, so it captures morepublic attention than ever before. We allknow the primary causes of air pollutioninclude emissions from thermal powergeneration and transportation. Emis-sions from river shipping engines are amajor contributor to high air pollutionlevels.

The Chinese government has imple-mented rigorous measures against emis-sions by thermal power generation andautomotive engines. Some regulationsare already in place for inland waterwaytransportation emissions for certainareas, but further opportunities exist toreduce emissions by river vessels.

Your background is in the automobileindustry, what similarities do you seebetween your field of expertise andriver shipping industry?

First of all, internal combustionengines, mainly diesel, power both indus-tries. Despite different emission levels,

the pollutants are practically the same,namely HC, NOx, SOx and PM. Therefore,the methodologies for emission reduc-tion are essentially the same.

Secondly, emission regulations forheavy-duty trucks have been in force forquite some time in China and they con-tinue to get more stringent. Consequently,we have made substantial advances insolutions for automotive engines and the surrounding legalities so they meetever-increasing emission restrictions. Thisknowledge offers both legislative andtechnological reference points for rivershipping.

What is the context of China’s rivershipping emission regulations?

The public’s increased awareness ofshipping pollution and environmentalprotection has put the government under

pressure to take action. China is movingtoward a cleaner and more efficienteconomy; green river shipping is integralto this change.

A study conducted by the ChineseResearch Academy of Environmental Sci-ences in 2014 stated that river shippingcontributes 13.3 percent of local NOx and17.6 percent of local PM emissions fromnon-road mobile sources in China.

The ever-increasing cargo throughputof China’s inland shipping routes makesthe situation even more pressing. TheYangtze River, with a total cargo load oftwo billion tons in 2014, is the busiest in the world. Annual growth of aroundseven percent since 2009 is a trend thatis expected to continue in the years tocome. Therefore, it is imperative for us toaddress river shipping emissions in thelong run.

“The public’s increased awareness of shipping pollution and environmental protection has put the government under pressure to take action.”

Wang Shilong, senior engineer in Ji’nan Automotive Engine Testing Center.

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Interview

What is the current status of legisla-tion for river shipping emissions?

This new emissions legislation hasalready completed the second round ofpublic feedback bidding and is currentlyin the review process.

What do you find especially positiveand where do you see challenges withthis legislation?

The benefits of legislation that effec-tively reduces air pollution are clear: apositive impact on the environment andon the health of inhabitants living alongthe river shipping routes. However, thislegislation also presents technical chal-lenges. We must find or develop effectivetechnologies that are compatible withexisting diesel engines, and affordablefor local engine builders and end users ofriver vessels. The availability of low-sulfur

diesel is another challenge. Ultra-low-sulfur diesel can significantly cut emis-sions but is currently too expensive formost end users.

As the new bill only applies to newlybuilt engines, actions that can be takento help the fleet in service to meet theemission standards is another questionwe have to address.

Mr. Wang, you have contributed to thedevelopment of emission standards,what are the main points?

The new emissions legislation appliesto new-build ships’ engines with a singlecylinder volume below 30 liters, and apower range above 37 kW. Enactment ofthe new emissions legislation will takeplace in two stages. In stage one, theemission standard for NOx is comparableto the standards defined by the US EPA

Tier II. In stage two, NOx emissions willbe reduced by a further 20 percent andPM by approximately 40 to 48 percent.

What technical solutions could con-tribute to meeting the new emissiontargets?

A number of technologies are alreadyavailable that can contribute to reducingemissions, such as selective catalyticreduction (SCR), scrubbers, liquefiednatural gas (LNG), gas engine technol-ogy, miller timing in combination withadvanced turbocharging technology,advanced combustion and exhaust gasrecirculation, and so on.

Mr. Wang, on behalf of charge! I’d liketo thank you for taking the time to tellus all about China’s response toinland water shipping emissions.

South China Sea

East China Sea

Yellow Sea

Bo Hai

Yangtze River

Xijiang River

Pearl River

Yellow River

Luan River

Liaohe River

Yalujiang River

Songhua River

Heilongjiang River

Huaihe River

Tarim River

Irtysh River

Brahmaputra River

Nu R

iver

Jin

sh

a R

iver

Lancang R

iver

Beijing

– Hang

zhou

Grand

Canal

“The Yangtze River, with a total cargo load of two billion tons in 2014, is thebusiest in the world. Annual growth of around seven percent since 2009 is a trend that is expected to continue in the years to come. Therefore, it isimperative for us to address river shipping emissions in the long run.”

China’s major rivers.

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Quality

ABB quality as avalue proposition“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligenteffort.” The truth of this quote by John Ruskin, English writerand critic, 1819 – 1900, is shared in full by ABB Turbocharging,as this article shows.

Text Köbi Brem, Photography Michael Reinhard, ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

In the business year ending Decem-ber 31, 2015, ABB Turbochargingachieved a major quality landmark: itshighest ever level of customer satis-

faction in terms of the quality and avail-ability of its products and services.

In spite of this excellent news, ABB Turbocharging has no doubts that for

2016 and beyond, merely maintainingthis status quo is not an option.

The company has no intention what-soever of leaning back and patting itself

ABB Turbocharging has a zero defects program in place that will push quality to an even higher level.

ABB charge! 1|16 15

Quality

on the back. There is still the potential forpushing quality to a higher level and thepolicy must – and will – be zero defects.This is the goal ABB must always bestriving for, and though it may be difficultto achieve, the company must alwayshave it in its sights.

The devil can lie in the detail: A smalltyping error in the specification of aspare parts order, for example, can leadto the wrong component arriving on sitefor the service task being carried out.The additional engine downtime causedcan result in huge consequential costs orlosses to the engine operator. Wheneven the smallest error or minor defectcan have a huge impact, ABB must useall available means to avoid it. This willmean everybody working harder, but thecompany is very strong and very deter-mined.

At the heart of the zero defects policyis a wide-reaching, dedicated campaign.This covers a whole bundle of initiativeswhich will enable ABB Turbocharging toprovide the best products and serviceson the market and use these to buildstrong business relationships with cus-tomers. And, since quality is stronglydependent on the materials and compo-nents that are bought, getting even closerto the suppliers will be another vital element.

ABB Turbocharging’s zero defect pro-gram addresses four key areas and usesa range of tools and processes. ABB tar-gets improvements in leadership, people,quality in the value chain and operatingsystems, and to attain them a number ofprocesses and tools such as Net Pro-moter Score (NPS), Customer ComplaintResolution Process (CCRP), ContinuousProduct Improvement Process (CPI) andContinuous Quality Improvement (CQI)have been implemented. These will playan even stronger role as the zero defectstrategy deploys, while other initiativeswill be kicked-off later this year, such asthe “Poka Yoke” approach to eliminatingdefects in production processes by mak-ing the processes “mistake-proof”.

Of the tools in use, NPS represents akey performance indicator (KPI) in themeasurement of customer satisfaction.This is a very important instrument whichallows ABB to learn from customersabout their needs. Crucially, the processincludes a so-called recommend ques-tion – i. e. would you recommend theproducts and services of ABB Turbo -charging to your friend? – and this allows

the customer’s level of satisfaction to bemonitored constantly.

Excellent progress has already beenmade by ABB Turbocharging towards its vision of zero defects. Within an over-all response rate of 25 percent, in 201592 percent of ABB Turbocharging’s cus-tomers were either satisfied or very satis-fied, and the fruits of ABB’s labors couldbe seen growing in the form of therecognition received from customers forperformance excellence. In 2015 ABBTurbocharging received a crop of Gold,or even Platinum awards, “A” or “Top 10”rankings, and satisfaction levels of morethan 90 percent, according to the cus-tomer’s chosen method of measuringexcellence.

However, as everyone knows, what isexcellent today becomes the yardstickfor tomorrow’s quality, and will simply notbe good enough the day after tomorrow.Staying on an excellent quality levelindefinitely will mean continuing to placethe highest value on quality and to focusall efforts on the areas that will lead tothe next level.

Towards zerodefects – someprocessesexplained:

CCRP – Customer ComplaintResolution Processn a very effective complaint resolv-

ing process applied for each single customer complaint

n involves tracking the resolution of a complaint or problem in aworkflow

n it follows the 8D principle, with an8D report as an output

n it focuses on root cause analysisand sustainability, including aclosed-loop approach

n it is implemented by a dedicatedgroup of specialists, and dis-cussed in monthly managementteam meetings.

CPI – Continuous ProductImprovement Process for technical aspectsCQI – Continuous Quality Improve-ment Process for process and handling related issuesn systemic problems are tackled

and resolved in dedicated projectsn interdisciplinary teams ensure

collaboration through all depart-ments.

Poka-yokePoka-yoke – a Japanese term thatmeans “mistake-proofing”. A poka-yoke is any mechanism that helpsan equipment operator avoid(yokeru) mistakes (poka). Its pur-pose is to eliminate product defectsby preventing, correcting, or draw-ing attention to human errors asthey occur. A simple example ismaking a component asymmetricso that it can only be fitted the rightway. More complex examples arecomputer controls to ensure a cor-rect part is installed or a series ofprocedures is carried out in theright order (e.g. torqueing bolts).

Starting in 1988 as a young engineerwith a master’s degree in mechanicalengineering, Köbi Brem developed andqualified the RR type turbochargers in the engineering department of ABBTurbo Systems. Subsequently, overnearly 20 years, he acquired tremen-dous field experience within the tech-nical service department where hewas responsible for troubleshootingand resolving customer issues. Today,Köbi heads the Customer Feedback &Management Systems departmentand has in-depth knowledge of cus-tomer needs as well as a thoroughunderstanding of how important it isto perform proper root cause analysesin achieving long-lasting solutions.

16 ABB charge! 1|16

Quality

Continuous Product ImprovementThrough the interdisciplinary teamwork used in CPI, ABB Turbocharging’s fund of product knowledge becomes available to all company departments.

Text René Stoverink, Photography iStockphoto, ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

As part of its ongoing search for outstanding quality, ABBTurbocharging introduced theconcept of Continuous Prod-

uct Improvement (CPI) in 2006. Now theproject has gained added relevance asone of the processes used in the questfor zero defects (see page 14).

CPI is an excellent tool for tacklingproduct issues in a systemic way. Byturning the resolution of problems intointerdisciplinary projects, it is ensuredthat they are not only solved to the customer’s satisfaction, but that thesolution adds to ABB Turbocharging’soverall fund of product knowledge and isthus available to all departments. In thisway, it will be taken into account duringproduct development and may result in anew feature in a future turbocharger gen-eration.

CPI in actionIn the recent past, ABB Turbo-

charging’s service department reportedseveral cases where turbochargers ongas engines seized after shutdown of theengine. This became evident when theoperator tried to restart the engine some10 to 15 minutes after a short shutdown,and wasn’t able to do so because therotor did not rotate freely. Even thoughthe rotor would free itself up after aboutone to two hours, the phenomenon wasabsolutely unacceptable for the engineoperator, since it limited his ability toearn revenue.

To get to the bottom of the probleman interdisciplinary team was put togetherin line with the principles of the CPIprocess. The first step was to collect allavailable information and to find the rootcause of this problem. From within theDeposits on the turbocharger turbine vary according to the engine fuel (e.g. biogas).

ABB charge! 1|16 17

Quality

company’s own resources it was possi-ble to confirm that this phenomenon ofsticking turbocharger rotors occurredexclusively on TPS turbochargers andwas encountered in four different plantswhere gas engines are fueled with bio-gas. An in-depth root cause analysis onsite and in the lab revealed that severalinfluences were at work.

One was contamination on the turbineside of the turbocharger caused bydeposits of calcium phosphate. Thesewere capable of rapid growth and couldquickly reduce the clearance betweenthe turbine blades and the turbine hous-ing (gas outlet flange). ABB Turbochargersare made to very tight tolerances in orderto ensure high turbocharging efficiency –efficiency reduces exponentially as thegap between turbines and compressorwheels and their adjacent housingsincrease. What was happening wascaused by the heat which is alwaystransferred after shutdown from the hotturbine into the shaft, and which can nolonger be cooled by lubricating oil whenthe rotor is stationary. This leads to theturbocharger shaft expanding in length,and in these cases it was pressing theturbine against the deposits on the hous-ing. Result: the rotor became stuck.

Having established the causes of thesticking rotors, in the next two phases ofthe CPI process possible solution con-cepts were worked out, the most prom-ising solution was selected and adetailed solution developed and quali-fied. Two countermeasures were workedout. The first is reminiscent of a measuretaken on passenger cars with turbo-dieselengines. To prevent damage to water-cooled turbochargers on cars, the cool-ing fan runs after engine shutdown until

the coolant temperature decreases. Inthe case at hand, the preference was forpre-lubrication of the turbine shaft over aperiod of 10 to 15 minutes if turbinesticking is experienced during re-start ofan engine after such a short shutdown.The engine and turbocharger will still beclose to their operating temperaturesand the pre-lubrication will cool the shaftfar enough to allow it to contract andcreate a suitable clearance between theturbine and any deposits on the housing.

The second measure involved chang-ing the exhaust gas outlet flange for onein a material with different physical prop-erties. By installing a gas outlet flangemade of a material with a different thermalexpansion rate, it could be ensured thatthis part of the turbine housing wouldalso expand less after engine shutdownand help to maintain a positive clearancebetween the turbine and the housing.

The next phase of the CPI centers on implementation of the solution. Whilein many cases a product improvement isintroduced into series production for newturbochargers, in this case it was decidedto introduce the new housing (gas outletflange) as an option. The background to this decision is that the root causeanalysis indicated – and field experienceconfirmed – that only a small proportionof turbochargers with radial turbinesoperating on biogas are affected by thisproblem.

One step beyondProblem solved? Yes, but while at this

point the operator’s problem is usuallysolved, the CPI process goes a step fur-ther before the project is closed. The lastphase comprises a process reflection,including identification and improvement

René Stoverink is Senior ManagerTechnical Service, handling claimsmanagement and technical /breakdowninvestigations, project management of interdisciplinary teams, technicalsupport for end users and operatorsand supporting the ABB Turbochargingworldwide network with customerseminars. He holds a Bachelor’sDegree in mechanical engineeringfrom the FHO FachhochschuleOstschweiz, Rapperswil, and joinedABB in 1988.

Contamination on the gas outlet flange proposals for the business process whichcaused the problem. In this example, the lesson learned included a recom-mendation to consider the fuel typeswhen determining turbocharger rotorclearances during the design process,because deposits on the turbine varyaccording to whether the engine willburn diesel, HFO, gas or even biogas. Inthe case of gas engine applications, thecomposition of special gases like bio-gases, synthetic gases, well-head gasesor associated petroleum gases can differgreatly from the composition of pipelinequality natural gas. The nature of thedeposits on the turbine in question wasundoubtedly related to the type of biogasin use. When such a problem has beenexperienced and solved, it becomes anintegral part of the CPI process: the find-ings are extracted in full and the lessonsare learnt, everything being thoroughlydocumented and, in this case, added tothe list of aspects to be considered dur-ing turbocharger development. In thisway sustainability is ensured.

18 ABB charge! 1|16

Interview

Marine auxiliarycollaborationABB have had a license agreement with the Japanese corporation IHI since 1958. In 1998, a joint venture between the two companies was founded to promote and sell IHI- and ABB-designed turbocharger products to the Japanese market. In this interview, Kazuki Dobashi, head of IHI’s marineturbocharger business unit and one of IHI’s key decision makers, tells charge! readers more.

Interview Magdalena Okopska, Photography IHI, ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

Dobashi-san please tell our readersabout your responsibilities at IHI?

I am currently head of the marine turbocharger business unit in IHI. IHI is aJapanese corporation with businessesinvolved in the manufacture of productsfor many industries. I am also on theBoard of Directors of Turbo System United(TSU), an ABB and IHI joint venture weset up in 1998. TSU is responsible for thesale of IHI and ABB turbochargers inJapan. TSU is fully integrated into theABB Turbocharging network.

How did the opportunity for a jointproject between IHI and ABB arise?

As global leaders in the design andproduction of small-bore, medium-speedengines, Japanese engine builders havea significant influence on the marine aux-iliary market. As a Japanese company,

IHI is very familiar with the requirementsof domestic engine builders and impor-tant Japanese ship owners.

IHI began to consider ways to developa new product. Around this time, ABBapproached IHI to explore the possibilityof a collaboration for the development ofa dedicated turbocharger for the marineauxiliary market. IHI and ABB have a his-tory of successful long-term collabora-tions, with TSU since 1998 and, prior tothat, a license cooperation betweenBBC/ABB and IHI since 1958. This wasin fact the very first license agreementBBC had had with a Japanese company.A new product would mean TSU couldsupply a competitive product to its mainmarket, so we decided to combine ourdifferent technological expertise to workon this new project.

Cooperation betweenIHI and ABB

n 1958: IHI becomes a licensee ofBBC/ABB-designed turbochargers

n 1998: foundation of Turbo Systems United Co. Ltd. inJapan – an ABB and IHI jointventure to promote and sell IHI-and ABB-designed turbochargerproducts on the Japanese market

n Since 2014: cooperation betweenIHI and ABB in the developmentand commercialization of a dedicated marine auxiliary turbocharger

n 2016: launch of the joint IHI andABB marine auxiliary product

ABB charge! 1|16 19

Interview

Dobashi-san, in your role as Directorof TSU, it is your target to ensure thesuccessful promotion and sale of thismarine auxiliary turbocharger for theJapanese market. Can you tell us a bitmore about the product?

All will be revealed at the CIMACevent in June, so I don’t want to giveaway too much here! However, I can tellyou that the new dedicated marine auxil-iary product line will have three framesizes and will be easy for crews to main-tain. It will also feature part-load opti-mization and have a very competitive lifecycle cost.

Looking back on your experience ofthis product development collabora-tion by the joint project team, werethere any challenging situations?

There are, of course, cultural differ-ences between Europeans and Japanese,especially in their approaches to corpo-rate culture and how to make a businessdecision. However, we all shared a com-mon objective: to develop a new productthat meets customer needs and to gen-erate benefits for ABB and IHI, as well asgrow TSU as our common sales channelin Japan. I think, on the whole, the chal-lenge of the cultural differences wasturned into a very positive thing fromwhich both parties benefited.

Teamwork was very good during thisproject, although some misunderstand-ings did arise due to the different lan-guages, different perceptions and work-ing style. What was remarkable was thateveryone listened respectfully to eachother, discussed topics thoroughly andreached a consensus beneficial to allinvolved.

Do you have a particular philosophythat guides your personal successand that aided the success of thisproject?

My motto is always to give more than Ireceive and strive to add value in excessof the value of other inputs presented.The value of the contribution from RolandSchwarz (Head Hub ABB TurbochargingJapan and Head of Product Group MarineAuxiliary) during negotiation and product

Kazuki Dobashi, head of IHI’s marine turbocharger business unit.

“We all shared a common objective: to develop a new product that meets customer needs.”

20 ABB charge! 1|16

Interview

development on this project was sub-stantial. I aspired to add value in excessof the input from Roland as we have dif-ferent backgrounds and experience.

This carries over too to the relation-ship between ABB and IHI, which waspreviously one of licensor and licensee.Now, we are building a new relationshipbetween two companies and my contri-bution to this is my “giving more than Ireceive by commitment and creating value” factor.

What do you think Swiss engineerscan learn from the Japanese engi-neers and vice versa?

If Swiss engineers learned moreabout Japanese culture from us, it wouldhelp them understand Japanese cus-

tomers, their expectations and productrequirements. I believe all engineers thinkin a similar way; nationality is meaning-less. But, in my opinion, there is a differ-ence between European engineers andJapanese engineers. European engineerstend to have a high-tech focus whileJapanese engineers place more empha-sis on robustness, standardization andcost minimization. A combination of theseapproaches is advantageous for bothparties.

You clearly had a lot of work duringthe project. What do you do to unwindand relax?

I enjoy spending time in the companyof my friends, but my passion is rally carracing with my Honda S2000. Unfortu-

nately, the last year has been very busyand I was only able to attend two com-petitions. But I did manage to win twomedals – silver and bronze!

Regarding the new marine auxiliaryproduct: what are your expectationsfor the near future?

The next steps include the productrelease before the end of 2016 and asuccessful product launch to gain mar-ket share. IHI would like to maintain thecollaboration with ABB for the develop-ment of next-generation products.

Finally, could you please tell our readers something about your educa-tion and career?

In 1991, I graduated with a degree inmechanical engineering from the Univer-sity of Yamanashi, Japan. My career withIHI began that year as an application anddesign engineer in marine turbochargers,designed by ABB and IHI.

When TSU was established in 1998, Ijoined as an application engineer fortwo- and four-stroke engines, selling thefirst TPL and TPS to the Japanese market.In 2001, I became manager of a test bedwith IHI Compressor and Machinery Co.,Ltd. (ICM), in Tatsuno. ICM managed thetesting and evaluation of newly devel-oped turbochargers and newly localizedTPL and TPS. ICM is a subsidiary of IHIthat manufactures marine turbochargersdesigned by IHI and ABB in Japan.

I became manager of the marine turbo-charger engineering department of ICMin 2002, with responsibility for localiza-tion and product care of licensed turbo -chargers. In 2011, I was appointed headof the marine turbocharger business unitin IHI and general manager of the marineturbocharger engineering department inICM, Tatsuno.

I joined the Board of Directors of TSUin 2014.

Dobashi-san, on behalf of ABB andcharge! I’d like to thank you for takingthe time to tell us all about the marineauxiliary collaboration.

Dedicated turbocharger for marine auxiliaryengines: Benefits at a glance

MaX project team members Ken Nakano, Susumu Aruga, Kazuki Dobashi and Keisuke Matsumoto.

n Optimized design, specifically tofulfill marine auxiliary requirements.

n User-friendly design for easy self-maintenance.

n Interactive and intuitive digital self-service support guide for condi-tion-based maintenance (CBM).

n Designed for part-load efficiency.n Robust design for trouble-free

operation under HFO conditions.n Reduced Total Cost of Ownership

(TCO).

ABB charge! 1|16 21

Service

Just-in-time deliveryPolar research icebreaker

The entire ABB Turbocharging supplychain was put to the test at the end of2015 following a request for delivery of acomplete ABB TPL 73-B11 unit on board Chinese icebreaker Xue Long.

The Polar Research Institute of Chinais the country’s central polar informationresource and its flagship vessel Xue Longis a floating laboratory, fully equipped for128 researchers and dedicated to under-taking expeditions in unforgiving Arcticand Antarctic waters.

Built in 1993, Xue Long was retrofit-ted with a new main engine in 2013, in aproject that also saw installation of twoABB TPL 73-B11 turbochargers. In Octo-ber 2015 the customer requested a thirdunit as a spare to support smooth oper-ations and maximize uptime.

The successful response and deliverywere made possible by teams acrossproduction, delivery and installation,meeting the tight scheduling require-ments to coincide with a refueling and

ship supplies call in Australia duringNovember. The turbocharger was initiallyexpected to be assembled, produced and transported to Australia by Novem-ber 23. However, the customer asked forit to arrive earlier, on November 15. Evenincluding six days of flight time, the turbocharger was delivered on time,actually arriving in Australia on Novem-ber 14, and enabling the Xue Long todepart on time for the Antarctic.

Xue Long, the flagship vessel of the Polar Research Institute of China.

22 ABB charge! 1|16

News

Dredger Shanti Sagar XVI at Adani Ports and Economic Zone Ltd, Gujurat, India.

Customers seek to optimizeasset performance throughservice agreementsService. Adani Ports & Special EconomicZone Ltd (APSEZ) in Gujurat, India, hasopted to bring the management and exe-cution of service and maintenance for 65turbochargers under a service agreement.

APSEZ operates across a large net-work of ports with the Special EconomicZone of Mundra, India’s largest privateport operator. Responsible for a totalcargo throughput of over 120 milliontonnes per year, it operates harbor ves-sels and locomotives equipped with awide variety of ABB turbochargers, in -cluding TPR, TPS, and VTC, VTR and RR.

Such agreements have been provento provide service and maintenance sup-port more closely aligned with customers’specific needs. For APSEZ, consistencyof port services and inland logistics wasa driver for this contract: “With a pres-ence across eight locations, perform-ance of the assets deployed to supportactivities is critical in the logistics chain.”

Designed for operators who wantclose support in servicing their turbo -chargers, rather than complete delega-tion, the Maintenance Management

Agreement (MMA) was seen as the mostappropriate fit to ensure reliability andavailability of the turbochargers. As withthe full ABB Turbocharging service port-folio, the service agreement ultimatelyaims to reduce the total cost of turbo -charger operations and the administra-tion workload of maintenance manage-ment. Essential for many customers, theMMA still allows flexibility to define thescope of the service and products to becovered.

With over 15,000 ABB turbochargersnow covered under the MMA, it is fullyestablished across the large engine market in the marine, rail, power and min-ing sectors. As outsourced maintenancebecomes the norm across the industry,working closely with customers to furthertailor service offerings for their specificcurrent and future needs will continue tobe a focus for ABB Turbocharging.

The customer valued the cooperationwith ABB: “We have had excellent sup-port from ABB to date and we are look-ing forward to a successful partnershipover the course of the contract.”

Supplier quality recognizedAwards. Customer feedback remainsessential to the development of betterturbocharging products, technologies andservices. Efforts continued in 2015 tomeet the supplier requirements and highstandards set by customers, resulting inrecognition through supplier awards.

The long-time relationship with GEJenbacher earned “A” level for qualityand “B” level for total supply excellence.The success of another strong relation-ship was demonstrated for the third con-secutive year by the Supplier QualityExcellence Process (SQEP) award fromCaterpillar USA, at the highest level, platinum, for ABB Inc. BU Turbochargingin Bollingbrook, USA. Caterpillar USAalso recognized ABB Turbo Systems Ltdoperations in Klingnau and Baden,Switzerland, with a gold award which fol-lows bronze in 2014. ABB Turbo SystemsLtd in addition received a gold levelSQEP award from Caterpillar Kiel (MaK),also for the third consecutive year.

Karl-Jakob Brem, General Manager,Customer Feedback & Management Sys-tems, ABB Turbocharging commented,“These awards reflect the improvementswe have made to add value for cus-tomers and we aim to replicate this into2016 and beyond. The awards are amotivation for the people who haveachieved the im provements and we willcontinue to seek and analyze all feed-back, drawing on our successes to liveup to our market leading reputationacross the industry.”

ABB charge! 1|16 23

News

Vadodara plant wins 2015 star recognition from CIIAward. At its first attempt, the ABB turbocharger plant run by ABB India Lim-ited in Vadodara, India, has won theprestigious Emerging Leader award forExcellence in Operation Management,organized by the Confederation of IndianIndustry (CII).

The accolade was conferred in thePower and Automation segment at a cer-emony during the CII’s 23rd NationalQuality Summit, held on 18 November2015 in Bangalore and attended by theChief Minister of Karnataka state. “Par-ticipation was initiated by the OPEX teamand winning this award the very first timewe registered for this national event is agreat motivator to improve further andreach even higher quality levels,” saysKeyur Patel, Marketing CommunicationManager for the LBU Turbocharging atABB India Limited, based at the Manejaworks in Vadodara, Indian State.

The 3,410 m² Vadodara plant, whichhas been operational since 1991, is theheadquarters of ABB Turbocharging’sactivities in India. It produces turbo -

Engine room of a power plant owned by West African cement manufacturer SOCOCIM.

Flexible service with fixed ratesService. The model of servicing industrialproducts is changing, and the movetowards outsourced service is a cleartrend in the turbocharger market. Influ-enced by this, the focus for ABB Turbo -charging service is now firmly on bringingmore flexibility to the servicing of turbo -chargers, and to more comprehensivelymeeting customer needs, resulting in theextension of our portfolio of serviceagreement packages.

Already in place are the full serviceagreements: the Operation PerformancePackage as well as the agreement forcustomers who want more flexibility withless delegation, the Maintenance Man-agement Agreement. Customers acrossthe large engine industry make it clearthat requirements for maintenance andservice are varying, and these offeringscombined with a consultative approachenable customizable solutions for ABBturbocharger service.

The latest addition is the Fixed RateService Agreement, with flexibility in thescope of service and spare parts requiredcombined with the option of payment by fixed installments. As with our otherservice agreements, the value is in ABB Turbocharging taking responsibility

for service management of products for customers, freeing up resources tofocus on other important aspects of theirbusiness. Working in partnership withcustomers to support them with plan-ning, management and execution of ser -vice ultimately aims to maximize uptimeand reduce unexpected maintenancecosts.

Customers are already seeing the valueof the new Fixed Rate Service Agree-

ment. One example comes from a powerplant application in West Africa, wherethe focus was on reducing engine down-time, improving planning and bringingbenefits to budgeting and cost manage-ment. The Plant Manager told us, “Thiscontract has had a very positive impacton operations and maintenance costs.We have increased engine availability withvery good performances while reducingcosts.”

The turbocharger assembly area at ABB India’s Vadodara plant.

chargers for the locomotives of IndianRailways and serves as a sourcing hubwithin ABB Turbo charging’s global supplynetwork.

24 ABB charge! 1|16

Tips for the operator

Turbine washing on medium-speed enginesBuilding on the report in this issue of charge! describing countermeasures to turbine fouling, this article looks at the best way to prevent the problem arising in the first place.

Text René Stoverink, Photography ABB Turbo Systems Ltd

While the CPI project (seepage 7) specifically ad-dressed A100-M and TPSturbochargers on engines

burning certain grades of heavy fuel oil(HFO), and which are likely to be operatedat low and part load for extended periods,its findings are equally valid for enginesoperating on HFO in land-based powergeneration applications. In baseloadpower generation applications on land,part load running should be far lessprevalent, but combating fouling is justas essential.

Prevention is better than cure – andcheaper

The central lesson learnt and a majorsolution proposed for auxiliary enginesoperating on HFO has universal validity:

Regular washing of turbines is thebest way to prevent fouling andpossible turbocharger damage dueto deposits on nozzle rings and turbines.

Schematic of the turbocharger turbinewashing set-up

After ensuring the correct precondi-tions for turbine washing, as shownin Table 2, and that the water supply(01) is reliable:n Open the stop valve (02) and set

the water volume flow VW with aflowmeter (03).

n Close the stop valve (02) after 10minutes.

n Wait for 10 minutes; do notchange the engine load duringthis stabilization phase.

The alternatives are, of course, muchmore expensive. Whether the turbo -charger needs repair or mechanicalcleaning, it will have to be removed fromthe engine and dismantled. And even ifdowntime is minimized by the use ofrefurbished exchange turbochargers,higher expenditure is inevitable.

Wet, wet, wetOn turbochargers for the type of four-

stroke, high- and medium-speed enginesinvolved in the CPI project, ABB Turbo -charging specifies wet cleaning of theturbine-side components at defined intervals.

This involves injection of water intothe turbine according to a prescribedprocedure. The principle at work is thatthe dirt layer on the turbine componentsis removed by the kinetic energy exertedby the water droplets. Washing is exe-cuted using devices supplied by theengine builder and manufactured inaccordance with ABB Turbocharging’srecommendations.

During the CPI project two turbinewashing procedures were tried. One

01 02 03

ABB charge! 1|16 25

Tips for the operator

Important considerations for turbocharger cleaningduring engine operation

n Make sure the correct amount of water is injected (see instruction manual).n Optimize the cleaning procedure for your specific plant conditions (i.e. vary

the washing interval accordingly).n Adhere to the specified temperature limits and time windows to reduce the

thermal stress on the hot turbine parts.n Allow the hot gas parts to cool down before washing to reduce thermal

stress. This has a direct influence on the lifetime of the parts!

Cleaning procedure – times and temperature

involved injecting water for three times 30 seconds at three minute intervals andone a continuous ten minute burst ofwater. In practice it was found that the tenminute method was considerably moreeffective, and this information was pub-lished as ABB Turbocharging’s ServiceNews 03 /2012 (TPS turbocharger turbinecleaning in operation: Recommendationfor procedure change) and distributed to both engine users and ABB servicepersonnel.

At the same time, ABB Turbochargingrecognizes that the person in the bestposition to judge the necessity for tur-bine washing and to schedule the task isthe engine operator. Thus, the CPI alsoresulted in a recommendation to engineusers to optimize the cleaning procedureon their specific engine application byvarying the washing interval as needed.The instruction manual supplied with theturbocharger should be used as a guide.

Cool, cool, cool There are a number of aspects to

observe, such as injecting the correctamount of water at the correct pressureduring washing. For the TPS and A100turbochargers which were the subject ofthe CPI project, ABB Turbocharging rec-ommends a pressure of 1.5 bar toensure the correct water flow quantity.

One of the most essential factors insuccessful turbine washing is observingthe specified temperature limits and timewindows to reduce the thermal stress onthe hot turbine parts. This is neededbecause the sudden cooling of theexhaust gases as water enters the tur-bine housing represents a considerablethermal loading on the components.Reduction of the thermal shock willincrease the lifetime of the parts.

This means allowing the turbocharger’shot gas (turbine-side) parts to cool downbefore washing.

To achieve this level, the engineshould be run at reduced load for a totalperiod of 30 minutes. This overall time ismade up of: – 10 minutes before injecting the water

into the turbine to allow the turbo -charger to cool down

– the 10 minutes for the washing proce-dure

– 10 minutes after water injection toallow the turbine parts to dry out.

For detailed information on the subject ofturbine washing during operation, thefollowing documentation is available:– Operation Manual specific to the turbo-

charger installed– Service News 03 /2012 – TPS turbo -

charger turbine cleaning in operation:Recommendation for procedure change

– Service News 07 /2014 – A100-M turbocharger turbine cleaning duringoperation.

Table 1.

Parameters for wet cleaning of turbines (two- and four-stroke engines)

n Cleaning interval: approximately every 50 to 200 hoursn Water injection duration: 10 minutes continuousn Turbocharger inlet temperature: maximum 430 °Cn Water pressure: 1.5 bar over-pressure or 2.5 bar

absolute pressure

Table 2.

Cool-down Washing Drying

10 min. 10 min. 10 min.

Time

En

gin

e lo

ad

430 °C

26 ABB charge! 1|16

Recipe

Meaning literally “flower view-ing”, Hanami is the Japan-ese tradition of enjoying thecherry blossom for which

Japan is so famous – and celebrating itsarrival. The sakura bloom from the end ofMarch to early May all over Japan, andsuch is the importance of this symbol ofspring that there is even a blossom fore-cast service, the sakura-zensen, operatedby the Japanese weather bureau. Hanamigenerally consists of holding a day-time

or night-time party with food and drinkbeneath the blossoming cherry trees.The celebration is bitter-sweet – theblossoms only last a few days and areeasily dispersed by wind or rain, stress-ing the Buddhist belief in the transienceof reality.

The bentoA popular way of catering at the par-

ties is to take along a bento full of yourfavorite food. Derived from an archaic

Bentos and cherry blossomEastertime is celebrated in different ways around the world. In Japan, this year as every year, it is a fair bet that staff at ABB, IHI Corporation and Turbo Systems United were looking forward to Hanami.

Text Jonathan Walker, Photography iStockphoto

Japanese word for “convenient”, a bentois simply a box for food, usually with anumber of compartments to keep thevarious elements separate.

But bentos can be ornate or merelyfunctional and a traditional bento holdsrice with fish or meat accompanied bypickled or cooked vegetables. They canbe filled at home or bought as a take-away meal from restaurants, the typicalJapanese izakaya eating place or streetvendors all around Japan.

ABB charge! 1|16 27

Acknowledgments

Published byABB Turbo Systems Ltd

AddressP.O. BoxCH-5401 Baden/SwitzerlandPhone: +41 58 585 7777Fax: +41 58 585 5144www.abb.com/turbocharginge-mail: charge@ch.abb.com

PhotosABB Turbo Systems LtdHHIiStockphotoMichael ReinhardIHIPolar Research Institute of China

Cover photo: Corbis

PrinterDietschi Print & Design AG, Olten /Switzerland

Layout, typography, electronic publishingDomino Style & Type AG, Gebenstorf /Switzerland

Reprints require the publisher’s written consent.

© 2016 ABB Turbo Systems Ltd, Baden /SwitzerlandAll rights reserved

Chicken Kara-age

A popular bento meal is chickenkara-age, a Japanese version of fried chicken.

Ingredients (serves two)500 g boneless chicken with skin3 tbs. corn or potato starch

(katakuriko)2 tbs. plain flourVegetable oil for deep frying1 tbs. soy sauce½ tbs. ginger1 clove of garlicSalt, to taste

Preparation1. Crush the garlic and mix with

the soy sauce, ginger and salt to make the marinade.

2. Cut the meat into 50 mm (2 inch)pieces and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

3. Mix the starch and the flour, coatthe chicken pieces in the mixture.

4. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer toa suitable temperature and cookthe chicken pieces until goldenbrown outside and well-cookedinside (use a meat thermometerto be sure).

5. Place the fried chicken pieces on a paper towel to soak up theexcess oil.

6. Serve with lemon or lime wedgesand fill the other compartmentsof the bento with rice and thepickled or cooked vegetables ofyour choice.

Bon appetit!

Customized service support. With you everystep of the way.

Assuring the availability of your application is a critical part of securing your business.The right service reduces downtimes and increases your application’s performanceand lifetime. Getting your service plan from ABB Turbocharging guarantees depend-able delivery of results and lower total cost of ownership of your turbocharger. We arededicated to providing our customers a comprehensive turbocharging service offering24/7, 365 days a year at any one of our 100+ ABB-owned Service Stations in 50+countries across the globe. Get the right service. www.abb.com/turbocharging