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Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) reports that its low-speed diesel engine range, the X52, has completed both its factory acceptance test (FAT) and type approval test (TAT) following an extensive test programme that took place at the Shanghai engine works of WinGD licensee Hudong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. (HHM) in the presence of eight classification societies.

The certification processes were carried out on a five-cylinder X52 engine with a contracted output of 6408 kW at 99 rpm and IMO Tier II emissions compliance.

With the tests completed, the X52 will now be delivered to power a 38,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) bulk carrier under construction at the Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard (GWS) in Guangzhou, China. GWS, like HHM, forms part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

Following completion of the TAT and FAT, the X52 is now set to be developed for commercial applications. According to WinGD, the new engine already has a "considerable" and "large" order book. Including the test engine, a total of 14 engines are said to be already on order.

Alexander Bruckl, Senior Project Manager New Engines, and one of WinGD's engineers present at the tests said: "The X52 has proven very popular as it is an intelligent engine; its FAT and TAT have been eagerly awaited by both shipyards and their customers.

"This very rapid market acceptance is based on the reliability and performance the Generation X diesel and dual-fuel engines have exhibited in service to date. This is also reflected in the fact that we have had the confidence to perform the TAT on the very first engine rather than a later engine, as the Classification Societies allow."

Bruckl also stresses that the major benefits of its 'Generation X' engines are the low specific fuel consumption and reduced service costs.

The reduced fuel consumption is said to result primarily from the longer stroke configuration of WinGD's Generation X engines, but they also have a relatively light structure and are designed to have low maintenance costs.

"The long stroke design enables higher torques at lower engine speeds compared with earlier WinGD engines. Due to a larger diameter, more efficient propellers can be employed. At the same time, however, our designers were very aware that an engine's stroke dimension has direct effect on engine height which, in turn, has a considerable influence on engine room size and the effective payload of a vessel. We chose a larger bore diameter and, as sales figures have shown, the bore-to-stroke ratio selected by WinGD is proving to be very popular," added Bruckl.

The X-prefix engines can also be offered with dual ratings which can be accessed via a minimum of modifications to engine and turbocharger components, enabling ship operators to readily employ a fuel-saving slow steaming mode, according to market and contract conditions.

Additionally, vessel owner CSSC has specified several advanced digital features designed to facilitate maximised vessel efficiency as well as extensive remote monitoring and control of onboard systems for its ship.

Of the 13 engines on order, all will be six-cylinder X52s to be built in Korea. They include both IMO Tier II and Tier III emission compliance, with the Tier III engines featuring both low and high-pressure selective catalytic reduction (SCR).

Eight of the engines include six six-cylinder X52 engines rated 7180 kilowatts (kW) at 86.9 rpm and employing high-pressure SCR to achieve IMO Tier III compliance. The Tier III engines are to power a series of six 49,000-dwt petroleum products tankers. Two engines with the same rated output are Tier II compliant and will be installed in two 50,000-dwt product tankers.

The other five six-cylinder X52s rated 8200 kW at 80 rpm will power a series of five 60,000-dwt open-hatch general cargo vessels. These X52 engines will be Tier III compliant thanks to the use of a low-pressure SCR system.

Image: WinGD X52 engine completes factory acceptance test (FAT) and type approval test (TAT) at the Shanghai engine works of WinGD licensee Hudong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. (HHM) in the presence of eight classification societies.