The Swedish company installs and tests latest developments in different light commercial vessels at its test facility in Krossholmen near Gothenburg. The new engine series D8 will
be showcased at this year’s SMM. It has also been checked under competitive conditions.
Volvo Penta has evolved from an engine manufacturer to a company which focuses on the entire propulsion[ds_preview] system. »We see an increasing demand for multi-set installations«, the Head of Marine Diesel Segment Stefan Carlsson says with reference to the broad portfolio. For CTO Johan Carlsson it is most important to look at the complete drive system by analysing the operating performance of a vessel.
One reason for that is the propulsion system’s complexity nowadays featuring a lot of elements. For Johan Carlsson all components of the electrical system should communicate with each other. These would help to operate a ship in the best way and consequently to increase the efficiency. For him also the behavior of the captain has a crucial role. If you have accurate information about how the captain operates his vessel, he could be made specifically aware of the individual improvement potential to render his driving more efficient and consume less fuel in the end while saving operational costs.
New D8 engine series
After the first tests in the production hall, the engines will be brought to the test facility Krossholmen which is located just outside Gothenburg. Once the engines have been installed at different light commercial vessels, the tests and verification of specific performance starts on the archipelago shaped installation near Gothenburg.
Of course, the recently developed D8 engine was also subject to real-condition tests, and it is designed to replace the D9 series and to be presented at this year’s SMM for the first time. The engine is at display in Hall A 3 at booth 415 where visitors can get latest information.
For instance, two D8 600 engines have been installed on the 15,50m long yacht »Cranchi Atlantique 48« for testing the behavior at sea. Other Volvo Penta test boats equipped with D8 engines are »Targa 44« with a D8-IPS700 twin, a catamaran work boat with D8-550 inbord twin installation and an out-of-service sea rescue boat with D8-550 inbord single installation.
According to Volvo Penta the new engine has been designed for use in planning craft which need to accelerate quickly with low emissions and high comfort. Commercial uses include fast patrols, coastguard and rescue launches, police and ambulance boats, water-taxis and high-speed passenger ferries, fishing boats, and offshore support vessels are also the target group of the new D8-series. »Thanks to its compact dimensions and high power-to-weight ratio, the D8 will fit extremely well into high speed planning vessels in both new design and re-powering of Volvo Penta’s famous TAMD74 range of engines«, says Thomas Lantz, product planning manager for Volvo Penta’s Marine Commercial sector.
The new development is an in-line six-cylinder engine with a cylinder capacity of 7.7l, twin-entry turbo and sea-water cooled heat exchanger. The engine has a common rail system working up to 2,000 bars. The injection is electronically controlled which allows more flexibility, the company stated. Pre-, main, and post-injection are essential aspects of the engine’s power, torque, fuel efficiency, low noise and emission levels.
According to the company benefits of the new products are a high power and torque rise for speed and load-carrying capabilities, a high low-end torque and wide rpm-range that should allow a good maneuverability and acceleration. Furthermore, the new engine has a very low noise level which aims at increased comfort for crew and passengers.
Volvo Penta has developed three power outputs for the D8 inboard range – of 450, 510 and 550hp. They are designed to comply with the US EPA Tier 3 emission standards, as well as IMO II and EU IWW. EPA certificates are expected in January 2017. At the same time the production of the new engine series should begin.
The D8 engine is also available with the Inboard Performance System (IPS). The new model IPS 15 has been developed and optimized to fit the D8 engines for the commercial market. Commercial uses of the Volvo Penta IPS include coastguard and patrol ships, pilots, passenger transportation and fast work boats.
According to Volvo Penta the company has continually developed its IPS pods to offer an integrated propulsion package with greater performance, fuel efficiency, maneuverability and comfort than a traditional propulsion system. Features of the type approved IPS 15 package are improved materials for heavy-duty commercial use, a reduced ratio of weight and hydrodynamic resistance as well as a reduced ratio of hull insert size. Furthermore, the IPS 15 package has an optimized backpressure with a 6-inch exhaust system, propellers of the newly N-series and an improved maneuverability with increased steering angle at low speed.
»The results we have seen on the pilot boats have been extremely good, with handling being much better than shaft or water-jet engines. The power and maneuverability is very impressive«, says Niklas Melvås, Global Sales Manager, Marine Sales Division. »When the pilot boat gets close to the arriving ship, IPS gives the helmsman full control, through its active maneuvering with high thrust in the direction of the pod drive , both forward and reverse. So it’s much easier and safer for the helmsman to position the boat aside the ship and for the pilot to enter the ladder«, explains Melvås.
Installation of the IPS with 8-liter engines can be made for twin and triple configurations. For triple installations, one pod can also be disengaged and the engine can be used in PTO mode – for example, in powering a water pump on fire rescue boats – while still keeping maneuverability with the other two pods. The new package has three power settings: D8 IPS600, D8 IPS650 and D8 IPS700 and it has been designed to conform to US EPA Tier 3 emissions.
The IPS system, engine, drive and propellers are expected to be approved by DNV GL. The inboard engine will also require certificates, which will be approved from the classification societies: Det Norske Veritas – Germanischer Lloyd (DNV-GL), Registro Italiano Navale (RINA), Lloyds Register (LR), China CSS, Russia (RS) and the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). It is expected that the D8 IPS models will be available in May 2017 while the D8 engine is expected for delivery in June 2017.
Optimized EVC system
On some of the test vessels the optimized Electronic Vessel Control (EVC) system has been installed including control lever and joystick. According to Volvo Penta the casing has been changed to become increasingly durable and more resistant to water, and chemicals such as diesel. Additionally, electronic components that had previously been set internally in the control lever are now housed externally to ensure full compliance with classification rules. Further changes to the EVC include hardware improvements to the 7-inch display and e-Key panel to fulfill an international Ingress Protection rating of IPx7.
The new control lever is suitable for ferries and tugs as well as smaller vessels such as rib boats, pilot launches, police and ambulance boats – vessels which operate in tough environments, the company stated. »We have improved the mechanical lifespan of the control lever so that it is more durable and better for commercial boat users«, explains Jonas Welinder, product planner for marine electronics at Volvo Penta. Marcus Pettersson, who has tested the optimized ECV-System on different vessels, sees a lot of advantages: »The EVC-System simplifies the control of the vessel during maneuvering. By operating the joystick, the boat turns faster as compared to a steering wheel. But you have to get used to operating a ship with a joystick, he admits.
Thomas Wägener
