Wärtsilä 20 Diesel Engine Gets a Power Upgrade
An upgraded version of the Wärtsilä 20 diesel engine features greater power density thanks to increased cylinder output. The new engine will receive its officially launch at the Marintec conference and exhibition in Shanghai, China from December 5 to 8.
According to the manufacturer, the increased maximum output of the new Wärtsilä 20 will enable vessels to accommodate greater payloads or achieve faster speeds with almost the same low fuel consumption as the current version, and will also improve bollard pull capacity for tugs and support vessels.
Furthermore, by increasing the output per cylinder from 185kW to 220kW, fewer cylinders will be needed when installed in 60Hz generating sets, meaning a lighter and more compact generating set is possible within the 1.3 to 2 MW merchant auxiliary segment.
Stefan Wiik, Vice President, Engines, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, said, “The new Wärtsilä 20 engine has the best power-to-weight ratio on the market in its segment. This provides an exciting value proposition for owners of ships where a light yet powerful engine is an advantage.”
The new engine is a refinement of the existing Wärtsilä 20 engine, and as such remains highly compatible with the spare parts needed. Maintenance procedures are mostly unchanged also.
More than 6,000 Wärtsilä 20 engines have been delivered since its introduction to the market in the early 1990s. Applications include merchant ships, special vessels and offshore applications.
The engine can switch from MDO to HFO and vice versa without power interruption at any engine operation load. The engine is fully compliant with the IMO Tier II exhaust emissions regulations set out in Annex VI of the MARPOL 73/78 convention, and IMO Tier III compliance is available as an option together with the Wärtsilä NOR SCR system.
The upgraded Wärtsilä 20 is included in Wärtsilä’s newly introduced HYTug series featuring integrated energy storage and power management systems.