ABB Debuts Air Outlet Silencer, Compact Turbocharger

 

ABB announced the launch of the large engine industry’s first commercial turbocharging air outlet silencer package at Marintec 2015 in Shanghai, China. Designed to contribute to reductions in engine room noise to meet the new International Maritime Organization SOLAS limits, the package is offered on A100-L and A200-L series turbochargers. Also at Marintec, ABB has launched its smallest turbocharger for two-stroke marine engines; the A160-L, with highest efficiencies and pressure ratios up to 5.0 enabling minimized fuel consumption for IMO Tier II and Tier III NOx compliance.

Innovation: Air outlet silencer

The air outlet silencer is unique in being the first product available to the market to reduce noise emissions for turbochargers on low-speed marine engines. It reduces the noise level of compressed air leaving the turbocharger and is a key element in ABB’s noise reduction packages, now available for A100-L and A200-L turbochargers. The turbocharger noise reduction package contains additional special noise damping elements, and has been designed to meet IMO noise emission standards revised in July 2014. The revised SOLAS regulation II-1/3-12 requires new ships to be constructed to reduce on-board noise and to protect personnel from noise in accordance with the revised Code on Noise Levels On Board Ships. Mandatory maximum noise levels are set out for all spaces on ships; for accommodation areas this is a reduction to 55 dB(A) from 60 dB(A).
 
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of hearing loss worldwide is attributable to occupational noise exposure. Furthermore marine industry research cites that at least 75% of accidents are caused by human error, and noise distraction is referenced as one cause for human error. In response to this issue and the latest IMO regulations, the ABB air outlet silencer has been designed to reduce air-related noise emissions by approximately 5 dB, depending on the turbocharger location, and other variables specific to the engine, vessel profile, and engine room.
 
“With up to a 5 dB reduction in noise emissions, the noise level perceived by a human ear is almost reduced by half, thus making a considerable contribution to the noise level limit set by the IMO SOLAS regulations, said Joachim Bremer, Head of Product Line, Low Speed, ABB Turbocharging. “The development of the air outlet silencer underlines our focus on the safe operation of our turbocharging products, and on reducing environmental pollution. In creating a quieter working environment for seafarers, we are bringing to our customers the ABB Group commitment to occupational health & safety.”

A160-L for sustained high efficiency

The newly launched A160-L completes ABB’s series of turbochargers for low speed engines and is designed for operational flexibility and sustained high efficiencies in small-bore diesel, dual fuel and gas engines. This latest product enables reduction of engine fuel consumption and lower emissions – two key concerns for customers. The axial-turbine design with high efficiency and robustness enables the application of latest technologies for IMO Tier III compliance without compromise on fuel economy, thereby fulfilling customer needs.
 
The A160-L is smaller in size than the renowned A165-L and features best-in-class performances, enabling a lighter, more compact turbocharger which allows more space on the engine. In addition, it offers simplified, rapid maintenance in line with market demand.
 
Joachim Bremer continued, “Our A100/A200 series is proven technology, delivering unrivalled performance in its class. The design for highest efficiencies enables optimized engine tunings, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions on-board some of the largest vessels in the world. With the A160-L we are now able to deliver the same benefits for small-bore low speed engines. In addition, we have listened to our customers’ requirements to maximize uptime, resulting in a product that is easier to maintain, with longer service intervals so operators can be assured of their turbochargers’ reliability, literally from dry dock to dry dock.”