DEFINITION OF TERMS

Air-Fuel Ratio: The ratio of air weight to fuel weight consumed in an internal
combustion engine or furnace.

ASTM American Society for Testing Materials. Grade and quality

specifications for petroleum products are determined by ASTM in
test methods

Barrel A unit of volume measurement used for petroleum and its products.
1 barrel = 42 U.S. gallons.

Blender A device for mixing two fuel oils to achieve a less viscous and more
uniform fuel.

Blending Mixing of two compatible fuels having different properties in order to

produce an intermediate fuel.

Catalyst A substance which promotes a chemical reaction, but does not

itself enter into the reaction.

Catalytic Fines Hard, abrasive crystalline particles of alumina, silica, and/or

alumina silica that can be carried over from the fluidic catalytic
cracking process of residual fuel stocks.

Cetane Index An empirical measure of ignition quality. Defined as the percentage

by volume of cetane in a mixture of cetane and methyl naphthalene
which has the same ignition quality when used in an engine as a
fuel under test.

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Clarifier A machine used for a liquid-sludge separation in which the particles
with a higher specific gravity are separated from the lower specific
gravity of the liquid. A clarifier bowl has one outlet for the light
phase oil; the heavier phase particles are retained on the bowl wall.

Cloud Point Temperature at which wax begins to crystallize from a distillate fuel.

Cracked Refers to a petroleum product produced by a secondary refining

process, such as thermal cracking or vis-breaking processes, which
yield very low quality residua.

Flash Point The lowest temperature at which a liquid will generate sufficient
vapor to flash when exposed to a source of ignition.

Fuel Oil The heavy distillates from the oil refining process; used as fuel for
power stations, marine boilers.

Fungible Interchangeable. Products which can be commingled for purposes

of pipeline shipment.

Gasoil Designation for No. 2 heating oils and diesel fuels. A clean distillate
fuel oil.

Heavy crude Crude oil with a high specific gravity and a low API gravity due to
the presence of a high proportion of heavy hydrocarbon fractions
and metallic content.

Homogenizer A mechanical device which is used to create a stable, uniform

dispersion of an insoluble phase (asphaltenes) within a liquid phase
(fuel oil).

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Layering This occurs in tanks when a high density fuel is mixed with a low
density fuel.

Lifting Refers to tankers and barges taking on cargoes of oil or refined

product at a terminal or transshipment point.

Light crude Crude oil with a low specific gravity and high API gravity due to the
presence of a high proportion of light hydrocarbon fractions and low
metallic content.

Light Ends The more volatile products of petroleum refining; e.g., butane,
propane,gasoline.

Long Ton An avoirdupois weight measure equaling 2,240 pounds.

Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) is a middle distillate fuel oil which
can contain traces to ten percent (10%) or more residual fuel oil
from transportation contamination and/or heavy fuel oil blending.
The MDO does not require heated storage.

Metric Ton A weight measure equal to 1,000 kilograms, 2,204.62 pounds, and
0.9842 long tons.

Middle Distillate Term applied to hydrocarbons in the so-called middle range of

refinery distillation. Examples are heating oil, diesel fuels, and
kerosene.

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Motor Gasoline A complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without
small quantities of additives that have been blended to form a fuel
suitable for use in spark-ignition engines.

Oil Crude petroleum and other hydrocarbons produced at the wellhead

in liquid form.

Olefins Class of unsaturated paraffin hydrocarbons recovered from petrol.

Typical examples include butene, ethylene and propylene.

Petrochemical An intermediate chemical derived from petroleum, hydrocarbon

liquids or natural gas, e.g., ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene
and xylene.

Petroleum A generic name for hydrocarbons, including crude oil, natural gas
liquids, natural gas and their products.

Polymerization Process of combining two or more simple molecules of the same

type, called monomers, to form a single molecule having the same
elements in the same proportion as in the original molecules but
having a different molecular weight. The product of the combination
is a polymer.

Pour Point Lowest temperature at which an oil will pour or flow under certain
prescribed conditions.

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Residual Fuel Oil Heavy fuel oils produced from the non-volatile residue from the
fractional distillation process. Heavy oils that are leftovers from
various refining processes. Heavy black oils used in ships boilers
and in heating plants.

Sludge Deposits in fuel tanks and caused by the presence of wax, sand,
scale, asphaltenes, tars, water, etc.

Solvent A substance, normally a liquid, which is capable of absorbing

another liquid, gas or solid to form a homogeneous mixture.
Specific Gravity The ratio of the density of a substance at a particular temperature
to the density of water at 15 degrees Centigrade

Static Mixer A motionless mixer which has a series of fixed, geometric elements
enclosed within a tubular housing. The internal elements impart
flow division and radial mixing to the media flowing through the
housing to produce a uniform dilution of the production.

Straight-Run Refers to a petroleum product produced by the primary distillation

of crude oil and free of cracked components.

Sulfur An element that is present in crude oil and natural gas as an

impurity in the form of its various compounds.

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 Introduction
Power Barges are marine vessels in which a power plant is installed for the
purpose of energy generation. Existing large bulk carriers are fitted with reciprocating
engines, large-bore dual-fuel diesel engines that run on heavy fuel or natural gas to
generate electricity. High demand for Power Barges is at its peak due to its short
construction cycles, mobility and its minimal space requirement. For many years it has
been very competitive against its land-based equivalents due to several advantageous
points no other power plants has. Amongst its many advantages are as follows. (Power
Barge Corporation, 2004)

The power barge is rated at 70 MW which is composed of 20 main diesel

engines, 4 MW each, of which 2 are reserves. The design of a power barge is
composed of the tank farm, the cooling system, the air starting system, the auxiliary
equipment and mooring.

Figure 1 Power Barge

Faster deliveries and higher quality construction resulting in an increased

availability and reliability;

Shop-built in a controlled environment by trained qualified labor workforce;

Capable of pre-designed modification from fast track simple cycle operation to

combined cycle mode with minimal operational impact; and

Easily transported between sites creating flexibility to demand growth and

location.

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 Engine

The most integral part of a Power Barge is the diesel engine. It is considered as
most important part of the barge since this is where power generation takes place. In
choosing a diesel engine, the peak load of the design should be met therefore the
summation of the power capacity of the engines to be used can generate the desired
amount of energy. Diesel engines used on power barges may differ on capacity or
output. Other specifications may also vary such as fuel consumption, lube oil
consumption, rated speed, bore diameters and stroke as specified by the manufacturer.
The chosen diesel engine to be used in this power plant design is presented in Table
3.1. The height should always be considered in choosing a diesel engine since the
power barge needs to be in complete balance all the time. The engine should not be too
high and must be equally distributed once in the barge.

DIESEL ENGINE
Engine Output (KW) 4,230 KW
Generator Output (KW) 4,061 KW
Fuel Oil Consumption (g/KW-h) 183.5 g/KW-h
MCR (%) 100%
8,083 KJ/KW-h
Heat Rate (KJ/KW-h)
8,420 KJ/KW-h
Specific Lube Oil Consumption (g/KW-
0.09 - 0.19 g/KW-h
h)
Engine Type Specific Reference
Change Air Temperature Before 43 0C
Cylinder (0C)
Lower Heating Value (KJ/Nm3) 28000 KJ/Nm3
Compressor 70 psig required
Air Consumption per Start 0.32 m3
Rated Speed (rpm) 750 rpm
No. of Cylinder 16
Dry Mass 62.2
Bore (mm) 280 mm
Stroke (mm) 320 mm
Tolerance (%) 5%
Weight (Tons) 240 tons

Table 1 Chosen Diesel Engine

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 Figure 2: Diesel Engine

A (mm) 6,116 mm
B (mm) 3,822 mm
C (mm) 9,938 mm
Height (mm) 3,449 mm
Width (mm) 2,470 mm

Table 2 Diesel Engine Dimensions

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 FUEL TREATMENT AND CONDITIONING
Power Barges supply power round the clock, meaning 24 hours a day, therefore
diesel engines run in the same amount of time Diesel Engines run on diesel for initial
start-up and shutdown and switches to bunker fuel. The amount of diesel and bunker
should be determined to compute for the fuel tank dimensions.
Diesel Engines run on bunker oil and diesel as supply fuel. In the calculation of
fuel consumption, a designer must be mindful of the Lower Heating Value, Heat Rate,
Specific Fuel Oil Consumption and the Power rating of the Generating Unit as specified
in the engine specification (4,061 KW).

Ultimate Analysis
Element
Bunker Diesel
% Carbon 0.857 0.86208
% Hydrogen 0.117 0.1246
% Oxygen 0.003 0.00148
% Nitrogen 0.004 0.00172
% Sulfur 0.0195 0.01
% Ash 0.0005 0.00012

Table 3 Diesel and Bunker Oil Ultimate Analysis

Fuel treatment is necessary when operating Diesel Engines. Fuel must be

transferred, heated, filtered and purified in order to prepare it for the best possible
properties for injection to the engine and to avoid contaminants on the fuel that can lead
to some fatal consequences. It is a requirement in all power plants that uses diesel
engines for power generation. The purpose of this system is three-fold: 1) cleaning of
the fuel oil by removal of water, solids, and suspended matter to protect the engine from
excessive wear and corrosion; 2) conditioning of the fuel oil to prepare for best possible
properties for injection to the engine and a good combustion; and 3) to take care of oily
sludge streams from separators, self-cleaning filters etc, with the task to reduce the
sludge volume which has to be landed or incinerated, to recover usable fuel oil, and to
extract water to be transferred to the bilge water system.

COOLING SYSTEM
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Lubricating Oil

Heavy Working Industrial application running constantly under high pressure and
hot temperature need a proper lubrication to protect the working surface from corrosion
and keep the efficiency of the engine. According to the engine manufacturer if the sulfur
content is less than 0.5 % BN20 lubricating oil should be used.

The reduced sulfur computed was 0.16% and the specific lube oil consumption is
0.09 - 0.19 g/KW-h

Table 6 shows the selected Lubricating oils specifications.

Typical Properties AeroShell 10W-40

Oil Type Full synthetic-hydrocardbon
SAE Viscosity Grade Multigrade 10W-40
Density @ 150C , kg/l 0.859
Base Oil Viscosity mm2/s
@1000C 14.6
@400C 93.0
Viscosity Index Above 160
Pourpoint , 0C -38
Total base number , mgKOH/g 25
Sulphated Ash Content , %m 1.9

Table 4 Lubricating Oil Specification

Consumption , kg/hr 3.76

Filling Volume , m3 0.16

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 Total Filling Volume Required , m3 0.54
Total Consumption per hour , m3/hr 0.02
Total Consumption per 30 days , m3/month 14.4

Table 5 Filling Volumes and Consumption

Knowing the total capacity of lubricating oil needed, we can now choose the
Lubricating module that will guarantee that lube oil is cleaned before it recirculates
inside the engine.

Capacity , liters 16,000

Dimensions (L X W X H) , m (5 x 3.5 x 3.5)
Weight(Without Oil) , tons 10.5

Table 6 Lubricating Oil Module

Black Start Engine

The Black start engine initiates the initial power to the compressor for the diesel
engines to run. The capacity of the Black start engine depends on the required
compressor rating and the lightings as used in the barge.

Figure 3 Black Start Engine

Diesel Generator Set

Power Rating 990 kW

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 Height 2337 mm

Width 1400 mm

Length 4207 mm

Weight 9.5 Ton

Table 7 Black Start Engine Specifications

AIR HANDLING SYSTEM

The usual function of an air system is to transmit energy generated at a single

source to different areas of a facility. The air receiver stores and delivers air pressure

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when the compressor is not running, and also serves as a pulsation damper and
moisture trap.

In the case of a power barge, the air bottle is used to store pressurized air from
the compressor to be used for starting the main diesel engines and any other equipment
inside the power plant. The High compression pressures of the full diesel make it
difficult to start even the smallest diesels by hand cranking and, in general, diesel
engines must be started by a mechanical cranking system. Compressed air, electric
cranking motors, and auxiliary gasoline engines are used. Large stationary diesels are
started with air compressors. (Morse, 1932)
In addition to compressed air for starting, the air injection types require an
injection air system; also some solid injection types have a scavenging air system. Two
or more compresses air storage tanks, or bottles are provided. A small compressor is
installed either as a normal or emergency supply of compressed air to recharge the
storage tanks. Starting air pressure needs to be 14 42 kg/cm 2. (Morse, 1932)

Starting air compressors are to be of the water cooled, two stage type with
intercooling as recommended by the engine manufacturer.

According to the engine manufacturer, 0.32 m 3 of air is needed per start. In the
design of the air stating system, a single compressor and air bottle is used to start
multiple engines. Each set is composed of 5 engines. Therefore each air bottle should
have at least 1.58 m3.

Air Compressor

The size of the air bottle depends on the compressor unit chosen. Each type of
compressor has a corresponding air receiver capacity which is also dependent on the
amount of air. In choosing the compressor, the minimum requirement of 70 psig for the
black start engine as stated in the machine specifications must be used as a basis.

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 Figure 4 Water Cooled Air Compressor

Table 8 shows the compressor specifications of the chosen equipment.

Air Compressor
Pressure 100 psi
Volume Flow Rate 375 CFM
Power 115 HP
No. of Cylinders 4
Net Weight 1754 kg
Full Load Speed 2400 rpm
Fuel Tank Capacity 38 Gal
Fuel Consumption @ 0% Load 1.46 Gal/hr
Fuel Consumption @ 100% Load 5.34 Gal/hr

Table 8 Compressor Specifications

The compressor has a pressure of 100 psi and a volume flow rate of 375 CFM. The
power of each compressor installed is 115 HP running at 2400 rpm.

Air Bottle

Air Bottles serve as the air receiver from the air compressor before it enters the
diesel engine. The size of the air compressor depends on the amount of air
consumption per start. For a set of engines composed of 5 diesel engines, 1.58 m 3 is
the minimum volume of the air receiver. Taking a factor of safety of 10% in
consideration, 1.78 m3 is provided. Figure 5 shows the air receiver used in the power
barge.

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 Figure 5 Air Receiver

There are also different kinds of compressor-engine configuration depending on

the manufacturer. A sample design from the engines manufacturer is presented below.

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 Figure 6 Air Starting System

Figure 6 shows the air system set-up provided by the engine manufacturer two
air compressors, with automatic start and stop, maintain a starting air pressure of 70 psi
in the starting air receivers. The main engine is supplied with 70 psi starting air directly
from the starting air receivers. (MAN,2011)

In the design, there would be one (1) compressor and one air receiver of air
bottle per set of engines, each connected to 5 diesel engines. Therefore, a total of 4
compressors and 4 air bottles will be used with 2 compressors per barge.

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