World's largest reciprocating engine - video and photos

[Jon]

The Wärtsilä RT-Flex96C, claimed to be the world's largest reciprocating engine, and I believe it. In its largest configuration: 14-cylinder, 107,000 HP. Apparently dozens of them are currently in service, with more on order, for enormous container ships like the Emma Maersk.















2:22 video:

More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A...Sulzer_RTA96-C

Previously:

World's largest lathes - photos
Giant steam engine in Portugese shopping mall - video and photo
Assembling a Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine - GIF and video
GMC V12 702ci engine
1950s double-engined Fordson tractor - videos, patent, and photo

[Savage11]

Wow, I wonder how big the fuel tank is?

[PJs]

Wow, I wonder how big the fuel tank is?

From Wiki Wartsila 14 RT flex 96C.

Good question, I was thinking the same thing.

Best specific fuel consumption 160 g/(kW·h)
Mass of fuel injected per cylinder per cycle ~160 g (about 6.5 ounces) @ full load

(Whole engine uses up to 250 tons of fuel per day.) That is about 300 m^3 (79251.6 Gal) of diesel Or ~10594 ft^3 of diesel/day x ~20 days to cross the Pacific...about 211,880 ft^3 or only ~60ft x 60ft x 60ft. (hope I got all my conversions and decimal points right) Surprising and Efficient, considering the size of a super tanker.



That is a feat in engineering and manufacturing! Mind boggling actually...

[Savage11]

PJs,
The fuel consumption is a bit hard for me to visualize lol. Its definitely mind blowing to-say-the-least. Thanks for sharing your mathematical genius!!

[PJs]

PJs,
The fuel consumption is a bit hard for me to visualize lol. Its definitely mind blowing to-say-the-least. Thanks for sharing your mathematical genius!!

Me too, I woke up thinking about it. Basically its around 0.004 MPG or 21.243 Ft/Gal. I based it on a one way trip from Hong Kong to LA (shipping distance 6377mi.) and the gallons/day value divided by 24hrs and the guestimated 20 day trip. The other value that is interesting is the Mass of fuel injected per cylinder per cycle ~160 g (about 6.5 ounces) @ full load from above equates to about .8 cup of fuel per cylinder per cycle under full load. Not much at ~80 RPM (~4gal/minute).

If one considers it carrying 170,794 GT (341,588,000 lbs) in the Emma Mærsk it's pretty impressive, like a meat bee I saw yesterday pick up and carry off a moth at least twice its size...and they aren't even supposed to be able to fly! This would be the Hulk bee picking up a sky scraper and flying off with it.

The more I look at the pictures of the block, cranks and piston it make me wonder what kind of machines and People did that work...and I want one of those Turbo's.

PJ

[Frank S]

The interesting thing I read somewhere a long time ago was those engines don't burn diesel but rather just barely refined crude

[PJs]

I did read some stuff in my rabbit holing about the heavy sulfur based fuel used in them putting out more nasty's than other diesel programs...but it is cheaper, right.