CYLINDER LUBRICATORS

Explain alpha lubrication system? Similarities & difference with pulse system?

SYSTEM EXPLANATION:-

The oil fed to the injectors is pressurized by means of Alpha lubricator on each cylinder, equipped with small
multi-piston pumps. The amount of oil fed to the injectors can be finely tuned with an adjusting screw, which
limits the length of the piston stroke. The cylinder lube oil consumption in ME type engines, with electronic
lubricators, has come down to 0.7 gm / BHP hr.
The whole system is controlled by the Cylinder Control Unit (CCU) which calculates the injection frequency on
the basis of the engine-speed signal given by the tacho signal and the fuel index. . The computer synchronizes
itself at each revolution, when the piston for cylinder No. 1 is at top dead centre. The injection function is
controlled by the computer sending an ON/OFF signal to a solenoid valve. The dosage of oil can be adjusted
means of an adjustment screw which limits the stroke of the main lubricator piston. After a predetermined time
interval, the computer transmits an OFF signal to the solenoid valve, which shuts off the system pressure and
opens the return oil system.
The amount of oil injected varies as required, e.g. at load changes, start/stop, or increased engine load.
Alternatively, the dosage of oil fed to the individual cylinders can be adjusted by injecting a calibrated amount of
oil, a number of times, at a given number of revolutions. A combination of the two systems can also be used. In the
event of malfunctioning solenoid valve or transducer, the oil dosage will automatically be increased to the
maximum volume. If the oil pressure falls, the computer will start stand-by pump, close down the faulty pump and
sets on the alarm.The Alpha cylinder lubricator has demonstrated a reduction of cylinder oil feed rate to 0.3 gm /
BHP hr, which on a 50,000 BHP engine, saves US $ 50,000 p.a.
A pump station delivers lube oil to the lubricators at 45 bar pressure. The lubricators have a small piston for each
lube oil quill in the cylinder liner, and the power for injecting the oil comes from the 45 bar system pressure,
acting on a larger common driving piston. Thus, the driving side is a conventional common rail system, whereas
the injection side is a high-pressure positive displacement system, thus giving equal amounts of lube oil to each
quill and the best possible safety margin against clogging of single lube oil quills.
For the larger bore engines, each cylinder has two lubricators (each serving half of the lube oil quills) and an
accumulator, while the small bore engines (with fewer lube oil quills per cylinder) are served by one lubricator per
cylinder. The pump station includes two pumps (one operating, the other on stand-by with automatic start up), a
filter and coolers.
The lubrication concept is intermittent lubrication – a relatively large amount of lube oil is injected for every four
(or five or six, etc.) revolutions, the actual sequence being determined by the desired dosage in g/bhph. The
injection timing is controlled precisely and – by virtue of the high delivery pressure – the lube oil is injected
exactly when the piston ring pack is passing the lube oil quills, thus ensuring the best possible utilization of the
costly lube oil.
The safety features of this system are as follows:
In this system if one lubricator malfunctions (980-700 mm bore engines), the oil dosage from the other
lubricator will be automatically doubled, and an alarm will be given whereas for 600-260 mm bore engines,
alarm and slow down ensue.
An inductive sensor in each lubricator monitors the movement of the lubricator piston a signal is sent to the
control computer system which has a backup for safety.
How alpha lubricators work
The high speed lubricator supplies more oil between the piston rings than conventional lubricator by the
lubrication system given below.
(1) Volume of cylinder oil for every injection is increased.
(2) Large volume of oil is charged to the oiling pipe at a stroke.
Thus sufficiently increasing the internal pressure of oiling pipe and
(3) The oil is supplied at a correct timing, within a short time, and overriding the internal pressure of
cylinder.
A single lubricator unit has five or six plungers, which plungers are driven by a single hydraulic piston. If
every cylinder has seven or more lubrication openings, two of the lubricator units are installed.
The hydraulic pressure is controlled by solenoid valves. A portion of the return oil is fed to the plunger barrel
via a slit for succeeding oiling cycle. Accordingly, the working oil is the cylinder oil.
The movement of hydraulic piston is monitored by a feedback sensor, a proximity sensor, to confirm the
oiling functioning and to watch the oiling timing to automatically adjust the timing.
 The control is performed by a controller provided with a computer. Both the rotational angle and the
pump lack signal are entered in the controller. With the entered information, the oiling volume and the oiling
timing are adjusted.
The timing for initiate the oiling action is immediately before the first ring passes through the oil quill. Within
a short period until the fourth ring passes, the oil is fed to the cylinder as large volume as possible.
As a result the volume of oil fed in one cycle increases, thus the oil is not fed at every revolution, and intermittent
lubrication is given to adjust the oiling volume. The number of oiling cycles is controlled by the computer to give
the designed volume as the total.
SULPHUR ALGORITHM
The Alpha ACC is implemented with the so-called “sulphur Algorithm”, in the Alpha Lubricator System.
In the present version of the Alpha Lubricator System, the crew onboard the vessel inputs the so-called “HMI-
setting” based on the sulphur percentage of the fuel used and a conversion table, as in the figure.
This is done by one input on the HMI-panel of the Alpha Lubricator System each time the fuel
specification is changed.
The following two criteria determine the control:
The cylinder oil dosage shall be proportional to the sulphur percentage in the fuel
The cylinder oil dosage shall be proportional to the engine load (i.e. the amount of fuel entering the
cylinders).
What is alpha – pulse cylinder lubrication system

The new lubricating system is based on the principle of injecting a specific volume of oil into the cylinder, via a
number of injectors, for every four (or every five, six, etc.) revolutions. Furthermore, the precise timing ensures
that all cylinder oil is delivered directly onto the piston
ring pack where it is needed.
a small piston for each lubricator quill in the cylinder liner, and the power for injecting the oil comes from the
system pressure, supplied by a pump station. A common rail system is used on the driving side, but the injection
side has a high-pressure positive displacement system, thus giving equal amounts to each quill and providing the
best possible safety margin against clogging of single lubricator quills.
The pump station includes two pumps (one operating, the other on stand-by with automatic
start up). The computer unit comprises a main computer, controlling the normal operation,
a switch-over unit and a (simple) back-up unit. The injection function is controlled by the computer sending an
on/off signal to a solenoid valve.
A shaft encoder (which can be shared with the PMI system, or timing system on the Intelligent Engine) supplies
the necessary timing signal.
The amount of oil injected can be adjusted automatically or manually as required, e.g. at load changes, start/stop,
at reduced engine load (different modes are available), sulphur % in the fuel,
temperature level on liner surface, variation in cylinder oil BN, etc. Pre-lubrication before start can be made
manually or be a sequence in the bridge manoeuvring system.
The pump station supplies the Alpha Lubricators with 40-50 bar oil pressure
Difference between pulse & alpha lubrication:-

Sr Pulse lubricator Alpha lubricator

no.

1 Make :- sulzer Rt flex, RTA Make:- man b&w ME, MC-C series

2 Every revolution dosage Intermittent lubrication,i.e. every 5-6 revolutions

3 Pulse-jet spray Precise control over ring pack

4 No separate HMI panel separate HMI panel for sulphur percentage used in
fuel

5 Dosage is a)metered b)time dependent Dosage is proportional to sulphur, load

c)load dependent

6 Each unit is provided with 8 lubricating A single lubricator unit has five or six plungers,
quills, 2 piping systems of Cylinder oil and which plungers are driven by a single hydraulic piston.
servo oil, and A 4/2 solenoid valve to servo If every cylinder has seven or more lubrication
oil flow. openings, two of the lubricator units are installed

7 Crank angle sensors Proximity sensors for feedback signal for control of
piston movement in lubricator
Alpha adaptive cylinder oil control lubricator

1. Cylinder oil injection timing is 126.50 after BDC

2. Injection is done between the top two rings when piston moving up. By this oil is trapped in between the
top two rings and then evenly spread over the liner.
3. Consist of inlet nitrogen accumulator ( 25-30 bar ) and outlet accumulator (1.5bar )
4. Build up oil pressure 40-50 bar
5. Injection is once in every 3-4 revolution
6. Average Wear down rate of Alpha Lubricator : 0.05 mm / 1000 Hours
7. Average Wear down rate of Mechanical Lubricator : 0.10 mm / 1000 Hours
8. Engine performance increases
9. TBO-time between overhaul increases
10. Less liner wear
11. High pressure injection directly into the piston ring pack
12. Very Precise Injection Timing ( Electronically )
13. Optimal Utilization of the Oil with minimum of loss
14. Pre-lubrication of the cylinder before start of the engine
15. Very Easy and Precise control of the feed rate
16. Consists of 1 Lubricator for below 60 bore Engines
17. 2 Lubricator for 70- 98 bore Engines
18. ANGLE ENCODER- Installed at Crankshaft Fore End
19. Non return valve in the injector for cylinder oil
20. PICK UP UNIT- Installed at fly Wheel- Consist of two pick-up sensors
21. Angle encoder is connected to the fore end of the crankshaft, & the signals are transmitted to the computer
panels via a terminal box. For engines on which the crankshaft fore end is not available for angle encoder
installations, trigger ring & Tacho pickups are installed at the Flywheel.
22. The BCU-back up control trigger system comprises of 2 Tacho pickups in a box at the turning wheel,
thereby transmitting the engine rpm to the BCU. The backup pickups are also connected to the MCU for
surveillance purposes
23. The load transmitter is connected the fuel rack, thereby continuously transmitting the fuel index % to the
MCU, which calculated the engine load from this information & the detected engine RPM.

For the pump station- 2 pumps, Heater, Filters, Suction Tank and Pressure/Temperature sensor. One pump is for
Stand-by
Lubricator

The lubricators are driven by a common drive from the engine it supply cylinder oil to the
cylinder. They are synchronized with the engine to provide timed lubrication.

How to arrange to supply oil to cylinder (or) when they supply L.O to engine

Lube oil be fed to the piston at the time when the top two piston rings pass the lubricating holes in the cylinder
during the pistons upstroke.

Timed lubrication

1. Lubricators of each cylinder are synchronised with engine to provide timed lubrication
2. Cylinder oil is fed; at the time when top two piston rings pass the oil feed points, in the cylinder during
piston upstroke [4/S and 2/S Uniflow engines]
3. Loop scavenge Sulzer RND engine use accumulator system of timed lubrication
4. Accumulator provides constant oil pressure, which is greater than scavenge air pressure, with uniform
supply at every period around TDC and BDC positions.
5. In this way, oil is delivered to quill, only when low pressure and temperature prevails on running surface of
cylinder liner.
6. 8 supply points at top, and 1 point for scavenge and 1 point for exhaust ports at bottom

Requirements for Cylinder Oil ?

1. It must reduce sliding friction between piston rings and cylinder liner to a minimum.
2. It must process adequate viscosity at high working temperature and still be sufficiently fluid to spread
rapidly over the entire working surfaces to form a good adsorbed oil film.
3. It must form an effective seal in conjunction with the piston rings, preventing gas blow by,burning away of
the oil film and lack of compression.
4. It must burn cleanly, leaving as little and as soft a deposit as possible.
5. It must effectively prevent the build up of deposits in the piston ring zones and exhaust ports.
6. It must effectively neutralize the corrosive effects on the mineral acids formed during combustion of the
fuel.

How to check correct amount of lubricator feeding ?

Checking by open scavenging drain (little coming out O.K) at sea.
In port: Check the liner is wet or not (thin layer wet O.K)
Oil has to not collect at the scavenge space.

1. Alpha Cylinder lubricator pressure inside the cylinder?

2. Purpose of nitrogen accumulators in alpha lubricator?
3. New methods of lubrication/ recent technologies .
4. How to prevent cylinder oil escaping through scavenge ports ?
5. How many cylinder oil quills in a cylinder and what is the exact location?
6. Types of lubricators ? (mechanical, alpha, pulse, CIP and SIP)
7. Alpha lubricator working, How load dependent is incorporated in it, how quantity controlled.