CMA-CGM test the IOW oil centrifugal separator on the Vessel ‘ANL WANGARATTA’ with great success!
A shipping company were eager to make cost efficiency savings on their container ship ‘ANL WANGARETTA’. A trial was therefore undertaken to upgrade the existing on-engine centrifuge to a new IOW MP centrifugal oil cleaner to potentially reduce life cycle costs of their Auxiliary Engines..
With the engine having a lubricating oil system capacity of 1100 litres the recommended centrifuge was chosen as the IOW MP600 and was installed as seen below on A/E No. 2 on the existing centrifuge bracket available on 21/31 engines.
The IOW MP600 centrifuge removed 6kg of sludge in the first 136 operating hours. This was in comparison to the usual 2.5kg’s sludge collected by a MANN+HUMMEL FM600 centrifuge from the same nº of running hours..
Customer Conclusions
Oil analysis samples were taken which highlighted that the oil was suitable for continued use, and particulate levels were not out of the ordinary.
With the increased dirt collection levels of the IOW MP600 centrifuge, the question remained, what exactly was being removed by the centrifuge.
Further investigations and sampling found that higher than common levels of Asphaltenes were witnessed in the lube oil system, a reading of 0.79% by wt. was initially recorded during oil analysis.
The superior efficiency and sludge removal of the MP600 centrifuge was thankfully not only able to highlight and contain a major problem with the oil, but that the source of these Asphaltenes was now able to be investigated and resolved. Without this timely intervention the massive quantities of particulate would have caused increased; engine wear, maintenance and overhaul costs in the future.