Wärtsilä upgrades its FuelFlex Injection Control Unit (ICU) to meet sulphur emission regulations

The Wärtsilä RT-flex96C, one of the engines for which the upgraded FuelFlex ICU is intended.

(PRESS RELEASE) HELSINKI, 25-May-2020 — /EuropaWire/ — Marine and energy equipment manufacturer Wärtsilä Corporation has announced an upgrade of its FuelFlex Injection Control Unit (ICU) to meet the requirements of operating its RT-flex type two-stroke diesel engines with both residual and low-viscosity marine fuels. The move is in light of the industry’s increased use of low-sulphur-content fuels aimed at meeting sulphur emission regulations. Vessels equiped with Wärtsilä RT-flex96C-B and RT-flex84T-D two-stroke engines can benefit from the current upgrade solution.

ICUs deliver a precisely controlled quantity of fuel into the cylinder at timed intervals, thereby ensuring efficient combustion at any engine load. The accuracy of the fuel metering and injection timing can be affected by leakages in the piston and valves within the ICU, with the fuel viscosity, pressure differential and clearances having an impact on the amount of leakage. The upgraded Wärtsilä Injection Control Unit is designed to address such issues.

Earlier generation ICUs were designed for continuous operation with residual fuels, and their long-term use with mainly low-viscosity fuels may result in shorter component life. The new FuelFlex ICU features a robust design with more durable materials and other improvement features providing better resistance against leakage, while maintaining the designed service life expectancy of the component.

“The latest FuelFlex ICU is a retrofit solution for customers that will increase both the reliability and environmental sustainability of their two-stroke engines. It also enables more flexible onboard maintenance of the unit, and the validation tests carried out have been very successful,” says Jung Yong Park, Product Manager, 2-Stroke & Specialized Services, Wärtsilä Marine.

Wärtsilä in brief:
Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2019, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 5.2 billion with approximately 19,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.wartsila.com

Press contacts:

Mr Andreas Wiesmann
General Manager Sales, 2-Stroke & Specialized Services
Wärtsilä Marine Business
Tel: +41 52 5500220
andreas.wiesmann@wartsila.com

Ms Marit Holmlund-Sund
General Manager, Positioning, Marine Business Marketing
Wärtsilä Corporation
Tel: +358 10 709 1439
marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com

SOURCE: Wärtsilä