v4 System Description

Fuel Conditioning Module
System Description
Printed
Aug 2008
Book No.
1810717-02 V 4
Alfa Laval reserves the right to make changes at any time without
prior notice.
Any comments regarding possible errors and omissions or
suggestions for improvement of this publication would be
gratefully appreciated.
Copies of this publication can be ordered from your local
Alfa Laval company.
Published by:
Alfa Laval Tumba AB

Marine & Diesel Equipment
SE - 147 80 Tumba
Sweden
Copyright Alfa Laval Tumba AB Aug 2008.
Contents
1
System Description .............................................................................................. 2

1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.4.1
1.4.2
1.4.3
1.4.4
1.4.5
1.4.6
1.4.7
1.4.8
1.4.9
Purpose of the system...................................................................................... 2

Application ........................................................................................................... 2
Typical System ................................................................................................... 3
Typical Layout..................................................................................................... 4
Day tank ................................................................................................................... 6
Low pressure supply pumps .................................................................................... 6
Oil filters.................................................................................................................... 6
Flow transmitter ........................................................................................................ 6
Mixing tube with deaeration function ....................................................................... 6
Circulating pumps .................................................................................................... 7
Heaters ..................................................................................................................... 7
Viscosity sensor........................................................................................................ 7
Control cabinet ......................................................................................................... 8
1810717-02
1 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
1 System Description
1.1 Purpose of the system
All low speed engines and most modern medium
speed engines operate today on heavy fuel oil. To
ensure proper treatment and a good combustion,
a fuel conditioning system is needed. The
principal purpose of the system is to ensure
proper conditioning of the heavy fuel oil fed from
the daily service tank to the diesel engines. The
system ensures that correct flow, pressure, and
viscosity are maintained.
1.2 Application
Fuel conditioning systems are primarily suitable
for ships or power stations using HFO diesel
engines. There are generally two separate
conditioning systems for shipboard applications
where HFO engines are in use, since heavy fuel
is commonly used both for the auxiliary engines
(Unifuel system) as well as for the main engines.
For safety reasons, these fuel conditioning
systems are usually independent of each other.
All ships designed to operate on HFO above 180
cSt/50 C should have pressurized systems (a fuel
system specified by all engine builders). Modern
high viscosity fuels require high injection
temperatures. To prevent excessive and harmful
vaporization of the light fractions and possible
remaining water in the fuel, sufficient pressure
has to be maintained. This is done using
pressurizing supply pumps.
The primary control parameter is viscosity.
The Alfa Laval Conditioning Module is a two
stage pressurized system.
Pressure in the low-pressure section is
maintained at 4 bar, and in the high-pressure
section, 6 16 bar depending on engine
manufacturer requirements.
1810717-02
1.3 Typical System

Low pressure stage
The low pressure stage includes two supply

pumps (one in operation, one on standby), an
Alfa Laval automatic filter with a manual
bypass filter as back up, and a flow transmitter
to provide infor-mation on fuel consumption. The
last part of the low-pressure section is the
mixing tank where fresh fuel is mixed with hot
fuel returning from the engine. As engine speed
changes so will fuel consumption so a special
pressure control valve allows fuel to recycle
within the low-pressure section so that the flow
of fresh fuel entering via the three way valve
exactly matches the fuel consumption of the
engine. Should the supply pump in operation
fail, then the system will automatically change
over to the standby pump.
From the mixing tank the fuel enters the highpressure section. The flow rate in this section is
always set at a multiple of the actual fuel
consumption rate in order to prevent fuel
starvation at the injectors. The flow rate
multiples and the pressure in the system are set
by the engine manufacturer.
High pressure stage
The high-pressure stage includes the circulation

pumps, fuel heaters and the viscosity sensor. The
viscosity sensor measures the viscosity of the
fuel and sends a signal to the controller where it
is compared with the value for viscosity set by
the engine manufacturer.
Deviations from the set point are then corrected
by adjusting the flow of heating medium to the
heater. Pressure in the system is maintained by
a pressure control valve after the injectors
(normally part of the engine installation) and the
excess fuel returns to the mixing tank.
1810717-02
1.4 Typical Layout
Pump strainers
Supply pumps
Automatic/Manual
filters.
Note! The filters
can also be
positioned after
viscosity sensor.
Flow transmitter
Pressure transmitter
Change-over valve
PDS
HFO
FT
DO
Filter drain valve
1810717-02
Pressure control
valve
PT
Level switch
Deaeration
valve
Heaters
Pressure transmitter
Temperature sensor
Pressure control valve

(customer supplied)
EPC-50B
LS
PT
Mixing tube with

deaeration function
Circulation pumps
TT
VT
Viscosity sensor
1810717-02
1.4.1 Day tank

The clean heavy fuel oil is pumped into the daily
service tank. The temperature in the tank is
between 70-90 C. The daily service tank is
usually situated high up in the engine room.
From the daily service tank the oil flows by
gravity into the mixing pipe.
1.4.2 Low pressure supply pumps

Oil from the day tank enters the system via the
three way valve and into the suction of the low
pressure supply pumps. Operation of this section
under pressure eliminates the problems of
gasification and cavitation that are associated
with high fuel temperatures (120 150 oC). This
will ensure an even fuel flow and prevent
damage to the pumps.
1.4.3 Oil filters

An Alfa Laval automatic back flush main filter
backed up by a manual by-pass filter remove any
particles present in the fuel that could cause
engine damage. Continuous automatic back
flushing and robust disc type filter elements
guarantee high efficiency and minimum
maintenance requirement. As an alternative, the
filtration stage can be moved over to the highpressure stage but because of the higher flow
rates this normally will require a larger filter for
a given engine.
1.4.4 Flow transmitter

A flow transmitter is installed on the pressure
side of the supply pumps to monitor fuel
consumption. As an alternative a mass flow
transducer can be installed.
1.4.5 Mixing tube with deaeration

function
The purpose of the mixing tube is to mix the
cold fuel from the daily service tank with the
excess hot fuel which comes from the diesel
engines.
6
1810717-02
The mixing tube is made of steel, insulated and

often heat traced with a diameter of 300-400 mm
and a height of 1.0-1.5 meter.
Gases that accumulate in the mixing pipe are
manually or automatically vented back to the
day tank and a permanent air cushion within
the mixing tube dampens out pressure
fluctuations within the system
1.4.6 Circulating pumps

Circulating pumps feed the engine with HFO at
the required flow rate and pressure. Pump
capacities are always multiples of the
recommended maximum fuel consumption rates
to ensure ample filling of the injection pumps.
The pressure required in the circulating system
is specified by the engine builders. This pressure
is controlled by a pressure regulating valve
mounted on the engine, or directly after the
engine in the return line to the mixing tube.
1.4.7 Heaters
Prior to injection into the diesel engine, the
temperature is increased to reach the correct
injection viscosity (normally circa 10 15 cSt).
The module has two electric or Shell & Tube
heat exchangers, one in operation, and one in
standby. These heat exchangers are especially
designed for operation at high pressures and high

oil temperatures.
1.4.8 Viscosity sensor
The viscosity sensor measures the injection
viscosity of the fuel oil against a value set by the
engine manufacturer, and signals the controller.
The controller then adjusts the heating medium
supply to the heaters thus maintaining the
correct viscosity.
1810717-02
1.4.9 Control cabinet

The control cabinet has two separate
compartments, a lower one that contains motor
starters and an upper compartment that
contains the EPC50B controller.
Controller
The EPC 50 B controller controls the following

functions:
Change-over DO/HFO
Pump standby function
Dearation of mixing tank
Viscosity control by steam, thermal oil, or

electric heating
Automatic filter drain interval
If the controller stops working, all functions can

be operated manually.
Remote Control and Monitoring
The fuel conditioning module is prepared for 4

levels of remote control. The levels are:
1 Basic Level1
2 Extended Level 2
3 Advanced Level 3
4 Fully automated Level 4
For more information, see the Operating
Instructions booklet.
1810717-02

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Fuel Conditioning Module

Alfa Laval Tumba AB

Copyright Alfa Laval Tumba AB Aug 2008.

System Description .............................................................................................. 2

Purpose of the system...................................................................................... 2

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

1.3 Typical System

The low pressure stage includes two supply

High pressure stage

The high-pressure stage includes the circulation

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

1.4 Typical Layout

Filter drain valve

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

Pressure control valve

Mixing tube with

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

1.4.1 Day tank

1.4.2 Low pressure supply pumps

1.4.3 Oil filters

1.4.4 Flow transmitter

1.4.5 Mixing tube with deaeration

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

The mixing tube is made of steel, insulated and

1.4.6 Circulating pumps

designed for operation at high pressures and high

FUEL CONDITIONING MODULE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

1.4.9 Control cabinet

The EPC 50 B controller controls the following

Pump standby function

Dearation of mixing tank

Viscosity control by steam, thermal oil, or

Automatic filter drain interval

If the controller stops working, all functions can

Remote Control and Monitoring

The fuel conditioning module is prepared for 4

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