BIG diesel engine - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jay_bob · #1 06-26-2012, 05:33 PM

Cummins releases new engine for locos, gens, haul trucks, and other big machines that keep us moving along.

This is bigger than the ones I play with at work, mine are usually 3k hp and drive 2.5 MW gens. But not that much bigger. I know vstech wanted to see what the engines look like at my customer sites, this is what they look like only not quite so huge. The top of the head is about eye level with me (I'm 6' 3").

Cummins Showing Its 4,000-Horsepower Hedgehog At Goodwood

The 6 white cylinders are the oil filters, they are designed with a bypass arrangement so that if one gets clogged the others take over, also this allows hot swapping the filters if needed.

Down between the filters you will see a hose and pump, this is the pre-lube pump that keeps oil flowing when the engine is off, so that when it starts up you have instant lube. Real important when you have a standby generator, it must go from off to full power in 10 seconds by law. Most make it in 6-8 seconds.

also they have fuel and water jacket heaters to make sure it starts Right Now at a moments notice.

Obviously this is direct injection, computer controlled. You can see the fuel pump on the left end.

Usually they have multiple turbos, you can barely see them on top. The big flange top center is the exhaust outlet, it goes to a big muffler and the urea injection system.

Missing are the radiator and fan as well as the air cleaners. The radiator is usually about as tall as the engine and the fan is massive.

We have to be Very Careful starting these up, between the intake air and the radiator fan air, it will pick up small objects from the floor and fling them towards the engine. Worst one was doing an outdoor unit in a snowstorm in Colorado, we had 2 foot drifts inside the enclosure because of the massive air intake and having the doors open.

Ear and eye protection a must due to noise and the fact there is dust, etc. in the air flow.

Think we could do a 123 retrofit? My 240d could use some more power...

Stugist · #2 06-26-2012, 06:49 PM

I know what I want for Christmas, now!

Stevo · #3 06-26-2012, 07:26 PM

Big engines, Yah, I like big engines

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot · #4 06-26-2012, 08:31 PM

Cummins QSK95 Engine Launch Event Highlights - YouTube

vstech · #5 06-26-2012, 10:50 PM

wow, they have a 20 cylinder version in the works...

cool!
thanks Jay!

mach4 · #6 06-27-2012, 01:55 AM

That's not a big diesel!

This is a big diesel -

Story here

jay_bob · #7 06-27-2012, 07:50 AM

Yep, the marine engines for the mega container ships take the prize for sure. I've been down on a dock next to a big ship running, you feel it in your chest.

That wouldn't work for me, though. It's real hard to make 60 Hz at 102/min...normally the engine on a generator runs 1800/min.

Stevo · #8 06-27-2012, 10:52 AM

I think my favorite "big" engines are the old 350 or so, max RPM, direct reverseables made by Atlas, Enterprise and Washington. You can stand next to one in the engine room and have a conversation. It took allot of practice to run one as the engine had to be stopped, the cam is shifted to the reverse lobs (by air) and then restarted running in the other direction, that is if you haven't run out of air, it which case you crash and burn

Allot of the old tugs, ferries, and fish boats used these engines.

kerry · #9 06-27-2012, 01:00 PM

Do you mean that that the water jacket is kept heated and the oil pumping 24 hrs a day? That's got to be pretty expensive.

jay_bob · #10 06-27-2012, 01:11 PM

Yes the water jacket is on a thermostatically controlled heater. It cycles on and off but it keeps the jacket at a nice and toasty 150 *F or so.

Likewise the lube pump does not run constantly, but it is on a timer that runs it on intervals to keep the oil film present between the bearing surfaces.

In cold climate applications there are fuel heaters too.

It is expensive but that is what is required to make sure that engine can start and assume full load within 10 seconds as legally required by life safety and electrical codes.

I work in the data center world. These are not life safety (although some would argue that FB is) applications. However the owners do not tolerate down time of any sort.