MANmagazine Power 01/2017

power

KNOW THY POWER

Training in skills is essential!

WHAT RUBBISH?

Harvesting clean energy from scrapped food

01.2017

GREEN POWER BACKUP Flexible engine power plants support Costa Rica’s renewable energy policy

DEAR READERS,

“What rubbish?” asks one of my favorite stories in this

edition of MAN Magazine. It shows how ditched food does not have to go to waste, but can be turned into clean electrical energy. Statistics show massive potential for this approach: According to the environmental organization WWF, in Germany alone the incredible amount of 300 kg of food ends up as refuse – per second. This equals 18.4 million metric tons per year. Maybe we all should look into our waste bins in the light of climate protection, for a change.

POWER

NO 01.2017

Another great story and heartfelt matter of mine also addresses climate change: For several years now, I have been advocating a “turn to gas” in maritime transport technology.

The reasons are simple: Burning gas instead of heavy fuel oil reduces harmful emissions by up to 95%. It marks the beginning of a maritime energy transition and an era of green shipping.

Together with pioneering ship owner Wessels, we walk the talk and retrofit the container ship Wes Amelie to LNG. Here’s a world premiere the environment will applaud.

Finally, the hybrid power plant Borges Blanques in Spain shows how renewable energies can provide electricity 24/7 when integrated smartly. This nicely underlines an insight by Audi Lucas, Chief Digital Officer here at MAN, in this issue’s “Dialogue & Opinion” section: “Today, innovation occurs through collaboration, and the creation of a particular type of culture that is not afraid to experiment.” My reading of this: Instead of solemnly trying to reinvent the wheel, we need to work to tackle

Here’s a world premiere the environment will applaud.”

challenges together, in order to create a sustainable tomorrow.

In times where international solidarity is taken to the test, this seems like sound advice.

Enjoy your read.

Yours truly,

Dr. Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Diesel & Turbo

MASTHEAD: MAN MAGAZINE is published two times a year in English. · PUBLISHED BY MAN Diesel & Turbo SE, Dr. Jan Dietrich Müller, Group Communications & Marketing, Stadtbachstr. 1, 86153 Augsburg, Germany · Editors in Chief: Jan Hoppe (jan.hoppe@man.eu), Felix Brecht (felix.brecht@man.eu) · PUBLISHER C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH, Heiligegeistkirchplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany, Tel.: +49 30 44032-0, www.c3.co, Shareholders of C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH are the Burda Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (limited liability company), Offenburg (85%), and the KB Holding GmbH, Berlin (15%). Sole shareholder of the Burda Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung is the Hubert Burda Media Holding Kommanditgesellschaft (limited partnership), Offenburg. Shareholders of the KB Holding GmbH are Lukas Kircher (managing director, Berlin) and Rainer Burkhardt (managing director) to 50% each. · CONTENT DIRECTOR Klaus-Peter Hilger · EDITORS & AUTHORS Cedric Arnaud, Deborah Capras, Kirti Letsch (responsible). Freelance authors: Anna Friedrich, Camille Lockhart, Leonie March, Geoff Poulton · COPY EDITOR Asa Tomash · PROJECT MANAGEMENT Sara Austen-Schrick, Christa Krick · GRAPHICS Christian Kühn, Micheline Pollach, Ravi Satpute · PHOTO EDITOR Elke Latinovic, Samantha Taruvinga · COVER IMAGE chrisorama.com · PRODUCTION C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH · PRINTING Pinsker Druck und Medien GmbH, Pinskerstraße 1, 84048 Mainburg, Germany · REPRODUCTION permitted with reference. Any changes must be coordinated with the editors. · COPYRIGHT ©2017 MAN Diesel & Turbo and C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH. All information provided in this magazine is intended for general guidance only and is not intended to be used as a substitute for specific technical or commercial information and advice.

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POWER IN COSTA RICA

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GREEN POWER BACKUP

Highly flexible engine power plants are a sure fallback for Costa Rica’s rising energy generation from renewable resources.

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CONTENTS 04 08 PHOTOS: Simon Katzer/MAN, JF Couty, Brian Finke, Wessels PR, chrisorama.com

10 12 18 22 24

Know thy power

MAN PrimeServ Academies provide crucial skills, knowledge and technological expertise worldwide.

MY MAN

The rise of the king’s port

King Abdullah Economic City rises from the sands; its port is already one of the biggest in the world.

POWER

Indonesia has a plan

In Southeast Asia, the world’s largest island state is driving growth and the switch to cleaner energy.

Green power backup

Leading in renewable energy, Costa Rica trusts in flexible engine power plants for a stable grid.

What rubbish?

Two UK companies let nothing go to waste and are pioneering clean-energy production.

MARINE

History continued

The MS Lofoten is worthy of preservation – as is the original engine still powering it.

A road map to the green zone

A convincing role model for the maritime energy transition: the success story of the Wes Amelie.

30 32 34 40 44 46

Cruising online

How MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Online Service keeps watch over engines and turbochargers at sea.

TURBO

A new standard

3-D printing has arrived at MAN Diesel & Turbo and is revolutionizing production.

Arrival of a giant

A game changer in the global turbomachinery market: the world’s biggest axial compressor.

Masters of precision

The workforce at MAN’s production site in Oberhausen makes every micrometer count.

DIALOGUE & OPINION

“‘Digital’ is not a technicality”

Companies have to rethink their business models in the face of digitalization.

News & facts

Brief business updates.

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F NO 01.2017

▶ Compelling theoretical sessions at the MAN PrimeServ Academy in Saint-Nazaire.

For any successful operation, the right technology is no doubt fundamental. But no matter how efficient the ma maenchinery, a well-qualified workforce is just as essential to en sure maximum capacity and availability. With 13 MAN contiPrimeServ Academies in nine countries and on four conti nents, MAN Diesel & Turbo has established a network of

KNOW THY POWER To reach what is possible in terms of efficiency and reliability, a comprehensive understanding of technology is crucial. Empowering its customers, MAN Diesel & Turbo provides essential knowledge through its MAN PrimeServ Academies.

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training centers to help customers further develop the skills of their employees in operation and maintenance pro processes. “We are committed to acting local but thinking global,” explains Wayne Jones, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Chief Sales Officer. An approach that is welcomed by the 37 participants currently undergoing turnkey training specifically developed by MAN Diesel & Turbo for the state-owned Société de Patrimoine du Gabon. “Our customer’s wish is to increase the expertise of its personnel for operations and maintenance of its power plant,” emphasizes Jérôme Louis, Head of Project Sales and Execution at MAN PrimeServ in France.

The program’s purpose, therefore, is to enable future personnel to take over duties at the Cap Lopez power plant near Port-Gentil, Gabon’s second-largest city. This supports national self-sufficiency projects, in terms of both generating electricity as well as tapping energy sources. Along with the Alénakiri power plant in Libreville, also equipped and commissioned by MAN Diesel & Turbo, the Cap Lopez power plant will supply a substantial 20% of the 600 MW installed in Gabon.

CUSTOMIZED TRAINING

At the MAN PrimeServ Academy in Saint-Nazaire, the

Gabonese trainees gain an intimate knowledge of the machinery they will be working with every day. The Cap Lopez power plant has three 18V51/60 dual-fuel engines manufactured in Saint-Nazaire and running primarily on natural gas. “We have set up and adapted our training program with those units in mind,” explains the project manager. The availability of a natural-gas-fueled test bench in the assembly hall of MAN at Saint-Nazaire allows for hands-on training on genuine equipment. A crucial point, considering

PHOTOS: JF Couty

â–¼ Instruction at the Academy will be followed by on-site training in Gabon.

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▼ The Cap Lopez power plant in Gabon has a capacity of 119 MW.

▶ Hands-on training provides the trainees with an intimate knowledge of the machinery.

MAN PRIMESERV that some trainees do not yet have work experience. The program covers all of the skills required to ensure power

ACADEMIES

plant operations and maintenance, from basic engine maintenance to operating the facility, are performed properly. As a result, training is geared toward future instrumentation and control supervisors, mechanical foremen or shift leaders. “Comprehensive and qualified training of the people operating a plant is absolutely essential,” agrees Wayne Jones.

That is why next to theoretical classes and practical exercises at the Academies – which offer a risk-free environment to acquire maintenance and troubleshooting techniques – the Academies further offer on-site training in real-life operations. An offer that the Société de Patrimoine du Gabon is making use of – half of the program will take place in Gabon in the actual work environment of the trainees.

ADAPTING ACCORDING TO CUSTOMER NEEDS

The MAN PrimeServ Academies perfectly comple-

ment MAN Diesel & Turbo’s service philosophy to provide the best care for machinery and systems throughout the entire life cycle. MAN PrimeServ offers a vast set of options

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A global network of training centers: Fort Lauderdale, Rio de Janeiro, Saint-Nazaire, Stockport, Frederikshavn, Copenhagen, Holeby, Oberhausen, Augsburg, Zurich, Piraeus, Shanghai, Busan

NO 01.2017

TRAININGS MADE TO MEASURE While MAN Diesel & Turbo is serving many branches, customers vary in their specific requirements concerning training. An interview with Karsten Thomas, Head of MAN PrimeServ Academies Oberhausen & Zurich, which focus on the Turbomachinery branch.

We pursue a comprehensive solution approach.”

Jérôme Louis, Head of Project Sales and Execution at MAN PrimeServ in France

to support customers with regard to plant operations, ranging from full operation and maintenance to remote monitoring services of the plant’s performance. The qualification of local staff is one more component of this portfolio. And who is better equipped to pass on expert knowledge than the original manufacturer? “We constantly strive to keep customers up to date with cutting-edge technology.

In order to do so, we continuously develop our own employees to ensure they can provide the level of service our customers both expect and deserve,” says Wayne Jones.

This also includes further developing trainings and courses. The MAN PrimeServ Academy in Saint-Nazaire, for example, has acquired a unique level of experience in regard PHOTOS: Afric Telegraph, JF Couty

to power plant operations. Inspired by and adapted from a model initially created for the customer EdF (Électricité de France), the Academy is currently standardizing the training given to the Société de Patrimoine interns so that it can be provided at other facilities. “We are pursuing a comprehensive solution approach. Our turnkey training programs, for example, are being more and more integrated into our company’s products and services,” says Jérôme Louis.

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Each branch has its specific needs. What are your customers from the Turbo business asking for? Customers of the Turbo division generally prefer a mix of hands-on training and professional classroom lectures with a direct link to job-specific activities. When it comes to training content, topics related to safety, efficiency and availability are most important. Furthermore, customers expect trainings oriented toward the job roles of the personnel handling our equipment. So our training portfolio focuses on operators, mechanics, and instrumentation and controls engineers. The training venue is nowadays often on site. Additionally, some customers invest to send their employees to our Academies, making use of our in-house trainings that contain more practical lessons.

How are these branch-specific trainings structured?

Generally speaking, we are always aiming at a good balance between providing information and applying it in order to build up knowledge sustainably. With regard to training content, we normally start from the big picture, then go down to technical details and finally troubleshooting activities. Maintaining enthusiasm for learning, fostering interaction and a diversity of methods make it even more successful. During an on-site training we have courses in front of customer’s equipment and in the control room, although we can’t interrupt ongoing operations.

We use exercise sheets, stickers, drawings, pictures or case studies in order to make these lessons more valuable for everyone. Trainings in our Academies can focus more on hands-on activities. In Oberhausen and Zurich, we can make use of training machines and a variety of models and simulators Can you reproduce all situations at the Academies? Due to the sheer diversity of machines and systems, there will always be differences between our training objects and the customers’ equipment.

But from our customers’ point of view it is not necessary to be trained on all specific details, such as the complete assembly of a machine.

Turbomachines are complex and designed to run steadily. So it simply does not happen often enough that such knowledge is needed and applied. So during our mechanical trainings, for example, we rather need to focus on enabling our customers to organize, prepare and support repair activities. Trainings also concentrate on routine maintenance, as well as evaluation of the condition of machines, essential parts and systems. To train operators and I&C engineers, we are about to extend with sophisticated process simulations. Such training media will help to train on site and in-house very efficiently.

We can simulate almost any situation, and show features and settings of the control system. This will bring training another big step forward.

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MY MAN

THE RISE OF THE

KING’S PORT 08

▲ Where there was only desert 12 years ago, Saudi Arabia’s new commercial hub covers an area of 173 km². ▶ With its ship-to-shore cranes, King Abdullah Port is equipped to receive the world’s largest vessels.

NO 01.2017

Over the last 12 years King Abdullah Economic City has been rising from desert sands. The port – its commercial heart – is already among the biggest in the world.

undoubtedly at its heart,” Wiesner adds. In 2016, King Abdullah Port was named the world’s fastest-growing port.

At the beginning of 2017, it joined the 100 biggest container ports in the world. Apart from serving the internal supply of the kingdom, the new port also acts as a strategic hub on the major trade route between Asia and Europe. Since the start of the year, three MAN 18V32/40 generator sets have been supplying the electricity for the crane facility at King

PHOTOS: Bloomberg/Gettyimages, Maersk PR

Abdullah Port. The three units run on marine diesel oil and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City is a city con-

function as generator sets supplying around 26 MW total of

ceived entirely on the drawing board. About an hour’s drive

electricity to power the cranes. With a capacity of 65 metric

north from Jeddah on the Red Sea – where just 12 years ago

tons, this facility is designed to be able to load and unload

there was only desert – the unique urban development

even the largest container ships in the world. “We are proud

project has come a long way. Today, 7,000 people live here,

to be contributing to the success of this visionary under-

a number that is expected to double by the end of 2017, and

taking,” says Wiesner. An arid desert climate and high tem-

to increase to 2 million by 2035. The new city is set to be-

peratures throughout the year place high demands on the

come the country’s second economic center in the future:

technology used here. “The MAN 32/40 engine is a perfect

“King Abdullah Economic City is one of the most significant

match for the climatic conditions in Saudi Arabia and has

and impressive infrastructure projects of our time,” ex-

already provided outstanding services in many other pow-

plains Waldemar Wiesner, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Head of

er plants on the Arabian Peninsula,” says Ashraf Al Natsheh,

Region for Power Plants in the MEA region. “And the port is

Senior Sales Director Power Plants in Saudi Arabia.

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KING ABDULLAH PORT 09

NO 01.2017

â–˛ Investing in the power grid of eastern Indonesia, the government aims to increase the share of the population with access to electricity from 85% to 98% by 2022.

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INDONESIA HAS A PLAN

PHOTO: CHRIS STOWERS/PANOS PICTURES

Southeast Asia is currently one of the most active markets in the world. One of the main drivers: Indonesia. Having quickly recovered from the Asian financial crisis, the country is now the largest economy in the area, growing at an annual rate of roughly 5%. The stable growth is not without consequences: A report by Transparency Market Research indicates that Indonesia’s electricity demands will more than double, to 442.5 terawatt hours (TWh), by 2022. To meet this demand, the government under president Joko Widodo launched an ambitious program in 2014 of adding 35 GW of new installed capacity by 2019.

An ambitious target, considering that the state of Indonesia consists of over 13,000 islands, of which around 900 are permanently inhabited. “Owing to the geographical structure – Indonesia is the largest island state in the world – small and isolated electricity grids are required. Given our wide-ranging experience of decentralized power plants, this is of course a good opportunity to expand our business,” explains Massimo Casal, Country Sales Manager Power Plants for MAN Diesel & Turbo. Casal estimates a potential for the company of 2 to 2.5 GW, primarily in dual-fuel power plants. Most of the new power plants are to be established in eastern Indonesia, a mostly rural region that still regularly suffers from brownouts and mainly accounts for Indonesia’s porous electrification factor of 91%. While the government aims to push gas-powered plants for environmental and economic reasons, the pipeline system necessary is not yet in place everywhere. “As the development of the domestic gas infrastructure will take longer than the establishment of new power plants, dual-fuel solutions that can switch from diesel to gas as soon as it is available are the best solution,” says Casal.

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GREEN POWER BACKUP NO 01.2017

Costa Rica is known for its green energy policy. Nevertheless, to stabilize its grid and back up rising generation from renewable resources, the country uses highly flexible engine power plants.

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PHOTO: chrisorama.com

MAN workers atop an old 18V48/60 engine that was replaced by a new one to keep the Garabito power plant in Costa Rica running smoothly.

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C

▲ Critical moment: The transfer of the engine from the freighter directly onto a barge at Puerto Caldera.

Costa Rica – known for its beaches, mountain ranges, volcavolcanoes and varied wildlife – is a dream destination for

eco-tourists. The country hosts more than 5% of the world’s species biodiversity, despite a land mass that covers only

0.03% of the planet. And the small republic, bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, is dedicatdedicat-

ed to preserving its environment. In 2008, Costa Rica joined the Climate Neutral Network, proclaiming the goal to become one of the first nations worldwide to go entirely

carbon-neutral by 2021. An ambitious aim, considering that transportation is still mostly dependent on gasoline. Which

means that with an explosive growth in private cars, the country’s demand for oil is actually increasing.

country rightfully boasts a leading role in renewable ener-

gy. For 271 days of 2016, Costa Rica ran on 100% renewable electricity and, for the second consecutive year, surpassed

98% of generation with five clean sources in the year. The biggest renewable contributor was hydroelectric plants, which accounted for 74% of the country’s total electricity

needs. Following this, 12% of Costa Rica’s energy needs were met by geothermal power, while wind accounted for 10%.

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PHOTOS: chrisorama.com, Rene Zimmer (2)

Where power production is concerned, however, the

NO 01.2017

MAN Diesel & Turbo finished in excellent time.”

Verny Rojas Vásquez, Garabito Plant Manager

▲ On unpaved roads the engine was transported from the harbor to the Garabito power plant. ▼ Upon arrival at its destination the crew had already dismantled the old engine (right).

Though Carlos Manuel Obregón, president of the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE), stated that the institute expects renewable power generation to stay “stable” throughout 2017, climate change and resulting unstable weather conditions give rise to concerns. The El Niño phenomenon strongly affected 2015, while 2016 had low rainfall throughout the country during most of the year.

The high renewable-energy percentages could only be maintained through optimization of the medium and large storage reservoirs of the ICE. Climate change studies are further projecting changes in precipitation patterns, temperature and water availability in Central America, which could significantly impact the hydroelectric power sector.

EXCHANGING A MUCH-NEEDED COLOSSUS

Essentially, depending on renewable energy also means being susceptible to volatile weather conditions. And while Costa Rica is investing in further renewable energy plants to ensure a more stable output, the country still depends on fossil-fuel plants. The largest of these in operation is the ICE Garabito thermal power generation plant, located in Montes de Oro, in the Pacific province of Puntarenas. Equipped with 11 MAN 18V48/60 engines operating with bunker fuel, Garabito has a generating capacity of 200 MW – enough to provide power to 80,000 homes. While the rains of the wet season supply enough water to power the numerous hydroelectric plants, summer often means periods of drought and a depletion of water reservoirs. In which case Garabito supplies the much-needed additional power to the grid.

With the Garabito power plant, the population of Costa Rica can be prepared to face any kind of shortages caused by climate change, or failures in renewable energy units. “So

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▲ Pleased with MAN’s work: Verny Rojas Vásquez in the powerhouse of the Garabito power plant. ▼ A number of parts from the old engine were fitted to the new base engine after being overhauled.

▲ Hand in hand: MAN employees from three different countries working on detaching the turbocharger from the old engine for reuse on the new one.

LOW EMISSIONS

The Garabito power plant is the largest fossil-fuel power plant in Costa Rica. To meet with the country’s emissions limits and those of the World Bank, the plant is equipped with exhaust gas treatment systems and relies on the intrinsically clean combustion of the advanced 48/60 four-stroke engines, followed by an electrostatic precipitator.

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98.21 NO 01.2017

the plant serves as an insurance policy”, explains Verny Rojas Vásquez, Garabito Plant Manager. When one engine had issues in 2016, it was a problem that needed to be solved fast. “We immediately called MAN for support; a day later they sent someone from MAN Diesel & Turbo in Guatemala.

And a week later they sent specialists from Augsburg for an in-depth analysis,” explains Rojas. When it was apparent that the engine had to be exchanged, Garabito commissioned MAN Diesel & Turbo for a new base engine. After construction, the 145-metric-ton engine was sent from the production site in Augsburg to Costa Rica via a circuitous route, covering a linear distance of 9,580 kilometers. The engine was transported on a heavy transport vehicle to Heilbronn, from there on a barge to Rotterdam, where it traveled on board the freighter BBC Nile to Puerto Caldera in Costa Rica. There a barge took the engine to a specifically built landing stage on the other side of Puntarenas.

SECURING AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE POWER MIX

“The logistics of it all was complicated, because sea transport does not always run exactly to schedule,” says Sebastian Herreiner, Superintendent Engineer at MAN Diesel & Turbo. “But we worked with a long-standing partner and it all went smoothly,” adds his colleague, Rene Zimmer, Section Manager. The last 15 kilometers, between the harbor and the power plant, the new engine traveled on mostly unpaved roads. “It was a bit nerve-racking when we had to go through the sugar cane fields,” remembers Herreiner. “It was raining hard and the ground was slippery. On top of that we had to cross a number of small streams with our heavy load. Luckily it all went well, though.” On arrival at its final destination everything was prepared so that work could start immediately. “Together with the heavy-lifting company we had brought out the old engine, taken it apart and overhauled the parts that could still be used,” explains Klaus-Jürgen Nertinger, Superintendent Engineer with MAN Diesel & Turbo. His mixed team from MAN Diesel & Turbo in Germany, Panama and Guatemala was responsible for the reassembly and the subsequent installation of the new engine. “The customer, ICE, was extremely supportive each step of the way, which made our work a lot easier,” says Zimmer. By mid-December the work was completed.

“MAN Diesel & Turbo worked efficiently and finished in excellent time,” states Rojas, “It was extremely important to us that the work be done before the start of summer bePHOTOS: chrisorama.com

cause during the dry season Garabito is essential to the country’s power supply.” As Teófilo de la Torre, Costa Rica’s Minister of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications, stated when Garabito was put into operation at the end of 2010: “This plant gives us the peace of mind required to focus on developing renewable energy sources.”

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PERCENT

of all the power was generated using hydroelectric, geothermal, wind and solar power plants in 2016.

271 DAYS

5.8 of 100% renewable electricity in 2016.

PERCENT of the nation’s total installed electrical capacity can be provided by the Garabito power plant when there is a shortage of power yielded from renewable sources.

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â–ś Rotting waste acquires a second chance in smart waste-to-energy initiatives.

WHAT RUBBISH? Waste management is a pressing issue on an international scale. Two clean-energy pioneers in the UK, both committed to the circular economy, outline their winning waste-to-energy initiatives.

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PHOTOS: gettyimages, Olivier Hess

▶ Power for the grid: At Wykes Engineering, biogas feeds into the MAN engines.

A

be diverted from food production or consumption. The British companies Wykes Engineering and Fleetsolve Ltd. have both created waste-to-energy solutions that adhere to these ideals. They have come up with superior, unique, sustainable solutions in their fields of expertise.

STOPPING THE ROT

“The materials we process are from all parts of the

food supply-chain but are not in competition with food or crop production – it’s purely organic waste, which would otherwise be wasted, that we feed into our digesters to create biogas,” explains William Wykes. The food waste used to create biogas at Wykes Engineering comes from various sources and is not deemed fit for human consumption. The company specializes in machine and renewable plant construction and in the construction and operation of power

An estimated 10 million metric tons of food waste is pro-

plants as an independent power provider, especially with

duced in the UK – in one year alone. Two intrepid family-

renewable energy.

owned companies are helping to exploit such waste – along

Once out of the digesters at the waste-to-energy plant

with other organic waste – by turning a proportion into

near Rushden, UK, the biogas is utilized in two MAN gas en-

valuable green energy. While one company decided to inno-

gines to generate renewable power, which is then sold to the

vate with biogas, the other chose liquid biofuels.

national grid. The first engine, type MAN 7L51/60 DF, has

For innovative energy firms, the key to their business

been running successfully on biogas at the power plant

is often the embracing of a “circular economy.” It’s one in

since 2014, with an output of around 6.5 MW. The second, a

which the value of natural resources, waste material and

genset of the type MAN 20V35/44 G, was delivered, installed

energy is fully recognized. While the reduction of waste is

and handed over in 2016, within a record eight months. It

seen as an overall priority in such an economy, any organic

will generate up to 10.6 MW of electrical power. The plant is

waste should be utilized as a resource, and not squandered

used to supply power to the local electricity grid and now

as rubbish. At the same time, natural resources should not

has a capacity of around 17 MW, a total able to serve a

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88

MILLION TONS of food are wasted each year in the EU, the equivalent to 175 kg per EU citizen. The biggest culprits are private households, which account for 53% of the total wasted.

community of around 35,000 people. “To our knowledge, this is the first plant that uses a 10 MW gas engine to produce green power in the most efficient way that you can imagine,” says Hajo Hoops, Senior Sales Manager Gas Power Plants at MAN Diesel & Turbo. “The efficiency achieved at Wykes really is a step ahead from anything else that exists in the industry. Their goal is 50% net efficiency,” he adds.

“The company has the guts, the knowledge and the technology to come up with a biogas that is so clean and so controlled that you can burn it in an engine that represents the latest state-of-the-art technology.” Wykes is creating industrial biogas to industrial standards. The extra work and effort put in at Wykes is clearly higher than anywhere else, Hoops believes, but it pays off because efficiency matters.

LIQUID ENERGY FROM WASTE

Fleetsolve, the UK’s leading manufacturer and opera-

tor of systems for renewable biofuel and combined heat and power, also provides sustainable solutions, but their spe▲ Unfit for human consumption, but too valuable for landfill: en route to renewable energy.

cialty is the technology and engineering know-how in the processing of liquid biofuels for reliable combustion in large engines. Keith O’Connor, Managing Director and Owner of Fleetsolve, says, “We never use anything you have to grow for fuel, and never divert anything away from food.

Our clients have to be committed to a low-carbon environment and must have a transparent waste management op-

We never use anything you have to grow for fuel.”

Keith O’Connor Managing Director and Owner of Fleetsolve Ltd.

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eration in a fully audited system. Our own company is independently audited every year, and our waste-to-energy fuel carries the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC). These are accolades we want to uphold.”

Over the last ten years, Fleetsolve has often partnered with MAN Diesel & Turbo to provide renewable energy packages. It has a tried-and-tested system for processing waste into biofuel to run efficiently in the MAN engines.

Their clients are diverse, as are the reasons why they adopt waste-to-energy solutions. “Today’s consumer, industrial or

NO 01.2017

PHOTOS: Brian Finke, Fleetsolve PR, Travis Rathbone/trunkarchive.com

▲ The optimal mix: the MAN L21/31 engine with Fleetsolve’s unique biofuel solution.

▲ Nothing wasted here: animal waste fats and oils expertly exploited for renewable energy.

private, is acutely aware of the need to have low-carbon

which would provide solutions combining MAN engines

products. Companies see waste-to-energy solutions as a

with the company’s own fuel-processing system to reliably

sustainable way to offset the carbon they produce in their

and efficiently generate renewable energy.

business,” says O’Connor. “And our solutions tie in with the

At the rendering plant, Fleetsolve improved the ex-

increased sense of corporate and social responsibility of

ternal lubrication system to provide the engine with the

many larger organizations and shareholders.” In addition,

constant oil polishing necessary when using organic oils,

Fleetsolve has implemented data mining on a large scale.

enhanced the air intake to get a cleaner burn and improved

Each system has 50 to 100 data points, which provide valu-

the fueling process to optimize the burn temperature for

able insight for designing the best combustion solutions ac-

the specific biofuel at the plant. The MAN L21/31 engine

cording to the individual needs of their clients.

runs for 24 hours a day, 7,884 hours a year, and produces

In one recent case, for a client at a rendering plant, the

1,100 kW of electrical energy and up to 1.3 MWth of thermal

partnership focused on a solution for a MAN L21/31 four-

energy, which achieves carbon savings for the business of

stroke medium-speed engine to operate using a blend of

over 20,000 metric tons a year.

waste oils and fats from the plant. Fleetsolve brought the

Although bioenergy has often been mired in contro-

expertise in chemical analysis and processing, and an ad-

versy over environmental risks, intensive farming and the

vanced understanding of fluid and fluid dynamics – and was

loss of valuable farmland to fuel crops, these two initiatives

therefore able to fine-tune the fuel-supply process to best

show that bioenergy can work. Crucial to success is the eth-

suit the potential of the MAN engine. “As the MAN engines

ical sourcing of waste material. Together with MAN Diesel

are so well engineered and manufactured, they respond par-

& Turbo, these two companies are demonstrating the truth

ticularly well to fuels you wouldn’t normally run with en-

of the proverb “waste not, want not.” Energy generated from

gines of other companies,” O’Connor says. “The things you

biomass covers more than 10% of the world’s energy de-

would worry about with others, you don’t have to with MAN.

mand, but there’s plenty more waste to turn around. Hoops

That’s a great benefit.” It’s also the reason why O’Connor

is convinced of waste-to-energy initiatives, adding, “I wish

foresees a long-term partnership with MAN Diesel & Turbo,

that we had more projects like these.”

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▶ Cruising along the coast of Norway, the “MS Lofoten” is clearly a national treasure.

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HISTORY CONTINUED

PHOTOS: AUSFREU.DE/MAXIMILIAN SCHMIDT, JON LORD/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Past dramatic mountains and peaks, deserted beaches and untouched lands, the MS Lofoten cruises just as it has done for more than 50 years.

Named after the breathtaking archipelago in which it mainly operates, the ship may be the oldest in the famous Hurtigruten fleet, but it still reliably transports freight and passengers along the coast of Norway.

Below deck, the main engine – a seven-cylinder, two-stroke Burmeister & Wain DM742 VT2 BF90 – works away with an output of 2,447 kW (3,325 horsepower) and a top speed of some 17.7 knots. As it’s the original engine, it has propelled the ship over more than 7.4 million kilometers, running up well over 300,000 working hours. The idea was floated to replace the old B&W in the ’90s, but was soon discarded because of its continued, excellent performance and, crucially, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s ability to continue delivering spare parts. In 2010 the engine underwent a significant rebuild, and MAN PrimeServ regularly assists in maintaining the now almost historical engine. Which is only fitting, as in 2000 the MS Lofoten became the largest ship ever deemed worthy of preservation by Riksantikvaren, the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage Management – a special engine aboard a very special ship. ▼ Still powered by the original engine, thanks to the parts, support and services of MAN.

23

▶ A pivotal role model: The “Wes Amelie” is the first container ship to be retrofitted to LNG.

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NO 01.2017

A ROAD MAP TO THE GREEN ZONE

T

For the shipping industry to be carbon-neutral by 2050, all stakeholders need to support the maritime energy transition. The story behind the world’s first container ship to be converted to LNG offers insights into the challenges faced, opportunities offered and pioneering drive required.

The Baltic Sea is one of the most heavily trafficked regions in the world, accounting for up to 15% of the world’s cargo

transportation. It’s also one of the most heavily regulated shipping zones and is turning into a model for green mari-

time transport. Surrounded by nine countries – Sweden and Finland to the north, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithu-

ania to the east, with Poland to the south, and Germany and Denmark to the west – the region serves as an environmental benchmark for the shipping industry, which has only been achieved by collaborating and adopting more than the

PHOTO: Tete Olivella/Wessels PR

minimum international standards. Instead of kicking the can down the road, the region has signed up to a cleaner

road map for the future of shipping. And it’s a road map

that MAN Diesel & Turbo is also committed to advancing.

This commitment was recently demonstrated by the company’s pivotal role in engineering the world’s first conversion of a container ship’s propulsion system from heavy fuel oil to low-emission LNG: the Wes Amelie.

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NO 01.2017

IDEAL CONDITIONS AND MOTIVATION

Launched in 2011, the Wes Amelie is a modern 1,000-

TEU carrier, optimized for 45-foot containers, that operates in the North and Baltic Seas. Owned by the German shipping company Wessels Reederei, the vessel will be retrofitted to dual-fuel operation. The motivation for the retrofit came from a number of directions. The first reason was regulatory, as Christian Hoepfner, General Manager and Head of Business Development & Special Projects at Wessels, outlines: “The design, construction and high ice-class parameters of the Wes Amelie meant that it is predestined for the shipping routes spanning the highly regulated North and Baltic Seas,” he explains. “As they are both within Emission Control Areas, the ships need to meet the highest environmental standards and strictest limits for emissions. By converting to a low-emission fuel, we are safeguarding the future of this container ship as well as our own competitiveness in this market.”

Once it was announced that regulations would be tightened in the North Sea and Baltic Sea Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs), Wessels started investigating how to maintain, and increase, the competitiveness of their container ships for charterers in this zone. Here, after 2015, all ships have to reduce emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx) from 1% down to 0.1%, and would have to eventually also reduce nitrogen oxides (N0x). What they found out: Running on LNG, the Wes Amelie would drastically reduce emissions of SO x by over 99%, NOx by approximately 90%, and CO2 by up to 20%, without the need for aftertreatment. The numbers were convincing.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND EXPERTISE

The second reason for adopting LNG was more of a

personal motivation to protect the environment. Basically, the choice came down to continuing with marine diesel oil with the addition of a scrubber for exhaust gas cleaning, or

A global focus

Dr. Uwe Lauber , CEO, MAN Diesel & Turbo, is convinced that the only way forward is through global policies.

“A container ship transports huge quantities of goods over thousands of sea miles with a single engine. Compared with the emission levels of private transportation, they are almost negligible. In absolute terms, however, the scale of the maritime industry means that its global emissions remain too high. If we are serious about decarbonization, we need rules that apply to everyone. If we want the shipping industry to be carbon-neutral by 2050, then we have to take action today. Only when there is a clear regulatory framework, will we all know what needs to be done. This can all be steered by policies.”

switching to LNG. The former was rejected, as an open-loop system would result in discharging waste water containing sulfur into the sea. So, the decision went with LNG, as Christian Hoepfner explains: “A scrubber would have been simply inconsistent with our desire for an eco-friendly operation.” The third reason was based on engineering expertise.

A retrofit on this scale is not a trivial matter and requires specialist know-how, parts and implementation. The Wes Amelie was originally fitted with an MAN 8L48/60B diesel engine, one that MAN Diesel & Turbo had considerable experience in converting to the dual-fuel operation. Which meant MAN was the preferred partner for the task.

By scheduling the retrofit during a major planned engine

26

THE LNG SWITCH KEY DRIVERS

NO 01.2017

LOCAL, NOT GLOBAL Existing ECAs

Possible future ECAs

EMISSION CONTROL AREAS

may limit levels of sulfur, particulate matter and/or nitrogen oxides.

In addition, from 2020, the global marine sulfur emission limits will be cut from 3.5% to 0.5%.

AFTER THE RETROFIT, THE ENGINE consumes about 4,400 m3 of natural gas per hour and has an average output of 7,800 kW.

DRASTIC RESULTS

THE RETROFIT AND THE FUTURE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF THE “WES AMELIE”

99% 90% 20%

REDUCTION IN SO x EMISSIONS

PHOTO: Simon Katzer/MAN

REDUCTION IN NO x EMISSIONS

THE 51/60DF DUAL-FUEL ENGINE has a number of new components, including cylinder heads and larger-bore cylinder liners and their water jackets. It is equipped with new sensors, actuators and instruments.

POTENTIAL REDUCTION IN CO 2

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NO 01.2017

◀ A retrofit driven by regulation, technology, politics and the right environmental mindset.

28

overhaul, the costs would also be kept lower. The parts to be

for a “maritime energy transition.” The initiative was creat-

exchanged are essentially all wearing parts that will have

ed in reference to the move to renewables in the energy

reached the end of their effective lives, and would have been

market, and the necessity to reach carbon neutrality by

scheduled for replacement anyway, by MAN PrimeServ, the

2050, as Lauber explains. “The Paris Agreement of COP21 set

after-sales division of MAN Diesel & Turbo. “By providing

the framework for future development, not only of ship-

customers with the technology to retrofit their existing

ping, but of all industries. The similarity is clear. Just as the

fleets, including container ships, MAN is not just making a

technology for renewable energy generation was available,

contribution to the transition to LNG-powered vessels, we are

the technology necessary to use LNG as a fuel on a large

driving it,” says Stefan Eefting, Senior Vice President MAN

scale was also there and ready. But to untie the knot that

Diesel & Turbo and Head of MAN PrimeServ in Augsburg.

clogged the system, politics had to jump on board, too.”

THE PIONEERING DRIVE

and one-on-ones, Lauber has continued to outline a simple

When MAN Diesel & Turbo took on this retrofit, it was

road map to drive decarbonization in shipping. In the short

more than a technologically pioneering feat. It was the re-

to medium term, it’s achieved by establishing LNG as a

sult of the company’s long-standing drive toward decar-

fuel to lower emissions. In the long term, it will require

bonization. Back in 2015, not satisfied with the speed of the

ways to generate LNG from renewable resources. Es -

industry’s move to gas, MAN CEO Uwe Lauber was calling

sential for all of this is the setting of global standards. “The

In a series of press articles, public appearances

NO 01.2017

shipping industry is global by nature, and at the end of the day, it requires regulation on a global scale. The International Maritime Organization has to ensure a level playing field,” adds Lauber. However, this does not mean that local governments should be idle: “We need a ‘new deal’ to drive this initiative, which unites ship owners, ports, shipyards, engine manufacturers, as well as politics,” explains Lauber.

“All the ingredients necessary to establish LNG are there, but it is politics that need to lead the way and make the whole industry believe that this is really happening.”

This is a lesson that Wessels has had to learn the hard way, too. When the cost estimates for the conversion came in, the project almost didn’t get off the ground. From a mere economic standpoint, the case for the retrofit was a tough one to argue. The solution would require an element of political commitment, too. It was the pioneering but fully replicable character of the project that convinced the German government to get involved.

THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT

The Wes Amelie has 23 sister ships, and 16 of them are structurally identical, which guarantees that similar projects could be easily implemented in the future. In addition, as a total of 82 type MAN 48/60 engines have been installed in ships of various kinds, the actual potential for retrofitting such vessels to LNG is even greater. The scalability of the engineering services and the development costs would significantly reduce the costs for all follow-up projects.

This clear multiplier effect was the deciding factor in securing additional financial support for the project from the German government via its Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur – BMVI). Once the BMVI recognized the contribution such a project could make to the industry in the long term, additional funding was awarded. This would also enable a short, three-year amortization of the investment. Hoepfner is convinced that it was this interplay of political support, tough regulations, advanced engineering and the right attitude to environmental protection that sealed the eco-friendly deal for the ret-

The ideal solution

Christian Hoepfner, General Manager, Wessels, argues for a fairer levy to support the transition to greener fuel.

“The actual retrofit, and its financing, is only one side of the story. We need an LNG infrastructure in place providing easy access to LNG as bunker, and LNG has to be cheaper than the usual petrofuels in usage.

The transition to LNG as fuel is not easy sledding, and at this early stage the ship operator or charterer expects benefits in using LNG-fueled ships. It’s unacceptable that the shipping companies or the individual ships have to foot the bill alone to protect the environment. In an ideal scenario, each transported container has to pay a SOx, NOx or CO2 levy, and this levy will be explicitly used to support green shipping initiatives.”

rofit: “We were there at the right time, in the right place, with the right technology and attitude,” he says.

“The time is right to engineer the maritime energy

PHOTOS: Tete Olivella/Wessels PR

transition,” agrees Dr. Thomas Spindler, Head of Upgrades & Retrofits – MAN PrimeServ Four-Stroke – MAN Diesel & Turbo. “But as the example with Wes Amelie confirms, it needs a broad commitment to make it fly.

Next to advanced engineering and personal conviction, pushing through with this will take better regulation and the political will to succeed. And we will keep pushing on all levels,” he promises.

▪

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NO 01.2017

CRUISING ONLINE

W

MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Online Service keeps watch over engines and turbochargers at sea.

“While we’ve been talking these last five minutes, the live data indicator on my phone has shown that one of the

Leonora Christina’s engines isn’t running,” says Christoph

Kastl, Superintendent Engineer, MAN PrimeServ O&M at MAN Diesel & Turbo. Is there a problem?

“No, it’s nothing to worry about! They’re about to

start performing some maintenance. They switched the

engine off to cool it down, so that when they enter the har-

bor, they can start right away.” Kastl can view this informa-

tion because the Leonora Christina is one of the most recent

adopters of MAN PrimeServ Online Service, MAN Diesel &

Turbo’s automated solution for continuous engine and turbocharger monitoring. It’s an important component in the firm’s growing adoption of smart, interconnected solutions

based on data gathering and analysis. “Interfaces on our en-

LIVE DATA

With the live data indicator, MAN Online Service personnel as well as customers receive performance data of their engines in real time. The information can be viewed from all over the world and accessed via stationary as well as mobile devices.

4 ENGINES

SPEED

gines collect and transmit data from anywhere in the world

via a secure connection. Thanks to the live data indicator,

both MAN and our Online Service customers can even view a variety of information on mobile devices,” explains Michael Aichner, Online Service Manager, MAN PrimeServ

ON

ON

ON

OFF

400 1/min

O&M. “MAN PrimeServ experts analyze the data for any

irregularities. If something is found, they can provide recommendations for maintenance. For issues that require

OPERATING HOURS

MODE

urgent attention, they contact the customer and provide immediate remote assistance.”

The 112-meter-long Leonora Christina entered opera-

tion in 2011 and is operated by Danish firm Danske Færger

between the Danish island of Bornholm and Ystad in southeast Sweden. Powered by four 20-cylinder MAN 20V28/33D

diesel engines, it has a lightweight aluminum alloy hull and

30

24,073 h total

Fuel

NO 01.2017

PHOTO: Ehrenberg Kommunikation/Færgen PR

▼ Powered by four 20-cylinder MAN diesel engines, the 112-meter-long “Leonora Christina” can cruise at up to 37 knots.

can cruise at 37 knots. Since adopting Online Service in

The MAN Diesel & Turbo Online Service now covers

2016, Søren Nielsen, Managing Chief Engineer for the ship,

90 four-stroke engines, but its potential is much greater:

says he and his colleagues have gained greater insight into

There are currently more than 600 Online Service–ready

the engines’ performance. “The live data indicator gives us

four-stroke engines in the field. Two recent additions to the

an overview of information, including engine speed, tem-

portfolio come from ferry operator Stena Line. In February,

perature, operating hours and different pressure readings.

the company decided to implement the service on its ships

We receive detailed monthly reports with operating values

Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica, which sail between

and comparison of current conditions with optimal run-

the Netherlands and southeast England. Each is powered by

ning conditions. These also include advice on how to re-

four MAN 48/60CR engines. “Going forward, we will further

store the engines to their optimum status in case of dis-

extend our portfolio of software service solutions,” says

crepancies.” According to Nielsen, the most beneficial as-

Wayne Jones, Chief Sales Officer, MAN Diesel & Turbo. “Dig-

pect is the reassurance that it will help avoid costly

italization has a lot to do with speed – in this day and age

downtime for the ship. “The Online Service helps to catch

things are changing at a rapid pace. Our customers need to

potential failures. Then we can work together to resolve the

stay ahead of the game, and we can provide them with the

issues before they force a full engine stop.”

digital tools to ensure that this is the case.”

▪

31

PHOTO: CHRISTIAN STOLL

NO 01.2017

32

NO 01.2017

▼ A ten-centimeter part that signifies a big step for MAN Diesel & Turbo: the first serially produced 3-D-printed guide vane segment for MAN gas turbines.

A NEW STANDARD

It may not be much to look at, but a new guide vane segment is revolutionizing production at MAN Diesel & Turbo. It is the first complex 3-D-printed part to be used in serial production of gas turbines. In April 2017, it was integrated into a gas turbine for real operation by a customer – taking 3-D printing far beyond the testing phase. This milestone is a result of a decade of research and development and puts MAN Diesel & Turbo in the unique position of being the first manufacturer in the world to use complex 3-D-printed components as a standard in serial production of gas turbines.

3-D printing – or additive manufacturing – is still mainly limited to prototyping in many industrial branches. The potential of additive manufacturing touches many steps in a product’s genesis, however, offering numerous advantages along the entire value chain. Next to shortened development cycles, 3-D printing enables, for example, a more complex component design, accelerated production and shorter delivery times. Further, it could potentially change the nature of spareparts services. Warehousing, tracking and distribution of spare parts is costly, while 3-D-printed parts can be produced right on call. “The digital data from our R&D departments can be converted into better products more quickly than before, while customers are supported throughout the entire product life cycle with 3-D-printing-based services,” explains CEO Uwe Lauber.

To further tap into the potential the technology offers, MAN Diesel & Turbo is currently investing in the establishment of the “MAN Center for Additive Manufacturing.” The center will combine the expertise of design specialists, materials engineers and manufacturing engineers to develop and realize the opportunities for 3-D printing for all of MAN Diesel & Turbo’s business units.

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NO 01.2017

ARRIVAL OF A GIANT 34

NO 01.2017

PHOTOS: Graeme Williams

The biggest axial compressor worldwide has finally reached its final destination: South Africa. In terms of efficiency, size and cost, it is a game changer in the global air separation market.

35

A All eyes to the sky. All the people watching are holding their breath. Above, in the blue South African skies, a gray giant is dangling in the air. The AR-140 is the biggest version of

the MAX1 generation of axial compressors – the biggest of

its kind worldwide. After an epic journey from MAN’s pro-

duction site in Germany to Secunda, South Africa, it is now

on its final stretch. A massive, specialized crawler crane has been brought onto the site to lift the 240-metric-ton

piece of cutting-edge technology to its final position. It’s a day in history for Christo du Plooy, Sales Manager at

NO 01.2017

5,000 TONS of oxygen per day: The AR-140 compressor is at the heart of the largest air separation unit ever built.

MAN Diesel & Turbo South Africa: “This first-time installation of the compressor is a critical and important milestone

for us as a company. It is a big achievement and a great honor for us to be involved in this project.”

The compressor is at the heart of the largest air sepa-

ration unit (ASU) ever built, with a total capacity of 5,000 metric tons of oxygen per day. That’s a major improvement

from present production capacities of roughly 3,500 metric

tons. It is being constructed on SASOL’s synthetic fuels and

chemicals complex in Secunda, but is owned and operated

by Air Liquide. The new ASU will enable the company to supply large quantities of industrial gases to the manufac-

turing processes on site. Without a doubt, this day marks a milestone for Air Liquide, too. Amine Houssaim, Director for Southern Africa with Air Liquide Large Industries, has

made space in his schedule and driven 130 km from Johannesburg to witness this special event. “We are convinced

that the AIRMAX1 is the compressor that will provide us with the best fit for our design. We have already been coop-

erating with MAN in South Africa. So far the cooperation is very good at each level of the organization. And we are very excited to see this equipment being lifted today.”

TEAMWORK AND PRECISION

Slowly, the compressor is being moved toward the

massive, 11-meter-high concrete platform. The AIRMAX

consists of the main AR140 compressor and a type RG 71-4 booster compressor, driven by an electric motor, also one of

a kind, which was lifted onto the platform a few days before.

Three huge pipes are sticking out of the gray protective cov-

er. They will be joined to other pipes already erected around the platform, sucking in and compressing the air from

36

◀ Another heavy lift: The electric motor used for the design is also one of a kind.

NO 01.2017

PHOTOS: Graeme Williams

▼ There is a sense of accomplishment for Dennis Müller and the entire team after the successful completion of the heavy lift.

The lift required the highest precision from everybody involved.”

Dennis Müller, Field Service Engineer with MAN Diesel & Turbo in Germany

the atmosphere with an effective volume flow rate of over 1 million cubic meters of air per hour. The air then goes through a cooling unit underneath the platform, as well as a purification cycle. It then enters the cold box for cryogenic distillation, where the air is separated into its main constituents oxygen, nitrogen and argon. On the ground, workers dressed in full security gear are holding on tightly to ropes fastened to the compressor, in case the wind picks up. In the vertiginous heights of the platform, Dennis Müller, German Field Service Engineer, wearing a harness and safety ropes like an alpinist, is directing the crane operator toward the right position. “This is precision work,” Müller points out. He has been deployed in South Africa since October and will later calibrate the compressor, thrilled about his exciting task. “Working with the entire team on site has been great. Every one of us has been anticipating this moment eagerly for the last months.”

37

NO 01.2017

◀ A massive, specialized crawler crane was brought onto the site to lift the 240-metric-ton piece of cutting-edge technology to its final position. ▶ The compressor sits on top of a cooling unit. The construction of the concrete framework supporting the compressor was a challenge.

Amine Houssaim, Director for Southern Africa with Air Liquide Large Industries

A NEW STANDARD

Office staff as well as construction workers have

stopped their daily routine to take a glance on site, watching the progress from a safe distance. The air of excitement is tangible, despite the fact that some have been working on massive projects for decades, like Stehan van der Post, Project Director for Air Liquide. “The construction of the concrete structure supporting the compressor has been a challenge. A lot of rebar was required, which made the pouring of the concrete technically difficult. The 11-meter-high columns were done in a single pour. That makes this lift special. There is a sense of accomplishment for the team. It is something tangible that demonstrates the fruits of our labor.” But the excitement has not been restricted just to the site, Tamzin Womarans adds with a smile. As the Team Leader Spare Parts, Sales & Service at MAN Diesel & Turbo South Africa, she too has been in-

38

PHOTOS: Graeme Williams

The cooperation with MAN is very good at every level.”

NO 01.2017

awareness and global needs to save energy and reduce the carbon footprint, at the same time providing solutions for a growing population. The AIRMAX addresses all these challenges. It is the most compact concept in the market, yet still the most efficient one. Two trains of large air separation units can now be replaced by a single one, and for the standard pressures there is only one intercooler needed.

The design of the new axial blading and the subsequent radial diffuser have been optimized with methods used in the aircraft engine industry. All components have been optimized for efficiency, the lowest possible power consumption and superior performance. “The sheer efficiency and the technology that we are implementing here is probably a few decades more mature than existing technology,” du Plooy emphasizes.

A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TOWARD THE FUTURE

Certainly this is also in the interests of the customer,

Air Liquide. Replacing two trains with one results in significant cost savings. The efforts for site construction, operations and maintenance are also lower due to the compact, modular design. “We obviously benefit from economy of scale,” says Amine Houssaim. “We are very happy that today MAN has a solution that can accommodate this size as well as the efficiency that we are targeting.” South Africa has been facing serious energy constraints for a number of years, with energy costs increasing. More efficiency is also needed to reach climate-change goals. Like other companies, Air Liquide is engaged in optimizing the efficiency of its operations, thus reducing the energy footprint. An engagement that is certainly not limited to the air separation industry, as another recent project shows. In spring 2017, MAX1 technology convinced the first customer outside this branch, coming into play here for the production of steel.

This strongly underlines the fact that efficiency is key throughout the industries worldwide.

Slowly the compressor is being lowered onto the platform. Everything goes perfectly well. “We are on track in terms of planning and very eager to see this plant comvolved with this flagship project since the inception just

missioned,” confirms Houssaim. After the plant has been

over two years ago. “It has been a constant topic of discus-

commissioned, MAN Diesel & Turbo South Africa will take

sions at our offices in Johannesburg,” she says. “Everyone is

over its role in terms of maintenance, service and support,

always asking for updates on how everything is with the

in order to ensure that the machines are run at optimal lev-

compressor. So it is definitely a proud moment for all of us.”

els. Christo du Plooy is proud of his team and of the compa-

There is no doubt that the AIRMAX solution will be a

ny as a whole: “A big shout-out goes to the team in the head-

game changer, setting new standards for the entire indus-

quarters in Germany for their research, innovation and de-

try in terms of dimensions and efficiency. “Over the years,

velopment, as well as for supplying everything within

the traditional concepts were to just keep scaling up the

quality and time. It just showcases what we can achieve

machines,” recounts Christo du Plooy. “It would have

working together as a team.” He’s convinced that this is

reached a size which is unimaginable.” Obviously these

only the start of a new, exciting and successful chapter for

technologies are clearly outdated in a time of growing

the company. All eyes up – the sky is the limit.

▪

39

NO 01.2017

MASTERS OF PRECISION

40

NO 01.2017

◀ Several hundred production specialists, like Abdullah Onur, work at MAN Diesel & Turbo’s site in Oberhausen. ▶ The large Carl Zeiss coordinate-measuring machine ensures the quality of high-end screw compressors.

M

At the turbomachinery production site in Oberhausen, a skilled workforce makes every micrometer count.

Meters-high machines are closely spaced as far as the eye can see in the huge MAN Diesel & Turbo production site in Oberhausen. The sound of metal being worked permeates the space where several hundred production specialists are at work. At its turbomachinery works in Oberhausen, Ger Germany, MAN Diesel & Turbo develops and manufactures compressors, turbines and complete machinery trains for the various needs of the industry worldwide.

This includes in-house manufacturing of many com com-

ponents as well as their assembly to a finished machine or train. “We manufacture individually according to very spe specific customer needs, which means that we often have a batch size of just one,” explains Dr. Carsten Achtelik, Head of Production in Oberhausen. “And that we have only one shot to get it right.” Precision is, accordingly, key – and so is the workforce on this 70,000-square-meter site. Despite hundreds of special machines, it is experienced employees who render the last quantum of quality possible – for example, by choosing the ideal processing method. Where everything may depend on accuracy down to the micrometer, experience is invaluable. “We have to be able to guarantee our customers certain levels of efficiency and performance

PHOTOS: Hartmut Nägele

for the machinery we manufacture, which is why have to work within very narrow tolerance ranges,” explains Achtelik. This is true of small components and also of large ones, such as the rotor of a 100 MW steam turbine. These may measure several meters in diameter and can weigh 20 or 30 metric tons. When they are in use at 5,000 rotations per

41

NO 01.2017

minute, precision needs to be up to a hundredth of a millimeter. And that for many years, as the final products, worth some million euros each, are in operation for decades.

One of those experienced specialists is Wolfgang Rau. He has been working at the MAN site for 30 years. The CNC machinist is standing next to a digitally controlled chipping machine and attentively supervises how the machine slowly turns its program sequence into a high-precision contour of the metal. If a measured value does not match, Rau has to make a decision. “We manufacture so individually that serial production is possible only within very narrow limits,” explains Rau. And so the machine-driven execution is still strongly supported by the experience of the production workers. For example, inserting the blades onto a shaft, to finally create a rotor: Each blade is manufactured individually on a high-tech machine in the same production hall, some meters away. The insertion into a notch in the shaft takes up to five minutes each, depending on the blade size. Besides all high-tech processes here, this step is ▲ This close-up of a customized axial compressor shows its intricate detail. ▶ Thorough quality controls by the experts are added to every step of production.

executed by the workers by hand, converting their experience into quality. “This step, demanding flexibility and a high level of experience, could not be done by a machine,” says Abdullah Onur, who is one of the specialists for that task. “The requirements of that operation are so individual that it would be nonsensical to apply a robot here.” Clearances have to be checked, and occasionally adaptions to a row of blades have to be made. Once a blade is inserted, Onur and his colleagues immediately can tell whether they are sitting properly – to the hundredths of a millimeter. The turbomachinery coming out of Oberhausen has to perform for decades while withstanding immense stresses. A gas turbine blade, for example, is exposed to temperatures of more than 1,200°C, enduring pressures between 10 to 15 bar.

Next to high-tech materials employed, it is this accuracy in production that guarantees MAN Diesel & Turbo’s customers longevity and efficiency of their turbomachinery.

To training supervisor Thomas Wischermann, the human factor is crucial when working with the machines: “To know how the machine works, our experts have to have a profound knowledge of materials, for example. This is why apprentices in their first year also learn how to rasp by hand,

Dr. Carsten Achtelik, Head of Production with MAN Diesel & Turbo in Oberhausen

42

MAN Diesel & Turbo puts a strong emphasis on training their own personnel. Currently, 85 apprentices are working in the practice area. Even after completing their apprenticeship, it will take a few more years before they have gathered the necessary experience. “Having to work according to the ‘first time right’ principle puts a great emphasis on our production crew,” explains Carsten Achtelik. “It takes years to get the kind of experience to be able to confidently manufacture a part with the needed precision in just one go.” ▪

PHOTOS: Hartmut Nägele

We mostly have only one shot to get it right”

so they internalize a feeling for these metals.” That is why

▲ Abdullah Onur working on an axial compressor – a high level of experience is required for individual production steps that need to be performed by hand.

NO 01.2017

Audi, let’s try and get a better grip on that buzzword “digitalization.” What is it we are talking about when we use that word?

I actually prefer to keep it simple and just say “digital.” I think the term might be a bit of a misnomer, and too often is perceived as “IT.” To me the actual meaning of “digital” is much deeper. What it really gets to is a new or changing way of thinking about businesses and business models. If we look at the world and the economy today, things are increasingly moving at an exponentially rapid pace.

At the actual heart of “digital” is the ability to adapt your company and business model to that pace.

Can you give an example? Take the development of the retail industry in the late ’90s, which saw a change moving from bricks-andmortar stores to things like online shopping.

Traditional stores found themselves eroded and had to adapt to new business models and ways to interact with their customers. No doubt, it was the Internet that triggered and enabled that change. But those companies that succeeded were the ones that at a rather rapid pace were able to change the way they interacted with their customers.

In the media industry this started even earlier – years before the first digital medium came up. It was the invention of the videocassette recorder, which for the first time enabled the end consumer to record, watch and distribute content independently of its air time. This changed the business and market model of a complete industry. A certain tech-

DIALOGUE & OPINION

“‘DIGITAL’ IS NOT A TECHNICALITY”

The winds of change are blowing. To stay competitive, companies will have to drastically rethink their business models, argues MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Chief Digital Officer Audi Lucas.

44

nology triggered it, which itself is already long gone today. But at the heart of the transformation that took place was a fundamentally changed relationship between an industry and its customers. The VCR was only the first shot, and over the next 20 years or so we could watch the production studios lose control over their product.

But the VCR and cassettes were analog technology. How does that add up then? We should not get too hung up upon whether things are “digital” or “analog,” Betamax or

NO 01.2017

VHS. That’s merely a technicality. The change

What we will see is a stronger focus on tech-

understand the interaction of the assets we

in the relationship between a producer and a

nology to optimize the granularity of the in-

manufacture with those of other companies.

consumer is what is essential to reflect upon.

dustry. The barrier on the way there is what I

For us this means: Building up a system

What is unveiled by “digital” is a sometimes

call the “enterprise barrier”: Companies still

that monitors the engine cannot be the final

undiscovered need. Creating a consumer de-

buy or build enterprise systems. Those sys-

objective. Because what the customer is con-

vice that can store video onto magnetic tape

tems still have a fence built around them,

cerned about is the end-to-end. Going for-

was technologically simple, but it uncovered

which means that the information from one

ward we will work with other equipment

a consumer need that was long there.

enterprise to the next does not flow very

manufacturers and build a platform for the

New technology enables new business

easily and has to pass

models, but it does not necessarily drive

complicated interfaces.

change alone. Otherwise, a company like

We think we need

Kodak would not have filed bankruptcy in

those enterprise walls

2011. They invented the digital camera in the

to be a fortress because

’70s and held the patent for the first digital

of security purposes.

image recorder. But although they had a 30-

But in reality walls

year head start on the technology, the man-

don’t keep out hackers

agement could not see how it would change

anymore. In today’s

the way people take pictures. The lesson

world you must pre-

learned is: No company can sit back and be-

sume they are already

lieve they will be making the same profits

inside. There are a lot of

from the same business models forever.

smart people, organi-

Things are going to change. And when a ma-

zations and state-spon-

jor change comes, the best position to be in is

s or e d h ac ker s out

just slightly ahead of it.

there. All of them are trying to harvest infor-

Are retail and media comparable to the B-to-B world though? Certainly things prog-

Digital has shifted the traditional balance of power between an industry and its customer.”

Audi Lucas, Chief Digital Officer with MAN Diesel & Turbo

mation.

Walls don’t work

ress slower in the B-to-B than in the B-to-C

anymore. Metaphorically speaking. Instead,

industry as a whole. We will make money on

world. However, change is happening here,

you need to build security and safety into the

capitalizing on the changes that it will en-

too. The shift to digital has in this case largely

data itself. Instead of building a big wall

able, not so much on the software itself.

taken the form of the “services economy.”

around the city, you need to install smart

This can be added services in terms of a solu-

locks on every door. Once this has sunk in, it

So summing things up: Digital means we

tion package, where for example we not only

will open up a new level of information ex-

all have to get out of our comfort zones?

sell and build a power plant, but also operate

change between companies. That in turn will

I believe that is true in a way. Digital has

it. Or new services even replace the former

enable new services and new business mod-

shifted the traditional balance of power be-

product. Most companies have stopped run-

els. We have to think beyond the domain of

tween an industry and its customer and pro-

ning their own mail servers and use cloud

the “enterprise.”

gresses at an increasingly rapid pace. As an

ILLUSTRATION: Sergio Ingravalle

services instead.

industry, we need to open our minds and Who is or will be driving that change? The

eyes to new business structures and models

How does that apply to a conservative in-

customers, of course. If you look at a ship,

of collaboration. We still like to think of “in-

dustry like the shipping industry? The ship-

there are millions of different assets and

novation” in terms of single entrepreneurs

ping industry is quite complex in its struc-

components from hundreds of different

living in their garages and building or pro-

ture, with ship owners, charters, ship opera-

manufacturers. Those components are either

gramming prototypes night and day while

tors and so forth. There are a lot of parties

networked or physically interface with one

feeding on cold pizza and soft drinks. While

involved, but the core product obviously is

another. We for example build an engine that

the lone entrepreneur still exists occasion-

the transportation of goods from point A to

powers a generator from another company. If

ally, today large-scale, fast-paced innovation

point B, over long distances. Everything else,

we want to make the ship more efficient or

occurs through collaboration, and the cre-

right down to the ships themselves, is only

reliable or want to move towards the popular

ation of a particular type of culture that is

there to enable the transportation of goods.

vision of an “autonomous ship,” we have to

not afraid to experiment.

▪

45

No 01.2016

NEWS & FACTS

Advanced LNG system for Norway Two new ferries for ship owner

and ferry operator Torghatten Nord promise state-of-the-ar t per formance, comfort and reliability. Built

by Vard Shipyard Group, designed by Multi-Maritime, and equipped with a fuel-gas supply system from MAN Cryo, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s marineLNG fuel-gas-system manufacturer, they are scheduled for delivery in 2018. “We are committed to delivering two excellently performing ferries, which is why we have chosen MAN Cryo as fuel-gas supplier,” says Thor Inge Skov, Purchase Manager at Vard Group AS, in Brevik, Norway. ▲ The LNG supply system for the double-ended RoPax ferries consists of a 175 m³ vacuuminsulated storage tank with auxiliary equipment.

Double the size of Los Angeles, and with an annual extraction capacity of 4.5 million metric tons, the Martabe Gold Mine on the Indonesian island of Sumatra is one of the world’s largest. To secure a stable energy supply to the mine, MAN Diesel & Turbo is to deliver and install four MAN 18V32/40 gensets for a power plant of the energy company PT Sumberdaya Sewatama.

46

▼ With four MAN four-stroke engines, the power plant will supply Martabe with up to 24 MW of power, eliminating acute bottlenecks.

No 01.2016

▼ The new refinery will expand Nigeria’s capacity to meet its rising mobility needs.

Nigeria: toward fuel independence With an order volume in the tens of millions, MAN Diesel & Turbo will deliver two compressor trains to Nigeria’s Dangote Oil Refining Company, to be employed in the company’s refinery in the capital of Lagos. Each consists of an axial compressor driven by a steam turbine with about 30 MW of power. “This refinery will satisfy 100% of the fuel needs of Nigeria,” explains Alhaji Aliko Dangote, president and CEO of the Dangote Group. The new building should enable Nigeria, as Africa’s biggest crude-oil producer, to also raise its processing capacities, finally becoming more independent from imported fuels.

Wayne Jones, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Chief Sales Officer, sees it as a milestone: “This will have a huge impact on the economy of not only Nigeria but all west Africa. We are proud to be a part of this project and gladly offer our equipment and technological expertise to help make the Dangote refinery not only Africa’s biggest, but also one of the most efficient operations on the continent.”

PHOTOS: multi-maritime.no, Andrew Esiebo/Panos Pictures, PT Agincourt Resources

–40° to +30° CELSIUS

is the range of ambient temperature an axial compressor by MAN Diesel & Turbo will have to cope with at a steel works in Luleå, Sweden. While the project marks another breakthrough for the company’s MAX 1 technology, this range of inlet temperatures is making great demands on air compression.

$18 BILLION The industrial gas turbine market volume will exceed this amount by 2024, the latest study by Global Market Insights, Inc., predicts. In 2015, the value was $16 billion. Stricter carbon emission regulation across the globe is one of the main drivers of this growth.

47

What Turns The World On? Transforming off-grid areas into megacities.

1904

MAN built the first engine driven power plant. We have been successfully in business ever since

90%

34,000+

megawatts of power and heat are generated at MAN Diesel & Turbo plants

total efficiency in heat utilization with MAN gas engines

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We offer a comprehensive range of solutions for applications up to 400 MW, using liquid fuel, gaseous fuel or a dual-fuel combination. From the remotest off-grid sites to the largest industrial complexes, our longstanding international customers trust our engines and our expertise in the power industry to keep the wheels of global business turning. Find out more at www.mandieselturbo.com