Engine room safety is attracting increasing interest. It is especially important for installations where personnel are not continuously present in the engine room.
Wärtsilä is continuously working with state-of-the-art technology to optimize the performance of its engines. This applies not only to efficiency and emissions but also to safety. Improved material properties, modern production processes and a new concept design all help to ensure greater safety at lower costs than in the past.
Engines already in operation can likewise benefit from the latest technology, because new solutions are often available as retrofit packages for older engines.
Growing awareness of safety is also evident in international legislation and recommendations, where safety standards apply to both new and existing installations.
Solas regulation in the engine room
SOLAS regulations contain requirements for jacketed high-pressure fuel lines, the screening of joints and flanges for low-pressure piping, and the insulation of hot surfaces.
In the event of a leakage in the engine room, their purpose is to prevent fuel and lubricating oil from being sprayed directly onto any hot surface and causing a fire in the engine room.
Depending on the engine type, specific and focused retrofit solutions are available for older Wärtsilä engines and engines manufactured under licence.
Three main categories of solutions can be:
- Retrofit solution for high-pressure fuel lines / injection pipes for preventing fuel leakage from injection line
- Retrofit solutions for low-pressure oil pipes, protecting possible points of failure and preventing oil spray or leakages
- Solutions for protecting hot surfaces, preventing contact between flammable liquids and surfaces with temperatures above 220°C.
