Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board 1

SEA-Mate
Blending-on-Board
Case Study: Cold Corrosion Prevention
2 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board

Introduction

During slow steaming, cold corrosion attacks cylinder liners For maximum effectiveness, the surface of the piston ring
and piston rings in the form of sulphuric acid. The effect should be hard and chemically inert. However, during slow
becomes steadily more damaging as the surface of the steaming operation it is likely to become both weakened and
piston rings loses integrity and, as a result, particles are activated. Figure 1 below shows an example of a corroded top
emitted that cause severe abrasion of the rings and liners. piston ring damaged by sulphuric acid (the whitened areas).
As a consequence, the probability of adhesive wear (scuffing)
is considerably increased. With the lowest feed rate, the Blending-on-Board Variable
BN cylinder oil enables you to preserve the integrity
of your piston rings surface against acid attacks and
eliminate the effects of cold corrosion (figure 2).

Corroded area

Figure 1 Figure 2

Vessel: M/V H/A Vessel: M/V Maersk Tanjong

Ring pack: 8,429 hours Ring pack: 15,329 hours
Engine: 8,429 hours Engine: 40,455 hours
Cylinder oil feed rate 1.05g/kWh Cylinder oil feed rate 0.85g/kWh
70 BN standard cylinder oil 95 BN Blending on Board cylinder oil
Fuel S = 2.9% Fuel S = 3.26%
Average engine load = 35% Average engine load = 26%

Index
Liner Corrosion Prevention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Piston Ring Cold Corrosion Wear Prevention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Piston Ring Cold Corrosion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Cylinder Oil Feed Rate Optimization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Cylinder Wear-type Proportions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board 3

Liner Corrosion Prevention

comparison of two 12RT-Flex96C-B Engines

Cold corrosion is distinguished by the appearance of black
patches on the cylinder liner, as seen in figure 3. The black
patches are a combination of cold corrosion creating an active
and spongy surface on the liner wall and a lack of additives in
the cylinder lubricant. Without these additives,
the lubricant is unable to neutralize the acid and remove the
carbonaceous deposits.
The SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board lubrication system
adjusts the additive dosage in the cylinder oil according
to the engines needs. In this way, the variable BN
cylinder oil Blended-on-Board is able to prevent the
total depletion of the cylinder lubricant and thereby
eliminate risk of damage from severe cold corrosion,
as shown in figure 4.

Figure 3 Figure 4

Vessel: M/V B. E Vessel: M/V Maersk Tanjong

Ring pack: 2,257 hours Ring pack: 2,994 hours
Cylinder liner: 6,000 hours Cylinder liner: 40,455 hours
Engine: 6,000 hours Engine: 40,455 hours
Cylinder oil feed rate 1.05 g/kWh Cylinder oil feed rate 0.85g/kWh
70 BN standard cylinder oil 95 BN Blending on Board cylinder oil
Fuel S = 3.1% Fuel S = 3.26%
Average engine load = 35% Average engine load = 26%
4 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board

Piston Ring Cold Corrosion

Wear Prevention
using SEA-Mate Variable BN Blending

After the onset of cold corrosion, using a standard fixed BN The fit-for-purpose BOB Variable BN cylinder oil
cylinder oil will only lead to faster and more aggressive effectively neutralizes the sulphuric acid and thereby
degeneration. For piston rings, such excessive wear dramati- increases the TBO of the ring pack, even in extremely
cally reduces the time-between-overhaul (TBO) of the ring corrosive conditions. This was demonstrated on vessels
pack. Graph 1 illustrates this development, highlighted by with RT-Flex engines, outlined by the red and green line in
the purple and orange lines. the graph. The same results of the BOB lubricant system
also apply for similar conditions in MAN ME and MC
engines.

Graph 1

Piston Ring wear rates

Piston ring coating thickeness (microns)
400

350
BoB Lubricated slow steaming
engine (MV Maersk Tanjong)

300
Cost saving comparing to slow steaming operation

250
Cost saving comparing to standard TBO

200
Mixed operation ( 10khrs 70 BN + 8khrs BoB lubricant)
on a slow steaming engine.(MV Maersk Tanjong)
150

100

50
Maximum wear observed on slow Typical wear on a slow steaming OEM manual piston ring wear OEM guide limit for overhaul
steaming engines subject to severe engine undergoing cold corrosion during normal opeartion of piston ring pack
0 cold corrosion (MV H. A) (M.V Mette Maersk)

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000

Running hours (TBO)

 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board 5

Piston Ring Cold Corrosion

BOB Lubricant Impact on Reliability

When using 70 BN standard cylinder oil during slow steaming, Similarly, in cold corrosion conditions, the TBO of the cylinder
the wear rate of the ring pack and the liner is typically reduced liners are reduced from 70,000 hours to approximately
and the TBO of the cylinder unit (ring pack overhaul) can be as 40,000 hours.
low as 2,000 hours (see graph 2). However, the BOB Variable
BN cylinder oil allows the TBO to reach at least the recom-
mended OEM levels and in most cases can be as high as
30,000 hours.

Graph 2

Piston Ring Time-between-Overhaul

TBO: Running hours
35000

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
Slow steaming using standard 70 BN lubricant Slow steaming using BoB lubricant
6 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board

Cylinder Oil Feed

Rate Optimization
using the SEA-Mate BOB lubrication System

The use of BOB Variable BN fit-for-Purpose cylinder oil

enables the operator to use the recommended OEM
minimum feed rate with no need to compensate for sulphur
(which is necessary when using standard cylinder oils).
Consequently, cylinder oil consumption is typically decreased
by as much as 25-40%.

Graph 3

Feed rate Reduction

Lubrication feed rate (g/kwh)
1,6
ACC/Sulphur dependency Lubrication system dependency

1,4
BOB lubrication feed rate optimization area

1,2

0,8

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
High sulphur corrosive conditions 70 BN lubricant High sulphur corrosive conditions variable BN BoB lubricant
 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board 7

Cylinder Wear-type Proportions

The effectiveness of BOB Variable BN fit-for-Purpose cylinder The BOB cylinder oil also contains anti-wear additives that
oil is highlighted in the graph below. In particular it demonstrates directly reduce abrasive and adhesive wear.
how cold corrosion wear can be prevented using the SEA-Mate
BOB lubrication system and contributes to minimizing the
overall wear process.

Graph 4

Origin of Iron wear in cylinder units

Wear (ppm Fe)
160
Cold corrosion
140
Adhesive wear
120
Abrasive wear
100

80

60

40

20

0.0
Standard lube BoB lube

Conclusion
As the figures and graphs show, the adjustable BN
cylinder oil Blended-on-Board gives a drastic overall
reduction in cold corrosion wear.
This information was validated and confirmed
over 1 million operating hours on board vessels,
numerous OEM inspections and laboratory tests.
The findings are crucial for vessel owners seeking
to optimize engine performance and reduce
operating costs.
The improved TBO results are achieved by improving
the balance of BN and sulphuric acid, and by
optimizing lubrication feed rates.
By improving the integrity and performance of piston
rings, cylinder liner conditions and lubrication
management, users can reduce the lubrication-related
Total Cost of Ownership by 25-40%.
The conclusions made on board vessels fitted with
RT-Flex engines are similar to those with MAN ME
and MC engines. Consequently, the SEA-Mate
Blending-on-Board lubrication system provides
similar results and benefits when used with both
engine types.
8 Maersk Fluid Technology A/S SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board

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Esplanaden 50
1098 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Tel. +45 33 63 33 63

www.maerskfluid.com