2-STROKE MARINE ENGINES OPTIMIZATION

CYLINDER OIL DRAIN ANALYSIS

SWEEP TEST /QUICK TEST
ENGINE SCREENING

SINGAPORE – GREECE -UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – GERMANY – HONG KONG

 WHY CYLINDER OIL DRAIN ANALYSIS?

Lubrication of 2-stroke Marine engines is becoming more complex and

challenging with new regulations in Shipping, new Engine designs and a wide
variety of fuels and lubricants in the market.
There is no doubt that 2-stroke Engines is the most valuable asset of your vessels.
Swedish Club Main Engine Damage report (July 2018), noted the following significant
points concerning engine lubrication:
• “Main engine claims account for 28% of all machinery
claims and 34% of the costs, with an average claims
cost close to USD 650,000. The average cost of main
engine claims has increased by 21% compared with the
period 2010-2014.”
• “Statistically a vessel will suffer between one and two
incidences of main engine damage during its life
time.”
• “Lubrication oil related failure is the most common
cause of damage.”
Under lubrication, leads to increased abrasive and corrosive wear resulting in
unplanned maintenance costs. Over lubrication, on the other hand increases
lubrication costs and cause a build-up of potentially damaging deposits.
An effective drain oil analysis program can be the difference between substantial engine
maintenance overheads and lubrication cost efficiency, or between over lubrication of
an engine and optimization of your feed rate.

OEM Testimonials

“It is MAN’s experience that, in addition to regular Win GD: “Measuring the total iron content of
scavenge port inspections, drip oil analysis can be a piston underside oil provides a very valuable
very useful tool to monitor combustion and feedback of the piston running conditions in
cylinder condition. Drip oil analysis can detect each cylinder, and allows operator to optimize
changes in cylinder liner wear and help with cylinder oil feed rates for a specific set of
cylinder oil feed rate optimization programs.” operating conditions.”
 FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Cylinder Oil Drain Analysis or Cylinder
Scrapedown Analysis is an additional tool for
monitoring the operation and condition of two-
stroke engines and cylinder lubricants.
While CODA does not replace regular inspections,
which are still essential to ensure safe operation, it
allows evaluating the cylinder condition and engine
wear condition.

The Cylinder Scrapedown Analysis allows the operator to assess the performance of each
cylinder unit separately.

The Cylinder Scrapedown Analysis service is a tool to:

Increase the time
between overhauls, by
Check and optimize Monitor stuffing box Reduce system oil
extending the lifetime
cylinder oil feed rate. performance. consumption.
of cylinder liners and
piston rings.

The residue oil taken from the piston underside and the system oil give an indication of:

Wear performance, Remaining base

e.g. by measuring the number (BN), which Contaminants such as
content of Iron (Fe), is an indicator of Combustion quality
water or system oil.
Copper (Cu) and protection against
Chromium (Cr). corrosive wear.

Benefits for Ship Operators

Improved operational safety with the reduced
Savings on engine spare parts and maintenance
risk of machinery breakdown.

Optimized engine operation through oil Reduced risk of off-hire

condition monitoring.

Extended time between overhauls

WHY CHOOSE TRIBOCARE FOR CODA?
Tribocare Laboratories in Sharjah and
Singapore possess vast experience on the
analysis of Marine Lubricants. This is proven
by the fact that we are trusted by Lube Oil
Majors, like Lukoil and Gulf Oil Marine for
their Used Oil Analysis Program, as well as
Research and Development of their products.

The quality of our analysis and our reports

cannot be doubted. Our laboratories are
17025 accredited for all parameters required
from OEMs and we strictly follow their
guidelines.
Having analysed a huge number of CLO
samples and having monitored the
performance of all-types of vessels, we are
confident that we can offer the best available
CODA program in the market.

Such programs are ineffective without expertise. When lacking the correct information,
knowledge or specific guidance, data simply remains data.
Underlining OEM advice on drain oil monitoring programs, Tribocare aims to simplify
ship operators’ daily operations by offering Cylinder Drain Oil Analysis services that
ensure that lubrication onboard your vessel is optimized.
Our CODA program is designed to monitor and fine-tune the lubrication of marine two
stroke engines, all driven by the expertise and professional advice of our highly-trained
laboratory and technical teams.
WHAT WE OFFER…

Specially designed Sampling Kits directly to our client’s vessels or Stock Point.

Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions for correct sampling.

Sample Transportation arrangements through our Logistics Program.

Expert CODA sample analysis and reports according to OEM guidelines.

Customer Based Specific Feed Rate Optimization Advising.

24/7 Technical Customer Care
THE ANALYTICAL PROTOCOL

It must be understood that the drip oil is

analysed to evaluate the condition inside the
combustion chamber. There is a common
misunderstanding that the only parameters
that play a role is Iron Content and the
residual BN. The reality is that they are the
most significant parameters.
Nevertheless, in order to assess the true
condition and subsequently engage to the
necessary corrective actions, there are many
other factors to take to consideration and
need to to be checked.
PARAMETERS METHODS PURPOSE
The base number describes the alkalinity of the oil, which is
Base Number (BN) ASTM D 2896 necessary to neutralize the acidic components formed during
combustion to prevent the risk of corrosive wear.
Is, beside the base number, the most important indication for
any problem in the liner. It can indicate corrosive or abrasive
Iron (Fe) ASTM D 5185
wear. Corrosive wear is due to acid condensation on the liner
wall. Abrasive ware is most probably due to liner or ring wear.
Kinematic Viscosity (KV) ASTM D445 Changes in Kinematic Viscosity can indicate contamination.
change in the Flash point of the oil shows fuel ingress or
Flash Point ASTM D 3828
contamination.
ASTM E2412/ The soot or oil-insoluble level in the oil gives an indication on
Soot/Insoluble
IP316 combustion quality.
The System oil dilution shows the performance of the stuffing
In-house
System Oil Dilution box and helps to make the necessary corrections in the test
method
results for viscosity, BN, Fe and PQ Index.
The PQ Index identifies ferromagnetic particles in the oil. This
PQ Index Manufacturer allows to assess the iron wear level and to categorize it as
abrasive or corrosive wear.
Wear elements: Wear and contaminant metals are either wear particles in the
Aluminium (Al), Chromium oil caused by abrasive or corrosive wear on machinery parts
(Cr), ASTM D 5185 or ingress of external contaminants. Elemental spectroscopy
Copper (Cu), , Lead (Pb), analysis by ICP can precisely determine all metals, including
Tin (Sn) wear, contaminant and additive metals from trace level to
higher concentrations. For some elements, there are several
Contaminant elements:
possible sources. For example, silicon in the oil can be caused
Sodium (Na), Silicon (Si),
by wear (piston crown material), antifoam additives or
Molybdenum (Mo), ASTM D 5185
contamination (dirt or sand). Only by evaluating the complete
Nickel (Ni), Silver (Ag),
set of results is it possible to determine the exact sources of
Vanadium (V)
the particles.
INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

The drip oil that is collected in the piston underside space, contains not only the
Used CLO, but also System Oil that has leaked through the Stuffing Box.
This means, that actually, the results of the analysis of the Drip Oil do not reflect
the true condition inside the Cylinder and they have to be corrected according to the
extent of the System Oil Dilution.

Example on Stuffing box performance by system oil leak rate per unit.

Total evaluation takes place, after obtaining

the corrected values and in accordance with
the info given in the submission form.
Investigations have shown, that engines of
the same design may experience very
different piston running behaviours. The
factors that influence the
• Operation pattern
• Engine load
• Fuel
• The cylinder lubricant applied
• The specific engine tuning

Our technical team will give tailor-made instructions for the optimization of Cylinder
Oil feed rates, based on all the above information.
SWEEP TEST

The sweep test is a tool to optimize the feed rate of MAN engines, with Alpha
Lubricators. Each engine is different and should be individually evaluated.
The sweep test should be done at steady load above the lubrication breakpoint and
preferably on high Sulphur fuel. The feed rate is adjusted to different values. Each feed
rate must be operated for 24 hours before taking a sample and switching to the next
feed rate.
Overview of the sweep Test Procedure

The sweep test procedure is very similar to the standard CSA sampling procedure:
• Clean piston underside of all cylinder units.
• Take one FRESH cylinder oil sample from cylinder oil day tank.
• Take one USED system oil sample at the engine inlet during engine operation.
• Take drain oil samples at each feed rate after operating the engine for 24 hours.
• Fill in the submission forms at the time of each sampling.

Detailed instructions and guidance is given to operators by our technical experts.

QUICK TEST & ENGINE SCREENING

Win GD has a similar procedure with Sweep Test, called “Quick Test”.
Further to that they have come also with an Engine screening procedure which is
somewhat different
After you have done the running-in of the engine, you can get initial data for the engine.
WinGD recommends to do an engine screening procedure as follows:
1) Set the base feed rate to 0.9 g/kWh of the selected cylinder oil.
2) Operate the engine at different loads, eg 10%, 20%, 30% etc related to the sailing
conditions.
3) For each load do a piston underside drain oil sampling.
4) For each load do an interpretation of the oil analysis.

Detailed instructions and guidance is given to operators by our technical experts.

 Optimize the efficiency of your engines….

United Arab Singapore Greece Germany

Emirates
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Sharjah , UAE 609279 Singapore Nea Eryhtraia, 14761 D-22926 Ahrensburg,
Tel: +97165528799 Tel: +656264 2840 Athens, Greece Germany
Tel: +30 2108001769 Tel:+49 41026075694