TECHNICAL

BULLETIN

2-Stroke Engine Services RT-239

Issue 1, 24 September 2020

Optimisation of the jacket cooling

For immediate attention *
water system with by-pass type
Information to all Owners and Operators of Affected component
Wärtsilä & WinGD X62DF / X72DF engines. Jacket cooling water system on X62DF
and X72DF engines which are configured
with the by-pass cooling system.

Background
Cases of air bubble accumulation in the
cooling water system became known,
leading to a reduced cooling efficiency on
the cylinder liners.

Preventive action
This Technical Bulletin gives advice how to
effectively deal with this phenomenon.
This document gives further information
about the latest findings and upgrades

Reference
As this Technical Bulletin is only for DF
engines, the specific advices for this
phenomenon for the engine type X62, X72
and X92 is stated in the Technical Bulletin
RT-224 Issue1, dated 21 January 2019.

Note
This Technical Bulletin is published on
behalf of our partner WinGD.

* For immediate attention: This bulletin should be read immediately with possibly immediate action as well.
Neglecting this bulletin can be dangerous for personnel or cause damage to the installation or environment.

Wärtsilä Services Switzerland Ltd Tel: +41 52 550 01 11 www.wartsila.com

Schlossmühlestrasse 9
CH-8500 Frauenfeld
 TECHNICAL BULLETIN

RT-239, Issue 1, Page 2 / 3

Contents
Page
1 Introduction 2
2 Enclosures 2
3 Contacts 2

1 Introduction
This Technical Bulletin is published on behalf of our partner WinGD.
This Technical Bulletin gives advice how to effectively deal with this phenomenon and to
ensure proper venting of Jacket cooling water system. In addition it provides
further information about the latest findings and upgrades of the engine type
X62DF / X72DF.
See the next pages for more details and the procedure.

2 Enclosures
WinGD Service Letter SL-0004-2, entitled “Optimisation of the jacket cooling water
system for DF engines with the ‘bypass’ type”.

3 Contacts
3.1 How to contact Wärtsilä
For questions about the content of this Technical Bulletin, or if you need Wärtsilä
assistance, services, spare parts and/or tools, please contact your nearest Wärtsilä
representative.
If you do not have the contact details at hand, please follow the link:
www.wartsila.com/contact

3.2 Contact details for emergency issues

For emergency issues, please use the following phone number:
24hrs phone number: +41 52 550 01 11.

© 2020 Wärtsilä Services Switzerland Ltd – All rights reserved – Please read the complete disclaimer at the end of this
document.
 TECHNICAL BULLETIN

RT-239, Issue 1, Page 3 / 3

© 2020 Wärtsilä Services Switzerland Ltd – All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, graphic, photocopying, recording,
taping or other information retrieval systems) without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. Wärtsilä Services Switzerland Ltd
makes no representation, warranty (express or implied) in this publication and assumes no responsibility for the correctness, errors or
omissions for information contained herein. Information in this publication is subject to change without notice. Wärtsilä does not assume any
liability for the consequences of the owner’s/operator’s actions, inactions, and/or decisions made or based upon the information provided
herein.
Unless otherwise expressly set forth, no recommendation contained in this document or any of its appendices is to be construed as provided
due to a defect of the product, but merely as an improvement of the product and/or the maintenance procedures relating thereto. Any actions
by the owner/operator as a result of the recommendations are not covered under any warranty provided by Wärtsilä and such actions will
thus be at the owners/operators own cost and expense.
NO2020
© LIABILITY WHETHER
Wärtsilä DIRECT,
Services INDIRECT,
Switzerland Ltd SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL
– All rights reserved –ORPlease
CONSEQUENTIAL, IS ASSUMED
read the complete WITH at
disclaimer RESPECT
the endTO of THE
this
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. THIS PUBLICATION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES
document.
 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
Issue: 09 September 2020 / Rev. 2
Optimisation of the jacket
cooling water system for DF Action: Immediate attention
engines with the ‘bypass’ type
For the WinGD X62DF / X72DF engines Information for:
Owners and operators of the WinGD
X62DF / X72DF engines with the JCW
system of the ‘bypass’ type and
operational issues with it.

This service letter applies to the WinGD X62DF / X72DF

engines which are configured with the Jacket Cooling
Water (JCW) system of the ‘bypass’ type. Summary:
Cases of air bubble accumulation in the JCW system Instructions for optimising the
became known, which led to reduced cooling efficiency of performance of the JCW system.
cylinder liners. These instructions provide advice on how
to effectively deal with this phenomenon.

In addition to the former SL-0004-1, this letter provides

further information about the latest findings and upgrades
concerning the X62DF / X72DF engines only.
Consequently, the instructions in this service letter do not
apply to the WinGD X62, X72, and X92 engines which
were listed in SL0004-1.

Yours faithfully

Adrian Siegfried Wolfgang Dunker

Product Manager General Manager
X62DF/72DF License Management

Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. Schützenstrasse 3 Tel. +41 (0)52 264 8844
Winterthur Gas & Diesel AG. PO Box 414, CH-8401 Fax +41 (0)52 264 8866
Winterthur Gas & Diesel B.A. Winterthur, Switzerland
 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
Contents
1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 2
2 Service feedback and observations ........................................................................................................................... 3
3 General recommended actions to optimise the engine operation .......................................................................... 3
3.1 Vent the JCW system on the engine side ...................................................................................................... 4
3.2 Adjust proper cooling water differential pressure ........................................................................................ 5
3.3 Run both jacket cooling water pumps to enforce venting ........................................................................... 5
3.4 Check for air ingress from the combustion chamber .................................................................................. 5
3.4.1 Exhaust gas leakage or bypass via the exhaust valve gasket ....................................................... 5
3.4.2 Misalignment of the water guide jacket assembly condition ......................................................... 6
3.4.3 Pre-chamber seal condition for the pilot fuel injector .................................................................... 6
4 The Cylinder Cooling + upgrade ................................................................................................................................. 7
5 JCW system of the ‘uniflow’ type ................................................................................................................................ 8
6 Contacts 11

1 Introduction
The WinGD X62DF / X72DF engines are equipped with a JCW system of the ‘bypass’ type. Figure 1 below
provides a schematic diagram showing the piping of the JCW system. Two separate cooling water inlets to
the engine are designed to feed the cylinder cover and the cylinder liner. From the cylinder liner, the hot
water (shown in red) mixes into the cooled cylinder cover inlet pipe (shown in blue). Finally, there is one
common outlet (shown in light red).

Figure 1: The JCW system of the ‘bypass’ type

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
2 Service feedback and observations
Ships in operation have reported cases where random Liner Wall Temperature (LWT) sensors have shown
a sudden increase of the LWT, while other individual units of LWTs remained in the normal operating
range.

For example, Figure 2 below includes a sample screenshot from a vessel in service. Readings of typical
LWTs operating in the normal range are shown, except for one unit (in this case, the orange line) which
shows a sudden increase in temperature. After performing venting on this unit (as described in section
3.1), the temperature returned to normal levels.

Figure 2: Sample screenshot from a vessel in service

This phenomenon is normally caused by air entering the JCW system. This can happen, for example,
during the initial filling, from air being dissolved in the cooling water, as well as from exhaust gas leakage.
This air can get trapped in the cylinder liner cooling bore, which consequently reduces the cooling
efficiency and leads to increased LWT.

3 General recommended actions to optimise the engine operation

The following actions in Table 1 below help to stabilise the JCW system during engine operation:

No. Recommended action Remark

Vent the JCW system on the engine
3.1 Removal of air bubbles in operation
side
Adjust proper cooling water differential Minimum of 0.4 bar(g) to ensure sufficient flow in
3.2
pressure cooling bores
Run both JCW pumps to enforce
3.3 Increasing JCW flow (short-term / temporary measure)
venting
Potential lifting of the exhaust valve housing,
Check for air ingress from the
3.4 misalignment of the water guide jacket or leakage
combustion chamber
from the pilot fuel injectors’ pre-chamber seals
Table 1: Summary of general recommended actions to optimise the performance of the JCW system

Note: If a high LWT occurs continuously, it is recommended to perform a piston underside inspection,
including an analysis of the piston underside oil (lubricating oil sampling) to check the iron content (Fe)

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
according to WinGD guidance (refer to https://www.wingd.com/en/documents/w-2s/tribology/fuel-
lubricants-water/lubricants-for-wingd-engines-v6.pdf/ for the guiding documents)

3.1 Vent the JCW system on the engine side

For eliminating trapped air pockets in the cylinder liner cooling bores, the respective cylinder liner can be
flushed by temporarily increasing the JCW flow. This can be done by following these steps:

1) Reduce the engine load until the average LWT is less than 150 °C. This is the case at the
approximate engine speed of Manoeuvring Full.
2) Shut off the butterfly valve 8301_Cx_1 of the respective cylinder cover inlet for 10 – 15 seconds
(refer to Figure 3). The Cx in the valve name stands for the affected unit.
3) Open the inlet valve 8301_Cx_1 again for 30 seconds.
4) Shut off the inlet valve 8301_Cx_1 again for 10 – 15 seconds.
5) Open the inlet valve 8301_Cx_1 for normal operation.
6) If the temperature stabilises within 10 minutes (refer to Figure 2), proceed to the next step. If the
temperature does not stabilise, repeat Steps 2 to 5.
7) The engine load can then be increased again after stabilising the LWTs.

Figure 3: Cylinder cover inlet valves highlighted

Note: Some vessels are equipped with air separators in the JCW system. These remove air bubbles
dissolved in the cooling water. Venting in combination with air separators (if applied) have proven to be
quite effective.

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
3.2 Adjust proper cooling water differential pressure
There is a Differential Pressure (DP) gauge between the Main
Engine (ME) cylinder cover and liner inlets, indicating the flow
distribution between the two inlets (refer to Figure 4). The
displayed DP (in bar) is the difference between the pressure
(bar) of the cylinder liner inlet and the inlet pressure (bar) of
the cylinder cover.
The higher the DP reading, the higher the proportion of flow is
through the cylinder liner. If available, it is recommended that
Figure 4: Differential pressure gauge
the butterfly valve be adjusted at the ME cylinder cover inlet
cylinder liner and cover inlet (in bar).
(refer to PI 1102L in Figure 3) to achieve a minimum DP of
Depending on engine builders it can
0.4 bar. Normally, a DP of 0.4 – 0.6 bar reflects an optimal
be found either mounted on the
flow distribution between cylinder liner and cover for the JCW
cylinder jacket (next to the scavenge
system (refer to chapters 4 and 5 below for exceptional
air receiver) or on the upper platform
ranges).
below the exhaust gas manifold.

3.3 Run both jacket cooling water pumps to enforce venting

For a short period, both JCW pumps can be operated to increase the total water flow (e.g. to enhance
venting). The pressure must not exceed the upper limits of the JCW system. If applied, the pressure on
the buffer unit may have to be adjusted accordingly.

System Location Minimum Maximum

Cylinder cooling pressure Inlet 4.0 bar 5.0 bar
(see also chapters 4 and 5)
Table 2: Pressure range for JCW pumps

Note: Running both JCW pumps is only a short-term (maximum 30 minutes) measure. If problems with
the JCW system persist (and cannot be resolved by section 3.4) proceed with chapter 4.

3.4 Check for air ingress from the combustion chamber

There might be air or exhaust gas accumulation in the JCW system. Such cases must be rectified as soon
as possible.
3.4.1 Exhaust gas leakage or bypass via the exhaust valve gasket
This can be checked through the respective cylinder cover check bore. There cannot be any air nor water
flow present. If any air or exhaust gas is found, the gasket between the cylinder cover and the exhaust
valve may be damaged and must be replaced immediately. Refer to Figure 5 below for an example from
an X72DF engine.

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2

Figure 5: A close-up of the cylinder cover check bore from an X72DF engine

3.4.2 Misalignment of the water guide jacket assembly condition

Proper alignment of the Water Guide Jacket (WGJ) is a very important factor in generating the intended
coolant flow. If the WGJ is not properly mounted (i.e. if the WGJ is tilted) then there will be a lack of
coolant flow over the cylinder liner cooling bores, which will eventually result in an increase of the LWTs.
The WGJ must be mounted with correctly tightened fixing bolts (i.e. make sure there are no broken bolts)
and the clearance between the WGJ and the cylinder liner must be equal. This check must be completed
by feeler gauges. Refer to Figure 6 below (also refer to SL-0011).

Figure 6: An X72DF engine with the left image showing the initial design of the C-clamp holder, while the
right image shows the updated design of the C-clamp holder

3.4.3 Pre-chamber seal condition for the pilot fuel injector

On X-DF engines, two Pilot Fuel Injectors (PFIs) are mounted per cylinder cover. The lower part of the PFIs
are water cooled (refer to Figure 7). If there is a defective gasket on either PFI, combustion gases can
enter the JCW system. If there is any suspicion of a leaking seal then an inspection through the scavenge
air ports must be done. No traces of water or discolouration of the cylinder liner surface should be found
(also refer to SL-0015-1).

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2

Figure 7: Cross-cut section of a pilot fuel injector with coloured water space and pre-chamber seals
marked.

4 The Cylinder Cooling + upgrade

If instabilities persist with the JCW system, despite implementation of the above countermeasures, there
is the possibility for an upgrade to the system through hardware modifications. The upgrade is referred to
as the Cylinder Cooling + (CC+), which increases the flow over the engine cylinder liners with minimal
efforts. The upgrade can be implemented by following these step by step instructions (refer to Figure 8
and Figure 9):
• Exchange of the cooling water outlet orifices on the exhaust valve cage, from initial standard
35 mm to 65 mm size (refer to the green and red text in Figure 8 below), are of standard size and
readily available in the market. Alternatively, engine builders or WinGD can also assist to provide
such orifices.

Figure 8: The cooling water outlet orifices (EX 83102) and generic SPC extract

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
• Ensure that there is no flow restriction in the common cooling water outlet pipe shipside (e.g. no
orifice in return line). Refer to Figure 9 below for the High-Temperature (HT) cooling water circuit
as shown in the MIM of the X72DF engine.

Figure 9: HT cooling water circuit

• The increased flow over the engine (typically around 10 %) may result in a slight pressure drop
(~0.2 bar) which should be compensated by adjusting the buffer unit pressure. However, for
installations with an expansion tank, this may not be feasible. For such cases, refer to chapter 5.
• It is also necessary to check that the DP between the cylinder liner and cover is at least equally
as high as before the upgrade (the empirical acceptable DP range with the CC+ upgrade is 0.4 –
0.9 bar. Some adjustment of the cylinder cover inlet valve may be required to achieve the desired
DP.

Original CC+upgrade JCW ‘uniflow’

Alarm and safeguard settings
design [bar] [bar] type [bar]

Normal operating range 4.0 – 5.0 4.0 – 5.0 3.0 – 5.0

ALM 4.0 4.0 3.0

SLD 3.8 3.8 2.8

SHD 3.5 3.5 2.5

Table 3: Cooling water pressure adjustment

5 JCW system of the ‘uniflow’ type

On the very latest engines built mid-2020 onwards, the JCW system of the ‘uniflow’ type is applied. This
concept moves away from the JCW system of the ‘bypass’ type and leads the cooling water directly
through the cylinder liner to maximise the cooling efficiency (refer to Figure 10 below).

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2

Figure 10: Comparison of the JCW system of the ‘bypass’ type (red line) and the simplified JCW system of
the ‘uniflow’ type (green dotted line)

These modifications are more significant and require exchanges of piping and other hardware.
For vessels which still have issues with their cooling system (despite all other countermeasures having
been attempted), there is the possibility to retrofit and implement the JCW system of the ‘uniflow’ type.
This system comprises the following changes:

• The former cylinder cover inlet pipe will be connected (with a newly routed pipe) to the cylinder
liner WGJ. To accommodate the change of flange sizing the pipe includes a reduction piece.

• The initial (D40) WGJ inlet pipes are replaced and the respective pipe flanges are sealed off by
mounting blind flanges (refer to Figure 11 below).
• The connecting block mounted on the cylinder liner WGJ will have to be exchanged (to close the
former lower inlet port).
• The exhaust valve outlet orifices will be exchanged from D35 mm to D65 mm; same as any flow
restrictions in the cooling water return line to be removed (refer to chapter 4).
• Refer to Figure 11 below for a visualisation of the changes required on the engine.

Since the changes for this upgrade are significantly larger, we recommend to get in contact with the
engine builder for ordering the necessary components. The implementation or exchange of the relevant
parts can be easily done by the crew. The required time for the upgrade is expected to be between 6 and
9 hours for a 5 or 6 cylinder engine.

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 Service
Letter SL-0004-2

Figure 11: Example of a conversion from a JCW system of the ‘bypass’ type (red) to a JCW system of the
‘uniflow’ type (green)

The introduction of the JCW uniflow retrofit solution was found to greatly improve the onboard situation
and resulted in LWTs reduced by up to 15 °C at high engine loads on certain ships.

Proper filling of the HT cooling water circuit, including venting, must be performed, along with a general
check for leakages after the engine assembly is completed.

Attention: Only start JCW pumps after all necessary steps are completed, and the engine is
reassembled. This is to avoid spilling of scalding water and to prevent the risk of injuries.

Page 10 of 11
 Service
Letter SL-0004-2
6 Contacts

How to contact WinGD

For questions about the content of this Service Letter, or if you need WinGD’s assistance, please contact your
nearest WinGD representative office.
If you don’t have the contact details at hand, please follow the link “Contact us” on the WinGD webpage:

https://www.wingd.com/en/about-wingd/contact-us/

Contact details of WinGD Service Partners:

For engine maintenance-, operation- support, service and other questions about operation and service, please
contact the following link “Service Partners” on the WinGD webpage to find further information about our Service
Partners CMS and Wärtsilä Services Switzerland which can provide worldwide support.

https://www.wingd.com/en/service-support/service-partners/

© 2020 Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. — All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, graphic,
photocopying, recording, taping or other information retrieval systems) without the prior written permission of the copyright
holder. Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. makes no representation, warranty (express or implied) in this publication and assumes no
responsibility for the correctness, errors or omissions of information contained herein. Information in this publication is subject
to change without notice.

Unless otherwise expressly set forth, no recommendation contained in this document is to be constructed as provided due to a
defect in the engine, but merely as an improvement of the engine and/or the maintenance procedures relating thereto. Any
actions by owner/operator as a result of the recommendations are not covered under any warranty provided by Winterthur Gas
& Diesel Ltd. and such actions will thus be at the owner/operators own cost and expense.

NO LIABILITY, WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, IS ASSUMED WITH RESPECT TO THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. THIS PUBLICATION IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.

Page 11 of 11