The completion of its turbocharger series and plans for wider class society recognition are expected to boost marine sales at Hedemora
Hedemora Turbo and Diesel is waiting to trial its latest turbocharger on the marine market after expanding its HS turbocharger range with the new HS6800 last year. It follows development of the HS7800 and completes the current series, which also includes HS4800 and HS5800 frame sizes. HS6800 and HS5800 turbochargers share the same interfaces, giving operators an opportunity to upgrade earlier installations and boost engine performance.
Design principles are shared with other HS turbocharger products and service intervals will be at 24,000 hours. New volutes now give an improved airflow capacity of up to 6.8 kg/sec and the same unique and compact designs ensure good on-engine vibration characteristics. The new HS6800 delivers pressure ratios of up to 4.5:1 at the same high efficiency levels as the company’s other products. A prototype HS6800 was built in 2017, with initial testing carried out on the company’s own purpose-built rig.
“After the successful testing of the HS7800, the new HS6800 has also performed well in our own test laboratories and is delivering predicted performance results,” said Hedemora Turbo and Diesel senior sales manager Ernst Dahlin. “We are now waiting for a suitable vessel on which to install the first units.”
The turbocharger is designed to be retrofitted – all of Hedemora’s marine business involves retrofitting turbochargers, although the company previously had a long heritage of engine design, a tradition that Mr Dhalin says underpins its turbocharger expertise. Data is gathered and analysed as necessary to enable preliminary matching requirements and an installation configuration to be established.
“After the successful testing of the HS7800, the new HS6800 has also performed well in our own test laboratories"
Hedemora cited a retrofit example on a railway installation that has demonstrated successful operation in worst-case conditions in one of the world’s most extreme application environments: temperatures range from -55°C up to +45°C, air conditions can be dirty and operating altitudes rise to 2,000 m. Hedemora engineers were on hand during the project, monitoring running parameters and checking for any adjustments required to achieve best performance. The result has been enhanced engine efficiency, decreased fuel consumption and lower exhaust temperatures. Because of these results, Hedemora and its customer have signed a long-term partnership agreement.
With the addition of the HS6800, the HS turbocharger range will cover six frame sizes, including the smaller HS430 and HS550 products, spanning a potential engine power range from 740kW to 4,200kW based on a single turbocharger installation. There are comprehensive engine matching options available from a wide range of compressor and turbine wheel capacities. Added to these are a selection of nozzles and diffusers to meet any specified engine requirements. The HS6800 design also features dual row diffusers, as available on the HS7800, which provide these turbochargers with wider compressor maps.
Further options are available for interface connections, with single and double compressor volutes and a wide choice of exhaust gas intakes, based on single or multiple inlet passages. Compressor shrouds can also be supplied as standard or with anti-surge features to provide a controlled degree of internal air recirculation, increasing surge margins at part-load operating conditions. From its headquarters in Hedemora, Sweden, full support services are provided for all HS turbocharger products and critical components can be shipped within 48 hours of order placement. Field staff are available for site service work, which requires only two special tools in addition to standard hand tools.
Full turbocharger overhauls can be carried out at Hedemora, these being validated by a full test cell proof run. Hedemora turbochargers have been certified to the requirements of Turkish Lloyd and type approved by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Mr Dahlin said that the company is exploring further approvals with classification societies to diversify its marine business.
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