SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

LUCBAN, QUEZON

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

STANDARD DESIGN OF FUEL OIL SYSTEM

OF DIESEL ENGINE FOR POWER

GENERATING PLANT

CARAIG, KATHLYN MAE M.

BSME V-GN

Engr. GILBERT ESQUILLO

(Instructor)
 Standard Color Coding And Labeling Of Piping System For Steam Power Plant

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1

Introduction 3

Types of Diesel Engines Used for Diesel Power Plants 4

Definition of Terms 6

History of the Topic 7

Related Literature 10

Numerical Values for Specific Oil Consumption 11

Fuel Oil System Parameter Variations 12

Advantages and Disadvantages of Diesel Power Plant 14

Chapter 2

Layout of Fuel Oil System of Diesel Engine for Power Generating Plant 15

Basis of the Design 16

General Layout of Diesel Power Plant 17

Chapter 3

Observation and Comments 18

Recommendation 29

Appendices

References 20

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Chapter 1

Introduction

In a diesel engine power plant, diesel engine is used as the prime mover. The diesel

burns inside the engine and the products of this combustion act as the working fluid to

produce mechanical energy. The diesel engine drives alternator which converts

mechanical energy into electrical energy. As the generation cost is considerable due to

high price of diesel, therefore, such power stations are only used to produce small power.

The diesel plants are more efficient than any other heat engines of comparable

size. It is cheap in first cost. It can be started quickly and brought into the service. It can

burn a fairly wide range of fuels. Its manufacturing periods are short and, therefore, a

diesel station may be rapidly extended to keep pace with load growth by adding

generating units of suitable sizes. The diesel units used for electric generation are more

reliable and long-lived piece of equipment compared with other types of plants.

The diesel engine has provided the most economic means of generating electricity

on small scale particularly where there is no convenient site for micro-hydro plants and

cheap fuels are not available and load factors are considerably large.

Like any prime mover, the fuel system is very important for continuous operation

of the engine. The fuel oil must have the proper characteristics required for the specific

engine installation. In general, less volatile fuels are employed for larger slow-speed

engines while a more volatile fuel satisfies the performance of the smaller high-speed

engines.

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Types of Diesel Engines Used for Diesel Power Plants

The diesel engines are generally classified as four-stroke engines and two-stroke

engines. The four-stroke engine developes power after every two revolutions of crank

shaft whereas two-stroke engine develops power with each revolution of crank shaft.

Generally, two-stroke engines are favoured for diesel power plants for the advantages

described later.

Duel Fuel Engines.

In duel fuel engines, gas and oil both are used as fuels for the engines. The gas is

used as main fuel and oil is used as helper for ignition. In the duel fuel engine, the air and

gas are taken in during suction stroke. The pressure of the mixture is increased during

compression stroke. Near the end of the compression stroke, the pilot oil is injected into

the cylinder. The compression heat first ignites the pilot oil and then gas mixture. The

further actions of the engine are similar to the diesel engine. The air-gas ratio is

comparatively higher in duel fuel engines compared with gas engines. There is keen

interest in the diesel power plants to use the duel fuel engines for better economy and

proper use of available gaseous fuels in the country. The gas may be a waste product as in

the case of sewage treatment installations or oil fields where the economic advantage is

self-evident. With the wider availability of natural gas, the duel fuel engines may become

an attractive means of utilizing gas as fuel at off-peak tariffs for the generation of

electrical energy.

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Advantages and disadvantages of two-stroke engines over four-stroke engines.

For comparing the merits and demerits of two-stroke engines, over four-stroke
engines, the size and speed of the engines are considered same. •

Advantages.

1. Theoretically, a two-stroke engine develops twice the power of four-stroke engine at

2. The two-stroke engine is much lighter and more compact, and occupies less floor area
for the same power developed.

3. The turning moment of two-stroke engine is more uniform than four-stroke engines.
This ability of the engine reduces the size of the flywheel required. This further requires
lighter foundations and reduces the installation cost to a greater extent.

4. It provides mechanical simplicity and, therefore, gives higher mechanical efficiency.

5. The starting of two-stroke engines is much easier than four-stroke engine.

6. The capital cost of the plant with two-stroke engines is considerably less.

Disadvantages.

1. The thermodynamic efficiency of two-stroke engine is less than four-stroke as the

2. The cooling of the engine presents difficulty as the quantity of heat removed per
minute is large. Oil cooling of the piston is necessary as there is possibility of overheating
the piston due to firing in each revolution.

3. The lubricating oil consumption is more as the operating temperatures are higher.

4. The scavenging is not complete particularly in high speed engines (above 1000 r.p.m.)

as very short time is available for scavenging and hence the fresh charge is highly

polluted. The pollution reduces the thermal efficiency of the engines. The field for the

two-stroke C.I. engines is only diesel electric stations because its use is justified over four-

stroke engines if the engines are built for large output purpose.

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Definition of terms:

Fuel oil - also called furnace oil, fuel consisting mainly of residues from crude-oil

distillation. It is used primarily for steam boilers in power plants, aboard ships, and in

industrial plants. Commercial fuel oils usually are blended with other petroleum fractions

to produce the desired viscosity and flash point. Flash point is usually higher than that of

kerosene. The term fuel oil ordinarily does not include such fuels as kerosene.

Diesel engine - any internal-combustion engine in which air is compressed to a

sufficiently high temperature to ignite diesel fuel injected into the cylinder, where

combustion and expansion actuate a piston. It converts the chemical energy stored in the

fuel into mechanical energy, which can be used to power freight trucks, large tractors,

locomotives, and marine vessels. A limited number of automobiles also are diesel-

powered, as are some electric-power generator sets.

Power generating plant - A power station, also referred to as a power plant or

powerhouse and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility

for the generation of electric power. Most power stations contain one or more generators,

a rotating machine that converts mechanical power into electrical power. The relative

motion between a magnetic field and a conductor creates an electrical current. The

energy source harnessed to turn the generator varies widely. Most power stations in the

world burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to generate electricity. Others use

nuclear power, but there is an increasing use of cleaner renewable sources such as solar,

wind, wave and hydroelectric.

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History of the topic

Since the invention of diesel engine at the end of the nineteenth century, this

engine has found increasing applications either as continuous or as a peak source of

electric power due to its excellent qualities in respect of economy of operation. Diesel

power plants in the range of 2 to 50 MW capacity are used as central stations for small

supply authorities and works and they are universally adapted to supplement hydro-

electric or thermal stations where stand-by generating plants are essential for starting

from cold and under emergency conditions.

In many countries, the demand for diesel electric plants is increased for electric

power generation because of difficulties experienced in construction of new hydraulic

plants and enlargement of old hydro-plants. A long-term planning is required for the

development of thermal and hydro-plants which cannot keep the pace many times with

the increased demand by the people and industries.

The diesel units used for electric generation are more reliable and long-lived piece

of equipment compared with other types of plants. In Denmark, a 15 MW unit was in

existence as far back as the early 1900s. The 20 MW set of four engines is available in

Belgium which was established long back. The present trend is to increase the unit

capacity, and unit capacity of 40 to 100 MW is expected by the end of this century. In

some countries like Iran, few power plants work with diesel engines to supply large

network where prices of fuel are in favour of adopting diesel-plants.

With the rapid development of electric generation by other sources after

independence made diesel plants to disappear from field as their generation cost was

considerably high. Many small units in the range of 1 to 5 MW were used in India before

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independence to take the localized load as to supply electricity to small industrial units or

district towns.

The diesel plants are more efficient than any other heat engines of comparable

size. It is cheap in first cost. It can be started quickly and brought into the service. It can

burn a fairly wide range of fuels. Its manufacturing periods are short and, therefore, a

diesel station may be rapidly extended to keep pace with load growth by adding

generating units of suitable sizes.

With such a formidable list of merits to its credit, it does not monopolize the power

production market. Because, there are definitely some hurdles in the way of adopting

these units for power generation as well as other power plants are in good competition

with this unit.

It is sometimes possible to generate power very cheaply where use can be made of

existing civil engineering works such as navigation or irrigation canals by introducing

micro-hydro power plants, particularly low siphon units using bulb-propeller turbines. The

thermal plants are favoured where cheap solid fuels or combustible waste products are

cheaply available which can be burnt in boilers. The gas turbine power plants for

continuous power generation are superior than diesel where fuel is very cheap, as at

refinery or where load factors are very low. All these rivals to the diesel plant can be

attractive where they are favoured by the right conditions.

The diesel engine will provide the most economic means of generating electricity

on small scale particularly where there is no convenient site for micro-hydro plants and

cheap fuels are not available and load factors are considerably large. In the Southern

states of India, especially in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the power cut has become a

regular continuous feature from the last 15 years. Power cut of 55% to 75% is experienced

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by the Industry in the states which has cost lot to the manufacturers of cotton mills

consuming bulk industrial power. The only solution to tide over the difficulties is to install

Diesel Generating Sets. This is already done by many individual mill owners in

Cofmbatore.

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Related literature

The fuel oil system includes fuel storage tanks, fuel transfer pumps, strainers and

connecting pipe works and separators etc. in a diesel power plant. Fuel transfer pumps are

required to transfer fuel from delivery point to storage tanks and from storage tanks to

engine. Strainers (filters) are required to ensure clean fuel to the engine. Fuel oil heaters

are required to acquire relevant temperatures and viscosities of fuel.

Fuel oil delivered to the power plant is received by the storage tanks. Impurities are

allowed to settle down in the storage tanks and rest is removed by separators and

strainers. Oil is pumped from storage tanks or settling tanks to daily consumption tank

through separators. The fuel injection system is responsible to deliver adequate quantity

of fuel to the engine. It also injects and atomizes the fuel into the engine cylinder.

Diesel engine is the prime mover, which drives an alternator to produce electrical

energy. In the diesel engine, air is drawn into the cylinder and is compressed, during this

compression. A metered quantity of diesel fuel is then injected into the cylinder,

which ignites spontaneously because of the high temperature. Operating principal:

The generator set is normally operated in a fully automatic mode and will start and take

up load fully automatically. The start signal normally given from the Wasilla operator

interface system (WOIS) monitor in the central control room.

Operating conditions of diesel engine:

1) The fuel oil system is activated

2) Correct pre heating.

3) Correct pressure.

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4) Sufficient pre circulation to heat the fuel injection pumps.

5) The lube oil system is activated

6) The lube oil system is in operation.

7) The pre lube pump has been in operation for at least 15 min’s.

8) The engine air system is activated...

9) The cooling water air system is activated

10) The pre-heating unit is in operation

11) The temperature in the cooling system is correct.

12) The charge air system and exhaust gas system are activated.

Numerical Values for Specific Fuel Oil Consumption

(Source: ISO 3046-1:2002 standard)

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Fuel Oil System Parameter Variations

I. Effect of Temperature variations

Temperature is a very important parameter of the fuel oil system. Higher

temperature can cause low viscosity and then oil leaking in the injection pumps. So, it

cannot supply the required fuel amount with right pressure. As a result the engine will not

reach its full load. On the other hand, lower temperature of fuel oil is also a disadvantage.

It increases the viscosity and this can cause high wear in the injector pumps and lower

combustion efficiency due to the inadequate atomization of the injected fuel. If the

temperature of fuel oil shift away from its optimum range it leads to poor overall

performance.

II. Effect of Viscosity variations

Heavy fuel oils are normally purchased on the basis of a limiting viscosity due to

storage, handling, or engine-related restrictions. Increasing fuel viscosity increases the

possibility of incomplete combustion due to inadequate atomization in the diesel engine,

plus causing high wear rate in the injector pumps. On the other hand, fuel with low

viscosity tends to leak in the injection pumps and results in lower fuel injection pressure.

This leads to inferior fuel delivery to the combustion chamber and ultimately the engine

does not reach its rated load output.

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III. Effect of Pressure variations

Fuel pressure is an important factor to the diesel engine combustions. The required

fuel pressure to the suction port of the injection pumps has to be properly maintained.

Low fuel oil pressure leads to less atomization and fuel drops on the tip of the injector

nozzle. These results to irregular engine operations, knocking, irregular cylinder firing and

engine speed fluctuations.

Diesel power plant are installed where:

1. Supply of coal and water is not available in desired quantity.

2. Where power is to be generated in small quantity for emergency services.

3. Standby gets are required for continuity of supply such as hospital, telephone

exchange.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Diesel Power Plant

Advantages of diesel power plant:

 Plant layout is simple. Hence it can be quickly installed and commissioned,

while the erection and starting of a steam power plant or hydro-plant takes a

fairly long time.

 Quick starting and easy pick-up of loads are possible in a very short time.

 Location of the plant is near the load center.

 The load operation is easy and requires minimum labors.

 Efficiency at part loads does not fall so much as that of a steam plant.

 Fuel handling is easier and no problem of ash disposal exists.

 The plant is smaller in size than steam power plant for same capacity.

 Diesel plants operate at high overall efficiency than steam.

Disadvantages of diesel power plant:

 Plant capacity is limited to about 50 MW of power.

 Diesel fuel is much more expensive than coal.

 The maintenance and lubrication costs are high.

 Diesel engines are not guaranteed for operation under continuous, while steam

can work under 25% of overload continuously.

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Chapter 2

Layout of a Standard Design of Fuel Oil System of Diesel Engine for Power

Generating Plant

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Basis of the Design

Fuel Storage and Fuel Supply System. The fuel storage and supply arrangement

generally depend on the type of fuel, size of plant and type of engine used and so on. The

supply system is generally classified as:

(a) Simple suction system and

(b) Transfer system.

In a simple suction system, the oil is taken by a suction pump driven by engines

from service tank located a few cm below the engine level. Such pump delivers constant

volume of fuel, therefore, an overflow line is required back to the tank. This system is used

for small capacity plant. In transfer system, the motor driven pump takes the oil from main

storage and supply to the day-storage tank. The oil from day-storage tank flows under

gravity to the engine pump. This type of system is shown in the figure and it is generally

preferred for medium size or big size power plants.

The location of storage tank above ground or below ground depends upon local

conditions. Each of them has specific advantages. The over ground tanks have the

advantages of detecting the leak easily, low maintenance and easy cleaning. On the other

hand, underground tanks have the advantage of reduced fire hazards.

The heating requirement depends upon the climatic conditions and viscosity of the

fuel used. If the heating is required, then it is generally done in the storage tank by

passing the hot jacket water through a coil dipped in the storage tank.

Injection of Fuel to the Engine. The functions of the fuel injection system are to

meter small amount of oil, inject into the cinder at proper time, atomize and mix with the

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air. The efficiency of the engine depends upon the propelling of fuel with air. Mixing

becomes more difficult with an increase in ‘speed and increase in cylinder diameter.

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General Layout of Diesel Power Plant

o Diesel engine is a compression ignition (CI) engine.

o The two-stroke cycle engine is more favored for diesel power plants.

o The air required for the diesel engine is drawn through the air filter from the

atmosphere and compressed inside the cylinder.

o The fuel (diesel) from the diesel engine is drawn through a filter from the day tank

and injected into the cylinder through fuel injectors.

o Because of the high temperature and pressure of the compressed air, the fuel

ignites.

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Chapter 3

Observation and Comments

Precautions have been taken in the design of the fuel oil system in locating the fuel

oil day tank and connecting fuel oil piping with regard to possible exposure to ignition

sources such as open flames and hot surfaces. The fuel oil day tank is located with the fuel

oil storage tank in a separate room located at a building level above the diesel room.

There is no elevated fuel oil piping adjacent to the engine. The fuel oil piping between the

day tank and the engine drops down from the tank and runs below the elevation of the

engine until it reaches the engine. The transfer pumps and auxiliary pump are located in

the engine room. There are no open flames in the diesel generator room. The engine

exhaust system is insulated to shield potential fuel spray from hot exhaust system

components.

Fill lines and transfer pump suction lines are located above the sump to preclude

disturbance of sediment or water which might lead to the introduction of contaminants

into the fuel oil system. The fuel oil storage tanks are equipped with sample lines, level

transmitters, manual level gauges and drain lines for sampling the fuel oil, draining the

tanks, and monitoring tank levels.

The exterior surfaces of the tanks are painted for corrosion protection. The interior

surfaces of the tanks are coated with a corrosion resistant material.

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Recommendation

Each diesel engine is provided with sufficient instrumentation to monitor the

operation of the fuel oil system. The alarms are separately annunciated on the local EDG

(Environmental Dataset Gateway) control panel, which also signals a general diesel trouble

alarm in the main control room.

Equipment and components are readily available for inspection and maintenance.

Provisions are made to pressure test portions of the system. The fuel oil transfer system

can be tested independently of each EDG (Environmental Dataset Gateway) by draining

the day tanks (manually to the storage tanks) to the levels that automatically start the

pumps. The pump flow rate is verified by monitoring the day tank level indicators. Level

annunciators in the storage tanks are used to verify the leak tightness of the tanks.

The fuel oil in the storage tank and day tanks is periodically sampled to verify

quality as defined in the EDG (Environmental Dataset Gateway) fuel sampling and testing

program. Degenerated fuel oil can be pumped out of the storage tanks via connections

provided at the fuel oil transfer station. Accumulated moisture and sediment is removed

periodically, via the sump drain, to minimize degradation of the fuel oil.

The storage and day tanks are provided with access and provision to make sure

condensation can be drained, samples can be taken and tanks can be cleaned as defined

in the EDG (Environmental Dataset Gateway) fuel sampling and testing program.

Provide unloading pumps if fuel is to be delivered by rail car or barge. Most fuel

tank trucks are equipped with pumps. Provide transfer pumps capable of filling the day

tank in less than 1/2hour when the engine is operating at maximum load. Duplex pumps,

valve so that one can operate while the other is on standby, will be provided for reliability.

Pipeline strainers and filters will be provided to protect the fuel pumps and engine

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injectors from dirt. Strainers and filters will not pass particles larger than half the injector

nozzle opening.

Appendices

References

https://www.top-ee.com/diesel-power-plant/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220036919_Operation_of_Diesel_Power_Plant

Performance Improvement of a Diesel Engine Power Plant with Optimal Utilization of

Waste Heat

https://www.britannica.com/technology/fuel-oil

https://www.britannica.com/technology/diesel-engine

DG_IDCBookextract.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220036919_Operation_of_Diesel_Power_Plant

https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0916/ML091671598.pdf

https://www.scribd.com/document/251999861/Diesel-Power-Plant-pdf

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