Investigation of Seasonal Effects on Two-Stroke Marine Diesel Engine Performance Parameters and Emissions

In comparison to onshore facilities, ships, and their machinery are subjected to challenging external influences such as rolling, vibration, and continually changing air & cooling water temperatures in the marine environment. However, these factors are typically neglected, or their consequences are deemed to have little effect on machinery, the environment, or human life. In this study, seasonal air & seawater temperature effects on marine diesel engine performance parameters and emissions are investigated by using a full-mission engine room simulator. A tanker ship two-stroke main engine MAN B&W 6S50 MC-C with a power output of 8 600 kW is employed during the simulation process. Furthermore, due to its diverse risks, the Marmara Region is chosen as the application area for real-time average temperature data. Based on the research findings, even minor variations in seasonal temperatures have a significant influence on certain key parameters of a ship’s main engine including scavenge pressure, exhaust temperatures, compression and combustion pressures, fuel consumption, power, and NOx−SOx−COx emissions. For instance, during the winter season, the cylinder compression pressure (pc) is recorded at 94 bar, while the maximum pressure (pz) reaches 110 bar. In the summer, pc experiences a decrease of 81 bar, while pz is measured at 101 bar. The emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) exhibits a measurement of 784 parts per million (ppm) during winter and 744 in summer. The concentration of sulfur oxides (SOx) is recorded at 46 ppm in winter and 53 in summer. Given the current state of global warming and climate change, it is an undeniable fact that the impact of these phenomena will inevitably escalate.