Austria: Heading Together for New Shores

With the Bachmann M1 and its know-how, AVAT has implemented marine approved controllers for gas and dual-fuel engines.

The number of gas engines on ships is continuously growing without and end in sight. An important reason for this is the stricter emission limits that are set in many coastal waters. Gas engines naturally produce considerably less emissions than comparable diesel units. Operators of cruise liners particularly appreciate the low smoke and soot emissions produced by gas engines. However, gas engines are also being increasingly used in large container vessels. These produce the electrical power, which is required in large quantities, and are also used for ship propulsion. As dual fuel engines they are very flexible since they can also run on natural and liquid fuel.

However, the control of gas engines and the monitoring of operating parameters is more complex than with diesel units. Due to changes in the gas mixture, it is also necessary to ensure that the combustion process itself is controlled safely, and prevent any misfiring, knocking or any increases in the emission of nitric oxide. All this can only be managed successfully if engine controllers are specially tailored for the complex combustion processes of a gas propulsion system.

AVAT operates as developers and manufacturers of engine controllers for large gas engines and has been equipping well-known engine manufacturers and system builders with powerful systems for over 25 years.

Open and customized

The considerable advances made in the power and efficiency of gas engines were only possible with the accompanying further development of the controllers. This increasing significance has led to the demand amongst engine and system builders for open system that can be customized flexibly as well as a shorter time to market.

Together with Bachmann electronic, AVAT is offering for this purpose a new platform for engine controllers based on the M1. Special engine controller components in the same form factor have been added to the extensive Bachmann portfolio for this purpose. The first modules offer controllers for anti-knocking, speed, power and mixture control. A module is also available for analyzing cylinder pressure signals so that a cylinder-pressure controlled motor operation can be implemented. All components are suitable for ambient temperatures between -20°C and +70°C and are designed to withstand typical engine vibrations. Customers are given the required documentation and FMEAs for the marine classification. They are involved in the configuration of the system from the very beginning and are given a controller solution that is tailored to their particular engine and application.

Using experience as a CSI

If required, the application can be made available as an OpenECS so that the engine manufacturers can change or expand functions themselves. There has never been such a partnership of two specialists on the market who have optimized gas engine combustion in this way. As a Certified System Integrator (CSI), AVAT is fully utilizing the experience that Bachmann has gained over many years in the development of highly available industrial controllers. The M1 is based on a system that combines the openness of a PC-based controller with the reliability of industrial hardware.