Marine Engine Application
and Installation Guide
• Engine Performance
o Application Guidelines
o Engine Rating Definitions
o Engine Rating Conditions
o Example Performance Curve Format
o Engine Configuration Effects on Ratings
o Auxiliary Generator Set Engine Ratings
Information contained in this publication may be considered ©2004 Caterpillar
confidential. Discretion is recommended when distributing. All rights reserved.
Materials and specifications are subject to change without notice. Printed in U.S.A.
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Application Guidelines
Knowledge of the engine’s operating requirements is essential to establish a proper match
of engine rating to boat operating requirements. To help determine the acceptability of a
rating for a particular boat’s application, the following parameters should be considered:
1. Time at full throttle
2. Annual operating hours
3. Propeller match
Time at Full Throttle
Time at full throttle is the amount of time the engine is operated at rated rpm without load
cycling during a normal duty cycle. This is normally specified in terms of percent of total
cycle time or in minutes per hour.
Annual Operating Hours
The annual operation hours are based on the accumulated service meter units during a
12-month period. Clock hours are the same as service meter units on all Caterpillar
Engines using electric service meters. Some Caterpillar engines (D399, D398, D379 and
earlier engines) used service meters which “counted” engine revolutions. One service
meter unit on those engines corresponds to a clock hour only when the engine is
operating at rated speed (rpm). The ratio between clock hours and service meter units is
proportional to engine speed.
Propeller Match
The propeller must be sized to allow the engine to operate slightly above rated rpm under
the boat’s most severe load conditions: full fuel and water tanks, stores aboard for
extended voyaging, and adverse sea conditions.
Engine Rating Definitions
Ratings are statements of the engine’s power and speed capability under specified load
conditions. The Caterpillar rating system simply matches engines to particular
applications. It consists of the following standard ratings.
A Rating (Unrestricted Continuous)
Load factor: 80% to 100%. Up to 100% of the time at rated speed.
Typical hrs/yr: 5000 to 8000.
Typical applications: For vessels operating at rated load and rated speed up to 100% of
the time without interruption or load cycling (80% to 100% load factor). Typical
applications could include but are not limited to vessels such as freighters, tugboats,
bottom drag trawlers, or deep river tugboats. Typical operation ranges from 5000 to 8000
hours per year.
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B Rating (Heavy Duty)
Load factor: 40% to 80%. Up to 80% of the time at rated speed.
Typical time at full load: 10 hrs out of 12.
Typical hrs/yr: 3000 to 5000.
Typical applications: For vessels operating at rated load and speed up to 80% of the time
with some load cycling (40% to 80% load factor). Typical applications could include but
are not limited to vessels such as mid-water trawlers, purse seiner, crew and supply boats,
ferries, or towboats. Typical operation ranges from 3000 to 5000 hours per year.
C Rating (Maximum Continuous)
Load factor: 20% to 80%. Up to 50% of the time at rated speed.
Typical time at full load: 6 hrs out of 12.
Typical hrs/yr: 2000 to 4000.
Typical applications: For vessels operating at rated load and rated speed up to 50% of the
time with cyclical load and speed (20% to 80% load factor). Typical applications could
include but are not limited to vessels such as ferries, harbor tugs, fishing boats, offshore
service boats, displacement hull yachts, or short trip coastal freighters. Typical operation
ranges from 2000 to 4000 hours per year.
D Rating (Intermittent Duty)
Load factor: Up to 50%. Up to 16% of the time at rated speed.
Typical time at full load: 2 hrs out of 12.
Typical hrs/yr: 1000 to 3000.
Typical applications: For vessels operating at rated load and rated speed up to 16% of the
time (up to 50% load factor). Typical applications could include but are not limited to
vessels such as offshore patrol boats, customs boats, police boats, some fishing boats,
fireboats, or harbor tugs. Typical operation ranges from 1000 to 3000 hours per year.
E Rating (High Performance)
Load factor: Up to 30%. Up to 8% of the time at rated speed.
Typical time at full load: 1/2 hr out of 6.
Typical hrs/yr: 250 to 1000.
Typical applications: For vessels operating at rated load and rated speed up to 8% of the
time (up to 30% load factor). Typical applications could include but are not limited to
vessels such as pleasure craft, harbor patrol boats, harbor master boats, some fishing or
patrol boats. Typical operation ranges from 250 to 1000 hours per year.
Rating Conditions
Ratings are based on SAE J1128/ISO 8665 standard ambient conditions of 100 kPa
(29.61 in. Hg) and 25°C (77°F). Ratings also apply at AS1501, BS5514, DIN 6271 and
ISO 3046/1 standard conditions of 100 kPa (29.61 in. Hg), 27°C (81°F) and 60%
relative humidity.
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Power is based on a 35° API [16°C (60°F)] fuel having a LHV of 42,780 kJ/kg
(18,390 B/lb) used at 29°C (85°F) with a density of 838.9 g/L (7.001 lb/U.S. gal).
Ratings are gross output ratings: i.e., total output capability of the engine equipped with
standard accessories: lube oil, fuel oil, and jacket water pumps. Power to drive auxiliaries
must be deducted from the gross output to arrive at the net power available for the
external (flywheel) load. Typical auxiliaries include cooling fans, air compressors,
charging alternators, marine gears, and seawater pumps.
Marine Engine Ratings to DIN Standards
The DIN (Deutsche Industrie Norme) 6270 standard covers rated output data for internal
combustion engines in general applications. When required, DIN 6270 main propulsion
ratings can be quoted according to the following stipulations.
Continuous Output A
This is the published Caterpillar “Continuous ‘A’ Rating” rating in kW units. No
additional reference is necessary.
A condition in the “Continuous Output A” definition is that the output-limiting device
must be set to provide a margin of extra capacity. This overload capability can be
demonstrated, if required, by increasing the fuel setting from the factory-set continuous
output value to the value corresponding to our “B” rating level. With a few exceptions,
this increased fuel setting will correspond to an overload capability of approximately
10%. The propeller should be sized for the continuous rating with the appropriate safety
margins from the Technical Marketing Information file (TMI). The fuel setting must be
readjusted to the nameplate value upon completion of the demonstration test.
Output B
Output B is defined as the maximum useful output that the engine can deliver for a
definite time limit corresponding to the engine application. The fuel setting is pre-set
such that output B cannot be exceeded, so no overload capability need be demonstrated.
On the basis of this definition, we can offer two output B ratings with kW values
corresponding to the Caterpillar B Rating (Heavy Duty) or C Rating (Maximum Continuous).
In each case, it is mandatory that reference be made to the applicable rating definitions.
General Comments
DIN 6270 conditions are slightly different from the SAE conditions used in the U.S. We
believe that they are virtually equivalent for all practical purposes. No correction to
ratings should be made to account for the slightly different reference conditions.
Useful output as described under DIN 6270 is defined as the output available to drive the
load after suitable deductions are made for engine driven accessories. This is equivalent to
the net rating. Caterpillar ratings indicate gross output. At the kW requirement to drive such
accessories as charging alternator and sea water pump are low and well within our rating
tolerance, no deductions for main propulsion engine driven accessory loads need to be made.
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Performance Curves
Following are format samples of Caterpillar Performance Curves:
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Features of the Performance Curve
Vertical Axis [left side] — Graduated in units of Power [Brake kW or Brake Horsepower]
Horizontal Axis — Graduated in units of Engine Speed [Revolutions per Minute]
Propeller Demand Curve: describes the power demanded by a fixed pitch propeller
used in a displacement hull. Semi-displacement and planing hulls will have higher load
demand than shown in the "P" curve. Each semi-displacement and planing hull has
different demand, which makes it impossible to show the load demand for each hull.
Semi-displacement and planing hulls will need to be sea trialed with fuel measurements
taken at different engine speeds to determine actual fuel and load demand.
Maximum Power Curve: the maximum power capability of the engine without regard to
the rating development limits.
Each standard rating of the engines will have its performance documented as shown
above. There can be a delay of the formal version of the data in the case of new ratings or
engine configurations.
Engine Configuration Effects on Ratings
Engine configurations can be altered to allow efficient use of larger amounts of fuel. This
is done by increasing the amount of air that can be utilized by the engine. Airflow
through an engine is called aspiration. Caterpillar engines have one of the following
methods of aspiration:
Naturally Aspirated
In a naturally aspirated engine, the volume of air drawn into each cylinder is moderate,
since only atmospheric pressure is forcing air through the cylinder’s intake valve. There
is no pressurization of the engine’s intake manifold by an external device and engine
intake manifold pressure is always a partial vacuum.
Turbocharged
Greater amounts of air can be forced into an engine’s cylinders by installing a
turbocharger. Turbochargers are turbine-like devices that use exhaust energy (which
naturally aspirated engines waste) to compress outside air and force it into the intake
manifold. The increased amount of air flowing through turbocharged engines does two
good things:
• The greater airflow cools the valves, piston crowns, and cylinder walls, making
them better able to resist the firing forces.
• Fuel can be burned more efficiently, due to the increased amount of air for
combustion.
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This makes the engine more powerful. Compression does increase the temperature of the
intake air, however. It is very useful to remove the heat-of-compression from the intake
air, upstream of the combustion chambers. Cooling the air before it enters the combustion
chambers makes the air more dense and increases cooling of the combustion chamber
components.
Turbocharged/Aftercooled
An air-cooling heat exchanger (aftercooler) is installed between the turbocharger and the
combustion chamber on turbocharged/aftercooled engines. The aftercooler cools the
incoming air, carrying the heat away with a flow of water. The water can come from two
sources. If jacket water (the same water that cools the cylinder head and block) is used in
the aftercooler, then the air can only be cooled to approximately 93°C (200°F). Jacket
water temperature is thermostatically controlled at approximately 82°C (180°F). Even
cooler air can be obtained by cooling the aftercooler with water from a separate circuit,
such as seawater or some other circuit, with colder water than the engine jacket water.
Lower aftercooler water temperatures permit higher engine ratings because cooler, denser
air permits burning more fuel.
Extended Periods of Low Load
Prolonged low load operation should be followed by periodic operation at higher load to
consume exhaust deposits. Low load operation is defined as below approximately 20%
load. The engine should be operated above 40% load periodically to consume the exhaust
deposits. Caterpillar engines can be run well over 24 hours before exhaust slobber
becomes significant. The amount of additional time depends upon the engine
configuration, water temperature to the aftercooler, inlet air temperature to the engine
and type of fuel.
Auxiliary Engine Ratings
Marine engines used for auxiliary power are of the same general configuration as
propulsion engines. Their power output is limited by the same design factors.
Horsepower ratings are also determined by the type of aspiration, the aftercooling system
and by engine application.
Caterpillar prime power ratings are used for marine generator sets when applied as
ship-board power and as emergency power at both 60 Hz and 50 Hz. The engine is set
at the factory to provide 110% of rated output as required by Marine Classification
Societies (MCS).
Normally, other auxiliary power requirements, such as hydraulic pumps, winches, fire
and cargo pumps, and compressors, are applied at a rating based on their duty cycle and
load factor.
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