TECHNICAL

BULLETIN

Wärtsilä low-speed engines RT-140

Services 2-stroke Issue 1, 29.11.2012

Catalyst fines in fuel oils Next opportunity

Information to all Owners and Operators of all
Wärtsilä 2-stroke engines
Introduction
Catalyst fines in fuel oils might lead to high
piston ring and cylinder liner wear.
Current situation
Bunkered fuel oils often contain catalyst
fines of a size which exceed the limits
given in Wärtsilä recommendations at
engine inlet.

Solutions
To avoid excessive wear on piston rings,
cylinder liners and other moving engine
parts in contact with fuel oil, the guidelines
as described in this bulletin must be
followed. Especially important is the
correct fuel oil treatment.

Notes
Wärtsilä recommends installing a
10 micron filter in order to minimize the
number of the most dangerous catalyst
fines in the fuel oil and to indicate a proper
separation efficiency. Even with a
10 micron filter a 100% elimination of
catalyst fines cannot be achieved.

This Technical Bulletin supersedes

Service Bulletin G–9, dated 06.10.99,
entitled “Catalyst Fines in Heavy Fuel
Oils”. It also supersedes Service Letter
RT–01/06, dated 27.01.2006, entitled
“Catalytic Fines and Separation Efficiency”.

Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd. Tel (24h): +41 52 262 80 10

PO Box 414 Fax: +41 52 262 07 31
CH-8401 Winterthur technicalsupport.chts@wartsila.com
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Contents
Page
 
1 Introduction 2 
2 Identifying the effects of catalyst fines 2 
3 Analysing for catalyst fines and interpreting the findings 4 
4 Actions to be taken when catalyst fines are present 5 
5 Fuel oil treatment arrangement 6 
6 Size, shape, composition and uses 10 
7 Conclusion 11 
8 Contact 13 

1 Introduction
Note:
This Technical Bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin G–9, dated 06.10.99, entitled
“Catalyst Fines in Heavy Fuel Oils”. It also supersedes Service Letter RT-10/06,
dated 27.01.2006, entitled “Catalytic Fines and Separation Efficiency”.

Catalyst fines (cat fines) are often found in fuel oils. They are a common cause of
wear in 2-stroke fuel injection system as well as piston ring and cylinder liners. If
fuel containing catalyst fines is bunkered, they must be removed as much as
possible before the fuel reaches the engine. Catalyst fines are found by an
analysis of the aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si) content of the fuel oil. The Wärtsilä
fuel specification allows a maximum combined content of 60 mg/kg (ISO
8217:2010) aluminium and silicon as bunker limit. The combined aluminium and
silicon content of up to 15 mg/kg is tolerable at engine inlet after treatment, but
the goal is to aim for a lower value.

2 Identifying the effects of catalyst fines

The sudden development of excessive piston ring and cylinder liner wear in
2-stroke diesel engines on all cylinders is often caused by catalyst fines in the
fuel oil. The presence of catalyst fines can be identified by the numerous particles
found embedded in the graphite flakes of the running surfaces on microscopic
examination of rings and liner replicas, see Figure 1 and Figure 2. Catalyst fines
primarily cause abrasion of ring and liner, but some are retained in the graphite
flakes of the metal surface and these continue to abrade the running partners for
a long time after they have entered the engine. When the running surface of an
older liner is examined microscopically it is often possible to find a few catalyst
fines trapped in the surface structure and worn down level with the liner surface.
Catalyst fines are hard abrasive particles, 5 to 200 microns in size. The particles
of 10 to 20 microns are the most dangerous, as they are most readily caught in
the oil film and in the fine graphite structure the liners. They will also increase the
abrasive wear rate of the piston rings independently of the coating execution.
This will eventually lead to severe scuffing of the unit. Smaller particles tend not
to cause wear and larger particles are not easily held in the oil film.
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Microscopic examination of piston ring surface replica

1. Piston ring surface, magnification 280:1, 2. Catalyst fines trapped in graphite

flake, magnification 1200:1
Fig. 1

Comment to Figure 1:
The piston ring shows severe abrasion of the running surface. The catalyst fines
are approximately 10 microns in diameter with a hardness of 800 to 1000 HV.

Microscopic examination of cylinder liner surface replica

1. Cylinder liner surface at TDC, exhaust side, magnification 84:1, 2. Catalyst

fines
Fig. 2

Comment to Figure 2:
A lot of catalyst fines embedded in the matrix. Severe abrasive wear due to
catalyst fines.
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The main problem caused by catalyst fines is ring and liner wear. But if the fuel
oil is heavily contaminated with catalyst fines, then there can be problems on all
exposed surfaces:
• RTA fuel pumps:
Seizure and wear (if particles size equals clearance between barrel and
plunger)
• RTA fuel injection valves:
Wear on nozzle holes and needle seat
• RT-flex and W-X fuel oil pumps:
Abrasive wear and seizure
• RT-flex injection control units:
Erosion that can lead to loss of injection control
• W-X injection valves:
Excessive wear
• Piston rod, piston rod gland boxes:
Excessive wear and excessive oil leakage at gland box

A cylinder liner surface which has been roughened by catalyst fines is more
susceptible to corrosive wear. The combination of catalyst fines and corrosive
wear can be very severe. The wear profile of a cylinder liner damaged by catalyst
fines shows high wear and sometimes maximum wear is visible in the upper mid-
stroke region.

3 Analysing for catalyst fines and interpreting the findings

3.1 Standard test methods

The presence of catalyst fines in fuel is determined by burning the fuel and
roasting the ash at 550 °C. The ash is then dissolved in very strong acid and the
solution analysed for the two elements aluminium and silicon, which are
constituents of catalyst fines (ISO 10478:1994). Other less common tests include
measuring the quantity of centrifuge sediment and microscopic examination of
the sediment.
Some direct laboratory analytical methods may be able to detect Al and Si
content remotely.

3.2 Analysing on board

As a complement to sending fuel samples for analysis to laboratory services
ashore, Wärtsilä offers a solution for fuel analysis on board with the “SEA-Mate®
XRF analyser type M3000”. The SEA-Mate® XRF analyser can be provided as a
standalone unit or also as part of the “Blending on Board package” 1 that is used
for onboard blending of cylinder lubricating oil.
The XRF analyser measures the content of Al and Si (catalyst fines) in ppm of
any fuel sample. This allows to:
• Monitor the quality of the bunkered product (Al and Si content)
• Monitor the operation and performance of the fuel treatment plant

1
Blending on Board (BOB ): Details about BOB on the Wärtsilä webpage, follow below link:
Blending on Board, article published in Wärtsilä Technical Journal 01.2012
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The SEA-Mate® analyzer can be ordered at Wärtsilä. For more information about
the Blending on Board system and the SEA-Mate® XRF analyzer type M3000
please contact your nearest Wärtsilä representative.

3.3 Why catalyst fines are not always found

Catalyst fines that are present in the fuel are sometimes not detected because of
several reasons:
• Catalyst fines are not uniformly distributed in the fuel. They can settle out or
be resuspended.
• Aluminium and silicon content should not be measured directly, without firstly
ashing the fuel oil, then roasting and dissolving the ash.
• In the laboratory a one litre fuel oil sample is heated to 50 to 60 °C and stirred
for five minutes before a smaller sample is removed for analysis. If this
preparation is neglected or insufficient, catalyst fines which have settled to the
bottom are not found in the smaller sample.

3.4 Field observations

• In some cases a large reduction in catalyst fines was observed during fuel
storage, most likely because the catalyst fines had settled out. Another time
catalyst fines were found after storage where before there had been none.
Catalyst fines, at levels that are not apparent in the fuel analysis, can
accumulate in the tanks from successive deliveries. During heavy weather
they will be churned up. It is usually not possible to take samples from the
bottom of the tank.
• On several occasions when an engine was found to have suffered extreme
wear due to catalyst fines in the fuel oil, filter blocking or an increase in
automatic filter back flushing had been recorded. The filter usually had a mesh
size which was significantly larger than the average size of the catalyst fine
particles.

4 Actions to be taken when catalyst fines are present

4.1 General
Catalyst fines are more common in some areas of the world than in others. If a
vessel generally receives fuel free from catalyst fines, less monitoring is required.
But if catalyst fines are likely to be present, then it is important to analyse the fuel
oil more often, even more than once per bunker. Samples can be taken, for
instance, before and after the separator on a monthly basis and analysed by an
onboard analyzer (SEA-Mate® XRF analyser) or in ashore laboratories. It is also
advisable to regularly clean out storage and settling tanks.
The bunker supplier should be informed when excessive quantities of catalyst
fines are found in the fuel which he supplied.
We do not recommend exceeding the normal cylinder lube oil feed rate as a
measure to counteract catalyst fines. A certain flushing effect is unlikely and
probably not very effective while other problems can occur if the lube oil feed rate
is too high. An increase of approximately 10% is tolerable.
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Should the engine be damaged by catalyst fines in the fuel oil, piston rings with
catalyst fines embedded in them must be replaced and liners honed to remove
the catalyst fines and hard brittle layers caused by excessive wear. Otherwise
damage will continue even if the fuel no longer contains catalyst fines. Using a
microscope it is possible to examine the rings and liners to decide what action
should be taken. Wärtsilä service engineers are able to assist in such an
investigation.

4.2 Water
Catalyst fines are highly hydrophilic and if water is present they are incorporated
into water droplets. When the water is separated the catalyst fines are also
removed. The density of fresh water is close to that of high density fuel at the
separation temperature. If water, in particular fresh water, cannot be removed in
the fuel oil separator then the catalyst fines may not be removed. When the fuel
oil is stirred, water is mixed in. It forms an emulsion and becomes more difficult to
separate. A decanter or homogeniser upstream from the separator hinders
catalyst fine removal because of the stirring effect. For the same reason the
centrifuge should be as close as possible to the settling tank.
The presence of used lubricants in the fuel oil is known to cause water to
emulsify (due to detergent), making catalyst fine removal more difficult. Treating
fuel containing emulsified water with a demulsifying fuel additive can improve
catalyst fine removal.

5 Fuel oil treatment arrangement

For the fuel oil tanks and treatment arrangements as well as the fuel oil system,
please refer to Figure 4.
For further information on fuel treatment please also refer to Service Bulletin
“Data & Specifications RT-126”, entitled “Diesel engine fuels”.

5.1 Arrangement of separators

For the correct arrangement of separators refer to the manufacturer’s instruction.
In general, a separation efficiency of minimum 80% should be achieved, i.e. 80%
by weight of the impurities removed (see next section regarding separation
efficiency). For new and retrofit installations, self-adjusting separators without
gravity disc are recommended. In such cases it is recommended to operate the
installed separators in parallel contrary to the following recommendation for
separators with gravity discs.
If separators with gravity discs are used, two separators should operate in
parallel with approximately 15% of the nominal volume flow rate. For such
separators the best efficiency would be achieved with two parallel purifiers
feeding one clarifier (89%). Most of the separation is achieved in the purifiers
(70 to 80%), the clarifier giving the “final polish”.
For the separator capacity determination it is recommended to refer to the
throughput rates which are provided according to the certified flow rate definition.
This ensures sufficient separation efficiency.
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5.2 Separation efficiency

Catalyst fines are removed by centrifuging the fuel oil. The separator is not
equally efficient for all sizes of catalyst fine particles; one theoretical calculation
gave an efficiency minimum at a diameter of 9 microns. The smallest particle that
is removed in the centrifuge is a function of density difference, viscosity
(temperature dependent) and flow rate. This is theoretically and also for catalyst
fines experimentally approximately 5 microns, which means that the smallest
particles are neither removed by a centrifuge nor by a 5 micron filter.
The catalyst fines of diameter less than 10 microns are the most difficult to
remove. The fuel reaching the engine should not contain more than 15 mg/kg
aluminium plus silicon. The catalyst fines remaining in the fuel after fuel treatment
should consist mainly of these smaller particles. Catalyst fines of diameter
greater than 10 microns must be removed in the separator or filter.
The effective removal of catalyst fines is often lower than the calculated
theoretical efficiency. The theoretical calculation assumes solid spherical
particles and uses an estimated density. The most dangerous catalyst fines
resemble fractured hollow balls. The effective density depends on whether the
pores are filled with water or fuel and therefore the estimated density is not
always correct.

The operating principle of a centrifugal separator is based on Stokes’ Law:

V = gd2(ρ’-ρ)/18η

V = Settling velocity [m/s]

g = Centrifugal acceleration [m/s2]
d = Particle diameter [m]
ρ’ = Density of particle [kg/m3]
ρ = Density of medium [kg/m3]
η = Viscosity of medium [kg/ms]

These and other operational parameters translate to separation efficiency as

follows:

Separation temperature
The temperature of the medium affects both viscosity and density. In order to
ensure optimum separation the fuel oil inlet temperature should be 98 °C.
Operating at lower inlet temperatures seriously hinders the separation process.
For example, an inlet temperature of 90 °C would require a reduction in
throughput of at least 23% in order to obtain the same separation efficiency. 2
The “settling velocity” is inversely proportional to viscosity, i.e. the higher the
viscosity of the medium, the longer it takes for a particle to be separated out.
The greater the density difference between medium and particle, the higher the
separation efficiency.

2
Marine diesel engines, catalyst fines, and a new standard to ensure safe operation, written by Alfa Laval, BP
Marine and MBD
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Particle size
The “Settling Velocity” increases with the square of the particle diameter, which
means that the smaller the particle size, the more difficult these particles are to
separate out from the fuel.

Maintenance
The centrifugal acceleration is proportional to the position of the particles in the
rotating disc stack. The separator discs should therefore be clean to allow
utilisation of the outermost area of the disc stack. Deposit formation on the discs
also reduces the channel height between the discs which results in increased
flow rate and consequently reduced time available for separation.

Flow rate
The separation efficiency is inversely proportional to the flow rate. The higher the
flow rate, the less time is available for separation. It is therefore essential to
match the centrifuge capacity to the total fuel consumption (main engine,
auxiliary engines and boiler).

Water
Catalyst fines are highly hydrophilic and if water is present in the fuel, catalyst
fines are incorporated into water droplets. Adequate water separation promotes
the removal of catalyst fines.
Due to high levels of detergent additive, contamination of fuel with used
(automotive) lubricating oil results in emulsification of fuel and water. A stable
emulsion hinders water separation and consequently the removal of catalyst fines
incorporated in the water. For the same reason used oil from main and auxiliary
engines should not be discarded into the bunkers.

5.3 New standard for separation performance

Traditionally the choice for the type of centrifuge to be installed is based on
“maximum recommended capacity” tables. Due to the wide variety of fuels and
contaminants in terms of chemical and physical composition, throughput figures
cannot possibly give an indication of the efficiency of the centrifuge with regard to
solid particle removal.
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) have now agreed on an
industry standard for separation performance that specifies the efficiency at a
given flow rate. 3
The new standard provides for a “Certified Flow Rate” (CFR) for a given
centrifuge. CFR is defined as the throughput in litres per hour at which 85% of
5 μm mono-dispersed artificial particles (simulating catalyst fines) are removed
from a synthetic oil (simulating high viscosity fuel oil) at standard test conditions.

Tests were conducted with centrifuges from three different manufacturers in a

model test rig using standard synthetic test oil and commercial heavy fuel oil. The
results show a correlation between the model test method and commercial heavy
fuel oil. 4

3
CEN Document CWA 15375, Separators for marine residual fuel oil, performance testing using specific test oil,
dated 2005.08.17
4
Idem note 3
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To date, CFR has been acknowledged by the following classification societies: 5

• Det Norske Veritas
• American Bureau of Shipping
• China Ship Classification Society
• Germanischer Lloyd
• Lloyds Register of Shipping
• Russian Maritime Register of Shipping

5.4 Conclusion to fuel separators

The quantity and size of particles removed in the centrifuge is a function of
density difference, viscosity and flow rate. Optimising the operational parameters
of the centrifuge should result in adequate removal of harmful solid particles.
The introduction of CFR is a valuable tool to ascertain correct centrifuge capacity
for the application.

5.5 Filters
Most of the catalyst fines are removed from the fuel oil in the separator and some
in the filter. The Wärtsilä standard fuel oil filter of size maximum 50 microns or 34
microns respectively is not intended to protect the engine against catalyst fines.

Absolute filter mesh size recommended in Wärtsilä 2-stroke engines

Engine delivery date Mesh size – absolute

Before summer 2005 50 micron
After summer 2005 34 micron
After spring 2012 10 micron

Table 1

An automatic back flush filter (see Figure 4) with a 10 micron absolute sphere
passing mesh size is recommended. For new projects, starting after spring 2012,
a 10 micron absolute mesh size filter is specified in the fuel oil system.
The 10 micron filter should be installed as automatic filter type in the “cold” feed
system. This installation position is recommended as the flow rate in the feed
system is less and the risk for filter clogging is very limited due to the lower fuel
temperature compared to the booster system. This filter is used to protect the
engine from serious damage as it should catch the catalyst fines which were not
removed from the fuel by the separator. In addition such a filter provides a good
indication if the separator efficiency is sufficient or if improvements are required.
If there is reason to suspect that the fuel oil contains an excessive amount of
catalyst fines, the back-flushing sediments from the filter should be transferred to
the sludge tank and disposed of.
A duplex filter with 60 microns absolute sphere passing mesh size is
recommended in the booster system close to the engine inlet. Its function is to
protect the engine against foreign particles coming from the system.
Independent of the recommendation as a minimum, one filter set close to the
engine inlet is required and at least one filter set needs to follow the sphere
passing mesh size recommendation issued at the time of installation.
5
Idem note 3
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6 Size, shape, composition and uses

6.1 Use of catalyst in oil refining

Catalytic cracking is used by the majority of refineries. The high density catalyst
bottoms or catalytic cracking fractionator bottoms are blended to residual
components to reduce the viscosity. The high aromaticity of the bottoms
increases the ability of fuel oil to dissolve asphaltenes and thus reduces the risk
of incompatibility and instability.
If the Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU) operates correctly then the
catalyst is recovered. The catalyst is expensive and is not intended to be a waste
product. Demand on refineries to produce more distillate products and less
residual oil is leading to more intensive upgrading processing which in turn leads
to more catalyst fines in the fuel oil produced.
In recent years catalysts have been further developed. There is a trend towards
harder catalysts, which is good for the refinery, but not good for the diesel
engine.

6.2 Size and shape

The catalyst in oil refining is very hard porous round particles. The catalysis takes
place on the surface of the particle. The particles must have the largest possible
surface area to volume ratio, be light enough to be easily transported and provide
a good fluidised bed. In addition they require high crush strength.
The mean particle size of fresh catalyst is 70 microns (range 20 to 200 microns)
and 75% of the particles are larger than 25 microns. But the size is reduced
during circulation in the refinery and by the time the catalyst particle reaches the
fuel oil as catalyst fines the average size has dropped to less than 20 microns
(range 3 to 42 microns). The largest particle size in fuel oil depends on the
settling history of the fuel.

Typical sample of new and used catalyst fines, viewed through a microscope

L. Various sizes of catalyst fines

Fig. 3
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6.3 Composition
In the past catalyst was made from pure silica (SiO2) or alumina (Al2O3). Now
materials such as faujasite, which is broadly similar to porcelain, are used. These
materials contain not only aluminium and silicon, but also smaller amounts of
sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.

7 Conclusion
The wear problems which arise in low-speed diesel engines due to catalyst fines
in the fuel oil are often unexpected and occur even when the fuel analysis
indicates that the fuel oil quality is good. When the fuel oil fulfils the specification
of maximum 60 mg/kg (ISO 8217:2010 / ISO 8217:2012) aluminium and silicon,
there can still be problems with catalyst fines for the following reasons:
• More catalyst fines are present in the fuel than appear in the analysis results.
• Catalyst fines have accumulated in the sediment of the fuel tank from previous
bunkers and are mixed into the fuel when the sediment is churned up in bad
weather.
• Catalyst fines are not sufficiently removed in the separator before the fuel is
used.

The fuel at engine inlet must not contain more than a maximum of 15 mg/kg
combined aluminium and silicon, but it is not always helpful to analyse the fuel at
engine inlet, when by the time the results have been received the fuel has
already been used and it is not possible to be certain that the analysis results are
fully representative for the rest of the bunker.
With replicas taken by Wärtsilä service engineers from the liner surface we are
able to determine if excessive wear is either caused by abrasive particles, e.g.
catalyst fines, cold corrosion or by a fault in the material and machining of the
affected component.

Attention:
This Technical Bulletin should be kept in the engine control room together with
the other engine documentation.
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Fuel oil system arrangement (example drawn for RT-flex engines)

Fig. 4
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8 Contact

8.1 How to contact Wärtsilä

For questions about the content of this Technical Bulletin, or if you need Wärtsilä
assistance, services, spare parts and/or tools, please contact your nearest
Wärtsilä representative.
If you don’t have the contact details at hand, please follow the link “Contact us” –
“24h Services” on the Wärtsilä webpage:
www.wartsila.com

8.2 Contact details for emergency issues

Operational support
For questions concerning operational issues, please send your enquiry to:
technicalsupport.chts@wartsila.com
or phone 24hrs support: +41 52 262 80 10.

Field service
If you need Wärtsilä Field Service, please send your enquiry to:
Ch.Fieldservice@wartsila.com
or phone 24hrs support: +41 79 255 68 80.

Spare parts
If you need Wärtsilä spare parts and/or tools, please send you enquiry to:
ch.spareparts.wgls@wartsila.com
or phone 24hrs support: +41 52 262 24 02

© 2012 Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd. – All rights reserved

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contained herein. Information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
Unless otherwise expressly set forth, no recommendation contained in this document or any of its appendices is
to be construed as provided due to a defect in the engine, but merely as an improvement of the engine and/or
the maintenance procedures relating thereto. Any actions by the owner/operator as a result of the
recommendations are not covered under any warranty provided by Wärtsilä and such actions will thus be at the
owners/operators own cost and expense.
NO LIABILITY WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, IS
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CONFIDENTIAL AND INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.