Top Trends in Marine Generator Sets
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TECHNICAL SECTOR SPOTLIGHT | GENERATORS Top trends in marine generator sets INCREASINGLY BEING USED FOR HYBRID APPLICATIONS, MARINE GENERATORS ARE EVOLVING INTO SOPHISTICATED, MULTI-SPEED SYSTEMS THAT CAN ALSO HARNESS RENEWABLES TO SAVE FUEL JAKE KAVANAGH AND CRAIG RITCHIE REPORT “BOATS ARE BECOMING more like houses,” says Riccardo Snaidero, sales manager for Italian generator manufacturer Volpi Tecno Energia (VTE). His statement reflects the general opinion of the marine off-grid power sector as it evolves to meet an almost insatiable appetite for AC power afloat. “Owners want their boats to be as comfortable as possible, with equipment such as air conditioners, watermakers, and modern kitchen appliances installed on board. All of these require a high consumption of energy.” sponsor banner IBI 12x185mm.indd 1 07-06-17 11:34 www.ibi-plus.com International Boat Industry | JUNE – JULY 2017 57 TECHNICAL SECTOR SPOTLIGHT | GENERATORS ANDREW GROWCOOT, CEO BETA MARINE Customers are looking for quiet, clean and maintenance-free equipment that is on demand at the touch of a button Owners increasingly want all the comforts of home, and with an energy requirement to match, wherever they are But it doesn’t end required. After reviewing some of the load “Customers are looking for quiet, clean, there, as Dino profiles of existing installations at the time, and maintenance-free equipment that is on Salvemini, vice we found that most installations oversized demand at the touch of a button,” says Beta president of the generators to handle the largest loads Marine’s Andrew Growcoot. His company Italian-based onboard, but ironically under-loaded them produces generator sets based on Kubota, Mase, remarks. for the majority of their life, which resulted Scania and John Deere blocks, with a “Whilst the in long-term engine fouling problems.” specialisation in hybrid installations. “Even market demands the button itself is becoming obsolete as more power, it DEPENDABLE POWER MANAGEMENT clients are looking for fully automated Dino Salvemini is vice also demands a Another major factor in recent years has systems. They want to return to their vessel president of Mase better power- been the sheer number of current-sensitive knowing the batteries will be fully charged to-dimension electronics being used offshore, all of and ready to go. We are now supplying a lot ratio, less weight and minimal noise and which require an uninterruptable power more gensets with our on-demand starting vibration. In other words, a high ‘power supply (UPS). More people are choosing to capability, both for battery charging and concentration’. These characteristics have use their boat as a mobile office, running for on board AC.” always been requested, but now they have computers, TV screens, printers and sat Beta, VTE and Mase offer dedicated more importance than in the past.” comms equipment, so there have been marine generator sets to the leisure Greg Klompenhouwer, senior product some big advances in dependable power boat market, but along with other manager at Kohler Marine, echoes these management. These allow a boat to manufacturers, including the giants like sentiments. “Demands for electrical power automatically – and seamlessly – switch Kohler, Cummins, Onan, MAN, Perkins have never been higher, and the space the between shore power or batteries, and fire and Scania, also provide generators for yacht-builders leave for the generators up the generator to fill any shortfall. commercial applications as well. As with has never been smaller. After all, more In fact, automated systems such as the all OEMs, innovation in one part of the living space translates to more yacht sales, MasterBus protocol pioneered by Dutch market filters down to others, and one of it’s as simple as that. So therein lies the specialist Mastervolt or the automotive the main drivers in R&D is fuel efficiency. design problem: how to design a power G1939 used by French-based Dolphin Huge strides are being made in the diesel- solution that maximises the output while Charger are very much in demand as the electric propulsion sector, with the three- simultaneously minimising the space level of sophistication grows. day Electric & Hybrid Marine World sponsor banner IBI 12x185mm.indd 1 07-06-17 11:34 58 JUNE – JULY 2017 | International Boat Industry www.ibi-plus.com TECHNICAL SECTOR SPOTLIGHT | GENERATORS Ultimate power efficiency – the Volvo Ocean Race TO ILLUSTRATE JUST how efficient power generation and management has become, take a look at the most recent Volvo Ocean Race. Each identical 65ft yacht had exactly the same Mastervolt set-up, with a Volvo diesel spinning up a pair of high-efficiency alternators. With limited fuel to save weight, the charge cycles were few and far between. “The boats went through a charge cycle every 24 hours,” says Mastervolt’s Ton de Winter, EMEA business leader at Mastervolt’s Dutch headquarters. “Each 59-minute cycle supplied roughly 240-280Ah of current to the Mastervolt Lithium-ion batteries at 24V, and is also used to run the watermakers. The two Mastervolt alternators produced 300Ah at 24V, so they could get the Li-ion batteries Manufactuers such as Mase and Fischer Panda are all striving to reduce the footprint and noise of their recharged very quickly. Every electrical circuit generators, whilst boosting the power-to-dimension ratio. Variable-speed motors and the use of permanent ran through our Mastervolt CZone Digital magnets are all helping Switching Platform. This system needs the same resilience and redundancy as the Li-ion Expo now in its fifth year. Efficient power loads during daytime operations, whereas batteries, as it runs 24/7 and all the critical generation afloat, including minimising the harbour set is much smaller, and runs systems rely on its ‘up time’. Everything from wastage and maximising storage – quietly at night to deliver reduced air the canting keel pump, water ballast tanks, increasingly with Lithium-based batteries conditioning, a few courtesy lights and media desk and satellite communications – is a major aspect of our modern world. battery charging. needed power for continuous operation.” For this feature, we’re looking at trends Historically, US-specified boats were Despite this limited charging regime, in stand-alone generator sets, which the most power hungry, but other nations and the high draw items needing power, the require their own fuel supply and exhaust have since closed the gap. “We are a global systems worked beyond expectations, saving system. These sets can be broadly divided player, we sell in North America, Europe, fuel, weight and recharge times. into two types – ‘fixed speed’ and ‘variable Asia, South America and Australia,” says speed’ – and into two categories – ‘main’ Steve Jelinek, generator business marketing and ‘harbour’ (sometimes called ‘day’ and manager for Cummins. “Regardless of ‘night’ sets). where they live, boaters generally want all STEVE JELINEK, MARKETING MANAGER the equipment that makes boating more CUMMINS FIXED SPEED VS VARIABLE comfortable and enjoyable. The biggest Generally speaking, a fixed-speed generator difference from one region to the next is optimised to deliver its maximum load are the various emissions standards and at its most efficient setting, commonly regulations that have to be met.” Regardless of where at either 1,500rpm (1,800rpm for the US) In addition, there has been a steady they live, boaters or 3,000rpm. A variable-speed set adjusts increase in interest in hybrid systems, generally want itself through a pre-set rev range to be inspired by the success of the automotive most fuel efficient for the load at the industry, and benefitting from big leaps in all the equipment time. Due to the nature of an alternator, battery and motor design. that makes boating the speed at which it spins governs the So what are the current trends in AC frequency, so electronics are needed marine generator sets? We spoke to more comfortable to adjust the variable output to maintain key OEMs, end users, boatbuilders and and enjoyable either a 50Hz or 60Hz delivery. The main, maintenance engineers to see where the or day generator, is used to meet the peak market is heading. sponsor banner IBI 12x185mm.indd 1 07-06-17 11:34 60 JUNE – JULY 2017 | International Boat Industry www.ibi-plus.com of engine. We cannot afford to stop this Key trends process.” The trends within the generator market subdivide into three Greater DIY maintenance main categories: design and Hand in hand with reliability is efficiency, installation and the service schedule. Many OEMs maintenance, and system are making their generator sets as integration. Each category easy to service as possible, which has been seeing some major appeals to long-distance yachtsmen innovation and superyacht captains alike. “This is OEMs such as Mase are constantly marrying the helped by placing all the maintenance latest generators with the very latest engines, such as items on one side for ease of DESIGN AND EFFICIENCY with this Mariner 11 set-up accessibility,” says Fischer Panda’s Chris Fower. “The oil filler, waterpump and Increased reliability the time, so genset manufacturers are filters are all easy to reach. Having a basic Most generator manufacturers specify constantly reviewing their portfolios. DIY service ability means that owners will proven engines that meet the strict new “It is very important to use state- be encouraged to do their own servicing, emissions regulations. These are either of-the-art technology,” says Mase’s and this familiarity will encourage a own-brand units, or base engines from Salvemini, who is proud of his company’s better maintenance regime.” other proven manufacturers. Kohler ability to create custom gensets for and Perkins use their own base engines, specific projects. “The latest engines are Quieter running whereas Beta Marine, for example, uses very compact with low emission levels, “Quiet running is a major customer either Kubota or Scania blocks and Mase less noise and minimal vibration.