Caterpillar Oil and Gas has launched the IMO Tier III emissions certified C15 ACERT offshore engine rated at 403 bkW (540 bhp) and 433 bkW (580 bhp). The engine uses the company’s NOx Reduction System (NRS) to meet NOx emissions levels needed to operate in regions where IMO Tier III emission regulations are required.
NRS technology is designed to limit the formation of NOx by diluting the combustion mixture with inert exhaust gas which lowers the excess oxygen and reduces peak combustion temperature.
By integrating a NRS system, the company says that it ensures it is providing a product that meets its customer needs of maintaining performance and meeting regulatory emission requirements. “This engine ensures that we continue to provide our customers with emissions compliant choices for their needs, with the same levels of performance and reliability that they’ve experienced with our IMO II certified engines,” said Raghvendra Vijaywargiya, offshore product definition manager for Caterpillar Oil & Gas.
The new C15 IMO Tier III engine comes factory certified and provides maximum installation flexibility and serviceability which is ideal for non-essential services such as crane duty on offshore rigs and platforms. “While Caterpillar does use both NRS and SCR technologies to meet emissions regulations dependent on the product application, NRS is the right choice for this offshore production application engine,” Vijaywargiya explains. “The NRS solution allows the engine to be installed in tight installation spaces on deck while saving additional urea supply costs associated with SCR-based systems that are more suited for offshore drilling applications.”
In addition, the company added that safety is always built into the product design. “Similar to the IMO II engine, this engine has an air shut-off valve that comes installed from the factory as this is increasingly becoming a standard safety feature that is required in the offshore industry,” said Vijaywargiya.
