MHI develops electro-assist MET turbocharger
On October 17 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), unveiled the development of an electro-assist MET turbocharger saving approximately 30% electric power consumption compared to existing auxiliary blowers at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works. It was developed using a high-speed motor supplied by its partner, Calnetix Technologies (Calnetix), and is the result of collaboration between the two companies, the Company said Thursday in its media release.
The electro-assist MET turbocharger is a turbocharger that incorporates a compact electric motor limited to power functions that assists the driving of the hybrid turbocharger*. This provides optimization of plant efficiency when a ship is operating under slow steaming, improving the fuel combustion efficiency of the main engine, and enabling the same or better performance than an auxiliary blower while consuming little power.
The unveiling ceremony held at the Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works was attended by around 70 customers from various fields, such as domestic shipping companies, ship owners and shipyards. Calnetix Co-founder and CEO Vatche Artinian, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine President Kazuo Soma also attended. The Company's VTI turbocharger that is variable nozzle turbocharger effective at low load, the first mass-produced model of MET-48MB with an optimal frame size for handysize bulk carriers, and Calnetix's 125kW binary generator (ORC module) for low-temp heat sources were on display at the venue.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine and Calnetix have created innovative products that improve the energy efficiency of ships, including low-cost, high-efficiency heat recovery systems, such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine's hybrid MET turbochargers, for which Calnetix supplies high-speed generators. The two companies will continue to maintain their good relationship while expanding the framework for working together.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine Co. Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was launched on October 1, 2013, assuming the marine machinery and engine development, design, sales, after-service and licensing operations of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine has broad lineup of marine machinery and engines unparalleled worldwide, which includes two-stroke low-speed engines, MET turbochargers, propellers, marine boilers & turbines, deck cranes, deck machinery, fin stabilizers and steering gears. It provides products offering a balance of reliability and performance based on the technical prowess of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Calnetix Technologies, LLC ("Calnetix"), headquartered in Cerritos, CA, is focused on Innovation That Drives Industries. The company specializes in high-performance, high-speed motor generators and best-in-class advanced magnetic bearings and control systems. Calnetix's patented, underlying technologies, which have been in use since the company's inception in 1998, have made Calnetix a world leader in the design and production of high-speed machines. The company's overall technology portfolio and system integration capabilities have led to development and production contracts with industry leaders and the start of many successful subsidiaries that focus on unique niche markets.