Surging Phenomenon in Gas Engine Crankcase

Abstract

An internal combustion engine is an engine whose combustion process is inside a closed room or often referred to as the combustion chamber. The Wartsila W20V34SG engine is one of the internal combustion engines used to turn generators to generate electricity, over time some new problems arise that cause engine trip. One cause of a sudden increase in crankcase pressure is the occurrence of the phenomenon of surging in the crankcase. The causes of surging originating from the phenomenon of bursts of engine exhaust gas leaks to the surface of the oil mist pipe. Where the average temperature of the exhaust gas is approximately 530 °C so that the hot gas burst increases the temperature of the oil mist pipe and result in lower gas density and oil vapor. This phenomenon causes the air to become lighter and rise to the top and make the room in the crankcase more vacuum up to -6.29 mBar at which point the pressure will rise significantly up to ± 25 mBar. This value has exceeded the limit of the crankcase pressure protection setting which is 5.57 mBar causing the engine to trip.