Frydenbø and Equinor have together enhanced the safety of lifeboats

Bilde 16.01.2025 klokken 08.58

From 2012 to 2020, Frydenbø and Equinor conducted an extensive collaboration to improve the safety, performance, and reliability of the engines in lifeboats on offshore installations. The main focus was to identify the causes of the technical challenges that were discovered and to implement effective measures to enhance the integrity and propulsion characteristics of the lifeboats without having to launch them at sea.

The Challenge

Reduced engine performance and risk of breakdown. During the period 2010-2011, an offshore installation experienced several challenges with Sabb Lister L4T engines, including starting problems, reduced bollard pull, and other engine failures. In collaboration with Equinor (then Statoil), Frydenbø conducted systematic tests in marine environments through 2012-13, where several years of typical maintenance testing (engine at idle) were recreated in an accelerated test under controlled conditions. The condition development in this test showed the same as real, negative findings on this engine type in lifeboats. The engine was then tested with load in the same maritime environment. The results showed that the engines needed at least 50% load and to operate for 15 minutes at this load (in a total 25-minute test) to avoid deterioration of performance and engine condition. Equinor also conducted bollard pull testing on lifeboats that had undergone the same maintenance testing at idle / without engine load, on offshore installations over several years, where reduced bollard pull was measured/documented. Inspections and tests revealed that routine testing without load, combined with the use of unsuitable diesel type, resulted in significant damage such as:

Sooted engine and stuck turbocharger.
Corrosion on components.
Seized injection parts like pumps and injectors.
Reduced engine power (up to 25%).

Copyright: Equinor

Main Findings from Systematic Testing

In connection with inspections and testing of lifeboat engines, several critical issues were identified on the first three engines examined.

The main findings included:

Seized wastegates in turbochargers (will not open at high turbo pressure / can damage the engine).
Poor or lacking movement in injection equipment and throttle mechanisms, affecting fuel injection and engine response/effect.
Variable external condition of injectors, which did not necessarily reflect potentially poor internal condition due to "IDID" (Internal Diesel Injector Deposits).
Deteriorated engine condition; Corrosion, scoring, polishing, and wear in cylinder liners, indicating unfit maintenance routines (no load capability).
Lack of engine power, which reduced the reliability and performance of the engines during emergencies.

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As a result of these findings, extensive corrective measures were implemented in the summer and fall of 2013, where a total of 15 engines on Statoil's lifeboats were inspected and improved.

The measures included:

Replacement of turbochargers including the wastegate. Replacement of injectors, diesel pumps, and exhaust parts to ensure proper fuel injection and efficient combustion.
Replacement of thermostats for better temperature regulation and operational reliability.
These measures helped restore the functionality of the engines and laid the foundation for improved maintenance and testing procedures in the future.

Further Condition Assessment

A dedicated Statoil/Equinor TaskForce was established in 2017/18, where condition assessments—based on the Lister L4T issues—were conducted on approximately 20 lifeboats with the engine most commonly used. The results generally showed the same type of findings as for the Sabb Lister L4T, but with varying degrees of severity.

This was followed up in 2019/20 with an expanded Taskforce, where most of Statoil/Equinor's remaining lifeboats underwent a program with three main objectives: de-sooting of the exhaust system (using a newly developed dry ice method) to prevent "chimney fires," condition control of the engine/exhaust system, and identifying the need for an engine brake to ensure good and lasting engine condition. The results revealed both necessary engine measures (overhauls/replacements) and the need for an engine brake. Statoil/Equinor also issued a Safety alert for potential external use/to other operators, informing them of the issue related to cold testing of lifeboat engines along with a recommendation on how to reduce engine soot buildup. Furthermore, a working group was established, which, together with Frydenbø, developed a permanent solution to ensure the operational safety of the lifeboat engines.

Solution to the Problem

In collaboration with Equinor, Frydenbø developed the Dyno Engine Brake to ensure proper load during routine tests.

This measure—along with a switch to a better diesel type with a premium additive package—minimizes the risk of soot and oil formation, seized components, and corrosion, while maintaining engine power.

The engine brake has been continuously installed in lifeboats since 2020, and its effectiveness and beneficial impact on engine condition have been confirmed through routine testing and maintenance inspections, where Equinor has collaborated with and utilized Frydenbø in this work.

How the Dyno Engine Brake from Frydenbø Works

The Dyno Engine Brake, developed by Frydenbø, is a system that ensures a real load on the engine during testing. This improves the combustion process and prevents undesirable soot buildup, oil residues, and sluggishness in the fuel system. It also ensures that any initial cylinder corrosion (due to salty/humid sea air and exhaust/condensation) is minimized/removed through 14-day routine testing with the engine brake.

Principle and Function:

Activation: The engine brake is activated before testing, and the load can be adjusted from 0 to 50–100% of the engine's capacity.
Hydraulic Technology: The system includes a connected hydraulic pump that is throttled at the outlet. This resistance "demands" power from the engine, which is then converted into heat.
Heat Management: The produced heat is directed to an external cooling water system during the test, ensuring effective cooling.

Benefits and Results:

Realistic load: The engine is operated to conditions that mimic real duty, without having to launch the lifeboat, while still ensuring performance and proper functioning of the components.
Efficient combustion: Applying load during testing provides a cleaner combustion process, minimizing the risk of soot buildup and oil/diesel residues in the exhaust system.
Initial cylinder corrosion (due to salty/humid sea air and corrosive exhaust/condensation) is also minimized/removed through 14-day routine testing with the engine brake.
Mechanical sluggishness is prevented by load changes during testing, maintaining good/movable function in the throttle system, cables, and diesel pumps.
Continuous testing/documentation of integrity: In the new preventive maintenance test (approximately 30 minutes), test parameters are continuously logged for control and documentation of correct engine performance and engine brake function.

From 2021, the "NORSOK regulation S-001:2020+AC:2021": The Lifeboats shall be equipped with an engine that can be run at high speed (rpm) and load when stowed in the davit to prevent soot and coke build-up”

Technology Qualification and Implementation:

In collaboration with Equinor, Frydenbø has conducted technology qualification tests (TQP) for different engine types and sizes/models of the Dyno Engine Brake. More than 80% of Equinor's lifeboat engines are supplied by Frydenbø, and the Dyno Engine Brake is crucial for ensuring operational safety and good engine condition on board.

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Results

Implementation of engine brake: More than 100 Dyno Engine Brakes have already been installed at Equinor´s lifeboats.
Improved safety: The lifeboat engines can now maintain full engine power.
Correct engine performance is monitored through regular maintenance tests with the engine brake. This ensures that lifeboats, as a means of rescue, will function as intended in the event of an emergency evacuation from the installation.
Long-term maintenance: Regular inspections and the use of the engine brake have ensured that the engine power is maintained and has reduced maintenance costs.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Frydenbø and Equinor has set a new standard for the maintenance and testing of lifeboat engines, resulting in significant improvements in both safety and performance. This partnership has not only focused on solving existing problems but also on developing innovative solutions to prevent future challenges. The Dyno Engine Brake has proven to be a necessary solution to ensure the reliability, safety, and longevity of lifeboat engines. This technology has changed the way engines are tested and maintained by providing a realistic load that mimics actual operating conditions. This ensures that the engines are always in optimal condition, which is critical for guaranteeing safe evacuation in emergencies.

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