Large Diesels Of The World, 10,000 Diesel Horsepower From MTU

MTU 4000 Big Diesel-1

In our constant search for larger and more power diesel engines to tell you about, we’ve run across some pretty huge power builders so far. Often they are engines built for uses in power generating stations and designed to supply huge amounts of electricity to entire cities or counties. Other times we have featured massive diesel engines used to move the largest of container ships across the oceans at breakneck speed. Some of the engines are so large that they dwarf the men who work on them.

Today, we present a set of diesel engines from MTU, one of the world’s-leading manufacturers of diesel engines and propulsion systems for ships, and heavy land, rail, and defense vehicles. Four of the MTU 4000 Series four-stroke diesel engines power the Sikuliaq, an ice breaker that was specifically engineered and constructed for oceanographic research. The 261-foot double-hulled Sikuliaq can operate year-round, and is capable of breaking ice almost three-feet feet thick, making it uniquely equipped for polar and sub-polar research.

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Two of these powerful diesels are MTU 16V 4000 M23S marine generator engines. The other two are MTU 12V 4000 M23S marine generator engines. All four continuous-rated diesel engines have a maximum rpm of 2,100 rpm and provide on-board power generation for all ship systems and electric propulsion motors. To supply emergency power, an MTU Series 60 marine generator set stands ready.

“The Series 4000 engine was chosen for the Sikuliaq as it delivers low fuel consumption, low heat rejection, and low noise levels which is essential on research vessel application,” said Andrew Boyer, marine sales manager, MTU America Inc. “Being selected to power the world’s most advanced academic research vessel further solidifies MTU’s ability to meet the most demanding operational criteria in the marine industry.”

Room Full Of Horsepower

The two MTU 16V 4000 M23S diesels are a 16-cylinder V-configuration engine with a bore of 6.7 inches and a stroke of 8.3 inches. Their displacement measure out at 4,656 cubic inches. That’s about eight times the size of the 6.7L diesel engine that you find in the 2015 Ford Super Duty Power Stroke diesel pickup trucks. The MTU 16V 4000 M23S diesel engine devours 119.5 gallons of fuel every hour–imagine having to pay for that! It is about 128 inches long, is about 62 inches wide, and stands nearly 94 high. That’s about the size of a Ford Crown Vic’, but it weighs 19,841 pounds and puts out a healthy 2,467 hp.

MTU 12V4000 C&IThe MTU 12V 4000 M23S diesel engines, of which the Sikuliaq has two, are not a whole lot smaller than the beastly MTU 16V 4000 M23S engines. Each MTU 12V 4000 M23S has the same bore and stroke as the MTU 16V 4000 M23S, but is a 12-cylinder V-configuration, so its lose of two cylinders by comparison brings it down to a total displacement of 3,491 cubic inches and a peak power output of 1,851 hp. The MTU 12V 4000 M23S weighs in at only 7,640 pounds, is the same width and height as the MTU 16V 4000 M23S, but is about 20 inches shorter. It gobbles down just 90.1 gallons of fuel in an hour.

Internals are identical, except for the the size of some parts. The oiling system consists of a gear driven pump, non switchable oil filter, centrifugal lube oil heat exchanger, a pump for lube oil extraction, and a lube oil priming system. It’s a closed crankcase ventilation system.

Fuel delivery is no less complex, with a duplex lube fuel filter with diverter valve, L’Orange fuel delivery pump, L’Orange high-pressure common-rail fuel injection system (maximum pressure on the MTU 4000 Series engines is 2,200 bar), pressure accumulator and L’Orange electronic fuel injection system with cylinder cutout system, jacketed high-pressure fuel lines, flame-proof hose lines, leak-off fuel tank monitoring, and a fuel pre-filter with a water separator.

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The cooling system is made up of a coolant-to-raw water plate core heat exchanger, self priming centrifugal raw water pump, engine-mounted coolant expansion tank, and a gear driven coolant circulation pump. Water-cooled charge air manifolds, an engine-coolant temperature-controlled intercooler, sequential turbocharging with two water-cooled turbochargers, and on-engine seawater-resistant air filters make up the combustion-air system. A set of triple-walled, liquid-cooled, on-engine exhaust manifolds, and a 30-degree elbow and exhaust bellows carry spent fuel gases away.

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The MTU 4000 Series has been around for about 15 years and serves a multitude of industry’s in almost an infinite number of varieties. Nearly all are different, as each is specifically matched to its specific purpose. As shipboard engines, these run a dual-circuit cooling system that utilizes the water the ship is moving through to cool the engines; and because marine certification regulations stipulate that the surface temperature of the engine never exceed 220 degrees Centigrade, high-temperature components of the MTU Series 4000 engines are double-walled.

MTU’s 4000 Series engines offer big power in terms of volume-to-power and power-to-weight ratio. They are engineered for a low operating noise level, and designed to offer superior performance, with exceptional fuel efficiency (for an engine of this size). The vessel’s four Series 4000 M23S engines were built into marine generator packages by Midwest-based MTU distributor, Inland Power Group.

It’s too bad there weren’t any videos of these massive diesel power plants running, it would have been amazing to hear them roar as they powered up inside the Sikuliaq’s engine room. For now, we’ll just have to check out the photos, and use our imagination to understand what 10,000 hp might sound like in one room. For more explorations into the world’s largest diesel engines, and all there is to see and know about diesel powerplants of any size or application, stay tuned to Diesel Army!

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About the author

Stuart Bourdon

A passion for anything automotive (especially off-road vehicles), camping, and photography led to a life exploring the mountains and deserts of the Southwest and Baja, and a career in automotive, outdoor, and RV journalism.
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