Total Fuel management - AIM OF THE TFM SERVICE
Over 80% of the Bunker Heavy Fuels in the world have poor ignition and combustion properties. This is mainly because the bunker fuel needs lighter fractions (which are more expensive) in order to improve ignition and combustion properties.
Since the calorific values of all grades of bunker fuels vary very little(less than 2%), the focus has to be on improving ignition and combustion. It is possible to test the fuel completely including identification of contaminants and then manipulate the mechanical parameters of the fuel in the engine.
Total Fuel Management (TFM) is an attempt to mitigate the effects of poor ignition and combustion properties and to extract maximum thermal energy from the fuel and convert it into useful work. Viswa Lab introduced this concept in 2001 and major shipping companies have contracted their vessels under this program and have reaped the benefit of 2% to 4% in fuel economy.
TFM is mainly a manipulation of the engine controls to improve the engine performance. A deep understanding of the constituents of the fuel and the functioning of the marine diesel engine is the basis of this manipulation. Viswa Lab carries out very detailed analysis of the fuel to gain a complete knowledge of the fuel that enters the engine.
It will then obtain complete engine current performance data from the ship, and communicate with the engineers on the ship to carry out small but significant changes in controls. The benefits of the manipulations can be seen within one hour.
The specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC) comes down by 2 to 4%. The engines will continue to run under the new settings till that fuel is consumed. The only investment is the knowledge of the fuel and how a diesel engine functions.
Creative Ideas and R&D
Viswa Lab believes that when customers suffer fuel-related problems, they should be provided with all possible assistance. With this objective in view, Viswa Lab is equipped with state of the art instruments to identify and quantify contaminants and adulterants in fuel as well as to determine in-depth Ignition & Combustion properties of the fuel. All fuel problems are also connected to lubes, cylinder oils, material properties of the machinery, etc. In order that the customer with a problem finds a complete solution under one roof, Viswa Lab provides the following services.
Bunker fuel oil analysis. | |
Lube oil analysis. |
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Tribology and particle morphology studies. | |
Ignition & Combustion studies (Fuel Tech instrument). | |
Under piston cylinder oil drain analysis | |
Material Failure analysis | |
Bunker Quantity Surveys in major ports. | |
Special packages of services. | |
Total Fuel Management . | |
Support for Bunker dispute and bunker claims. | |
R&D in marine fuels and marine diesel engines. |
Special Package of Services
Since 1991, Viswa Lab has established itself as a problem solving lab specializing in Total Fuel Management (TFM). Major shipping companies who use fuel testing services of competitors still send all their problem fuels to Viswa Lab for detailed investigation. As a part of this, we offer six packages:
BUNKER FUELS – IDENTIFYING AND QUANTIFYING CONTAMINANTS / ADULTERANTS
– Nine (9) specialized non-standard investigations using state of the art instrumentation offered through Viswa Lab.
ASSET PROTECTION
through CBM (Condition Based Maintenance program)
CONDITION MONITORING
(for asset protection, meeting classification requirements)
QUANTIFICATION OF FUEL QUALITY AND FUEL WORTH TO HELP WITH FUEL PURCHASE
(A proprietary fuel quality indexing services consisting of Engine Friendliness Number and True Worth Index – published in Bunkerworld.com, well-known published data in proprietary to Viswa Lab)
MONITORING AND MANIPULATION OF MACHINERY PERFORMANCE
(Optimizing fuel consumption using continuous performance monitoring with each fuel bunkered)
ENERGY MANAGEMENT:
Energy Audits, Energy Advisory Services.Viswa Lab has labs in Houston and Singapore. Together, both labs facilitate service to customers on either ends of the globe. Customer satisfaction, quality, speed of service and economical rates, are the primary driving principles of Viswa Lab . Commitment to technical excellence and state-of-the-art technology continue to define the image of Viswa Lab .
Viswa Lab consists of a dynamic, entrepreneurial team of scientists, engineers, and support professionals with a long-standing reputation for technical excellence in the field of Fuel oils, Lubes, Hydraulic oils, Environmental analysis, NDE, and Failure Analysis.
Viswa Lab has been testing fuels since 1991. During this period petroleum products and engineering materials have been tested by VL using the latest instruments and to the highest level of quality and accuracy. Innumerable failure analysis studies have been carried out by VL to determine the cause of material failure and fuel related failure.
Viswa Lab has created a niche position for itself with a one stop shop concept of chemical testing, mechanical testing, destructive testing, non-destructive testing to determine the cause of a failure or the prognosis of a machinery related problem. The fuel buyer will not have to go to different places to get all aspects of a failure analyzed.
Dr. Vis, whose name the lab carries, is a Phd. In Metallurgical Engineering, a Masters in Internal Combustion Engineering and a Bachelors in Marine Engineering. He has worked as Chief Engineer on ships, Senior Surveyor to the classification society American Bureau of Shipping.
Since 1991, he has been associated with the materials evaluation activity of metals, composites and petroleum products. It is this unique combination of all three facets that has propelled him as one of the top experts in this field.
The lab is ably supported by other Phd's, Masters and Bachelor degree holders in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Due to Viswa Lab's association with NASA, the continuous contact with the cutting edge of technology is assured.