IMES NEWS

September 2020

New cylinder pressure sensor generation with extremely robustness for new thermodynamic control concepts on high efficient marine gas engines

The development of modern gas engines is closely related to the measurement and processing of the cylinder pressure, thus with the development of cylinder pressure sensors itself.
At first, cylinder pressure sensors have been used within gas engines management to detect the peak pressure and the detection of knocking and misfiring. The primary goal was to balance the different cylinders and thus to get a smooth engine run.

During the last 5-10 years the development of gas engines reached operating ranges, where now the knowledge of the combustion process of every cylinder in real-time is strictly needed. Moreover, the trend to higher indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) for gas engines in the broad range of 100... 1800 rpm comes along with additional challenges to the cylinder pressure sensors. Beside the IMEP, also the Heat Release Rate (HRR), Mass Fraction Burned (MFB) as well as other specific thermodynamic values gain more and more importance for gas engine control, even for serial applications.

Other requirements from engine manufacturer regarding the robustness of cylinder pressure sensors are also getting more challenging. Some examples here are (regular) peak pressures of up to 300 bar, high vibration load, shocks up to 1000g and maximum speed of pressure change of up to 1.000 bar/ms.

IMES as a leading manufacturer of cylinder pressure sensors has developed its new cylinder pressure sensor generation type HTT-06CA and CPS-03CA incl. IP69 protection class to fulfil the engine manufacturer requirements for application on new high efficiency gas engines. The new sensors are extremely robust and fulfil the demand of high accuracy with low dynamic- and static zero drift. The sensor membrane can withstand static pressure up to 800 bar and has a natural frequency range of 80 - 100 kHz.

Basic of the sensor is the high temperature strain gauge thin film measuring element based on TION (Titanium oxynitride) which is designed for very good temperature stability. The measuring elements of the new cylinder pressure sensor generation are located in the front of the sensor thread (M10x1 and M14x1,25). A new connection method for temperature up 400 °C incl. withstanding high shock levels was developed and successful tested on laboratory equipment and on test engines.

For application on pressure controlled high efficiency gas engines it is necessary to have a good long-life stability and a good accuracy of sensor for thermodynamic calculations. At the Paul-Scherrer-Institut in Switzerland (LCC) comparison between IMES CPS-03CA sensor and high accuracy piezoelectric type sensor were done in June 2020 on a Wärtsilä 6L20DF engine. The thermodynamic comparison @ 18 bar IMEP showed to the reference sensor deviation of 0,4 bar in Pmax and 0,5bar IMEP.

One of the outstanding capabilities of the IMES new sensor is its long-term stability with constant measuring characteristics.The sensor shall withstand operating life time of 20'000 hours in gas, diesel and dual fuel 4-Stroke engines with a power range equal to or bigger than 100 kW/cylinder. The life-time of the pressure sensor depends typically on the service interval which is 16,000 to 20,000 h running hours which correspondents to an operation time of 2-5 years. Together with the IMES “Check-box” the operator can check with a static pressure device actual span- and offset condition of installed cylinder pressure sensor via serial interface of sensor electronic.

The long-time operation tests were done on MV “BIT Viking” on two Wärtsilä 6L50DF engines. During the long-term operation the sensors were taken off from the engine after 6.000 h and sent back to IMES for checking the original calibration data. The span and offset of each sensor were measured over the full temperature range. The experienced drifts in span and offset were minor, which is very important fort the use on control loops on engines.

HTT-06CA and CPS-03CA received DNV-GL marine type approval. Further marine type approvals are in preparation.

IMES as one of the leading manufacturer of cylinder pressure sensors shows, which solution can be provided to the different faced challenges, the impact of alternative fuels and engine designs as well as miniaturization of the sensors for low cylinder power of only 50 kW/cylinder as well as competitive costs need for serial applications in gas engines.

 

April 2020

IMES expands company building

IMES GmbH, the specialist for cylinder pressure sensors and combustion control systems, is investing in an extension of the existing building. Ground-breaking was in March 2020.

The annexe has an area of 750 m². As IMES wants to conduct further production stages in-house and to improve quality management, the production area will be extended by 350 m². The remaining area is exclusively for the development department.

Over the past years IMES expands its market position by continuous development of cylinder pressure sensors and combustion control systems according to their customers’ requirements. So the new membrane pressure sensor for the engine- and plastics industry will be also manufactured in the new building.

IMES intends to create 15 new jobs.

The total investment costs for the new building inclusive new production facilities amounts to 1,5 million Euro. In Autumn 2020 the construction of the building will be finished.

 

November 2019

Bavarian Export Award 2019 – IMES among Top 3

Every year in November the Bavarian ministry of economic awards a price to medium-sized enterprises with up to 100 employees in the categories industry, trade, craft, service and pleasure. The ministry dignifies companies that opened new markets and convinced with outstanding entrepreneurial performance, a successful export development and innovativeness.
This year IMES is among the top 3 companies in the category industry.

 

November 2019

Marine diesels working cycle monitoring on the base of IMES GmbH pressure sensors data

This paper was presented by R. A. Varbanets at MARTECH in Lisbon in 2018.
 

April 2019

Extremely robust cylinder pressure sensor for thermodynamic control concepts on high efficient gas engine

The IMES GmbH has been developing a new type of very robust cylinder pressure sensor. Stefan Neumann, CEO of IMES will present the high robust sensor (HRS) during CIMAC congress on 11th June 2019.

The developments of new 2- and 4-stroke gas engines are increasingly penetrating into operating areas which require a very precise knowledge of the current state of the combustion process in each cylinder for reliable control and monitoring concepts. The closed loop combustion control (CLCC) has become established in a new generation of gas engines and enables a very high engine efficiency even by using various types of fuel.

Due to the trend to higher indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) on small, medium and large gas engines with speed ranges of 100…1800 rpm, the required cylinder pressure sensors are subject to increasing operating- and environmental conditions.

Thus a new era for extremely robust and high accurate cylinder pressure sensors with long-term stability has started.

A new type of sensor with front membrane and M10 or rather M14 thread has been developed. This sensor is extremely robust and fulfils the demand of high accuracy with low dynamic- and static zero drift.

The sensor transmits the pressure via a special designed measuring spring. Areas with equal tensile- and compressive strength are created on the measuring surface, which is a part of the measuring spring. As the measuring surface is subject to deformations a resistor bridge in high temperature thin film technology is applied on it. Depending on the amount of strain a voltage signal will be measured proportional to the pressure change.

Because of its particular construction the measuring spring is resistant to abnormal combustion with extremely high pressure rise up to 1000 bar/ms and at the same time it achieves a high thermodynamic accuracy for engine control purposes. It is designed for >109 load cycles.

A special developed high temperature resistant ceramic for up to 400°C provides the basis for the electrical connection of the sensor. The resistance structure of the measuring spring and the ceramic pads are connected by wire bonding, as a result the electrical connection withstands temperatures of more than 350°C.

The very good thermodynamic characteristics of the sensor enable cylinder pressure measurements of high precision and this makes it perfectly suitable for engine control. Thermodynamic evaluations on a single cylinder test engine in comparison to a water-cooled piezoelectric reference sensor have confirmed its accuracy. Measurements of 18 bar IMEP @ 1500 rpm have a PMI deviation of 0.5 bar in comparison to the reference.

The performance of the sensor has not only been proven by internal thermodynamic tests on the IMES test engine, it has been also successfully tested on dual fuel ship’s engines. Since March 2017 the sensors are installed on the Swedish asphalt carrier BIT VIKING and also on a power barge in the Caribbean on a 6 respectively 18 cylinder Wärtsilä dual-fuel engine. The result of the evaluation after 7,000 continuous operating hours was a span error of < 0.5% in comparison to the original calibration of the sensor.

January 2019

New - Sensor Check-box and HexaSim

IMES launches two new products the IMES Sensor Check-box which is an ideal tool to check all types of IMES cylinder pressure sensors and HexaSim for CCM, a handy simulator for training purposes on CCM.

Sensor Check-box

The new sensor Check-box is an interface device for sensor data evaluation and the successor of our well-known Bif-box.
In conjunction with the hydraulic pressure pump including manometer the check-bock is also suitable for sensor offset- and span evaluation at ambient temperature.
The check-box is available with two types of visualisation software.
The sensor check visualisation software is reading out the sensor running hours on engine as well as maximum pressure and maximum temperature. All data will be displayed in the sensor check report and the measured data of sensor offset – and span will be compared with allowed sensor accuracy.
The sensor data visualisation software only reads out the stored operation data of SCU and pressure @ 0 bar in offline mode and it can be additionally used for sensor checking of Pmax and Tmax during engine operation in online mode.

HexaSim for CCM

HexaSim is a simulator device for our combustion control module CCM and enables the demonstration of all functions of CCM without running an engine. It is an ideal training module for the operational handling of CCM on 2- and 4-stroke engines.
HexaSim is able to simulate engines with up to 12 cylinders and the simulation software simulates different engine conditions.

September 2018

Review SMM in Hamburg 2018

 

This year IMES was exhibiting at SMM in Hamburg for the 11^th time. We could welcome many visitors at our stand that were interested in our wide range of highly developed products.

Of course there was a high interest for our new engine analyser EPM-XP plus, which will be available from January 2019, and also for our combustion control module CCM Marine, which has been proven successfully in the market.

But in the centre of attention was also our new front membrane pressure sensor FPS that is specifically designed for the application on dual-fuel engines.

Nowadays the shipping industry and the engine manufacturers are forced to offer alternative propulsion technology due to strict international climate and environmental standards and regulations. For this reason more and more LNG fuelled vessels with pressure controlled gas engines are in operation. In comparison to a diesel engine, the gas engine produces 90% less NOx and 10% less greenhouse gases without exhaust gas treatment.

A pressure controlled engine operating in an optimal range of performance, is more efficiently and keeps emission and fuel consumption at a low level.

New regulation concepts with new combustion procedures only have a small optimal operating window and therefore the application of accurate, robust and durable cylinder pressure sensors on gas-powered engines is essential.

The cylinder pressure sensors transfer pressure signals to the data acquisition unit that evaluates all specific combustion values on each cylinder. The analysed data can be transmitted via CAN-Bus system to the engine control unit which acts to stabilise engine operation.

Based on the above mentioned complexity we developed a new type of sensor.

The front membrane pressure sensor is available with different thread, FPS-01 with M10x1 thread and FPS-02 with M14x1.25 thread. Both have front membranes that make the sensors immune to sooting, i.e. the build-up of combustion deposit on the sensor membrane will be significantly reduced by changeover from gas- to diesel operation particularly on heavy fuel oil operation. The front membrane of the sensor is in contact with the pressure medium and a force element transmits the pressure to a high temperature thin film measuring element. The signal condition unit (SCU) has the function to transduce the resistance measurement into a standard output signal of 4…20 mA and it is connected with the sensor head by a high temperature cable for up to 200°C. The output signal of FPS is temperature compensated for a measuring range of 0…300 bar with a cut-off frequency of 10 kHz. On demand the signal condition unit is also available for further measuring range and also with voltage output.

Additionally the SCU records all important operating data. The user is able to read out the operating hours and the extreme values of Pmax and Tmax for evaluation on its PC by using a bridge interface box (BIF-box) and the IMES PC software. By using a pressure gauge the user can check accuracy of zero point- and span of the sensor and can compare it with the original calibration data.

Due to the very good thermodynamic characteristics of the FPS sensor, cylinder pressure measurements can be made with high precision (< 1% full scale) and this makes it perfectly suitable for engine control. Thermodynamic evaluations on a single cylinder test engine in comparison to a water-cooled piezoelectric reference sensor have confirmed its accuracy. Measurements of 18 bar IMEP@ 1500 rpm have a PMI deviation of 0.5 bar.

Furthermore FPS convince with its long-term stability and constant sensitivity. Designed for a minimum of 16,000 operating hours it is specifically tested for permanent acquisition and evaluation of cylinder pressure sequences, this enables continuously monitoring and evaluation of the engine performance (24h/day; 360 days/year).

The cylinder pressure sensor FPS transmits a continuous pressure signal for the evaluation of the following functions:

• Knock detection
• Misfire detection during the combustion process
• Determination of start-, end-, duration- and centre of combustion
• Peak pressure control
• IMEP calculation to optimise the combustion process by cylinder output balancing

We developed an own set-up and connection method for our cylinder pressure sensors and all essential production steps are processed in-house on sophisticated laser welding- and wire bonding machines to meet the highest standards. A special developed high temperature resistant ceramic for up to 400°C provides the basis for the electrical connection of the sensor. The measuring element and the ceramic are connected by wire bonding, as a result the electrical connection withstands temperatures of more than 350°C.

Due to our own platform strategy we are able to manufacture all sensor types according to our customers’ requirements. So the front membrane pressure sensor FPS is not only available with M10x1 - or M14x1.25 thread, the customer can also determine length of sensor sleeve, sensor cable and SCU´s with current- or voltage output signal.

Engine manufacturers are required to fulfil numerous international safety standards, Marine Type Approval is a mandatory requirement for voyage and safety critical devices installed on a ship. Naturally IMES had performed all necessary tests for marine certification and has already applied for the most important type approvals.

The performance of the FPS sensors has not only been proven by internal thermodynamic tests on the IMES test engine, it has been also successfully tested on dual fuel ship’s engines.

The comprehensive evaluation of the acquired data and the transmission to the engine control unit ensure an optimal engine performance and reduce the risk of engine damage. The benefit for the shipping companies is significant. In addition to savings regarding engine maintenance and –repair there are enormous savings regarding fuel consumption.

Also the environmental aspect plays an important role. An optimally adjusted engine operates cleaner, this means improved emission values due to NOx and CO₂ reduction which is of great importance to fulfil the different environmental regulations (e.g. IMO TIER III).

March 2018

Testing combustion sensors on a container vessel

We are pleased to inform that IMES has been testing its combustion monitoring system CCM Marine together with its two-stroke combustion sensors type TCS-01CA on board of the container ship Hedda Schulte.

In cooperation with the German shipping company Thomas Schulte Ship Management GmbH the test has been running since 2015.

Now the maritime trade journal Ship&Offshore published a detailed report about the results of the successful test in its actual issue.

 

November 2017

IMES at Europort in Rotterdam 2017
 

From 7th – 10th November 2017 IMES was exhibitor at Europort in Rotterdam, an important international maritime trade show for innovative technology and complex shipbuilding. With more than 1,100 exhibiting companies and more than 30,000 professional visitors it belongs to the world’s leading maritime meeting places.

On our stand we were presenting our wide range of cylinder pressure sensors. Furthermore 2 types of simulators were demonstrating the functions of our new engine analyser EPM-XP ^plus and of our further developed combustion monitoring system CCM Marine directly at our stand.

The engine analyser EPM-XP ^plus is a further development of our successful electronic indicator EPM-XP.

EPM-XP, a battery powered hand held electronic device for periodic monitoring of cylinder pressure on 2- and 4-stroke marine diesel engines, is available since 2008 and was the first electronic indicator that offered automatic Pcomp calculation without TDC pick-up.
More than 2.300 units have been sold worldwide up to now. They convince with their high accuracy, reliability, longevity and cost effectiveness.

EPM-XP ^plus engine analyser offers advanced features to enable an optimised engine performance, e.g.: a higher battery capacity for up to 10 operating hours, short term on-line measurements. The data acquired can be directly transmitted via WiFi or USB to a PC for evaluation on visualisation software. On-line measurements enable to control cylinder pressure permanently and therefore it is easier to diagnose and to fix malfunctions of combustion An App for visualisation on smartphone or tablet is in preparation.

Our combustion monitoring system of CCM Marine is an easy to use plug and play system which enables in real time data acquisition of cylinder pressure on diesel-, gas and dual-fuel engines. Data can be recorded from up to 20 cylinders for closed loop control applications and to diagnose malfunctions or to assist in the setting and optimising of engine parameters e.g. balancing cylinders.

CCM Marine is available for fixed installation and also as a portable system.

The advanced visualisation software offers the possibility of selecting advanced monitoring functions in the following diagrams and reports: Pressure curve diagram, Pmax and Pcomp diagram, Pmax balance, Pressure volume diagram, Engine report

Another important characteristic of CCM Marine is event storing, this means that CCM Marine has a large memory buffer that records combustion data and pressure curves from the latest 40 cycles on 4-stroke engines or rather the latest 80 cycles on 2-stroke engines. This function allows to analyse the data before, during and after a failure. This enables the engine operator to determine the cause of failure and to find possibilities how to prevent it in the future.
 

August 2017

IMES USA announcement
 

IMES, the world’s leading supplier of cylinder pressure sensors for large-bore engines and compressors, is pleased to announce the grand opening of “IMES USA”, IMES’ new US-based company.  
IMES USA demonstrates IMES’ commitment to the North American market, and IMES’ intent to be North America’s leading supplier of cylinder pressure sensors for large-bore engines and reciprocating compressors. IMES USA also offers an electronic engine balancer for large-bore gas engines and an electronic pressure indicator for diesel engines.
 
Dave Morris, who has represented IMES in North America since 2009, is president of IMES USA.
 
Please contact IMES USA at:
276-451-5265
sales@imes-usa.com
www.imes-usa.com
 

June 2017

IMES developed system for advanced engine analysis with permanent engine monitoring

In times where emission regulations continue to tighten, optimised engine performance to reduce NOx and CO2 is of paramount importance.

As a specialist for cylinder pressure measurement, we developed a two-stroke combustion sensor, TCS-01CA, for continuous cylinder pressure measurement on two-stroke diesel engines to enable cylinder balancing and performance evaluation (24h per day / 365 per year).

The sensor is designed for permanent installation on marine diesel engines. It should be installed in a special adaptor between cylinder cover and indicator cock, as this reduces the build-up of combustion deposition at the sensor membrane significantly. We offers these special adaptors for MAN and Wärtsilä engines.

TCS-01CA is a very robust sensor, its closed face makes the sensor immune to sooting. Due to this and due to its very good thermodynamic characteristics cylinder pressure measurements can be made with high precision (< 1% Full scale).

Furthermore the sensor convinces with its outstanding longevity and sensitivity. Since August 2015 IMES' TCS-01CA sensors are installed on the cargo ship Hedda Schulte and even after more than 10,000 operating hours the sensors offer the same high accuracy and reliability.

To use TCS-01CA optimally we offer the sensor also together with our proven combustion monitoring system CCM Marine 2-stroke performance which includes a high speed data acquisition unit for up to 12 cylinder and an advanced visualisation- and performance evaluation software. The function is to require and process in real time data from TCS-01CA continuously and in all speed ranges.

The sophisticated software enables an easy collection, management and comparison of engine performance data. It compares actual ISO corrected measurement with the reference data at any load point. Performance graphs and reports give a quick status of an engine and suggest actions to take for optimising engine performance. This enables extensive savings by reducing fuel and oil consumption as well as engine repairs caused by inadequately adjusted engines. This is not only a financial advantage for the shipping companies, engine manufacturers and generating plant but also a big advantage for our environment as optimal adjusted engines comply to IMO TIER III limitations on NOx and SOx in Emission Control Areas.

February 2017

EPM-XP Combustion Simulator

We are pleased to inform you that IMES designed EPM-XP combustion simulator. This simulator demonstrates all functions of EPM-XP without a running engine.

As well as working with EPM-XP in the field you can choose at the simulator between 2- and 4-stroke engine and you have the possibility to enter different engine data to simulate particular situations, e.g. abnormal measurement at the engine to diagnose wear and tear or to determine ignition point

This simulator is an ideal tool for training purposes. Shipping companies can teach their staff how to work with EPM-XP properly and even marine schools use EPM-XP combustion simulator for training inside the classroom.

For further information please contact sales@imes.de

November 2016

EPM-XP Xmas campaign

This year IMES has a special Xmas campaign for its well-known electronic indicator EPM-XP.

EPM-XP with automatic Pcomp calculation for 2- and 4-stroke engines is available since 2009. More than 2,000 units are in use worldwide. It is a proven product with an excellent track record.

Now we are pleased to offer our electronic indicator EPM-XP at the special price of 1,150.- € if you send us your electronic indicator of the trade mark Premet®, DPI or HLV.

IMES is specialized in electronic measurement, monitoring and testing of cylinder pressure on engines and compressors for more than 20 years. Our sensor types have received Marine Type Approval from all significant international classification societies such as Bureau Veritas, DNV, ABS, GL, Lloyd's Register, Class NK and CCS.

Our sensors, electronic pressure indicators and combustion monitoring systems are in operation on a wide range of diesel, gas and dual-fuel engines, on ships and locomotives and in power and cogeneration plants and pipeline compressor stations all around the world.

We hope we have piqued your interest.

This campaign is valid until 24.12.2016.
For further information please contact sales@imes.de

September 2016

IMES presents EPM-XP ^plus at SMM 2016

During SMM in Hamburg, the most important event in the maritime industry, IMES presented its recent development EPM-XP plus, a further development of the successful electronic indicator EPM-XP.

EPM-XP is a battery-powered hand-held electronic device for periodic monitoring of cylinder pressure on two- and four- stroke diesel engines. It has been available since 2008 and was the first electronic indicator that offered automatic P-comp calculation without TDC pick-up, due to specifically developed mathematical algorithm. More than 2,000 units are in use worldwide. It is characterized by its high accuracy, reliability, longevity and cost-effectiveness.

EPM-XP plus offers additional functions which allow improved engine optimisation. A vibro-acoustic sensor which can optionally be connected to the device provides data for the analysis of abnormal combustion and abnormal valve tuning. All data can be transferred to a tablet, smartphone or laptop via WiFi. A newly developed app enables users to visualize online measurements on the tablet or smartphone. Online measurements are also provided for the laptop via WiFi or USB connection.  IMES has also increased the battery capacity to 10 hours of operating time.

By analysing cylinder pressure and vibro-acoustic measurements an extensive engine diagnosis is possible, which is very important with regard to engine power, repairs, efficiency, cost savings and environmental protection.

EPM-XP ^plus will be available in I. quarter 2017.

Another highlight at SMM was IMES’ CCM Marine.

CCM is a combustion monitoring system which enables in real time data acquisition of cylinder pressure on engines. Data can be recorded from up to 20 cylinders for closed loop control applications and to diagnose malfunctions or to assist in the setting and optimising of engine parameters e.g. balancing cylinder.

IMES offers fixed and portable CCM systems for diesel and gas engines. In the heart of both systems is a specifically developed hardware module which enables to acquire and process real time data from cylinder pressure sensors on spark ignited and dual fuel gas engines. Every combustion cycle will be evaluated on every cylinder. It is designed for cylinder balancing and to detect knock and misfire.

IMES is pleased to offer all necessary components for optimal combustion controlled engines from one hand. The combination of our CCM modules plus our reliable cylinder pressure sensors and our specifically developed software allow an easy and accurate adjustment of the engine to improve combustion and NOx emissions.

February 2016

Extension of existing building provides state-of-the- art production facilities

Cylinder pressure sensor specialist IMES based in Kaufbeuren in Germany is a continuous growing company selling its innovative products worldwide.

In 2015 IMES improved its sensors by using a new setup and connection technology to make them more robust and resistant against increasing temperature- and vibration level for application on high efficiency engines. Furthermore IMES developed for its sensors a modular system in order to comply with specific customer requirements and to achieve shorter delivery times.

These significant innovations as well as the development of a new multi-channel measuring system demand enhanced production facilities. Therefore IMES is now investing in an extension of the existing building. Ground-breaking was in November 2015.

The new building will be completed in June 2016 and it will accommodate a new production area equipped with high technology testing instruments and also a new cafeteria, as this extension requires more qualified employees of course. The overall cost including new machinery and equipment sum up.

Electronic Pressure Indicator
Combustion Monitoring System
Combustion Control Module