The new generation of the 12-cylinder mtu Series 1600 Gx1 diesel engine sets the standard in terms of performance, flexibility, life-cycle costs and lower carbon performance. “With this new generation of diesel engines in the power range up to nearly 1 000 kilowatts, we are continuing to invest in our mtu engine portfolio and offer our customers worldwide cutting-edge technology for reliable and sustainable stationary power generation in critical applications,” said Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce’s business unit Power Systems. Rolls-Royce recently presented its new strategic framework in which the focus on market-leading propulsion and energy solutions with higher performance and largely developed and produced in-house is a key component.
The new 12-cylinder mtu Series 1600 Gx1 diesel engine sets a new standard for power generation in critical applications and standalone microgrids.
Suitable for power generation in critical applications such as data centres, airports and hospitals, the new Series 1600 also serves well as a component for power plants in regions without a connection to the public grid, such as remote construction sites or mines. In combination with renewable energies and battery storage, its low-load capability makes it a reliable and robust power generator in self-sufficient microgrids.
“This is a benchmark product in its class. It enables us to offer our customers maximum performance and efficiency for their energy supply,” said Tobias Ostermaier, President of the Stationary Power Solutions division at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
Highest power density in its performance class
Rolls-Royce has increased engine performance by up to 49% compared to the previous model. As a result, the 12V1600 Gx1 offers the highest power density in its power class and outstanding load acceptance, as well as robustness and reliability. To achieve this, displacement has been increased, a new turbocharger system has been used and the injection system has been renewed. The engines deliver full power even at high ambient temperatures, high humidity and under difficult environmental conditions.
Reducing the CO2 footprint
All Series 1600 mtu engines are released for use with synthetic diesel fuels in accordance with the EN15940 standard, including renewable diesel fuel or HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil). The use of drop-in renewable diesel can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% (depending on the production process and source material) compared to fossil diesel.
Serving various applications
Covering an extended power range of 680 to 900 kW electrical output, the 12V1600 60 Hz genset became available at the end of 2023. By January 2024, Rolls-Royce had already received orders for 22 mtu Series 1600 gensets for various emergency standby applications in North America, including residential and recreational applications, as well as for a police department and a wastewater treatment plant.
The 50 Hz version of the gensets with an electrical output of 600 to 800 kWe (750 to 1 000 kVA) will follow soon. In addition, the 50 Hz and 60 Hz engines in a power range from 660 to 996 kW mechanical output will be sold to independent OEMs for integration into their own genset designs.
For demanding data centres, all new mtu Series 1600 engines meet the requirements of Performance Class G3 and exceed the requirements of ISO 8528 Power Ratings for Emergency Standby Power (ESP) and Prime Power (PRP) with industry-leading load factors of up to 100%. In addition, the engines and gensets meet the stringent resilience requirements for Tier III and Tier IV data centres, making them an attractive solution for smaller data centres in the fast-growing edge data centre market.
Economical overhaul solution
Rolls-Royce has also developed a new overhaul solution for the existing 10V and 12V mtu Series 1600 engines that extends an engine’s service life by up to 6 000 operating hours at a lower cost and offers the same level of safety as conventional offerings. With this solution, there is no need to remove and reinstall the engine, only to replace certain components, and downtime is minimal.
For more information visit: https://www.mtu-solutions.com/trmea/en.html
