World's Largest Engine: Finland's 2,300 Ton Wärtsilä RT-flex96C

For those of you who have read my other articles, you will know that I am a big fan of diesel engines, particularly in their tolerance for experimentation and for burning biodiesel as a transition fuel.

I ran across this gem of an engine that I had to share for the benefit of other gear heads and automotive power-mongers.

BALL-BUSTING POWER

Imagine a huffin'-n-pawin' big-horn steer standing in a field about 6 feet away from you, and you had no fence to hide behind. A nightmare in the making, right!? But then it turns out "Ol' Huffy" decides to turn tail, put on a oxen's yoke and plow the field for you because you wanted him to.

That's what this beefy engine is like. It works for people.

We're talking huge - REALLY HUGE

It's a Wärtsilä RT-flex96C, and is the world's largest internal combustion engine. Designed to push some of the world's largest cargo ships like the Emma Mærsk, this baby is BIG. It's a diesel, and it will swat your Cummins turbo diesel like a flea.

It comes with anywhere between 6 and 14 cylinders. A 14-banger behemoth weighs in at only 2,300 tons. You don't want to use an old worn-out cylinder head from one of these as a paperweight / ashtray, because that sucker will be nearly a yard wide and may weigh several tons apiece.

Okay, assuming 14 cylinders, let's get to the straight poop on specs without mincing words:

- Designed in Finland, made in Korea

- Two-stroke diesel engine runs most efficiently at 102 RPM

- Delivers about 108,920 horses (equal to 82 million watts of electricity)

- Almost 2 yards of stroke travel.

- 5,608,312 foot-pounds of torque

- 89 feet long

- 44 feet high

- Looks cool, runs hot.

WHY IS THIS SO COOL?

Aside from just looking as good as a plate of beef with steaming hot potatoes after a tough day at the stone quarry, this engine is cool for at least two other chunky reasons.

Runs at more than 50% thermal efficiency

What does this mean? An internal combustion engine (like that one in your car) works off of heat. The heat it creates expands gases which push a piston, and this energy in turn gets delivered to your car's drive train and makes you move down the road to the corner grocery. BUT, you car's engine loses upwards of 75% of this heat in doing so. 75% of those hot horses under your hood are lost as exhaust gas and otherwise dissipated heat. Not very efficient.

Less toxic emissions

On the other hand, the Wärtsilä RT-flex96C loses less than half of those horses, coming in at more than 50% thermal efficiency. In turn it emits fewer exhaust carbons per gallon burnt, making for an overall more eco-friendly engine.

JUNIOR! STOP SALIVATING - AND SAVE SOME ROOM FOR MORE

I hope to share more cool stuff as it comes up. In the meantime, have fun!