The largest reciprocating engine in the world stands taller than a four-story building. The RT-flex96C is a 14-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine designed by the Finnish manufacturer Wärtsilä that produces just over 107,390 HP.
It is designed for large container ships that run on heavy fuel oil. It is 44 feet tall, 87 feet long and weighs over 2,300 tonnes. Wärtsilä RT-flex96C engine was installed Emma Mærsk, a cargo ship that can carry 11,000 20-foot shipping containers at a breakneck speed of 31 knots, 55% faster than other ships in its class.
The design uses common rail technology instead of traditional camshaft, chain gear, fuel pumps and hydraulic actuators. All this provides the maximum performance at low revolutions per minute (rpm), lower fuel consumption and lowest emissions. Each of the 14 cylinders devours 6.5 ounces of diesel in one cycle that produces 5700 kW of energy. That might sound like a lot, but the engine is actually highly efficient and one of the least polluting of its kind. Watch how it was built.
Configuration: Turbocharged two-stroke diesel 14 cylinders
Bore: 37.75 inch (960 mm)
Stroke: 8.4 feet (2,500 mm)
Displacement: 111,063 CI (1,820 litres) per cylinder
Engine Max speed: 102 RPM
Mean piston speed: 8.5 meters per second
Power: Up to 5,720 kW per cylinder, 34,320–80,080 kW (46,680–108,920 BHP) total
Torque: 5,608,310 lbf·ft) @ 102 rpm
Mass of fuel injected per cylinder per cycle: ~160 g (about 6.5 ounces) @ full load(Whole motor uses up to 250 tons of fuel per day.)
Crankshaft weight: 300 tons
Piston weight: 5.5 tons
Piston Height: 20 feet