NYK Line said two affiliates have invented a new control device that is expected to save fuel and reduce the burden on the main engine.
NYK said Monohakobi Technology Institute and Nabtesco Corporation have invented the new governors, which will initially be deployed on nine of its ships, with more to follow.
The Japanese carrier said conventional governors frequently adjust the fuel injection volume to maintain consistency in the number of rotations of the main engine. They do this by detecting differences in the actual number of rotations of the engine from the initially set number. They thus stabilize the speed of the vessel in constantly changing seas.
But the company said during fuel injection adjustments, propeller rotations also change and excessive amounts of fuel are supplied and used.
"In other words, conventional governors cause an effect similar to stepping too hard on the gas pedal of an automobile," NYK explained.
NYK said its new governor will slow down the movements when they adjust fuel injection, and create fuel savings in the range of 0.5 percent to 2 percent, when compared with conventional governors. The more rough the seas, the greater the fuel savings, the carrier said.
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