Cylinder pressure sensors for controlling and monitoring large engines

In all areas of application for large engines – marine propulsion, power generation, rail transportation and gas compression – reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most important development goal. At the same time, digitalization and trends such as remote monitoring and predictive maintenance require additional and increasingly accurate operating data.

STW from Kaufbeuren, Germany, a specialist in automation components, has developed the SMX.pt-ea1 cylinder pressure sensors for this purpose.  They are suitable for use in fast, medium and slow-running large engines in the power range up to over 80 MW, whether diesel, gas or dual-fuel technology.

The sensors are either permanently installed or used with portable single and multi-cylinder meters for periodic measurements. When permanently installed, the sensors provide continuous data for advanced combustion quality control, monitoring and diagnostic functions, enabling fuel flexibility (multi-fuel). This allows the entire combustion process to be optimized to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions. To protect the engine and reduce wear and fuel consumption, the sensors can be used to adjust cylinder power for smoother, more economical engine operation.

The SMX.pt-ea1 sensors are equipped with STW’s own measuring cells based on thin-film technology. These cells are characterized by their robustness, precision and long-term stability. Accordingly, the cylinder pressure sensors are suitable for a pressure measuring range of up to 300 bar and a temperature range of up to 400 °C at the diaphragm. With IP67 protection and an extremely robust connection cable between sensor and electronics, the sensors are suitable for demanding applications.

The cut-off frequency is 40 kHz and the signal processing rate is 128 ksps. At the same time, the SMX.pt-ea1 consumes less than 1 W of power. As with all STW components, the cylinder pressure sensors can be customized. Standard versions are available with M10x1 or M14x1.25 external threads.

As is typical for STW automation and sensor components, the SMX.pt-ea1 also supports intuitive configuration, application programming and diagnostics via the open source software platform openSYDE. The newly developed cylinder pressure sensors provide engine manufacturers and users with the right tools for future-proof combustion management of the latest large engines with multi-fuel support.