Hyundai?s first Himsen engines

Hyundai Heavy Industries has initiated full-scale production of its first ever own-designed engine. The result of a ten-year $31m R&D programme, the first batch of the new compact class of medium-speed Himsen H21/32 diesel gensets is expected to roll off the production line by the end of this month (September). The engine builder says demand for the new engine has reached around 30 units, all of which are destined for installation on newbuildings under construction at Hyundai?s own shipyard. Current production concentrates on the heavy fuel oil burning marine genset drives, however the company will eventually offer the Himsen engines in marine propulsion and gas engine versions. Hyundai opted for a robust engine design with a minimal number of components compared to older engines, in order to ease manufacturing and maintenance. The current range of the H21/32 offers outputs spanning a power band from 600 kW for the 5-cylinder version to 1,800 kW for the nine-cylinder version. A larger sized H25/33 model is also available extending the power range up to 2,610 kW. The 210 mm-bore of the smaller engine model produces 160 kW per cylinder at 720-750 rev/min, and 200 kW at a running speed of 1,000 rev/min, which places the design in a very competitive section of the marine engine market. The H25/33 model is similar to the C25/33 engine manufactured by Rolls Royce subsidiary Bergen. This is the outcome of a three-year collaboration between Bergen and Hyundai. A six cylinder H25/33 is undergoing performance tests at Hyundai?s Ulsan works and it has already received a number of strong enquiries. Plans are in hand to develop a vee-engine variant, following this year?s release of in-line models, thereby extending the range to 6,000 kW.