Engine designed for drillship applications

May 18, 1998

Caterpillar Inc.'s engine division has developed a new engine for drillship applications, the CM43. Manufactured in Kiel, Germany, the engine will be available in an inline configuration with 6, 7, 8, or 9 cylinders, or a V configuration with 12, 14, 16, or 18 cylinders. The inline version will deliver 5,400-8,100 kw of power at 500 rpm. The V version will deliver 10,800-16,200 kw at 500 rpm. The engine has a stroke/bore ratio of 1.48. At 100% output, fuel consumption for the CM43 is 175 gal/kw-hr, while lube oil consumption is 0.6 gal/kw-hr. For service and maintenance purposes, Caterpillar has also developed a computer-aided, data-logging evaluation system that will aid in remote and continuous monitoring of the engine's operational parameters.