Wärtsilä extends its waterjet line with new midsize series

Wärtsilä has introduced a new series of midsize waterjets. The new series means that Wärtsilä’s range of stainless steel jets now includes all sizes from 510 mm to 3,250 mm. Wärtsilä says this makes it the only supplier serving both midsize and the lower range of large waterjet applications with a single product. The new series is aimed particularly at the high speed ferry, high speed patrol craft, and customized yachting segments.

Although aluminum is a widely used and accepted material for jet fabrication, the Wärtsilä solution utilizes abrasion resistant stainless steel to conserve the carefully designed shape of the stator blades in order to retain high levels of fuel efficiency. The impeller and shaft are also constructed from stainless steel. These features not only deliver continuous high performance, but also notably reduce short-term maintenance requirements.

The new waterjets feature convenient “plug & play” installation that simplifies the shipyard work. Inboard hydraulics are standard, for ease of maintenance and better economic and environmental performance. The packaged delivery has inlet duct shapes optimized for different hull forms, thus freeing the yard from the responsibilities of inlet duct construction. The integral inlet duct designs were thoroughly researched by Wärtsilä’s Computational Fluid Dynamics Department to achieve the optimal hydrodynamic properties.

“This enhanced midsize waterjet series makes Wärtsilä extremely competitive for a vast array of high speed vessel applications. The ease of installation, the reliability, and the overall attention to detail that these waterjets incorporate, puts them at the forefront of developments in this field,” says Aaron Bresnahan, Vice President, Special Vessels Segment, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

Another key element of the Wärtsilä solution is that the hydraulic system has no oil retaining elements protruding outside of the vessel’s transom. This not only eases maintenance, but is important from an environmental point of view. Wärtsilä is committed to the development of environmentally sound solutions in all its activities. As with all Wärtsilä products, this waterjet design series is fully supported by Wärtsilä’s global service network that assures rapid response regardless of where in the world the vessel is located.

In 2006, Wärtsilä introduced its line of axial flow waterjets that is today in operation in many 100 plus meter monohull, catamaran and trimaran designs. The largest 26,000 kW jets are driven by the latest generation of gas turbines. While maintaining the hydrodynamic properties and extended cavitation margins of the large axial waterjet designs, Wärtsilä’s new midsize series represents a cost competitive, easy-to-install package for a shaft power of up to 4,500 kW.

March 2, 2011