The largest and most powerful engine in the world
The world’s most powerful engine is 26 meters long and the height of a four-story building. It is the Wärtsilä RT-flex96C, considered the largest and most powerful diesel engine in the world, it is an engine designed for marine cargo vehicles.
With a maximum torque of 7.6 million Nm, we are facing a great beast.
Initially it was launched in 2003, but in 2007 it was renewed to add up to fourteen cylinders with a total power of 84,420 kW or what is the same: 114,780 hp.
This gigantic engine weighing 2,300 tons can move one of the considered largest freight ships in the world, the Emma Mærsk.
This engine comes from Wärtsilä Corporation, a Finnish marine and energy company responsible for building this incredible feat of engineering.
The model in question was originally launched in 1994 under the name RTA96C and was improved in 2003 with RT-Flex fuel injection technology, that is when the name was changed.
The Wärtsilä RT-flex96C is a two-stroke turbodiesel block with a displacement of 25,480 liters. We are basically facing a four-story building, with more than 13.5 meters high and different stairs so that employees can work at various levels. Its pistons are 6 meters high and weigh 5.5 tons each.
Despite its power, the revolutions per minute are very low. And the fact is that the engine works at a very slow speedcompared to other smaller engines: between 92 and 102 revolutions per minute. Something that can be understood by the fact that moving such a motor requires much more effort. According to the manufacturer’s data, the piston speed is 8.5m / s.
The engine consumes about 0.30 liters for each cycle, producing about 5,700 kW of energy. Those are high numbers, but compared to other boat engines the Wärtsilä is one of the most efficient and least polluting in its class.
With the power offered by this engine it would be enough to power an entire small town. Instead, it is focused on merchant ships. Colossal ships that can accommodate thousands of workers that transport goods over long distances.
