Cost Estimation Study for the Effect of Biofouling on Engine Cooling System Performance with an 8000 BHP Vessel

Every engine needs a cooling system in order to maintain the performance of engine. In this study the cooling system is applied in naval ship with the exchange of freshwater and seawater. Since the seawater contains biological fouling, then it is scaled in the heat exchanger so that the performance of heat exchanger is decreasing from time to time. This makes the heat transfer rate in cooler is less efficient so that to maintain the BHP of the engine it needs to consume more fuel. The result shows that the effect could incur a loss of about USD 463,852.8/month. This condition makes the importance of cooling system maintenance in order to keep the temperature of the naval ship engine and to minimize the additional fuel cost. For cooling system itself, to keep the cooler in a good condition, it needs to clean the cooler for every 720 hours, or once a month.