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WOODWARD 721/723 CONTROL MODERNISATION

Modernise engine control. Keep the engine.

A 721 or 723 retrofit is more than a hardware exchange. TURNER ECS assesses the complete control system, selects the right Woodward platform and validates how the asset behaves in operation.

Explore the options Request the brochure

Marine propulsion, power generation and industrial engine applications.

Marine engine room photographed during TURNER ECS field work

CONTROL SYSTEM RETROFIT FIELD ENGINEERING
THE INSTALLED BASE

The 723 may still run. Can you still see and support the whole system?

The Woodward 721/723 family is discontinued. Available spares can delay a replacement decision, but they do not resolve every operational issue: intermittent load sharing, difficult calibration, limited diagnostics and dependency on legacy know-how.

  • Understand sensors, actuator, protection and external interfaces.
  • Recover settings and operating logic before a cutover.
  • Define the behaviour that the upgraded system must prove.

View the existing 723 control product

Control cabinet and surrounding interfaces during retrofit field work - IMG_1621Enlarge image ↗
Control cabinet and interfaces photographed during field work.

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THREE MODERNISATION ROUTES

Choose the controller around the duty.

The replacement platform must fit the fuel, control scope, interfaces and criticality of the application. TURNER ECS specifies the route after reviewing the installed system.

Woodward LECM large-engine control module
GAS ENGINE ROUTE

LECM

Suited to gas-engine applications needing broad engine management, input/output capacity and integration with sensors, actuators and operator systems.

Explore LECM

Woodward 2300E electronic engine control
COMPACT ROUTE

2300E

A compact, cost-conscious architecture where the required speed, generator and load-sharing functions can be met without unnecessary system complexity.

Explore 2300E

Woodward Flex500 control platform
CRITICAL APPLICATION ROUTE

Flex500

For demanding propulsion or generation duty where advanced diagnostics, integration and available redundancy options justify a higher investment.

Explore Flex500

Selection is application-specific. Product pages describe hardware; final scope includes engineering, interfaces, validation and commissioning.

APPLICATION SCHEMATIC

Replace the control layer, not the whole engine.

The schematic shows a typical two-engine concept. Actual speed sensing, actuator demand, load sharing, protection and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) connections are engineered for the vessel or plant.

Concept only – not a wiring or safety design. Protection, shutdowns, fallback and communication architecture require a documented assessment.

SELECTED CASE STUDIES

Real projects. Different assets, different engineering routes.

These examples show how TURNER ECS has approached engine and control-system modernisation. They are project references, not a promise that another application will deliver the same result.

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT

Define a baseline. Then prove the response.

The traces below are real recordings from a separate 2301D-to-2300E load-sharing retrofit. They show why behaviour should be measured before and after a control upgrade; they are not a direct 723-to-Flex500 benchmark.

Recorded oscillating fuel-demand trend in a related analogue load-sharing installation
Analogue load-sharing baseline – recorded oscillation.
Recorded response during digital CANopen sea trials of a related 2300E retrofit
Digital CANopen sea-trial trend – related 2300E retrofit.
Speed & load responseSharing stabilityAlarm & shutdown behaviourOperator visibility

Every 721/723 project needs its own test plan, comparable operating conditions and approved acceptance criteria. No universal improvement percentage is claimed.

Flex500 HMI example showing engine charge-air parameters.Enlarge image ↗
An operator display can make real-time values and system status easier to review.
HMI & DIAGNOSTICS

Give the crew a clearer picture of the asset.

A modern HMI can bring live parameters, alarms, event history and trend information into one operating view. The exact screens, permissions and log retention are configured for the application.

  • Review values and events during commissioning.
  • Make fault-finding less dependent on a legacy handheld interface.
  • Provide a clearer basis for onboard and shore-based support.
REMOTE MONITORING & TECHNICAL ACCESS

See the asset. Connect the right expertise.

A retrofit can provide a clearer route to off-site monitoring and fault-finding. TURNER ECS assesses the controller interfaces and site network before specifying a gateway, the data to collect and who may access the system.

Remote access concept: site machine connected through a SiteManager module to an authorised service engineerEnlarge diagram ↗
Concept architecture: site machine → local gateway → authorised service engineer. The illustrated equipment is an example, not a universal hardware specification.

Monitor operating data

An Ewon Netbiter / Argos-type monitoring architecture can bring live values, historical trends, alarms and reports into a site or fleet view. The available data depends on the controller, connected sensors and configured services.

Access service tools

A remote-access gateway can provide an authorised engineer with a route to compatible Woodward service tools for diagnosis and agreed servicing. Ethernet or serial Modbus interfaces must be checked for the installed control.

Agree the support scope

Define the connection, user permissions, collected signals and support procedure before deployment. Monitoring, troubleshooting and any parameter changes are separate functions with different access requirements.

Remote access is optional. Connectivity, gateway compatibility and the site’s information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) policies must be reviewed. Changes to control settings require an agreed procedure; remote support does not replace local protection, operating responsibility or site commissioning.

721/723 RETROFIT BROCHURE

Get the engineering overview by email.

See the three controller routes, application schematic, project references and the validation questions to ask before a retrofit.

Enter your work email to receive the PDF brochure. Our retrofit team receives a notification with the details you provide.

TURNER ECS 721/723 Control Retrofit brochure with engineering overview and performance validation

We send the PDF to the address provided and notify our retrofit team of the request.

Engine OEM

Engine and legacy original equipment manufacturer (OEM) names from the installed-control reference base. The retrofit route is assessed against the engine model, control part number, application software and interfaces.

  • ABB
  • Alstom / GEC Alsthom
  • Anglo Belgian Corporation (ABC)
  • Bergen Engines
  • Caterpillar Motoren / MaK
  • Cummins
  • Deutz
  • Isotta Fraschini Motori
  • Jenbacher / GE Jenbacher
  • Krupp M.A.K.
  • MAN Diesel & Turbo / MAN Energy Solutions / MAN B&W
  • MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)
  • Mirrlees Blackstone
  • MTU (Motoren- und Turbinen-Union)
  • New Sulzer Diesel
  • Rolls Royce / Rolls-Royce Marine
  • S.E.M.T. Pielstick
  • Stork Wartsila Diesel
  • Sulzer
  • Wärtsilä