Written by
Nick Blenkey
Hydrogen combustion take a look at on one cylinder of a MAN B&W 4S50ME-T was carried out at Mitsui E&S’s Tamano, Japan, facility. [Photo: Mitsui E&S]
Hydrogen combustion take a look at on one cylinder of a MAN B&W 4S50ME-T was carried out at Mitsui E&S’s Tamano, Japan, facility. [Photo: Mitsui E&S]
In what’s being claimed as a world first for the maritime trade, Japan’s Mitsui E&S Co. Ltd, a MAN Power Options’ licensee, has efficiently examined a 50-centimeter bore MAN B&W two-stroke engine at as much as 100% load whereas operating on hydrogen.
In collaboration with MAN Power Options, Mitsui transformed one of many 4 cylinders of an MAN B&W ME-GI (-Fuel Injection) engine to hydrogen operation. The hydrogen was provided from a hydrogen gasoline provide system that Mitsui developed in 2023.
The ME-GI engine has performed a serious function within the uptake of LNG as a marine gasoline and the truth that the Mitsui 100% hydrogen take a look at was carried out on an ME-GI raises all kinds of attention-grabbing questions in regards to the prospects of changing exisiting LNG-fueled vessels to hydrogen-fueling.
Steady operation was achieved at varied masses and working situations, together with profitable hydrogen combustion as much as 100% load. Mitsui additionally confirmed greenhouse-gas emission reductions of as much as 95%, with the remaining fraction originating from the pilot-fuel employed throughout testing.
“On this 100% engine load operation utilizing hydrogen gasoline, which ignites simply and requires correct combustion management, the corporate succeeded in masking the equal of 95% of the warmth worth with hydrogen gasoline, and the cylinder strain curve was equal to that of the opposite three cylinders operated with typical gasoline,” says Mitsui. “The corporate additionally confirmed that the hydrogen gasoline provide facility is able to the secure provide of high-pressure hydrogen required from the engine. That is the world’s first success in hydrogen combustion operation of a giant marine two-stroke engine with a bore dimension of fifty centimeters, and the corporate is steadily making ready to supply marine propulsion programs that may tremendously contribute to the GHG discount of the maritime trade with the success of the combustion take a look at.”
“It is a very attention-grabbing challenge and one among a number of actions associated to hydrogen that MAN Power Options is at present pursuing inside each two- and four-stroke segments,” mentioned Gunnar Stiesch, chief technical officer, MAN Power Options. “My congratulations to MITSUI for reaching this world-first and pushing the envelope on decarbonization.”
“We now have labored intently with Mitsui on this analysis challenge and are very proud of the outcomes achieved,” mentioned Bjarne Foldager, nation supervisor, Denmark, at MAN Power Options. This proves the benefits and the flexibleness of two-stroke engine expertise, and signifies that we are actually additionally ready for the longer term, not just for hydrogen derivatives but in addition for hydrogen as a gasoline. MAN Power Options intently follows the market to maintain observe of any vital developments and this take a look at is a noteworthy development.”
“MAN B&W-branded engines are versatile by nature and designed for a straightforward retrofit at a later stage to totally different gasoline varieties,” mentioned Thomas S. Hansen, head of gross sales and promotion at MAN Power Options. “That is an encouraging milestone for hydrogen as a gasoline. We’ll now take a while to guage the outcomes and make sure that we’re able to take motion if and when the marketplace for hydrogen matures.”
