The worldwide marketplace for diesel- and gas-powered engines continues to develop, as manufacturing corporations unveil merchandise designed to supply energy extra effectively whereas on the similar time reducing emissions. The market is also being supported by means of engines that may run on a number of fuels, together with each renewable diesel and renewable pure gasoline.
Rolls-Royce, the UK-headquartered group, not too long ago opened a brand new manufacturing facility for its mtu 2000 sequence engines in Kluftern, close to Friedrichshafen, Germany. The corporate stated relocating the meeting of the mtu 2000 is a part of a modernization technique that additionally will present long-term manufacturing house for the corporate’s 4000 sequence engine. Dr. Jorg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Energy Methods, stated, “Our investments are a transparent dedication to the area and to our merchandise and options, that are vital constructing blocks of the vitality transition in numerous software areas. We’re satisfied that, at the side of sustainable fuels and new applied sciences, the interior combustion engine will play a central function sooner or later. As a result of it’s the gasoline that issues, not the engine.”
Rolls-Royce is specializing in creating engines that may run on a variety of what it calls sustainable fuels, as a way to scale back emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The corporate already is producing hybrid engines for the facility technology house, along with engines for the rail and transport industries. Rolls-Royce has stated it’s centered on offering energy for vitality programs that can’t transfer to finish electrification. Officers stated not too long ago that renewable diesel—hydrogenated vegetable oil, or HVO—is a crucial a part of its technique for decarbonization, with most of the group’s mtu model engines already capable of run on the gasoline. Rolls-Royce stated using HVO helps as a lot as a 90% discount in CO2; it additionally reduces emissions of particulate and nitrogen oxide.
“We’re doing every thing we will to make the interior combustion engine climate-neutral with sustainable fuels and together with new applied sciences,” stated Strattman. “However this will solely be achieved if the political framework circumstances are set in order that various fuels might be efficiently ramped up.”
Rolls-Royce in July introduced that its mtu Kinetic PowerPack models, based mostly on the 4000 and 1600 sequence diesel engines, have been authorised to make use of renewable diesel together with different artificial fuels. The corporate stated that checks on the Rolls-Royce Energy Methods check bench on the Liège website in Belgium confirmed that using HVO didn’t have an effect on the engine’s efficiency throughout essential phases underneath typical load circumstances. Officers stated the engines utilizing HVO carried out the identical as an engine utilizing customary diesel fuels.
Rolls-Royce stated the Kinetic PowerPack contains a always rotating kinetic vitality storage unit with a flywheel, a diesel engine, and a generator that doubles as an electrical motor for the aim of compensation, relying on the working mode. The corporate stated a synchronous generator acts as an electrical motor on this working mode, driving a flywheel within the kinetic vitality storage unit, “which is laid out as an electrical machine with double rotor system, which makes vitality obtainable within the occasion of an influence outage.”
Germany’s MAN Vitality Options not too long ago stated its first ME-GA Otto-cycle engine has accomplished gasoline trials in a liquefied pure gasoline (LNG) service constructed by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries for Knutsen OAS Transport, a Norwegian firm. “This profitable gasoline trial is a vital milestone within the improvement of the ME-GA engine,” stated Bjarne Foldager, head of two-stroke enterprise at MAN Vitality Options. “We developed this engine for straightforward software to most modern LNG service designs and, certainly, all ME-GA orders so far have been solely for this phase.” MAN stated the Knutsen ME-GA engine is provided with exhaust gasoline recirculation (EGR), which reduces methane-slip emissions in comparison with first-generation Otto-cycle engines with out EGR.
“We’ve had greater than 260 orders for the ME-GA since its launch in Might 2021 and our orderbook comprises ME-GA engine orders for ship deliveries stretching all the best way into 2027,” stated Brian Østergaard Sørensen, vp and head of analysis and improvement for the two-stroke enterprise at MAN Vitality Options. “EGR as customary permits the ME-GA to considerably scale back emissions, whereas concurrently bettering gasoline effectivity and operation in each gasoline and fuel-oil operation.”
Thomas S. Hansen, head of promotion and buyer help at MAN Vitality Options, stated the ME-GA has continued to evolve since improvement of the expertise started in 2018. Hansen stated the “completion of sea (trials) and gasoline trials marks one other important step in its timeline because it approaches its industrial debut.” The engine is designed for LNG carriers with the flexibility to “boil off” gasoline as a supply of gasoline. The corporate stated the ME-GA “joins the well-established ME-GI diesel-cycle engine in MAN Vitality Options’ two-stroke-engine portfolio, which now gives each low- and high-pressure, dual-fuel options for operation on LNG.”
1. Three 18V51/60DF engines (proven right here) from MAN Vitality Options, together with one of many firm’s 8L51/60DF models, will provide energy for a solar-glass manufacturing plant on the island of Borneo, within the Malaysian state of Sabah. Courtesy: MAN Vitality Options
MAN Vitality Options additionally not too long ago introduced that 4 of the corporate’s 51/60DF dual-fuel engines will provide energy for a solar-glass manufacturing plant on the island of Borneo, within the Malaysian state of Sabah. The order contains three 18V51/60DF engines (Determine 1), and one 8L51/60DF engine. The engines will work collectively as a generator set to offer 65 MW of technology capability for the economic facility, which is at present underneath building close to town of Kota Kinabalu in northern Borneo.
Martin Chmiela, regional gross sales head, Energy Crops, Asia-Pacific at MAN Vitality Options, stated, “Our dual-fuel engines are ideally fitted to the dependable and decentralized energy provide of business vegetation in distant areas and on islands. This energy plant will have the ability to run on each low-emission pure gasoline and liquid fuels, providing the best attainable safety of provide.” The corporate stated the 4 engines will primarily run on low-emission pure gasoline, within the type of compressed pure gasoline (CNG). CNG, which is generally methane, is compressed to lower than 1% of the quantity that pure gasoline occupies at regular atmospheric stress. CNG is extra simply transported by ship and truck, which makes it appropriate for supplying distant areas that would not have their very own pure gasoline or LNG infrastructure.
Indiana-headquartered Cummins not too long ago introduced a brand new line of 175-kW and 200-kW pure gasoline–powered generator units to be used in North America. The corporate stated the brand new gensets embrace options similar to:
■ Rugged six-cylinder spark-ignited QSJ8.9G gasoline engines for dependable energy that may reply rapidly to load adjustments.
■ The PowerCommand 2.3 management for computerized distant beginning/stopping, exact frequency and voltage regulation, alarm and standing message show, and output metering compliant with the Nationwide Fireplace Safety Affiliation (NFPA) 110 Degree 1 customary.
■ A normal cooling package deal that gives dependable working as much as 122F.
■ An enclosure incorporating particular designs to ship quiet operation in a small footprint.
The brand new generator units are part of Cummins’ funding in new and sustainable applied sciences as a part of Vacation spot Zero, the corporate’s technique to achieve zero emissions throughout its merchandise. “The brand new 175-kW and 200-kW pure gasoline generator units supply our prospects industry-leading energy density and are engineered to supply distinctive efficiency and constant reliability in addition to to satisfy prospects’ energy necessities, all in a extra compact footprint,” stated Ignacio Gonzalez, government director of the corporate’s Energy Methods division. The corporate stated the gensets might be used to offer reliability and flexibility for stationary standby low-kWe functions similar to industrial and authorities buildings, public infrastructure, water/wastewater administration vegetation, healthcare services, manufacturing websites, and extra.
2. The Brussels-West information middle in Aalst, Belgium, will function a Caterpillar standby energy answer. Six Caterpillar 3516B diesel gensets, which is able to burn 100% hydrogenated vegetable oil, or HVO, will present backup energy for the positioning. Courtesy: Caterpillar
Texas-headquartered Caterpillar in late June stated LCL Knowledge Facilities, which operates information facilities in Belgium, commissioned Caterpillar’s 13.5-MVA standby energy answer to be used at its LCL Brussels-West information middle in Aalst (Determine 2). The unit will function on 100% HVO. LCL stated will probably be the primary information middle in Belgium to make use of biofuels for the technology of standby energy. The Caterpillar product consists of six of the corporate’s 3516B diesel generator units.
“With our deep roots in Belgium, we’re dedicated to supporting environmentally accountable initiatives that create a greater world,” stated Laurens van Reijen, managing director of LCL. “Our collaboration with Eneria [the local Caterpillar dealer] and Caterpillar has demonstrated the viability of HVO100 in our standby energy programs. We’re strongly dedicated to changing into carbon-neutral by the top of this decade, and we’ve launched quite a few initiatives throughout our operations to assist us obtain this objective.”
Tim Bisson, director of Eneria Belux, which focuses on renewable vitality and emergency energy installations in Belgium, stated his group “examined the operation of Cat generator units with conventional diesel, HVO100, and a mix of those fuels. We concluded that the facility and reactivity efficiency of the mills remained the identical whatever the gasoline used.”
Austria-based INNIO not too long ago stated its Waukesha mobileFLEX engine portfolio, comprised of engines and gensets, now contains superior Engine System Supervisor (ESM2) controls and an enhanced piston. The upgrades scale back the emissions and working prices of kit utilized in oil fields and for drilling rigs.
The corporate stated the Waukesha mobileFLEX engine is a pure gasoline–powered various to diesel-fueled models. INNIO stated the engines and gensets function on a variety of subject gases with out derate, and can be utilized “in a wide range of altitude and temperature functions, and supply transient efficiency with diesel-like load capability, dealing with as much as 65% load steps and 100% load shed.” The corporate stated the optimized piston “reduces emissions of regulated pollution similar to carbon monoxide, risky natural compounds, and formaldehyde.”
The corporate stated Waukesha engines working on 100% subject gasoline from producing wells are offering energy for drilling rigs in West Virginia, offsetting using 2,000 gallons of diesel gasoline every day. “These enhancements will exceed operator and contractor expectations,” stated Jason Padilla, vp of Product Administration and Advertising for INNIO’s Waukesha model. “The brand new controls and piston enhancements have been particularly designed to ship the extent of engine efficiency required by drilling functions. Our imaginative and prescient is that operators and contractors, when utilizing 100% pure gasoline, can obtain the identical engine efficiency they’d anticipate from a diesel engine whereas saving on gasoline prices and reducing emissions.”
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).