UK Funds Demonstration of Ammonia-Fueled High Temperature Engine

 

A demonstration project for the development of an ammonia-fueled engine has been selected for the UK's Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, according to sponsor MOL. The project is led by Carnot Ltd., developer of an uncooled, ultra-high-temperature engine that can be adapted to run on most renewable fuels. 

Carnot Ltd.'s engine is made out of industrial ceramics, and is not limited by temperature in the way that steel and cast iron engines are. Metallic engine components have to be cooled constantly so that they do not fail, and the removed heat means a power efficiency loss. By getting rid of cooling, Carnot Ltd.'s design keeps efficiency higher and reduces the amount of ancillary equipment surrounding the engine (coolant pumps, radiators/heat exchangers, piping, etc.). Running on diesel, the Carnot Ltd. engine is about 70 percent efficient, or twice as efficient as the average automotive engine. 

The company has secured several UK R&D grants for marine engine development, and the latest is aimed at an ammonia-fueled auxiliary engine version. For the project, Carnot Ltd. will have combustion simulation support from University of Southampton, integration support from engineering firm Houlder, and marketing research support from De Courcy Alexander. MOL will advise from a vessel operations perspective. 

The project is funded by the UK's robust maritime R&D support policy. The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded more than $300 million over the last seven years for green maritime technological research.