When hydrogen made from water electrolysis is combined with nitrogen separated from the air, we get “green” ammonia. Kaj Portin, Wärtsilä’s General Manager of Research & Technology Programs, Engines Technology, thinks this is a promising, carbon-free fuel that could be used in marine applications in the future.
In view of the maritime industry’s need to fulfil the International Maritime Organisation’s vision of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 50% by 2050, Wärtsilä has been preparing for the use of ammonia as a fuel by developing a test engine.
Portin was this morning asked to discuss how ammonia works in a combustion engine at the he 5th International Conference on Maritime Hydrogen and Maritime Energy.
“Ammonia is quite difficult to ignite as it has a high autoignition temperature, like 650 degrees. So in a compression engine like a diesel engine, you need really high compression and compression temperature to get it to ignite,” he told conference attendees.
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