South Korean researchers working with Hyundai and Kia have developed a two-litre ammonia-fuelled engine that could power heavy-duty mobility applications and industrial generators.
The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) said the direct injection ammonia engine, developed with Hyundai and Kia’s Electrification Engineering Center, could overcome challenges with gaseous ammonia fuel such as unstable fuel output and emissions, thanks to the use of high-pressure liquid injection.
The research team improved the engine’s ignition system and optimised the timing of fuel injection and valve operation. It also created an after-treatment system to “minimise” harmful NOx and unburnt ammonia emissions.
These changes significantly improved thermal efficiency and power output, KIMM said.
“This engine technology could serve as a breakthrough in addressing the challenges of hydrogen transportation and green hydrogen production, establishing ammonia as a new clean fuel-based power solution,” said KIMM’s principal researcher, Dr. Cheolwoong Park.
Ammonia has been slated as a potential transport medium for hard-to-store hydrogen, due to its higher energy density, easier options for liquid transport and existing infrastructure capabilities.
While its direct use as a fuel has been explored, the pathway has faced criticism for the potentially high levels of NOx and unburned fuel emissions.
A 2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study claimed that switching the global shipping fleet to pure ammonia could cause up to 600,000 additional premature deaths each year due to the nitrogen oxide and NOx emissions released when combusted.
Read more:Hydrogen co-combustion with ammonia may mitigate shipping emissions impacts, MIT finds
MIT claimed those particles could be inhaled into the lung, “causing health problems like heart attacks, strokes and asthma.”
The US university suggested that co-combusting ammonia and pure hydrogen could significantly reduce harmful emissions.
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