MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) has successfully started up combustion on a 2-stroke test engine operating on ammonia as fuel using the liquefied gas injection (LGI) combustion strategy, the company confirmed.
The beginning of combustion tests operating on ammonia for the first time is a milestone for MAN ES’ 2-stroke engine programme, and represents a milestone in the development of its AEngine (Ammonia Engine) development project.
MAN ES, VP of R&D 2-Stroke Brian Østergaard Sørensen confirmed that the development team was continuing to explore the combustion process in the two-stroke engine.
“The first ammonia combustion tests at our Research Center Copenhagen utilised our LGI – Liquefied Gas Injection – technology. This is in line with what we previously communicated on LGIA.”
MAN ES is currently exploring a number of different combustion concepts for its AEngine engine development programme, including a low-pressure Otto Cycle combustion concept as well as the LGI-based combustion concepts, Brian Østergaard Sørensen confirmed. ”We will screen Otto-cycle combustion principle as well as part of the R&D test programme.”
The Motorship notes that following the combustion tests, further work will need to be carried out to finalise the engine’s emissions profile and aftertreatment concepts.
Although the beginning of combustion tests was expected to begin before end-H1, MAN ES remains on track to deliver its first ammonia-fuelled two-stroke engine in 2024 to a Japanese shipbuilder.
