Clean energy technologists AFC Energy is leading a new study into the opportunity for ammonia cracking for the maritime sector. It will offer both new vessel power and engine retrofit opportunities to help tackle the reliance on inefficient diesel fuel engines.
Given the significant role shipping plays in greenhouse gas emissions, new ideas and innovations are more important than ever for the net zero ambitions of the maritime sector.
Ammonia is widely considered to be an excellent sustainable potential fuel for marine engines. However, work is required to bring viable solutions to the sector that are a truly effective replacement for existing fuels and adequately meet power requirements of larger vessels.
About the project
The Enhanced Ammonia Cracking to Improve Engine Combustion and Emissions (ENTICE) project will evaluate the feasibility of a novel ammonia cracker technology. The technology, created by AFC Energy, aims to radically improve the combustion and emissions of future ammonia-fuelled marine engines.
Supporting AFC in this project are partners:
- Mahle Powertrain
- Clean Air Power GT
- University of Nottingham
They are all coming together to present the first set of data from testing and to map out the next steps for the concept.
The cracker is designed to indirectly use waste heat from the vessel’s engine to split or ‘crack’ some of the stored ammonia fuel into hydrogen gas. Hydrogen has very fast burning combustion characteristics that then allow an engine to be operated more efficiently and cleanly. The cracked hydrogen gas will therefore be returned to the ammonia engine’s intake system to aid the combustion as a supplementary fuel source.
The project scope
The feasibility project will run for a year between April 2024 and March 2025, and follows on from the planning and research completed under a previously funded project. It will now focus on backing up the proof of concept, before exploring the commercial opportunity in the marine space.
The work will involve precision engine testing in a state-of-the-art UK laboratory to measure and report on the full impact of the cracker on a range of essential areas, including:
- engine combustion
- performance
- fuel consumption
- pollutant emissions
The project activity will include formal technical assessments of the practicality of the cracker system across existing and future boats and ships of varying sizes and uses, as well as for other portside operations. The assessments completed in the study will also consider the impact of the system on areas such as vessel design, performance, safety and cost.
Aims and ambitions
Optimised and efficient process
During this phase, the partners are focused on achieving a more optimised and efficient production and running process. They will also assess the ability of the system to deal with multi-cylinder engines and higher revolutions per minute stresses.
Armed with these testing results, the project aims to present a viable case for the technology that fits in with the objectives of the industry for a broader hydrogen strategy.
Wider application
The partners are also considering the opportunity for wider application of the technology across the transport sector, such as stationary power generators and large off-road machinery. Proving the concept and honing its efficiency in the maritime setting through this project is a key step for further uses in future.
Showcasing what is possible
The project’s aim within this work is to showcase what is possible, having seen several industry stakeholders interested in the outcomes of the testing.
With green ammonia beginning to take hold in other countries, the UK is in danger of falling behind. Both in terms of the need to import ammonia from overseas and in legislation that requires a new focus to support this novel industry.
There is therefore a real opportunity for the results of the project to help provide an impetus for revitalising demand for UK-based ammonia both domestically and internationally.
More feedback and insight
Looking at the potential of the solution, Emma Burrow, Project Manager Special Projects, said:
Although there is still a way to go on the journey, the work so far has been very encouraging in terms of proving the concept and gathering data and insights into the further potential that ammonia has in exceeding diesel capabilities in a net zero way.
This project would not have been possible without the previous funding the partners secured and the results we have achieved already to get to this stage. We’re now looking forward to gathering more feedback and insight from this project to take forward as the concept progresses further towards validation and commercialisation.
About the funding
This project is part of the clean maritime demonstration competition round four (CMDC4), funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK.
CMDC4 is part of DfT’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme. UK SHORE is a £206 million initiative focused on developing the technology necessary to decarbonise the UK domestic maritime sector.
The programme will include a multitude of technologies including hydrogen, electric and ammonia. This funding will place the UK among the leading nations in the development of new and innovative vessels and port infrastructure, supporting its rich maritime industry and coastal communities.
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