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Wärtsilä launches new dual-fuel engine technology

Published by , Senior Editor
LNG Industry,


Wärtsilä is introducing a full new range of low-speed 2-stroke dual-fuel engines based on its established low pressure technology. The first engine utilising this technology, the Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF, will be available for delivery in the third quarter of 2014, while other engines from the company’s new Generation X series will be available for delivery during 2015 and 2016.

Dual-fuel technology

Wärtsilä’s entire portfolio of 2-stroke engines will be available as low pressure dual-fuel versions, which offer capital expenditure (Capex) reductions of 15 – 20%. This is achieved through a substantially simpler and lower cost LNG and gas handling system operating at pressures below 10 bar, and by the fact that no further exhaust gas cleaning systems are needed to meet future emission regulations. The new engines are IMO Tier III emissions compliant in gas mode, and the minimum Tier II level is achieved with liquid fuel.

The technology also offers significant operating expenditure (OPEX) gains as no high pressure gas compression system external to the engine needs to be operated onboard the vessel, and NOx abatement systems are not required. The Wärtsilä technology also allows stable operation on gas across the entire load range. This means that at low loads, there is no need to switch to diesel fuel. Moreover, the consumption of pilot fuel is approximately just 1% of the total fuel amount.

The low pressure gas system also fulfils all safety requirements.

Martin Wernli, Vice President, 2-stroke, Wärtsilä Ship Power, said: “The benefits of the new low pressure dual-fuel technology for 2-stroke engines are significant. Describing this as a game-changing development for merchant shipping is certainly no exaggeration, since the many advantages of being able to use gas and LNG as primary fuel are now, for the first time ever, available to virtually all vessel types. Our well proven technologies for both the engines and the onboard gas and LNG handling systems, can now be applied to this wider market. With the adaption of low pressure dual-fuel technology to 2-stroke engines, Wärtsilä brings the proven advantages it has demonstrated in the 4-stroke, medium-speed DF engine market to its 2-stroke low speed engine customers.”

Adapted from press release by

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/12112013/wartsilla_launches_new_range_of_2_stroke_engines_442/

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