Yanmar Reports Successful Trial of Hydrogen Engine for Coastal Vessels

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday November 1, 2024

Engineering firm Yanmar Holdings has reported a successful trial of a hydrogen-fuelled engine for coastal vessels.

The firm has completed a land-based demonstration test of a pilot-ignition hydrogen 4-stroke high-speed engine for power generation in coastal vessels, it said in a statement on its website this week.

The engine uses a small amount of diesel as the ignition source to burn a premixture of hydrogen and air.

The engine achieved the world's highest hydrogen fuel ratio and an output of approximately 500 kW, the company said.

"In addition to the diesel pilot-ignition hydrogen engine, Yanmar Power Technology is developing a similar "pilot-ignition" engine that will achieve zero emissions by co-firing a small amount of biofuel for ignition with hydrogen, and a "spark-ignition" engine that will burn hydrogen exclusively in consideration of vessel operation until the hydrogen infrastructure becomes widely available," the company said in the statement.

"Land-based demonstration tests using this pilot-ignition 6-cylinder hydrogen engine are scheduled to begin in 2024, with demonstration operations planned for 2026.

"Yanmar Power Technology is also conducting parallel land-based tests for the spark-ignition engine, aiming to lead the adoption of hydrogen engine-compatible electric propulsion vessels."

Ship & Bunker News Team
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