WinGD's Ammonia-Fuelled Engine Achieves Success in Early Test Runs

WinGD’s single cylinder ammonia test engine at ERIC, Winterthur. Image Credit: WinGD

As ship engine makers rush to develop ammonia dual-fuel ammonia engine, WinGD has revealed that its dual-fuel ammonia engine has successfully met key parameters during early tests.

This could give the company a competitive edge in the race to commercialise dual-fuel ammonia engines.

“A 52-bore single-cylinder version of the X-DF-A engine is running at the company’s Engine Research and Innovation Centre (ERIC) in Winterthur, with final validation to be completed in time for the first engine deliveries in June 2025,” Swiss engine manufacturer WinGD said in an emailed statement on Friday.

The single-cylinder testing will validate ammonia combustion under real-world engine conditions, while also optimizing emissions and performance.

"Even before the single-cylinder engine tests started, the X-DF-A ammonia fuel injectors were tested on test rigs to validate the functional, mechanical behaviour and reliability, and on a multi-cylinder methanol engine at 100% load," WinGD said.

In the coming months, the company will carry out a multi-cylinder test at WinGD’s Global Research Centre in Shanghai to validate full-scale engine operations, along with validation of elements like turbocharger configuration and control systems, before the engine goes into production.

German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions is also testing its two-stroke ammonia engine, although its development has been delayed, as the company had initially aimed to deliver the engine last year, according to its website.