WinGD tests methane slip reduction tech

The tests, conducted at Mitsui E&S DU facilities in Japan, demonstrated that X-DF engines equipped with VCR technology can achieve methane reductions comparable to high-pressure dual-fuel technologies, offering a cost advantage in fuel and system expenses for various vessel applications.

“Over the past decade we’ve worked to ensure that the unmatched reliability and low capital expenditure of X-DF engines are supported by the lowest possible overall GHG emissions,” said WinGD vice president product centre, Peter Krähenbühl.

“The fuel consumption and methane slip reductions achieved by VCR bring us to that point.”

The first X-DF2.0 engines with VCR are being built for bulk carriers owned by NYK Lines.

“We have already seen strong uptake, with well over 100 new X-DF engines ordered with VCR so far,” said Krähenbühl.

The six-cylinder, 62-bore engine demonstrated a 30% reduction in methane emissions compared to the same engine without VCR, resulting in total methane slip of around 0.83% of gas consumption – less than half the slip attributed to low-pressure, low-speed dual-fuel engines in maritime regulations. The methane reduction is expected to be even higher for larger engines.

As well as cutting methane slip, the VCR technology led to fuel reductions of up to 5.8% in gas mode and up to 6.9% in diesel mode.

WinGD’s VCR technology allows for automatic adjustment of the engine’s compression ratio to optimise combustion. The solution can be applied to all new X-DF engines, with a retrofit package already installed on a pilot vessel, showing promising results.