Swiss marine power company WinGD has completed shop tests of its variable compression ratio (VCR) technology at Mitsui E&S DU (MESDU) facilities in Japan, according to the company's release.
The tests were conducted on the first X-DF2.0 engines, featuring a six-cylinder, 62-bore design, being built for bulk carriers owned by NYK Lines. Results indicate a 30% reduction in methane emissions compared to the same engine without VCR, reducing total slip to 0.83% of gas consumption—less than half the EU and provisional IMO default slip for low-pressure, low-speed dual-fuel engines.
Methane reduction is anticipated to increase further in larger bore engines. The technology also reduced fuel consumption by up to 5.8% in gas mode and 6.9% in diesel mode, with data illustrating impacts on fuel costs and CO2 equivalent emissions for a typical car carrier operating profile.
The VCR system adjusts engine compression ratios automatically based on load, fuel type, and ambient conditions, applicable to all new X-DF engines, with a retrofit package tested on a pilot vessel showing early promise. The tests confirm that X-DF engines with VCR achieve greenhouse gas emissions comparable to high-pressure dual-fuel technologies while offering lower system and fuel costs for various vessel applications. Upcoming EU and IMO regulations will allow operators to report actual methane slip data, potentially reducing carbon costs, with WinGD aiding regulatory development through industry associations.
The X-DF engines comply with updated IMO NOx Technical Code requirements without adjustments to fuel consumption figures, supporting a shift from fossil LNG to zero or near-zero emission alternatives like biomass or synthetic sources, alongside WinGD’s ammonia- and methanol-fueled engine options.
Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, WinGD develops two-stroke low-speed engines for marine propulsion, focusing on emissions reduction and fuel efficiency.
Mitsui E&S DU (MESDU) is a Japanese company under Mitsui E&S Holdings, MESDU specializes in marine engine manufacturing and collaborates on advanced propulsion technologies.
NYK Lines is a major Japanese shipping company, NYK Lines operates a global fleet, including bulk carriers.