The first two dual-fuel hydrogen-powered engines for workboats were put into serial operation by MAN Engines.
These are two MAN D2862 LE448, twelve-cylinder diesel engines with a combined power of 749 kW (1019 hp) at 2100 rpm. The engines have a Selective Catalytic Reduction exhaust gas after-treatment system and are IMO Tier III certified.
MAN Engines has equipped both V12 engines for dual fuel operation, while development partner CMB.TECH has added a hydrogen injection system. The low-emission engine powers the world’s first hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessel (CTV), Windcat Workboats’ “Hydrocat 48.”
“What makes our technology unique is that we employ a standard diesel engine that doesn’t need to be optimized for hydrogen,” explains Werner Kübler, MAN Engines’ Head of Development. The hydrogen is delivered into the charge air through an adaptor and added to the combustion cycle of a proven V12 marine engine. As a result, the combustion process is initiated using the diesel principle, which necessitates the injection of around 5% diesel fuel. For dual-fuel operation, the diesel fuel common rail injection settings have been optimized. “MAN Engines has a long history of developing fuel-efficient and dependable diesel engines, notably for workboats. We were also able to attain the best consumption numbers in dual-fuel operation and assure the same operating behavior as diesel running at full load, based on this experience. Kübler continues, “At the same time, we cut CO2 emissions by an average of 50 percent, and even up to 80 percent as a peak value, by using hydrogen.”
