New two-stroke, lean-burn, dual-fuel engine targets LNG carriers

摘要

Up until about 10 years ago, steam turbines powered by steam generated from boil-off gas (BOG) were the propulsion power of choice for LNG carriers. While steam turbines still power a large portion of the fleet, a new crop of two-stroke, slow-speed, dual-fuel engines - underpinned by reliquefaction technology - have emerged as the preferred prime movers for todays generation LNG carriers, cutting fuel consumption, improving emissions and lowering cargo transportation costs. In 2016, Teekay's 174,000 m~3 Creole Spirit became the first LNG carrier equipped with MAN Energy Solutions' two-stroke, slow-speed, high-pressure, Diesel-cycle, dual-fuel MAN B&W ME-GI engine, equipped with a Burckhardt compressor and partial reliquefaction system. Fuel consumption for the M-type, electronically controlled and gas-injected engine was estimated to be 100 tonnes per day - significantly less than the 125 to 130 tonnes per day for a comparable four-stroke, dual-fuel, diesel-electric propulsion system.