Rolls-Royce launches new natural gas engine for marine applications
Rolls-Royce has launched its latest in a series of LNG marine engines. The Bergen B36:45 model is designed in accordance with the Rolls-Royce philosophy of a common platform for all fuel options and applications, and can be configured to meet the specific engine requirements of customers. It is available in six, eight and nine-cylinder in-line configurations (a V-12 version is now in development, which will be followed by a 20-cylinder V-engine for very high-power applications). Power output of the LNG-powered B36:45 engine is 600kW per cylinder at 750 rpm. Specific energy consumption is a low 7300kj/kWh mechanical ISO including two engine driven pumps; specific lubricating oil consumption is less than 0.4g/kWh. The proven lean-burn Otto cycle combustion B36:45 technology has been developed during Bergen Engines’ extensive experience with LNG engines so that methane slip, which contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, has been minimized: the engine is able to achieve up to 22% lower GHG emissions than the equivalent diesel version. Kjell Harloff, Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine, Senior Vice President Engines, said: “This new engine builds on the success of the Bergen B35:40-series engine and offers a variety of new benefits to our customers, including rapid response to changes in load and speed, high reliability and clean burning. This makes the B36:45 ideally suited for mechanical ship propulsion installations, driving either controllable or fixed-pitch propellers.” As most LNG is sulfur-free fuel, SOx and particulate matter emissions are virtually eliminated, while emissions of NOx are reduced by over 90% compared to an equivalent diesel engine. This means that the Bergen B36:45 is able to meet IMO Tier III and EPA Tier 3 emission levels without the need for additional selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems. Leif-Arne Skarbø, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, Bergen Engines, added: “Other benefits for end users and shipbuilders arising from this modular approach are that the product is configurable, and production is simplified, resulting in a highly competitive cost per kW and straightforward installation and maintenance.”