HD Hyundai unveils world’s 1st high-pressure ammonia engine

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilder affiliated with HD Hyundai, said Thursday that it has developed the world’s first ammonia dual-fuel engine using a high-pressure direct injection system.

The company recently passed the “type approval test” for its HiMSEN ammonia dual-fuel engine, which evaluates whether critical apparatuses installed on vessels meet mandatory requirements. The test was conducted at its Ulsan engine center and was attended by key members from the ship classification societies of seven countries -- the US, Norway, the UK, France, Italy, Japan and Korea. These nongovernmental organizations establish technical standards for the construction and operation of ships.

The dual-fuel engine is considered eco-friendly as it mixes ammonia and other fuels, such as internal combustion or alternative fuels, to reduce carbon emissions from ships.

The engine features the first-ever high-pressure direct injection system, which compresses air in the combustion chamber and injects it into ammonia fuel at high pressure. In contrast, standard low-pressure injection systems blend ammonia fuel with air before combusting them together.

The company boasted that this new method can significantly cut nitrogen oxide emissions and deliver high power output and fuel efficiency.

With this global certification, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to supply the engine to onshore power plants as well as ammonia carriers and other vessels.

“The ammonia engine is a major breakthrough in expanding our footing in the eco-friendly dual-fuel engine market,” stated an official from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. “With our ‘super-gap’ technology, we aim to be the front runner in the global green vessel industry.”