Wärtsilä Retrofit / Upgrade / Repower
Wärtsilä 50DF Spark Gas Conversion
Conversion of Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines to spark-ignited gas operation, cutting methane slip by 75% and saving 4.6% fuel at 50% load; aimed at LNG carriers.
Description
The Wärtsilä 50DF Spark Gas Conversion converts dual-fuel Wärtsilä 50DF engines into spark gas (SG) engines that ignite gas with a spark plug instead of liquid pilot fuel. SG engines run only on gaseous fuel, without a backup diesel system, and are optimised for LNG, giving better energy output per unit of fuel and lower emissions.
Scope of supply
Typically one or two of four 50DF engines on a vessel (e.g. an LNG carrier) are converted. Scope includes:
- Engine combustion components
- Gas system components
- Turbocharger components
- Engine automation system
The remaining 50DF engines can receive a Greenhouse Gas Reduction upgrade, and a hybrid battery solution can be integrated. The optimal time for conversion is during a major engine overhaul.
Verified results (EIAPP tests, Bermeo, June 2024)
- 75% reduction of methane slip at 50% load; lower methane slip across all load ranges
- Cslip improved from the 3.1% default to 1.1% (including crankcase methane slip)
- SG engine more efficient than DF below 75% load; 1.2–5.7% less fuel including DF pilot fuel
- 4.6% fuel savings at 50% load
Applications
Vessels powered by Wärtsilä 50DF engines, particularly LNG carriers trading in the EU under FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS.
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