Diesel United Ltd, a subsidiary of IHI Corporation (head office in Tokyo) has worked on the development of the dual fuel engine (DF), based on the signed non disclosure Agreement between DU and Wärtsilä regarding a study for the evaluation of optional concepts for LNG burning technology on low-speed engine to meet the environment regulation by IMO and saving fuel cost by changing from Diesel to Gas.
A Wärtsilä full scale dual fuel (DF) engine shall be installed at DU Aioi Works under the investment of DU/IHI, amount of which is approx 2Billion yen. The engine to be installed in Aioi Works is a Wärtsilä 6 cylinder X72, one of the newest portfolio engines which will be converted to DF and which would be applicable to large LNG carriers.
The base technology was developed through a series of the test on a Wärtsilä RT-flex50 where the gas combustion mode was applied on one cylinder. This technology has been expanded now to the large size engines and which shall be verified on Wärtsilä X72DF test engine at Aioi works.

The features of DF engines to be launched to the market are:

• - Low pressure gas, which means competitive CapEx, OpEx (gas and fuel consumption, maintenance costs)
• - Lowest possible pilot fuel consumption
• - Emissions:
• 　●Fully compliant with the NOX emissions regulation of Annex IV of the MARPOL 1973/78 convention for Tier III without secondary measures
• 　●No sulphur emissions
• 　●Close to zero particulate emissions
• - Save the plant cost for high pressure compressor or pumps and re-liquefaction equipment which may need in case of high pressure gas engines.
• In the near future, more than 100 new LNG carriers construction in Japan are planned to meet the demand for the commencement of the importation of shale gas from USA.  Such LNG carriers would be the most important target for the large size DF engines and DU's sales target for the initial stage is 4-5 units annually and in future, our goal would become the major player in this field.
  Wärtsilä has already secured the orders for 5 sets, 5RT-flex 50DF. DU will expand its sales activities to the medium size DF engines such as X62 type focusing on conventional bulk carrier as well.

The Wärtsilä 6X72DF engine to be installed in Aioi Works shall be constructed under the investment of IHI/DU with the support of Wärtsilä.

On the other hand, base technologies for the gas combustion have been supported by MITI fund as well as collaboration research scheme with class NK. Those base technologies shall be utilized for the success of DF project.

It is our commitment to serve the environmentally friendly marine engine throughout the world in future.