Basic familiarization of Dual Fuel Engine concept.

(© Moshiur Rahman)

Methane Loss in Dual Fuel Engine:

Impact on MARPOL ANNEX-VI Regulation:13-NOx Emission

Methane Slip: Methane Leaks:

Unburn methane trapped in the dead space of Methane Leakage in the annular
combustion chamber space of Double wall LNG fuel pipe.

Cause Cause

Dead space in Gas Quenching in cool Mechanical failure

combustion chamber area of combustion of the pipe system
chamber due to corrosion,
fatigue, crack and
rupture.
Dead space: Gas Quenching:

Gaps between cylinder head and liner, Incomplete combustion of methane in

Remedy to reduce
Between piston top side wall and cylinder form of Quenching (cold gas molecule)
Methane Leakage
liner, Behind anti-polishing ring & piston ring at the coldest part of the combustion
chamber which is normally liner
Methane slip mechanism: surface close to scavenging area. -Double wall non-
corrosive SS piping
1. During the compression stroke the gas Methane slip mechanism:
system with flexible
mixture is compressed and trapped into
Quenching occur when the mixture is joint to be used in
these gaps and hide away from the
too lean (Less CH4 + More Air) and design
combustion.
cool- down along the cylinder liner.
2. The Methane molecule is very stable and This mainly happen during low load - well secured
need high temperature to ignite (above operation. clamping system to
600-degree C depending on air fuel be maintained
Remedy to reduce Methane Slip:
ratio). This hidden area temperature against vibration
remains below this ignition point. So, 1. Quenching can be significantly damage.
methane molecules remain unburn in reduced by enriching the “Gas-Air”
this area. -Sufficient safety
mixture. But richer mixture with
device (Pressure
3. During expansion stroke this hidden gas higher CH4 will create more NOx.
relief vv, pressure
flows out from the gaps area it cools So dynamic balancing of the
mixture is essential with effective sensor, Isolation vv
down further and comes out in the
control system between unburned etc) to be used
exhaust flow.
methane and NOx. against over
Remedy to reduce Methane Slip in DFE: pressure of the
2. Fine Optimization of Gas- fuel ratio piping system
1. This dead volume can be reduced to a for each load with the control
minimum by design system can minimize methane Gas -Regular inspection
Quenching.
2. High pressure direct LNG injection can
-Use GCU to burn
also minimize this gas trapping.
leakage methane
 Basic familiarization of Dual Fuel Engine concept. (© Moshiur Rahman)

Methane slip is an important environmental concern for the modern dual fuel
engine. This causes great harm to our environment by affecting Ozone layer. It
has also high global warming potential (GWP). This also impact the MARPOL
Annex-VI regulation 12 (Ozone depleting substance). Many of our industry
practitioners and Marine engineers and Marine Engineering students do not
have the clear idea about this methane Slip. They are also not sure about how
this methane slip occurs in the Marine dual fuel engine. Many of them are
confused between Methane leakage and methane slip in the dual fuel engine.
To provide a basic picture to them about this methane slip and menthe leakage
in a brief frame, I develop this “Graphical model of Methane Leakage” from
the dual fuel engine. Hope this will be helpful to my industry people and
academics who are working with dual fuel engine.