During SMM 2022, Alfa Laval and WinGD agreed on establishing a joint programme in which Alfa Laval will develop the fuel supply system for WinGD methanol engines.
To support shipping decarbonization, WinGD has announced that its engines will be able to run on methanol as of 2024. In making that promise reality, the company has turned to Alfa Laval for the development of a fuel supply solution. Alfa Laval will provide a fuel supply system designed for the requirements of WinGD’s proven two-stroke engine and fuel injection technology using methanol as fuel.
Many of the vessels purchased today will be sailing in 2050, so the engine solutions for carbon-neutral methanol cannot wait,
said Dominik Schneiter, Vice President R&D, WinGD.
As explained, Alfa Laval’s role in the project will draw heavily on existing experience. The Alfa Laval FCM Methanol, the industry’s leading low-flashpoint fuel supply system (LFSS) for methanol, has an adaptable design and has been selected in over 30 methanol projects for major shipowners.
In the cooperation with WinGD, Alfa Laval will provide the LFSS itself, as well as the control system, the fuel valve train and auxiliary functions like the purging system. A prototype will be delivered for tests of the methanol engine, which will take place at WinGD facilities in Winterthur, Switzerland.
The two companies intend to have a methanol engine and fuel supply system design prepared and tested during 2023. Under the terms of the agreement, Alfa Laval will be an approved manufacturer and supplier of the commercial LFSS product resulting from the joint R&D. Further, the agreement paves the way for similar cooperation on ammonia, targeting WinGD engines that can use ammonia as fuel by 2025.
