First H2 engine in industrial scale
HanseWerk Natur in Hamburg-Othmarschen, Germany is demonstrating a gas engine that can run on 100% natural gas as well as 100% hydrogen (H2)—and any natural gas/H2 mixture in between. An E.ON company, HanseWerk Natur operates several decentralized gas engine combined heat and power (CHP) plants in the Hamburg area—an area that can become a hydrogen role model in Germany.
|
Natural gas operation |
H2 operation |
|
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Output | 999 kW | >600 kW |
| Electrical Efficiency | ~42% | ~40% |
| Total CHP efficiency | ~93.5% | ~93% |
For this pilot project, INNIO Jenbacher demonstrated the field conversion from natural gas to hydrogen of the first megawatt-scale gas engine. The Jenbacher J416 gas engine was designed and enhanced for high total CHP efficiency running on natural gas with a Methane Number greater than 80.
Still optimized for
100% natural gas operation,
the converted Jenbacher J416 gas engine has the following enabling technology blocks for 100% H2 operation or operation running on any natural gas/H2 mixture:
- A port injection for H2 fuel (required H2 pressure ~8 barg)
- A cylinder selective combustion control
- A wastegate for the turbo charger