L to R: Dr Enis Askar (BAM), Dr Daniel Chatterjee (Director Corporate Sustainability, RR), Jürgen Rausch FUCHS), Dr Kurt Schrattbauer (Director Engineering, Bosch AG)), Tomas Bartkowski (Project manager, RR), Junio Reis de Souza (Project Management Jülich), Dr Maximilian Prager (Chief EngineerChief Engineer TUM), Tobias Grieble (MAHLE).
The consortium aims to Develop the same electrical and thermal energy as currently available through natural gas CHP units in the higher power range of up to 2.5 MW.
Rolls-Royce in collaboration with a consortium of five entities and research institutions, has initiated the development of necessary technologies for a highly efficient first-of-a-kind hydrogen combustion engine to drive combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Under the Phoenix (Performance Hydrogen Engine for Industrial and X) project, the consortium aims to generate the same electrical and thermal energy (power density and efficiency) as currently available through natural gas CHP units in the higher power range of up to 2.5 MW.
When fuelled by green hydrogen, this next-generation stationary energy plant will be able to run in a completely carbon-neutral manner. The project is being funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection with a total of almost five million euros.
Rolls-Royce already has generated a gas-powered combustion mtu engine that can use hydrogen as a fuel, but the Phoenix project will develop the technology for an even more efficient next-generation hydrogen engine. Hydrogen is one of several alternative fuels being used by Rolls-Royce to make its engine portfolio more sustainable. It is making its portfolio of reciprocating mtu engines compatible with alternative fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and e-fuels, as well as being heavily involved in exploring the use of methanol for marine applications.
Participants in the Phoenix project are developing key components for an advanced hydrogen combustion engine, including the injection system, piston group, ignition system, and a novel lubricant formulation. Consortium members include Rolls-Royce as the coordinator, the Institute for Sustainable Mobile Propulsion Systems at the Technical University of Munich, MAHLE Group, Fuchs Lubricants Germany GmbH, the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), and Robert Bosch AG.
Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said, We are convinced that combustion engines will remain an essential part of the provision of a reliable energy supply during the energy transition, We are making them climate-friendly with sustainable fuels. That’s why we at Rolls-Royce are investing in the development of next-generation hydrogen engines. The consortium in the Phoenix project, with its combined expertise, is a guarantee of the success in tackling this major technical challenge.”
The joint project is scheduled to run for three years. By then, a technology concept will have been developed that is sufficiently mature for use in a complete prototype engine.
Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said, “We are convinced that combustion engines will remain an essential part of the provision of a reliable energy supply during the energy transition. We are making them climate-friendly with sustainable fuels. That’s why we at Rolls-Royce are investing in the development of next generation hydrogen engines. The consortium in the Phoenix project, with its combined expertise, is a guarantee of the success in tackling this major technical challenge.”
As part of its power plant strategy, which includes the expansion of renewable energies, the German government has decided in favor of building more gas-fired power plants to compensate for the variability of renewable resources. In particular, smaller, decentralised gas engine plants that can flexibly compensate for the fluctuating feed-in of wind and solar power to the grid, which varies depending upon weather conditions. To reduce CO2 emissions, biogas gensets and, in some cases, the first gas engines converted for hydrogen are currently being used.
Tobias Ostermaier, President of Stationary Power Solutions, Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division, said, “As soon as the availability of green hydrogen is ensured on a large scale, the technology of highly efficient hydrogen cogeneration plants promoted in the Phoenix project will be ready for use,”
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As part of its power plant strategy, which includes the expansion of renewable energies, the German government has decided in favor of building more gas-fired power plants to compensate for the variability of renewable resources. In particular, smaller, decentralized gas engine plants that can flexibly compensate for the fluctuating feed-in of wind and solar power to the grid, which varies depending upon weather conditions. To reduce CO2 emissions, biogas gensets and, in some cases, the first gas engines converted for hydrogen are currently being used.
