Picture: New M-Lab outside at Torgard. 

The primary role of the new Machine Laboratory (M-Lab) within the Department of Marine Technology is to conduct detailed investigations of novel fuels for use in the marine sector.

How to reduce carbon dioxide emissions 

The vast majority of the global marine industry continues to rely on compression ignition engines operating on diesel-like fuels. In many parts of the sector, there is currently no viable alternative, and this situation is unlikely to change significantly for many years.

At the same time, there is an urgent need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport. 

One approach is the adoption of so-called net-zero fuels, such as biofuels, while another is the use of zero-carbon fuels, including renewable ammonia and renewable methanol produced using sustainable electricity.  

The long-term future of these fuels remains highly uncertain. Successful implementation requires coordinated progress across fuel producers, distributors, vessel operators, engine manufacturers, and regulators. 

Advanced testing

A critical challenge is understanding how these new fuels behave inside an engine. Given the wide variability in fuel properties, particularly for biofuels, there is a clear need for advanced testing and experimental characterization techniques. 

M-Lab focuses specifically on the fuel injection process and the subsequent ignition, combustion, and emissions formation processes.

Working closely with our partners in Energy Process Technology and SINTEF Ocean, the laboratory provides what may best be described as applied fundamental understanding of emerging marine fuels. 

Bridging fundamental research and applied testing

Our work bridges the gap between highly fundamental combustion research and fully applied engine testing.

We aim to generate high-quality experimental data that can support both computational model developers working at the fundamental level and engine researchers conducting applied performance and emissions studies.

The laboratory is continuously being modified and expanded to reflect the rapidly evolving fuel landscape. Flexibility is a key design philosophy of M-Lab, enabling the facility to adapt quickly to new fuels, research challenges, and industry requirements.

What we do in M-Lab 

Currently, the laboratory operates a Combustion Research Unit (CRU) supplied by FuelTech Trondheim.  

The facility has been developed through many years of collaboration with the company and provides a highly flexible platform for investigating fuel spray formation, ignition processes, combustion behaviour, and pollutant formation under conditions representative of modern marine engines. 

The CRU is a small stainless-steel constant-volume combustion chamber equipped with two fuel injection systems. One injection system uses a diesel common-rail injector for, while the other injection system uses a gasoline direct injector for alternative fuels such as biofuels, methanol and ethanol. Fuel is injected into the chamber and auto-ignites under the high-temperature and high-pressure conditions.  

The combustion chamber can be heated to about 650 °C and pressurised to about 50 bars. Chamber pressure is recorded, and the time between injection and pressure rise is used to determine ignition delay. Furthermore, the chamber pressure can also be post-processed to analyse heat release rates.  

The setup includes fuel- and chamber-pressure sensors, temperature sensors, lab exhaust, external cooling, gas detection alarms, software interlocks, a bursting disc that relieves at 140 bars, and a safety pressure relief valve. With an optical window on the combustion chamber, the CRU also gives the possibility of optical diagnostics and is currently combined with a differential mobility spectrometer for measuring particulate matter formed during combustion.  

Fuel preparation included in the lab means the CRU can handle diesel like fuels, heavy fuel soils, methanol ammonia and many other marine fuels.