Project Summary

This project aims to deliver a technically rigorous and commercially grounded design and development plan for ammonia combustion in free-piston engine generators using advanced trajectory-based control. Ammonia is a carbon-free, hydrogen-derived fuel that is gaining momentum as a candidate for maritime decarbonisation due to its energy density, transportability and compatibility with existing port infrastructure. However, its slow flame speed, narrow flammability range and high ignition energy make it a difficult fuel to manage in conventional internal combustion engines.? The innovation proposed in this project addresses those barriers by leveraging the unique properties of free-piston engines, namely, their decoupled piston dynamics and software-defined motion profiles. By holding the piston near top dead centre for longer durations, the engine allows ammonia more time to burn fully, increasing combustion efficiency and stability. The project focuses on generating simulation models, detailed design and documentation, and a fully costed engineering and development plan that will enable investors, regulators and maritime technology adopters to assess the feasibility of commercialising ammonia-powered free-piston engine generators for port and vessel power systems. The work builds on previous studies with different fuels and reflects the growing urgency to deploy clean-fuel technologies in line with Maritime 2050 and the Clean Maritime Plan.