Image credit: Wartsila

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Wartsila has introduced a gas-fuelled version of the Wartsila 31 engine, the Wartsila 31SG.

The launch of the new engine follows what Wartsila describes as a "very positive acceptance of the diesel version in marine sector applications". As previously reported, the Wartsila 31 has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's most efficient four-stroke diesel engine.

According to Wartsila, the key feature of the new 31SG engine is its ability to achieve simple-cycle efficiency levels in excess of 50 percent - compared to around 40 percent with modern gas turbines. This, Wartsila says, is "a milestone achievement in the energy sector".

In addition to reducing emissions, the Finnish firm says the higher efficiency offers the potential for considerable cost savings to power producers.

The 31SG is said to provide increased flexibility, enabling rapid response to continuously changing load patterns - especially within systems having a notable share of solar and wind energy.

Wartsila says the engine can be continuously operated at 10 percent load and reach full load in two minutes from the start command. This flexibility is designed to overcome the challenge created by the daily stops and starts that are inevitable with output from renewable sources.

The 20-cylinder, spark-ignited 31SG produces 12 megawatts (MW) of power. The specially designed robust engine structure has what Wartsila describes as an "unprecedented" break mean effective pressure (BMEP) of 30 bar, designed to fully accommodate all the benefits of two-stage turbocharging.

Niklas Wagar, Director, Technology & Product Management, Wartsila Energy Solutions, commented: "The Wartsila 31SG is now available and represents a new-generation answer to the rapidly evolving need for greater flexibility and better efficiency in power generation. It is the world's most efficient four-stroke combustion engine and it raises the bar in so many areas, including reliability and serviceability. With efficiency, flexibility, and the environment playing such prominent roles in today's energy market considerations, the Wartsila 31SG is the right engine at the right time."