Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review

Decarbonizing maritime transportation is a key objective for the future green shipping industry, with ammonia emerging as a promising candidate among hydrogen carriers and alternative fuels for CO2-free energy systems. Its benefits include high volumetric hydrogen density, low storage pressure, high...

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Main Authors: Phan Anh Duong, Hokeun Kang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Fuel Processing Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382025000293
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author Phan Anh Duong
Hokeun Kang
author_facet Phan Anh Duong
Hokeun Kang
author_sort Phan Anh Duong
collection DOAJ
description Decarbonizing maritime transportation is a key objective for the future green shipping industry, with ammonia emerging as a promising candidate among hydrogen carriers and alternative fuels for CO2-free energy systems. Its benefits include high volumetric hydrogen density, low storage pressure, high storage temperature than other alternative fuels, and long-term stability. This comprehensive review analyzes over 300 studies, researches and experiments from 2001 to 2024, evaluating the potential of ammonia supply systems for dual-fuel engines in both current and future maritime applications. The study explores the viability of using ammonia in dual-fuel marine diesel engines, combining it with diesel, hydrogen, biodiesel, LNG, LPG, or other fuels to achieve significant reductions in carbon emissions, supported by ammonia's low auto-ignition temperature. Maintaining the ammonia energy ratio below 60 % helps to lower the flame temperature, which in turn reduces NOx emissions. However, increasing the ammonia energy proportion also leads to higher N₂O emissions, which counterbalances the benefits of lower CO₂ emissions. Optimizing diesel injection timing helps to reduce N₂O and NH₃ emissions. Despite its potential, ammonia dual-fuel combustion still presents challenges, particularly concerning NOx emissions and high levels of unburned ammonia due to the fuel's nitrogen content. These issues necessitate the implementation of effective aftertreatment systems. Consequently, ammonia is currently regarded as a feasible option primarily for marine applications, power generation, and potentially cargo vessels, where space limitations are less restrictive. Furthermore, addressing critical factors such as safety, combustion efficiency, and technological advancements is essential before ammonia can be considered a complete replacement for conventional marine fuels.
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spelling doaj-art-10701e1618c14412aeaf16a9eba91c392025-08-20T02:13:33ZengElsevierFuel Processing Technology0378-38202025-07-0127210820510.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108205Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive reviewPhan Anh Duong0Hokeun Kang1Department of Marine System Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727, Taejong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 49112, Republic of KoreaDivision of Coast Guard Studies, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727, Taejong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 49112, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.Decarbonizing maritime transportation is a key objective for the future green shipping industry, with ammonia emerging as a promising candidate among hydrogen carriers and alternative fuels for CO2-free energy systems. Its benefits include high volumetric hydrogen density, low storage pressure, high storage temperature than other alternative fuels, and long-term stability. This comprehensive review analyzes over 300 studies, researches and experiments from 2001 to 2024, evaluating the potential of ammonia supply systems for dual-fuel engines in both current and future maritime applications. The study explores the viability of using ammonia in dual-fuel marine diesel engines, combining it with diesel, hydrogen, biodiesel, LNG, LPG, or other fuels to achieve significant reductions in carbon emissions, supported by ammonia's low auto-ignition temperature. Maintaining the ammonia energy ratio below 60 % helps to lower the flame temperature, which in turn reduces NOx emissions. However, increasing the ammonia energy proportion also leads to higher N₂O emissions, which counterbalances the benefits of lower CO₂ emissions. Optimizing diesel injection timing helps to reduce N₂O and NH₃ emissions. Despite its potential, ammonia dual-fuel combustion still presents challenges, particularly concerning NOx emissions and high levels of unburned ammonia due to the fuel's nitrogen content. These issues necessitate the implementation of effective aftertreatment systems. Consequently, ammonia is currently regarded as a feasible option primarily for marine applications, power generation, and potentially cargo vessels, where space limitations are less restrictive. Furthermore, addressing critical factors such as safety, combustion efficiency, and technological advancements is essential before ammonia can be considered a complete replacement for conventional marine fuels.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382025000293AmmoniaFGSSMarine vesselsDual-fuel engineSICI engine
spellingShingle Phan Anh Duong
Hokeun Kang
Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review
Fuel Processing Technology
Ammonia
FGSS
Marine vessels
Dual-fuel engine
SI
CI engine
title Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review
title_full Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review
title_fullStr Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review
title_full_unstemmed Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review
title_short Ammonia as fuel for marine dual-fuel technology: A comprehensive review
title_sort ammonia as fuel for marine dual fuel technology a comprehensive review
topic Ammonia
FGSS
Marine vessels
Dual-fuel engine
SI
CI engine
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382025000293
work_keys_str_mv AT phananhduong ammoniaasfuelformarinedualfueltechnologyacomprehensivereview
AT hokeunkang ammoniaasfuelformarinedualfueltechnologyacomprehensivereview