Engineering news
A pollution cutting water-in-diesel fuel emulsion has been selected to power Team Britannia’s multi-million powerboat on its 24,000 mile world record attempt later this year.
Team Britannia is a multi-million British bid to design and build the fastest and most fuel efficient semi-wave slicing powerboat to circumnavigate the globe for the coveted UIM world record. The record attempt, headed by international sailor Alan Priddy, hopes to cut up to seven days off the current round the world powerboat record of 60 days 23 hours 49 minutes, held by New Zealander Pete Bethune.
Clean Fuel Ltd, the company behind the water-in-diesel (Wide) fuel, produces a range of emulsions, (water, diesel and an emulsifier) which when burnt, they say reduce emissions of harmful pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) when compared to traditional fuels.
Wide can be used in almost any existing engine setup with little or no costly additional modification or retrofitting. It works by improving atomisation and initial testing indicates that emulsified fuel slashes PM and NOx without any reduction in engine power.
The emulsified fuel will power the two race-tuned Fiat Power Train C13 500, 6 cylinder engines, which are each capable of generating 500HP at 2,000 RPM. Completing the engine system are two water jets built by marine company Castoldi.
The effects of the emulsified fuel on the engines and the emissions will be monitored for the duration of the voyage and the results published online.
Professor Bob Cripps, former technical director of US commercial and military boatbuilding company VT Halmatic, came up with the new design for the boat. Designed in the UK, it will be constructed in the Portsmouth area by ABC Marine out of recycled marine grade aluminium. It encompasses “an exceptionally efficient hull”, which will cut fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent.
Clean Fuel’s technical director, Steve Mason, will also join the boat’s crew as its chief engineer.
Mason said: “I have known Alan Priddy for many years and he always hoped to revisit the one power boating record that alluded him throughout his illustrious career, but he also wanted to do it in an environmentally friendly way. That is why the boat is being constructed out of recycled marine grade aluminium, has been designed to cut fuel consumption and will use emulsified fuel.
Mason added that the company's fuel emulsion will increase its range, reduce pollution and maintain performance.
Clean Fuel said they have resolved a previous issue for Fade to do with stratification, where the emulsion separates, by completely wrapping the water with fuel to control the micro explosion, creating a more efficient burn.
Priddy said: “The marine industry is a major contributor to pollution even with the massive strides made over recent years such as the reduction in sulphur levels – so more needs to be done.
“What Clean Fuel has done is to perfect a solution. It does not require expensive changes to existing engines and has the potential to actually deliver a net saving to the user.
“Having seen the technology in use, I am so confident of its potential that we will be using it to power our world record attempt.”