INTERVIEW TO elna HEIMDAL Nilsson FROM LUND university
Tell us about the LUND University. What is your core business and role within the project?
Lund University is one of the major Universities in Sweden and at the technical faculty we have decades of experience in research on combustion devices using both experimental and computational tools. The role of my research group in the ENGIMMONIA project is to develop chemical kinetic mechanisms that will be implemented in engine simulations.
Why did LUND University get involved in the ENGIMMONIA project? How does this activity fit with the normal business of your organisation?
Our activities in the ENGIMMONIA project is well in line with our regular research activities. At the division of Combustion Physics we have a strong focus on new fuel concepts and we have previously had several projects about ammonia combustion. We got involved in ENGIMMONIA as a result of existing collaborations with MAN Energy Solutions and DTU in Denmark.
How do you expect the maritime transport sector to be like in the future?
I do hope it will be a very strong sector since there is a large potential to implement environment and climate–friendly fuel.
Which are the most significant challenges and opportunities related to the use of ammonia/clean energy solutions in the maritime sector in your opinion?
My expertise is the combustion chemistry and from that perspective I would say that the understanding of potential formation of hazardous pollutants is essential. In a larger perspective I suspect that the up-scaling of the processes, combustion as well as fuel handling, is a significant challenge.
What are your expectations of the ENGIMMONIA project?
I expect the project as whole to deliver the results we promised, which will be made possible by a truly multidisciplinary effort. From my own perspective I think the project will open up for new collaborations with both industrial and academic partners. Since there is a strong commercial drive I expect that research on ammonia combustion will take a leap forward, motivated by the urgent need to burn green fuels in shipping engines.