USE OF METHANOL AS MOTOR FUEL FOR MARINE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

The international maritime organization's intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere by two times compared to 2008 by 2050 prompted manufacturers of marine engines to start actively searching for ways to solve this problem. Since significant global changes in the structure of ship power equipment are not expected during this period, the main efforts of researchers are aimed at solving the problem of reducing emissions based on piston engines, which today form the basis of ship power. The technology of the first stage of reducing greenhouse gas emissions was the conversion of marine diesels to gas fuels, and primarily to methane. These technologies, which are already widely used in water transport today, make it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20...25%, but do not solve the problem completely. Today it is clear that a global solution to the problem is possible only when using as motor fuel compounds that are either carbon-free, i.e. do not contain carbon in their composition at all, or are carbon neutral, i.e. contain carbon extracted from the atmosphere by biological or technological means. One such compound is methyl alcohol or methanol. Today, most of the methanol in the world is produced either from coal or from natural gas, so the total emissions of greenhouse gases when burning such methanol even exceed emissions from burning petroleum fuels, however, unlike the latter, this compound can be obtained from biological raw materials, or by binding atmospheric carbon. Today, such methanol, which has received the name «green», is too expensive, and its production technologies require further development. This can happen only if there is international stimulation and regulation of this area of production. But the introduction of such regulation requires a clear understanding of the technical feasibility and economic and environmental feasibility of using methanol as a motor fuel. That is why leading manufacturers today are working on solving these issues. Their solution is considered the second stage on the way to the complete decarbonization of shipping, and at this stage there has been significant progress in recent years. This article is devoted to the analysis of the current state of the question regarding the use of methanol as motor fuel for ship engines of all types and sizes.