Since it opened in 2014, the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre has been a hub of research and development in exhaust gas cleaning, ballast water treatment, steam production, fuel cleaning and other key areas. It began as a full-size machine room on land, where Alfa Laval products are installed and integrated into major process lines around a 2 MW marine engine.

The centre has become a springboard for customer-focused innovation. It has contributed to new products, systems and technical solutions, all offering customers innovative ways to lower operating costs, reduce environmental impact and improve their business overall. And through a new gas expansion, opened in 2017, it will do even more.

Expanded possibilities

With the new expansion, the original 250 m² testing space has grown to nearly 1400 m² in total. The enlarged space supports a marine industry in rapid transition, enabling focus on combustion technologies for gas and other fuel alternatives. New equipment includes burner and inert gas systems, as well as the Alfa Laval Gas Combustion Unit (GCU), installed in full scale.

“Our investment in the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre reflects the extraordinary changes we see in the marine industry,” says Peter Leifland, President of Alfa Laval’s Marine Division. He notes that thousands of vessels are expected to sail with gas within 15 years, compared to just hundreds today. “Tightening emissions legislation is driving many customers from residual fuels towards LNG and other alternatives,” he says.

Increasing the pace of innovation

The costs of the new investment are far outweighed by the benefits, according to Leifland. “We see many areas where the centre has accelerated our R&D and improved its quality,” he says. “Exhaust gas cleaning, where our Alfa Laval PureSOx platform is fully ready for the 2020 global sulphur cap, is just one example.”

In paving the way for gas, the centre will be vital in bringing customers the most environmental and energy-efficient solutions. “The rate of change in marine legislation is increasing,” says Leifland. “With the expanded capabilities of the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre, our customers’ onboard technologies will be ready to meet their technical challenges – whether the fuel is diesel, gas or something else altogether.”

Hear Peter Leifland speak more about the importance of the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre in this video

For more information on the products in the Test & Training Centre, please visit the Test & Training Centre site.