Professor Yu Ding and Dr La Xiang from Harbin Engineering University (HEU), Marine Engineering, College of Power and Energy Engineering, visited Malta, as part of the collaborative research project entitled “Dual Fuel Engine Technology and Dynamic Behaviour Improvement for Marine Application” - BIMA.

Project BIMA received funding from the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) and the Ministry for Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MOST), through the Sino-Malta Fund 2021 (Science and Technology Cooperation).

Together with the academic institutions of HEU and UM, this project also includes two industrial partners, namely Gozo Channel Ltd. and Henan Diesel Engines.  The research is on the application of Dual Fuel (diesel and Liquified Natural Gas LNG) in marine engines and looks into the combustion stability and combustion improvement during transients.

While in Malta, Professor Ding and Dr Xiang met with the Pro-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer at UM, Prof Simon Fabri, delivering a presentation about HEU together with information regarding the progress of the project BIMA. The UM researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and System and Control Engineering provided further information regarding the aims of the project while touring the Thermodynamics Laboratory of the Faculty of Engineering, where novel dual fueling technologies are being developed and tested.

The Chinese delegation also met with Ing Etienne Agius from Gozo Channel Ltd. who provided a tour of the MV Malita which is the vessel used for data acquisition in this project.  Prof Ding and Dr Xiang accompanied by Prof Mario Farrugia and Mr Anthony Saliba also visited MCST in Kalkara and were given a tour of Esplora. 

Main upper photo: Meeting at MCST. From left, Ms Borg, Mr Saliba, Prof Farrugia, Prof Ding and Dr Xiang.

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Professor Ding (first on the right) making a presentation on HEU and discussing the ongoing collaborative project.

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Professor Ding (left) and Pro Rector Professor Fabri (right).

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Mr Scicluna explaining an experimental setup being used in the project located at the Faculty of Engineering Thermodynamics laboratory. From left, Dr Scerri, Prof Ding, Dr Xiang, Mr Saliba, Prof Fabri, Mr Scicluna and Mr Azzopardi.

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From left, Prof Farrugia, Ing Agius, Prof Ding and Dr Xiang.

Information and images source: MCST and University of Malta (below link)