Furetank and Wärtsilä to check methane slip discount

Operating vessels on LNG/bio-LNG brings many advantages in comparison with standard gasoline oil, lowering emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and dangerous particles. However a much-debated draw back is the methane slip: the discharge of unburned fuel gasoline, not totally combusted within the engines.

Though the combustion charge is usually excessive and the methane slip accounts for a really small fraction of the gasoline used, methane is a stronger greenhouse fuel than CO₂. Thus, this slip is probably the most crucial technical problem to beat in gas-fuelled vessels; a problem which Wärtsilä and Furetank at the moment are countering.

Two technical options have been examined in Furetank’s Vinga sequence tankers. One in all them is a Greenhouse Fuel (GHG) discount package deal, developed by Wärtsilä for dual-fuel engines. The GHG package deal actively controls the engine whereas working in demanding situations like manoeuvring, harsh sea situations, or various gasoline high quality. This fashion, combustion is optimised and unburned fuel emissions minimised.

The opposite answer is the Low Load Optimization package deal, lowering the methane slip at low engine masses, for instance throughout harbour operations equivalent to loading and unloading. This package deal actively balances the loading of every engine cylinder, optimising the general complete engine effectivity even at a low engine load.

The checks carried out, each within the laboratory and at sea, present very promising outcomes. The methane slip was lowered by 45 – 50%.

“These are nice outcomes, far exceeding what we had anticipated or technically believed. The checks present a major affect in absolute phrases. We consider many transport corporations will probably be fascinated with these options. And this isn’t the top of the highway, there’s extra to be achieved,” stated Göran Österdahl, Gross sales Director of Marine Energy at Wärtsilä.

For Furetank, that is yet one more step in progressing the emission-reducing know-how within the Vinga vessel sequence, designed by Furetank with companions and the globally most vitality environment friendly ships of their phase in response to the IMO EEDI index.

“We had many discussions with Wärtsilä in the course of the previous years on the best way to counter the methane slip. It’s a powerful nut to crack and an important technical difficulty for us to unravel. There may be an ongoing chase for brand spanking new engine options which can solely intensify with the EU ETS system and stricter IMO laws. We’re joyful to have this quick monitor to builders and producers of superior engine know-how,” added Clas Gustafsson, Technical Supervisor at Furetank.

The performance will probably be carried out within the Vinga sister vessels at present being constructed on the China Retailers Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, and retrofitted into all earlier ships within the sequence.

“This can be a very profitable collaboration, as Furetank has requested us for options and supplied to carry out checks in real-life situations. We’re in a part of intense analysis and improvement on future fuels, making it invaluable for us to seek out test-willing companions. Our whole business might want to set up many operator/product developer collaborations. In any other case progress will probably be too sluggish,” added Österdahl.

Learn the article on-line at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/30082023/furetank-and-wrtsil-to-test-methane-slip-reduction/