- As the marine industry races to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre is taking a key role.
- The testing centre is a site for collaboration with industry partners and research institutes, which will be needed to reach IMO’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over 2008 levels.
- Alfa Laval, biofuel producer MASH Energy and shipowner DFDS have entered into one such collaboration, funded in part by Shipping Lab, a Danish non-profit initiative focused on smart shipping.
Alfa Laval, a global supplier of solutions for fluid handling, on 4 November, said its Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre is taking a key role in the marine industry race to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Biofuel testing centre
The 2800m2 testing space – already equipped for today’s oil and gas fuels – has been readied for testing with biofuels. In coming years, the centre will accumulate knowledge that is vital to a carbon-free future, said Alfa Laval.
Located in Aalborg, Denmark, the company noted the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre is a core component of its own research and development.
It is also a site for collaboration with industry partners and research institutes, which will be needed to reach IMO’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over 2008 levels.
Initiative for smart shipping
Alfa Laval, biofuel producer MASH Energy and shipowner DFDS have entered into one such collaboration, funded in part by Shipping Lab, a Danish non-profit initiative focused on smart shipping.
“Two 25m3 tanks have been installed at the centre, one of which is stainless steel and dedicated for testing of biofuels and other new fuel types,” said Lars Bo Andersen, Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre Manager.
He added, “New fuel alternatives are constantly being introduced to the marine industry, but the knowledge about their behavior in marine fuel systems is limited. We want to extend that knowledge through testing, beginning with biofuels.”
Fuels to meet IMO goals
Alfa Laval stated that biofuels have high potential and will undoubtedly play a part in meeting IMO climate goals. Many such fuels are on the verge of entering the market, and Alfa Laval noted it is often approached by shipowners regarding their use. Yet while they represent a significant opportunity, biofuels as they involve many unknowns.
“Biofuels are produced from many different sources using a wide range of production methods,” Andersen further said. “Consequently, the end product varies. Even though producers aim to fulfil the ISO 8217 standard, fuel users may experience undesirable fuel behaviors, such as corrosion of the fuel system.”
Fuel viscosity
Fuel injection is steered by viscosity, which is in turn controlled by heating. The relationship between heat and viscosity is hard to predict for biofuels, so the existing curves for HFO and LSHFO don’t apply.
“For biofuels to be used safely and efficiently, we have to gain more knowledge about them in order to optimize their handling and combustion.”
Biofuel through waste pyrolysis
The company said the first biofuel tested at the centre will be one produced in India by MASH Energy, which is created through pyrolysis of waste biomass. This way, the fuel would be a net positive, removing CO2 from the overall carbon equation. Samples of the MASH Energy biofuel have already been received and tested at VeriFuel i Athens, it added.
In anticipation of the full-scale delivery in Aalborg, additional preparations are being made at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre, for example to enable real-time viscosity and emission measurements that will improve boiler combustion control.
Hydrothermal liquefaction fuels
Likewise, Alfa Laval said it is already in dialogue with additional biofuel producers, as well as other research partners including Aalborg University, where fuels derived from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) are in focus.
HTL is a bioconversion technology that can turn any wet organic material into an energy-dense bio-crude, it explained.
“There are many possibilities for producing tomorrow’s fuels, and testing will be needed to overcome the many different challenges in the end results,” says Andersen.
He concluded, “Getting to 2050 successfully will require intense research into lots of different options, which demands partnerships across the industry. We’re proud to contribute with Alfa Laval’s experience and the capabilities of the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre.”
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Source: Alfa Laval
