- The evolving landscape of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction regulations, such as the EU green deal, is propelling the maritime industry towards practical decarbonization.
- Mia underscores the multifaceted nature of shipping decarbonization, involving operational and technical measures like energy-saving practices, exhaust gas treatment, carbon capture, and the crucial role of clean fuels.
Challenges and Changes in Ship Machinery
The increasing demand for GHG reduction is reshaping ship machinery, introducing lower engine loads, varied power requirements, and new criteria for engines due to alternative fuels. The blog anticipates a surge in fuel cells as part of the ship machinery mix and emphasizes the growing importance of electrification, both for reducing emissions and economic reasons.
The Role of Electrification and Carbon Capture
Electrification emerges as a significant strategy for reducing ship emissions, with a future requirement for certain ships to plug into shore power, especially within the EU. Mia explores the economic aspects of electrification and highlights the potential of carbon capture as an intermediate solution, citing a study on a RoPAX ship with promising payback periods for carbon capture technology.
Heat Consumption in Ship Energy Flows
Examining ship energy flows, Mia reveals that heat consumption represents a substantial portion of a ship’s total energy consumption. While waste heat from ship engines traditionally satisfies heating needs, Mia anticipates a shift with the adoption of new machinery, making ship heat systems more complex.
Implications of Shore Power and Carbon Capture on Heat
Connecting a ship to shore power, a common practice for emissions reduction, results in the loss of waste heat production, prompting the use of auxiliary boilers. Mia challenges the assumption that shore power alone guarantees zero emissions in port and discusses the implications of carbon capture on heat consumption, emphasizing the energy-intensive nature of chemical absorption processes.
Opportunities in New Fuels and Technologies
Amid the challenges, Mia highlights opportunities in new fuels and technologies, particularly in heat recovery. Clean fuels without sulfur in exhaust gases enable more efficient heat recovery, and technologies like heat pumps and heat storage present possibilities for minimizing emissions and enhancing energy efficiency.
New Generation Ship Heat System Principles
Mia introduces “new generation ship heat system principles” to address challenges and unlock potential improvements. These principles focus on optimizing energy flows, utilizing low-temperature heat sources, and employing heat pumps and storages to enhance efficiency, particularly when a ship is on shore power.
Mia expresses hope that the blog provides new perspectives and structures the complex topic of ship heat systems, highlighting the significance of thermodynamics, engineering skills, an adventurous mindset, and perhaps an ultrasound flow measurement device in the world of ship heat systems.
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Source: Deltamarin
