Holistic heat energy management on ships by implementing innovative dynamic calculation models towards maximum waste heat capture and energy efficiency

Project Information

HEMOS

Grant agreement ID: 101056909

DOI

10.3030/101056909

Project closed

EC signature date 4 April 2022

Start date 1 May 2022

End date 30 September 2025

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 4 733 700,00

EU contribution

€ 4 733 699,00

Coordinated by

AS LTH-BAAS
Estonia

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HEMOS (Holistic heat energy management on ships by implementing innovative dynamic calculation models towards maximum waste heat capture and energy efficiency)

Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2023-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The HEMOS project is motivated by the need to address environmental concerns in the global shipping sector. Studies indicate that the maritime industry contributes approx. 2.5-3% to global CO2 emissions, with the EU's maritime sector alone giving 14% of greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector. The sector is also a significant source of NOx, SOx, and particulate matter emissions. Although recent regulations have curtailed SOx emissions, reducing CO2 emissions remains crucial for combating global warming, highlighting the pivotal role of shipping in global decarbonisation efforts.

In response to these challenges, the HEMOS project aims to introduce a novel design methodology for enhancing ships' thermal load and energy demand assessment through dynamic simulation and optimisation. The approach treats the ship as a moving system, considering factors like weather, operational profiles, and onboard activities. The implementation of a small-scale pilot project and the verification of the new design methodology further contribute to understanding the ways how to achieve energy gains.

The specific objectives of the HEMOS project include:

- Conducting a holistic evaluation of the ship's heat energy balance, mapping and analysing all major heat sources and consumers. This will inform the development of a vessel/plant simulation tool capable of dynamically assessing energy demand and system fluxes, facilitating the optimisation of onboard heating and cooling systems.
- Integrating novel technologies into the optimisation analysis, such as Organic Ranknie Cycle (ORC), steam turbines, waste heat recovery units, multi-stage flash distillers, absorption chillers, and high-temperature heat pumps.
- Verifying the proposed approach through a small-scale pilot validation project, retrofitted on one large oceangoing cruise ship, focusing on the best-performing technologies among those investigated.

The anticipated impact of the HEMOS project is substantial, with an estimated minimum 14% increase in energy efficiency, expected to result from the reconfiguration of heat energy flow between consumers, producers, and new heat recovery equipment.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The HEMOS project pioneers a dynamic heat energy system simulation tool in the maritime sector, aiming to advance from TRL2 to TRL7. Across three phases, it investigates an Oasis class cruise ship, develops a dynamic simulation tool, and integrates optimised systems.

Phase I: Research and Development, involves investigating an existing cruise ship, Oasis class vessel, to gather data on its energy system. Key achievements in this phase include:

-Comprehensive Data Collection on major system components contributing to energy consumption and production to understand system configurations, topology, and interconnections between subsystems.
-Waste Heat Analysis: Examination of systems releasing waste heat to the environment, with specific attention on heat quality.

Phase II: Calculation, Optimization, and System Engineering, focuses on developing a dynamic optimization and calculation model based on the gathered information. The key activities and achievements include:

-Dynamic Simulation Tool based on a novel methodology to model the vessel as a moving object considering actual journey paths and weather conditions.
-Customized Weather Data File Development for the ship's navigation route, enabling dynamic simulation with varying weather conditions.
-Energy System Optimization: Application of the dynamic simulation tool to investigate different energy efficiency technologies, incorporating waste heat recovery options and innovative control logics.

Phase III: Integration and Verification, involves implementing the optimized topology in small scale on board the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship. Key activities and achievements include:

-System and Process Engineering to understand modifications required and their impact on automation and equipment.
-Cost Complexity and Risk Analysis to evaluate the practicability of the chosen solution.
-Integration Activities: executing basic and detail design, purchasing, logistics, onboard integration, and commissioning.
-Prototype System Implementation on board for verification of the calculation model and assumptions.
-Data Collection to validate the modified system, iterating the process until a near-optimal solution is found.

The project's outcomes aim to provide valuable insights into ship heat energy system modifications, potential energy efficiency equipment, retrofitting challenges, and financial investments needed. The data and analysis will contribute to the improvement of calculation models, energy efficiency design methodologies, and serve as a verified example for the scientific community and other shipowners considering similar retrofit projects, fostering advancements in sustainable maritime technology.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The HEMOS project addresses critical gaps in the maritime sector by introducing a groundbreaking concept of a holistic and dynamic heat energy system modelling tool. The results and potential impacts of the project are significant, as outlined below:

-Novel Design Methodology for enhancing ships' thermal load and energy demand assessment. This tailored dynamic simulation approach sets a new standard for evaluating and optimising the thermal energy system of ships.
-Dynamic Simulation Model capable of considering the full ship energy system and its environmental effects. This innovation allows for a more accurate representation of ship operations, considering dynamic behaviors and transient regimes frequently encountered during voyages.
-Full System Optimisation of the entire vessel/plant system, minimising diverse objective functions. This ensures that the ship's energy systems are operating at their highest efficiency, contributing to significant energy savings.
-Demonstration of Benefits: By gaining access to actual data collected on a large cruise ship, the project demonstrates the practical benefits of the developed methodologies. This real-world validation enhances the credibility and applicability of the project's outcomes.
-New System Engineering and Development, including the introduction of new system descriptions, principles, and logics.
-Small-Scale Pilot Project: The project goes beyond theoretical simulations by implementing a small-scale pilot project. This real-world validation on one of the largest ocean-going cruise ships verifies the calculation model and allows for adjustments based on actual performance.
-Verification of New Design Methodology concerning heat system balancing on ships for optimal efficiency. This verification is crucial for establishing the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed approaches.

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