Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ShipFC (Piloting Multi MW Ammonia Ship Fuel Cells)
Período documentado: 2020-01-01 hasta 2021-06-30
The ShipFC project is addressing the environmental challenges the maritime industry is facing. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has a global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050 (compared to 2008 levels) In a broader perspective, zero emission waterborne transport is one of several key factors for reaching the Paris agreements challenge of reducing CO2 emissions by 80-95% (compared to 1990 levels) by the same year (2050).
Roughly ninety percent of the world’s cargo is transported by sea and the emission from the maritime transport industry is estimated to account for 3,5% to 4% of all climate change emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. These facts underline the importance of developing new technologies for zero emission sea transport to enable continued international trade between continents.
ShipFC’s main objective is to show that it is possible to do long-range, high-power zero emission sea transport, and show how this can be supported by a larger fuel infrastructure supporting the global maritime industry.
To meet the objectives the project will develop a 2MW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and do a retrofit of both the fuel cell, and required bunkering, tank, and gas treatment systems, onboard the offshore supply vessel “Viking Energy”. Further, the project will study how the existing global trade of ammonia as a bulk commodity can be adapted to meet the maritime industry’s future needs for green ammonia fuel. The study will also evaluate options for certifying green ammonia and investigate applicable incentive schemes for producers and users of green ammonia.
Roughly ninety percent of the world’s cargo is transported by sea and the emission from the maritime transport industry is estimated to account for 3,5% to 4% of all climate change emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. These facts underline the importance of developing new technologies for zero emission sea transport to enable continued international trade between continents.
ShipFC’s main objective is to show that it is possible to do long-range, high-power zero emission sea transport, and show how this can be supported by a larger fuel infrastructure supporting the global maritime industry.
To meet the objectives the project will develop a 2MW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and do a retrofit of both the fuel cell, and required bunkering, tank, and gas treatment systems, onboard the offshore supply vessel “Viking Energy”. Further, the project will study how the existing global trade of ammonia as a bulk commodity can be adapted to meet the maritime industry’s future needs for green ammonia fuel. The study will also evaluate options for certifying green ammonia and investigate applicable incentive schemes for producers and users of green ammonia.
During the first 18 months work has consisted of fuel cell modelling followed by lab scale testing to verify the models which will be used in the further scale up of the fuel cells. Although COVID 19 put some restrictions on the lab work, progress has been good, and the preliminary results are showing promising results.
In a subtask of the SOFC development project partner IMM Fraunhofer are studying "Nitrogen Oxides prevention & mitigation actions". They have performed lab tests with various metals, and off gas compositions to study different afterburner designs. The results so far show that there is a trade-off between formation of N2O and NOX. Lower operational temperatures are efficient to reduce NOX formation, whilst higher temperatures are required to eliminate the N2O formation. The results show that N2O is decreasing with temperatures above 200 °C, and it is eliminated at 400 to 500 °C. Currently, it is intended to operate the afterburner at a rather high temperature such as 800 °C. At this temperature and above, a conversion of the remaining ammonia in the SOFC off-gas into NOX is favoured over the N2O formation. However, the NOX formation is significantly lower than for a maritime diesel engine with comparable power output, and significantly lower than the TIER III requirements for a diesel engine of this size. Further reduction of NOX emission can be achieved by further advancements in catalyst development or by cleaning of the afterburner exhaust gas.
Project partner Wärtsilä Norway has been developing the design of required power electronics, including sizing of the battery installation for the pilot vessel. The work has been performed in close collaboration with both the fuel cell developer (Prototech), and the vessel owner (Eidesvik). Preliminary designs for the power electronics have been produced together with technical drawings for positioning of the equipment onboard. In parallel Wärtsilä Gas Solutions is working on the designs of the ammonia fuel system including storage tank, gas treatment, and bunkering solution for the vessel. Project partner Yara is engaged in this work sharing their experiences related to safe ammonia distribution on a global scale. Preliminary designs have been established and the next step is to perform a concept selection before starting the detailed design. The preliminary designs are being used in dialogue with both class authorities (DNV), and with the Norwegian Maritime Authorities (NMA) as a part of the vessel approval process.
University of Strathclyde have in the first period been facilitating several HAZID workshops to identify safety matters related to the design of the new systems. As a second step a functional based model of the baseline design was developed, and approved by partners STRATH, WAER and Prototech. Clarifications were provided and an initial baseline functional model was established and used as a basis for the safety assessment methodology. In addition, the operability of the system was assessed, the baseline functional model was used to examine the behaviour of the system and the system failure propagation, when subjected to various critical hazards.
To enable full scale onshore testing of the developed systems Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre has started the modification of their onshore test center in Norway. Expansion of the centre has been completed and the work is currently ongoing with installation of ammonia gas pipes as well as the ammonia fuel storage tank. The expansion of the test centre including the increased capability for testing of ammonia powered systems has been approved by The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. The center has also been granted permission to feed the energy produced during testing of the systems back into the local grid. This facilitates for minimal waste of energy during the testing period.
Project Coordinator Matitime CleanTech is also leading the communication work, where a project website (shipfc.eu) is established as well as a LinkedIn page that has attracted over 750 followers in the first eighteen project months.
In a subtask of the SOFC development project partner IMM Fraunhofer are studying "Nitrogen Oxides prevention & mitigation actions". They have performed lab tests with various metals, and off gas compositions to study different afterburner designs. The results so far show that there is a trade-off between formation of N2O and NOX. Lower operational temperatures are efficient to reduce NOX formation, whilst higher temperatures are required to eliminate the N2O formation. The results show that N2O is decreasing with temperatures above 200 °C, and it is eliminated at 400 to 500 °C. Currently, it is intended to operate the afterburner at a rather high temperature such as 800 °C. At this temperature and above, a conversion of the remaining ammonia in the SOFC off-gas into NOX is favoured over the N2O formation. However, the NOX formation is significantly lower than for a maritime diesel engine with comparable power output, and significantly lower than the TIER III requirements for a diesel engine of this size. Further reduction of NOX emission can be achieved by further advancements in catalyst development or by cleaning of the afterburner exhaust gas.
Project partner Wärtsilä Norway has been developing the design of required power electronics, including sizing of the battery installation for the pilot vessel. The work has been performed in close collaboration with both the fuel cell developer (Prototech), and the vessel owner (Eidesvik). Preliminary designs for the power electronics have been produced together with technical drawings for positioning of the equipment onboard. In parallel Wärtsilä Gas Solutions is working on the designs of the ammonia fuel system including storage tank, gas treatment, and bunkering solution for the vessel. Project partner Yara is engaged in this work sharing their experiences related to safe ammonia distribution on a global scale. Preliminary designs have been established and the next step is to perform a concept selection before starting the detailed design. The preliminary designs are being used in dialogue with both class authorities (DNV), and with the Norwegian Maritime Authorities (NMA) as a part of the vessel approval process.
University of Strathclyde have in the first period been facilitating several HAZID workshops to identify safety matters related to the design of the new systems. As a second step a functional based model of the baseline design was developed, and approved by partners STRATH, WAER and Prototech. Clarifications were provided and an initial baseline functional model was established and used as a basis for the safety assessment methodology. In addition, the operability of the system was assessed, the baseline functional model was used to examine the behaviour of the system and the system failure propagation, when subjected to various critical hazards.
To enable full scale onshore testing of the developed systems Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre has started the modification of their onshore test center in Norway. Expansion of the centre has been completed and the work is currently ongoing with installation of ammonia gas pipes as well as the ammonia fuel storage tank. The expansion of the test centre including the increased capability for testing of ammonia powered systems has been approved by The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. The center has also been granted permission to feed the energy produced during testing of the systems back into the local grid. This facilitates for minimal waste of energy during the testing period.
Project Coordinator Matitime CleanTech is also leading the communication work, where a project website (shipfc.eu) is established as well as a LinkedIn page that has attracted over 750 followers in the first eighteen project months.
Already in the first reporting period of the project we are pushing the boundaries of state-of-the-art technology. Although a lot of work is remaining to validate further scale up of the fuel cell systems some of the enabling factors for project success has already been achieved such as:
- A signed agreement guaranteeing delivery of ammonia fuel for the pilot test
- Approval of a full-scale onshore test centre for alternative fuels such as ammonia
Through delivery of the ShipFC project we expect to validate high power ammonia fuelled fuel cells as a solution for zero emission shipping.
The University of Strathclyde has been working with analysis of the replicator cases for vessels with power demands in the + 20MW scale. Project partners Star Bulk, Capital Ship Management, and North Sea Shipping has provided valuable data form their fleet of vessels as input to the analyses performed. Further analysis of the replicator cases, combined with the output of the Viking Energy pilot will enable a goodness of fit assessment for use of high-power ammonia fuel cells on larger oceangoing vessels.
Further, the study of green ammonia distribution for shipping will result in a report that outlines a strategy for green ammonia production for shipping. This will include a review of supply and infrastructure for green ammonia for shipping, a review of the requirements of the shipping use case, and recommendations on how to proceed towards meeting shipping requirements. The renewed commitment seen by project partner Yara who has established a new business unit “Yara Clean Ammonia” underlines the impact of the work performed in ShipFC.
- A signed agreement guaranteeing delivery of ammonia fuel for the pilot test
- Approval of a full-scale onshore test centre for alternative fuels such as ammonia
Through delivery of the ShipFC project we expect to validate high power ammonia fuelled fuel cells as a solution for zero emission shipping.
The University of Strathclyde has been working with analysis of the replicator cases for vessels with power demands in the + 20MW scale. Project partners Star Bulk, Capital Ship Management, and North Sea Shipping has provided valuable data form their fleet of vessels as input to the analyses performed. Further analysis of the replicator cases, combined with the output of the Viking Energy pilot will enable a goodness of fit assessment for use of high-power ammonia fuel cells on larger oceangoing vessels.
Further, the study of green ammonia distribution for shipping will result in a report that outlines a strategy for green ammonia production for shipping. This will include a review of supply and infrastructure for green ammonia for shipping, a review of the requirements of the shipping use case, and recommendations on how to proceed towards meeting shipping requirements. The renewed commitment seen by project partner Yara who has established a new business unit “Yara Clean Ammonia” underlines the impact of the work performed in ShipFC.