Eltronic FuelTech of Denmark is offering equipment for supplying fuel from tanks to engines on methanol-powered ships, with its newly-launched Low-flashpoint Fuel Supply system (LFSS) .
The first example of the new system, which the company says can save both money as well as energy while enhancing safety, is fitted to the Laura Mærsk, A.P. Moller-Maersk’s first container ship that can sail on green methanol, and which marked the start of more sustainable shipping.
Wth the commercial launch of the system, other players in the shipping industry can now have an integrated fuel supply system from the fuel tank to the engine comprising a single supply system and fuel valve train which is claimed to improve safety, cut costs and save energy.
Louise Andreasen, CEO Eltronic FuelTech, said: “Embracing green methanol as a fuel has been increasing markedly in recent years, and with the new LFSS system, we can make a significant contribution to the green transition of the shipping industry. In the past, several suppliers were required to put together a complete fuel supply system all the way from the fuel tank to the engine, but the fact that we can now supply the entire system brings multiple benefits.”
There are savings associated with the logistics, as one and the same container can be used for spare parts for the entire system, and fewer repair technicians will be required in connection with maintenance.
Andreasen added: “It’s a huge advantage for customers that it’s now available as a combined package so they no longer have to maintain the interfaces between two different systems. At the same time, when we deliver a combined solution, we can guarantee the safety of the entire system.”
While most other supply systems on the market use two pumps to pump the methanol around, Eltronic FuelTech has managed to create an LFSS with only one pump, thereby saving considerable energy. In addition, it is possible to adjust the pump depending on the engine load, so that only the right amount of methanol is supplied to the engine, something which the company believes has not been possible until now.
Andreasen said: “This means that if a ship is sailing slowly, the pump automatically adjusts to the load, so that it only runs at 60% of full power for example. With other systems, unnecessarily large quantities of methanol are pumped around the system, which clearly affects electricity consumption, especially on large ships. With the biggest engines on container ships, for example, the pumps usually use more than 100,000 kWh a year pumping the methanol from the fuel tanks to the engine. With our new supply system, we expect to be able to cut consumption by up to 40%.”
In addition to developing systems for a ship’s main engines, Eltronic FuelTech has developed a compact combined system to supply the ship’s auxiliary engines with fuel from the tanks.
Image: Eltronic’s LFSS (source: Eltronic FuelTech)
