To main content

Emission and Fuel Reduction for Offshore Support Vessels through Hybrid Technology

Abstract

Traditionally, offshore support vessels have been designed to ensure that they can perform their duties at nearly any sea state. This has been achieved through multiple
engines and advanced dynamic positioning systems. This in combination with high safety standards set by the oil companies has resulted in a general operational pattern
with vessels running multiple engines at low-to-medium loads to be prepared for unexpected incidents to happen at any time. At medium-to-high power, the combustion engine produces each kilowatt hour with the lowest fuel consumption
and the lowest emissions. When engines operate at low power, fuel consumption per kilowatt hour produced increases. For the cost of the operation, this increase in specific fuel consumption at lower loads makes a small impact compared to the total cost of the operation, while for emissions low loads implies that emissions of exhaust gases such as nitrogen oxides and aerosols such as black carbon increases rapidly due to less favorable combustion conditions. This study investigates potential emission and fuel consumption reductions, which can be achieved by introduction of
hybrid technologies including their climate mitigation potential. In this context, hybrid means engines of different sizes, battery storage of energy to take peak power
requirements, and power management systems with a more balanced focus on reducing emissions and energy consumption while maintaining a high safety standard. Our results indicate that hybrid technologies reduce both emissions and fuel consumption, and that the climate impact of the emission reduction is much larger than the impact due to the reduction in fuel consumption alone.

Category

Academic article

Client

  • Research Council of Norway (RCN) / 239113

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Elizabeth Lindstad
  • Inge Sandaas

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Ocean / Energi og transport
  • Unknown

Year

2016

Published in

Journal of Ship Production and Design

ISSN

2158-2866

Publisher

Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers

Volume

32

Issue

4

Page(s)

195 - 205

View this publication at Cristin