75% sulphur reduction achieved on cruise ship

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

30 Apr 2008

Independent testing of the Krystallon seawater scrubber system installed on the Holland America Line (HAL) vessel Zaandam has confirmed a significant reduction in critical emissions, though not as much as what has been reported from earlier trials. The Zaandam set sail from Vancouver on May 9, 2007, to start its regular sailing schedule from the port for the Alaska summer cruise season having had a Krystallon scrubber installed one of the vessel's 8.5 MW engines.
The technology demonstration project, in cooperation with several Canadian and United States government and regulatory agencies, was the third deployment of the Krystallon system.  Its makers say the scrubber can virtually eliminate sulphur dioxide (SO2), significantly reduce particulate matter (PM) and partially reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions.
The Krystallon seawater scrubber was tested independently by the Emissions Research and Testing Division of Environment Canada during a Vancouver-Alaska cruise in September 2007.
In its report, Environment Canada noted that the Krystallon scrubber achieved full load SO2 emission reductions of 75% and cut PM by 57%.
Krystallon said these tests were conducted during system commissioning when the system was operated with the first two of three stages installed.
"Earlier trials on completed sea water scrubbing systems have achieved 100% sulphur dioxide reductions and in excess of 80% for particulate matter," Andy Scaplehorn of Krystallon said, adding that he expects to see improvements following the completion of the scrubber on the Zaandam.
"Despite the fact that these tests were carried out before the scrubber was fully commissioned, we are very encouraged by these initial results," Dan Grausz, senior vice president, fleet operations, Holland America Line said in a press release today.
According to Krystallon, seawater chemistry may have been a factor in Environment Canada's tests of the scrubber's efficiency.
The Zaandam was operating in Alaska's Inside Passage, an area with large volumes of fresh water glacial run-off, which can dilute key salts in the seawater. 
The Krystallon system uses natural seawater to effectively 'scrub' emissions from exhaust gases.
In May 2006, Torbjörn Henriksson, a propulsion and applications expert from Finnish ship engine maker Wärtsilä, said the low alkalinity level in the Baltic Sea would reduce seawater scrubber efficiency.  The company has since developed an alternative fresh water ship exhaust scrubbing system.
During a presentation of the Wärtsilä scrubbing system at last week's 29th International Bunker Conference (IBC) in Copenhagen, Arnauld Filancia said a scrubbing system for a vessel operating on 3.50% sulphur fuel would need to be just under 60% efficient at removing SOx to comply with a 1.50% fuel sulphur limit. 
Assuming operation on 3.50% sulphur fuel, a 1.00% sulphur limit would require 72% sulphur removal efficiency, rising to 97% efficiency to comply with a 0.10% fuel sulphur cap.
HAL's Grausz said his company and Krystallon, working together, were "determined to maximise the benefits of this unique opportunity to help safeguard and protect the marine environment."
The Krystallon scrubbing technology has already been successfully tested on P&O's Pride of Kent passenger ferry, which sails on the Dover to Calais route.
Krystallon said today its scrubber is soon to be fitted on a commercial oil tanker.   
   
Source: Sustainable Shipping