LNG: DSME Unveils High-Pressure Fueled Gas Supply System

In May 2011, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (www.dsme.co.kr) has developed a new HP-FGS(High-Pressure Fueled Gas Supply) system for MAN-Diesel & Turbo’s ME-GI (Gas Injection) Engine, and presented it to the market via a road show in Copenhagen, Denmark. Though there are small and middle size LNG fueled vessels already, this dual fuel engine for large commercial vessels which cover most of shipping industry is an original.
This HP-FGS system effectively supplies highly-pressurized (about 300 bar) natural gas fuel to an engine. To date, existing FGS systems compress gas to a high pressure. This process requires enormous amounts of electricity and large deck area to accommodate the size of this equipment.
However, DSME HP-FGS system uses another method to supply gas. This system compresses liquefied natural gas and vaporizes it into gas form. With this method, this system can supply high pressurized gas (about 300 bar) using low electricity (e.g. about 100kW for the same amount gas supply) compared to existing similar products. It also is compact enough to be mounted on the ship, so it is the most suitable and efficient device for ME-GI engines which need high pressurized natural gas.
As a matter of fact, the ME-GI engine had already been developed in 1994 and applied to power plants. But it has never been loaded on commercial ships because there was no such high pressure gas supply system with high efficiency so far. DSME HP-FGS system fixed all these kinds of efficiency and size problems, so it has opened a new era for LNG fueled propulsion of vessels.
Due to the framework created by the convention on climate change, many industries will start to move from traditional fossil fuels to clean energy. In shipping, large LNG-fueled vessels will bring about a revolutionary change. LNG is the next-generation fuel that is both economically feasible and eco-friendly. This high pressurized gas powered engine emits significantly fewer pollutants than those using petrol or diesel, decreasing CO₂ emissions by over 23%, and SOx emissions by over 95%.
It is also economical. The price per thermal unit(USD/mmBTU(1 Million British Thermal Unit)) for LNG has been historically cheaper than that of Bunker-C oil or marine gas oil(MGO). Experts generally expect this trend to continue into the near future. Thus compared with a conventional diesel propulsion system, it is expected that LNG propulsion systems will open a new era in ship propulsion market.
DSME expects its 1st contract for an LNG fueled vessel soon. Additionally, it has been predicted that LNG-fueled propulsion systems will be also be adapted for use in other commercial vessels such as containerships, crude oil carriers, and so on.
While others are currently attempting to develop a similar device, DSME is leading the market right now with this state-of-the-art technology. In addition, DSME’s HP-FGS system design is based on proprietary technologies that are under many domestic and international patents. DSME has been applying for technical patents in several foreign countries since 2007. Up to now, DSME registered 25 patents in United States, South Korea, Europe and has been granted 8 patents including ones for a high pressure pump(HP Pump), high pressure vaporizer(HP Vaporizer), etc.