Alfa Laval Launches PureSOx 2.0

Alfa Laval’s PureSOx is an emissions scrubber, an alternative for complying with the sulfur limits imposed by MARPOL Annex VI and its guideline MEPC 184(59). With January 2015 and the enforcement of Emission Control Areas (ECAs) rapidly approaching, Alfa Laval has launched a new generation of the scrubber with a wide range of enhancements and options: PureSOx 2.0.
From its debut in 2009 to date, 50 PureSOx systems have been ordered for 45 vessels. The new PureSOx 2.0 is being positioned by the company as smaller and more flexible, better suiting an even wider range of vessels. According to the manufacturer, benefits of the 2.0 system include new placement possibilities and lower installation costs, as well as the option of powder dosing in closed-loop mode.
 “Every PureSOx system ever installed is in use and operating within ECA limits,” said René Diks, Alfa Laval Manager Marketing & Sales, Exhaust Gas Cleaning. “PureSOx 2.0 is more of an evolution than a revolution.”

Smaller Footprint, Larger Performance
Perhaps the most evident difference in PureSOx 2.0 is the diameter of the absorber, which forms the bulk of the scrubber body. This has been reduced by around 15%, which lessens the likelihood that cargo or passenger space will be affected by the scrubber installation. Further reduced is the size of the control system, which is a full 50% smaller than the previous version. Even the water cleaning unit used in closed-loop mode  is easier to get on board. The unit is more modular in PureSOx 2.0, with equipment now distributed across three skids that can be loaded onto the vessel separately and placed indepently for maximum flexibility in design.
According to the company, PureSOx 2.0 is designed to open a range of design opportunities, allowing it to be even more effectively integrated. For example, it is designed to handle boiler exhaust, which removes the need for an additional exhaust gas cleaning system when the boiler is fired with HFO. Also, the scrubber itself attenuates noise in PureSOx 2.0. This means it can now be positioned before the silencer, rather than after as previously required. Especially in a newbuild, this means it can be placed lower in the vessel. Not only does this improve vessel stability, it also has the benefit of reducing back pressure.  When it comes to operation, the most notable difference in PureSOx 2.0 is the option of powder dosing, which applies to both closed-loop and hybrid configurations. When running in closed-loop mode, the circulation water must be dosed with an alkaline additive. Up to now this has always been the liquid additive caustic soda, but in PureSOx 2.0 a powder like sodium bicarbonate can be used instead. Taken aboard dry and loaded into a silo, the powder is mixed with desalinated water before entering the closed-loop circuit. According to Diks, powder dosing reduces risk to the crew.
www.alfalaval.com

 

(As published in the October 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)