Stena Goes Green with LEMAG
LEMAG’s Pre-mounted emulsion and water supply unit (Photo: LEMAG)
LEMAG’s plug and play signalling system (Photo: LEMAG)
Stena leverages LEMAG’s SLASHPOL-E WIF homogenizers to reduce NOx emissions, particulate matter, smoke and fuel consumption
Since fitting the first LEMAG SLASHPOL E-WIF FQI (fuel quality improver) homogenizer on the Stena Carrier over five years ago, Stena has fitted a total of 16 of its vessels with LEMAG WIF homogenizers.
Feedback from a number of the Stena vessels has confirmed that in addition to reduced fuel consumption; there is also a reduction in black smoke during start-up and maneuvering, as well as at full load. It was noted on the vessels that operate with SCR NOx reduction systems that as the exhaust temperature was reduced by more than 10°C the WIF allowed the chief engineer to fine tune the system, which resulted in a reduction in the consumption of urea.
Although ship owners and operators are currently seeing a respite from the previously high worldwide fuel cost, it is generally expected that prices will rise again, and with increasing pressure to reduce emissions, it is vital to continue to maximize fuel usage, LEMAG said.
WIF (water in fuel) homogenizers have been around for a long time, but like a lot of existing marine technology it has received a lot of renewed interest in the last few years, which has resulted in increased investment in R&D. This is due not only to the soaring fuel costs up to 2015 and the need to reduce emissions, but the knowledge within the marine industry that the WIF technology has advanced to the point where it is now a very viable investment for ship owners and operators.
The complete LEMAG SLASHPOL E-WIF system comprises of torsion meters, Coriolis or PD fuel meters, and its V-Per monitoring and management system, as well as incorporating a range of safety devices essential to give total confidence to the operators, in what is virtually a plug and play installation. The planning and actual installation of the systems is carried out by LEMAG technicians to ensure the system operates safely and efficiently, and depending on the vessel, can be carried out almost entirely in service with minimal disruption to vessel operation.
One of the main challenges in the past with all WIF manufacturers has been maintaining the stability of the water and fuel emulsion. LEMAG said it has overcome this by working closely with marine fuel additive supplier HFT (Hybrid Fuel Technology) to produce specifically formulated stabilizers for the whole range of fuels available on the market today. The combination of LEMAG SLASHPOL E-WIF and the HFT stabilizer results in significantly increased fuel economy, while reducing the NOx, black smoke and particulate matter and CO2 emissions
Thomas Porep, owner and Managing Director of LEMAG said, “We have had a long working relationship with Stena and we have achieved a lot in the last five years, not only by reducing their emissions on sixteen vessels, but also reducing their fuel consumption. I expect this partnership to continue and hopefully grow.”
