Technical
Vessels & Marine Technologies of the Future If
you are a car-lover, you certainly know of the Geneva International Motor Show, where the latest automotive technologies and most innovative cars are presented. Being a ship-lover, I started writing these lines in the hope that it would be possible to present a summary of future technologies that will be applied in Shipping so that we can gain an insight into how what the “Vessel of the Future” will look like. However, after several hours in front of my laptop trying to write the article, I can admit that this was a futile effort. The conclusion was that due to the number of innovative technologies and the complexity of the Maritime sector, it would be necessary to have several Wavelength issues dedicated only to this subject in order to have a more informative view on forthcoming technologies. Although having a pure technical “Wavelength” edition dedicated to shipbuilding and “Green” technologies might look perfect and very interesting for the writer, it should be acknowledged that the Editor (and maybe others) might raise objections. Therefore, we request your contribution in order to address the items which the readers consider most interesting.
By Yannis Vakkas
In this respect, please review the infographic below that indicates some of the future technologies and visit the online questionnaire created in order for you to choose from each category which of the new technologies you would like to be analyzed in detail for the next issue of Wavelength.
The questionnaire is divided into five (5) parts, covering the following sections, with each section having various technologies for the reader’s selection. Below you may find a list of technologies with a short description for each one.
Machinery Technologies: a. Engine derating and tuning
b. Speed control pumps and fans
This technology refers to the reduction of an engine's output and consequently, the reduction of the total fuel consumption by improving the match between the operational speed and optimization speed.
Engine Room ventilation fans and Sea water pumps are being controlled with a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) in order to meet the normal onboard operational condition, which is usually far below the extreme designed ones, thereby achieving increased energy savings.
d. Hybrid shaft generator
e. Waste Heat recovery
The Hybrid Shaft Generator (HSG) uses Active Front End (AFE) technology, so fixed engine rpm is not required. The switchboard sees a constant voltage and frequency, and the correct phase angle to match the other generator sets running in parallel.
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Waste heat recovery systems recover the thermal energy from the exhaust gas and convert it into electrical energy, while the residual heat can further be used for ship services (such as steam and hot water). The system can consist of an exhaust gas/oil fired boiler, a power turbine and/or a steam turbine with an alternator.
Issue 78-December 2021
c. Variable speed electric power generation Variable speed power generation can provide significant fuel savings with diesel electric propulsion when the operational profile of the vessel has a lot of variation in speed and power demand. This concept enables optimization of the total fuel consumption of a vessel by adjusting the rotational speed of the main engines and the system’s frequency to vary within the specified range.
f. High efficiency Boilers and Purifiers High efficiency Boilers come with the Energy Management System, which reduces fuel use by prioritizing heat distribution according to the needs of connected consumers. Furthermore, new hybrid boiler constructions are under development. New types of purifiers combine the low sludge output, high efficiency and low operating costs.
