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Danfoss IXA is making waves in the marine sector
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A GAP IN THE MARKET
Danfoss IXA’s latest Dynamic Ventilation System and Marine Emission Sensor both contribute towards cost efficiency and energy saving in the maritime industry Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Dave Alexander
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has taken the Dynamic Ventilation System concept to new levels, and has complimented this product with a state-of-the-art emissions sensor; ensuring that the company is not only on the radar of the top five global shipping operators, but is also bringing innovative environmental and costeffective solutions to the maritime industry and beyond.
Dynamic Ventilation System
anfoss IXA has enhanced its product range and business networks to become one of the most innovative and forward-thinking players in the international maritime sector. As a daughter company of Danfoss Group, which still maintains 60 percent ownership, Danfoss IXA has been able to capitalise on the extensive business networks enjoyed by the parent Group, who already has a reputable number of products on the market and an established customer base. One such product stemming from the Group’s hard work in 2005 was a heating solution to innovate and measure air quality; a brainchild which developed even more prominently in 2008 under its Danfoss Ventures subsidiary. “We started with the purpose of measuring the air quality inside office buildings and we formed the principals of what would become Danfoss IXA A/S,” explains Danfoss IXA’s Sales and Marketing Director, Peter Hansen. “This progressed into a fully-fledged company by the following year on 1st April 2009.” Five years on and the fully-fledged company
The inventive air quality innovation, the Dynamic Ventilation System, is enriched by its versatility towards other practices – not only in an office environment, as Hansen explains: “We began to think about the application of air quality and ventilation solutions in say, creating the correct temperature for chicken coops for efficient growth, but also monitoring CO2 levels in greenhouses. “After developing a sensor, we took this concept to great heights and approached larger scale businesses,” he adds. This concept then caught the eye of one of the largest cargo-movers in the world, Maersk, who initially required a CO2 emissions sensor for its cargo holds in 2009. “Then we thought - why don’t we use this measurement to control the ventilation too? From this evolved our first Dynamic Ventilation system design for a cargo hold’s ventilation levels, saving shipping operators like Maersk
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Marine Emission Sensor
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Our emission sensor is designed as a low maintenance and easy to install solution, placed in-situ (measuring greenhouse gases directly from the exhaust pipe of a ship)”
money and energy,” notes Hansen. After 18 months of complex testing of cargo ventilation systems a major Dynamic Ventilation System project has now been agreed, which will see more than 30 ships retrofitted with the system. With the proven help of IXA, an 8,000 TEU ship is able to cut its combined kilowatt energy usage to reefer containers below deck and the cargo hold ventilation by up to 15 percent. “This is equal to some 130-140 metric tonnes of fuel in savings a year through the installation of Danfoss systems,” Hansen adds. What’s more is that the system has an impressive payback time of approximately one year, compared to other maritime projects which normally take between two and 10 years.
Innovative emissions sensor
Danfoss IXA’s second key product is its emissions sensor which came as a result of building on core sensor competencies and identifying a gap in the market. “We discovered there were no emissions sensors developed specifically for the maritime industry.
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The current ones all originated from land-based solutions,” Hansen says. Before IXA invented its unique NOx, SOx and ammonia sensor, the maritime industry had no choice but to use equipment for application on land, which has many disadvantages for use at sea. “Our emission sensor is designed as a low maintenance and easy to install solution, placed in-situ (measuring greenhouse gases directly from the exhaust pipe of a ship).” Via UV-technology, Danfoss IXA’s product once again proved itself as a documented solution to energy efficiency, cost savings and ease of use. “Moreover, by using UV over infrared, our measurements are not affected by humidity/water in the air, whereas other systems have this problem,” Hansen adds. “The only part that the crew will need to periodically change is the UV bulb box, which minimises the amount of time needed to train the crews on board each ship.”
Fast update
Hansen identifies the emissions sensor as the main focal point for the future growth of Danfoss IXA as it is able to
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Peter Hansen - Sales & Marketing Director
fulfill three vital roles, the first being engine control: “By having a fast update rate on the emissions sensor and by placing it just outside the engine, an advanced engine control can continually tweak the parameters of the engine via updates every second in order to save fuel.” As a ship’s engine can have between 50,000-100,000 of horsepower and an exhaust pipe between one and two metres in diameter, controlling emission levels can be a challenging
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ur company was founded 25 years ago in the field of environmental analysis; we originally developed the world’s first generation of miniature spectrometers to meet the demanding requirements of water pollution monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico. That application required taking the measurement to the sample, a spectrometer tiny and robust enough to operate in a small floating buoy for real-time data acquisition. The technology developed to meet that application captured the world’s imagination, and our ordersof-magnitude reduction in size, cost, and complexity of spectrometers enabled solutions that impact nearly every industry and market in the world. Today, Ocean Optics is part of the global manufacturing group Halma plc, a FTSE 250 company for whom environmental monitoring and Health & Safety remains a strategic focus and constantly growing market. At the heart of Ocean Optics success is our catalog of marketleading miniature spectroscopy equipment - modular, highly customizable building blocks that offer a fundamental method of measuring and interpreting the interaction of light with matter. We combine these tools with the drive to make a difference, and the application and integration engineering expertise to assist our customers in utilizing spectroscopy in everexpanding ways. This drive has led us on many journeys, always side-by-side with our R&D and commercial partners. We are proud to have
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supported NASA on its mission to verify water on the moon and undertake the same search on Mars, and Chalmers University in its analysis of volcanic emissions closer to home. We rest easier knowing the air we breathe is monitored for pollutants with Ocean Optics spectrometer systems, the water we drink and food we eat tested for contaminants, and the whisky we sip checked for brand authenticity and safety. Ocean Optics characterizes the LEDs that light the modern home. The medical analysis that previously took weeks at a lab is now being done in seconds at the point-of-care, saving valuable diagnosis time. The medications then prescribed? Quality controlled and verified with spectroscopy in both manufacturing and distribution. These are just a sample of the applications we serve, applications that make a difference and lead to an engagement and passion in our people that you have to see to believe. Yet what truly sets Ocean Optics apart, the key part of our business approach, is our partnership model to application development. With dedicated Application and OEM integration teams across the globe, we deliver expertise in the field of spectroscopy and photonics. When coupled with the market and application needs of our customers, this sets the foundation for powerful development and research partnerships. How can we help you to overcome your own measurement challenge? This is a question we would love to answer, together.
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task. However, the fast update system makes this much easier to manage. The second vital role of the sensor relates to complying with regulations. When the engine is running, it is imperative that ships comply with international air pollution regulations which Hansen further explains: “Part of this procedure can be to implement after-treatment systems and regularly monitor the performance of these systems and whether they are cleaning the exhaust as they should,” Hansen continues. Finally, these figures need to be efficiently documented and ready for authorities, both internal and external, to access. “For example, documenting every ship’s performance can tell you why two identical ships are performing slightly differently. The sensor information could even be used to pre-warn crews of a potential problem with the engine in advance and you could use the information created by
the fast update system to identify the issue.” In the next twelve months, Danfoss IXA’s NOx, SOx and ammonia emissions sensor will be brought to market, allowing for on-board emissions testing. The marine emission sensor will also be officially launched this year.
Conservative industry
The maritime industry can be very cautious and conservative in their approach to trying new technologies. “It takes time to change the market and perceptions of these big players,” Hansen explains. “Additionally, there are political processes to consider in terms of emissions. Authorities continually update their regulations which can slow progress. “You have to be willing to make huge investments in order to test systems on ships, and to get this attention can be difficult.
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t Kirkholm Mechanical Engineering we aim to add value to your products.
As your engineering consulting partner we will happily take on the challenge of any mechanical development project you may have. Since 2000 Kirkholm has conducted more than 1700 projects with a wide variety of Danish and international industrial customers, Danfoss IXA being one of them. Whether your business is within offshore, defense, medico, energy, or the food industry, we will be able to help you. T +45 87 88 20 60
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KIRKHOLM AND DANFOSS IXA PARTNERSHIP BRINGS MARKET SUCCESS Kirkholm Mechanical Engineering’s commitment to providing the very best in engineering across its ever-expanding customer base requires high levels of mutual trust throughout its business partnerships. The company’s relationship with Danfoss IXA has been built on this principle, with Kirkholm realising that “nobody knows as much about your products and your market as you”.
Probe measures gases directly in the exhaust pipe
Local access and easy direct control
Above: Dynamic Ventilation System Advanced digital signal processing
Easy connection through analogue and digital interfaces
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Left: Sensor functionality
Danfoss IXA is just one of the Danish businesses to have utilised and benefitted from this approach, testing a range of products on Kirkholm’s simulators, including the new NOx sensor, subsequently saving Danfoss IXA money and time in getting the product approved and into production.
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“However, we have made it through one-anda-half years of testing and have a proven product ready for market. Even if you have the best ideas and a good product, you need to understand that the whole process of getting accepted takes time.”
Five-year plan
In line with IXA’s ambitious goal to grow by a third each year comes an equally determined approach to securing and training the right experienced staff. “We are building on each individual and how they see themselves. We are using both the extensive internal training programmes inside the group, but also specialised classes held at universities,” Hansen says. Most importantly however, he says that nothing compares to seeing the size and scope of an engine with your own eyes: “We can create presentations, images and words, but it is totally different to seeing an engine in the flesh.” Equipped with a five-year plan and progression from the testing phase and now into installation, Danfoss IXA has targeted a 200 DKK turnover by 2020. “This will allow us to stand on our own feet. What’s more is that we can look at creating different
Top: Getting the optics right Middle: Sensor display Above: Laboratory
kinds of sensors or measuring a different type of gas. Supported by a versatile product, our platform is sure to grow,” states Hansen. With a long term commitment to big name customers and fulfilling high expectations, Danfoss IXA is outfitted with an innovative technical team who conduct the right market research to make the right product for the market, at a competitive price. And, as regulations begin to change to match greener policies, the market for this maritime product grows every day. “The maritime industry should not only be driven by air pollution regulations, but also see the cost-savings in reducing energy consumption. By being proactive, we can enable companies to think like this. A sensor by itself does not save energy, but it paves the way for the possibility to save energy,” concludes Hansen.
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