The EU-funded HyMethShip challenge developed a system that innovatively mixed a membrane reactor, a CO2 seize system, a storage system for CO2 and methanol in addition to a hydrogen-fueled combustion engine to energy ships.
The highest a part of the graphic reveals onshore methanol manufacturing. The underside half reveals how hydrogen for the engine is obtained from methanol within the reactor (blue arrow). The remaining carbon dioxide is saved within the tank and reused in onshore methanol manufacturing. © Fraunhofer
In response to the European Atmosphere Company (EEA), maritime transport is chargeable for greater than 3% of the overall carbon emissions within the European Union. In 2019 alone, emissions reached 144 million tonnes of CO2. Transport has been one of many fastest-growing sources of greenhouse fuel emissions for a few years now because of the sharp rise within the commerce quantity. Consequently, shipbuilders and operators world wide are looking for environmentally pleasant options to traditional ship engines powered by gasoline oil or diesel.
Within the HyMethShip challenge, researchers on the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Applied sciences and Programs IKTS labored with various companions. The Giant Engines Competence Middle (LEC) in Graz, Austria, was chargeable for the general coordination of the challenge, whereas the startup SES-HyDepot e.U. in Innsbruck operated the small-scale testing facility to validate the underlying technical course of.
On this idea, the ship is refueled with methanol at port. On board, hydrogen is obtained from the methanol by a steam reforming course of and is used for ship propulsion.
The system’s technical centerpiece is the reactor. The methanol is blended with water, then evaporated by making use of warmth and fed into the preheated reactor, the place the combination of methanol and water is transformed into hydrogen and CO2.
The built-in membranes within the module for a reactor separate the hydrogen from the carbon dioxide. © Fraunhofer
On the subject of hydrogen separation and reactor engineering, Fraunhofer IKTS is ready to contribute its a few years of expertise in membrane course of know-how. The researchers at Fraunhofer developed a ceramic membrane coated with carbon. The hydrogen molecules escape by the extraordinarily high quality pores of the membrane, whereas the bigger carbon dioxide fuel molecules are retained. On this course of, the hydrogen achieves a purity degree of greater than 90%.
It’s then fed into the engine, which it drives by burning in a traditional combustion engine and generates completely no exhaust gases which are dangerous to the local weather.
The method idea used within the challenge consists of two extra design components that optimize the system. First, the waste warmth from the engine is used to warmth the reactor, considerably rising the effectivity of the system. Second, the remaining carbon dioxide is returned to a fluid state downstream of the reactor and fed into the empty methanol tanks. When the ship arrives at port, the CO2 is fed into tanks and may then be used for the following methanol synthesis course of.
Methanol is a perfect hydrogen service for transport. Its vitality density is twice as excessive as liquid hydrogen, so the on-board methanol tanks solely have to be half the scale. It will also be transported safely: Even when a tank leaks, there is no such thing as a acute environmental threat.
—Dr. Benjamin Jäger, IKTS
Throughout growth, one of many technical challenges was enlarging the ceramic membranes in order that they could possibly be used within the context of the propulsion required for ship engines. The researchers managed to scale the membrane from its authentic size of simply 105 mm to 500 mm, enabling engine propulsion of as much as 1 MW. The medium-term objective is to develop propulsion techniques of 20 MW and above.
A zero-emission propulsion system can be preferrred for ferries that sail mounted routes between two ports, with every port having its personal methanol filling station. Nevertheless, the know-how may additionally be an interesting future resolution for container ships and cruise ships.
