Wärtsilä is working with Hycamite on an answer for the onboard manufacturing of hydrogen from LNG that may embody stable carbon seize and storage.
Wärtsilä has entered right into a joint growth settlement with Hycamite TCD Technologies, a privately-owned Finnish firm creating a know-how for producing clear hydrogen and stable carbon from methane. The settlement will see the 2 corporations work collectively to allow the cost-effective manufacturing of hydrogen from LNG onboard marine vessels. According to Wärtsilä, the idea design shall be prepared by mid 2023 and a prototype testing unit shall be prepared within the second half of 2024.
The idea will permit present LNG infrastructure to be utilized together with Wärtsilä’s LNGPac Fuel Gas Supply System to provide hydrogen onboard.
By utilizing hydrogen produced onboard and mixing it with LNG, the present vary of gas versatile Wärtsilä dual-fuel (DF) engines can be utilized to scale back the vessel’s total carbon dioxide and methane slip emissions. Alternatively, the hydrogen may also be utilized in gas cells onboard.
The by-product from the method is stable carbon that, not like carbon-dioxide (CO2) produced as a by-product, can extra simply be saved and managed onboard. The carbon produced consists of high-grade allotropes, like industrial graphite and carbon nanotubes, providing a potential further income stream.
“We are investing in the development of viable future marine fuel technologies and solutions that can accelerate the efforts to decarbonize shipping operations” says Mathias Jansson, director, gas fuel provide methods, at Wärtsilä. “This collaboration with Hycamite is a vital step ahead in direction of assembly our company targets. Our fuel engines can already function with mixtures of hydrogen and LNG. The skill to provide the H2 onboard opens up thrilling new alternatives. This answer overcomes the dearth of an present hydrogen provide infrastructure. It additionally helps lowering the protection dangers round storing and dealing with of liquid hydrogen and permits a gradual lower of the vessels’ environmental affect,
“We are delighted to be partnering with an established technology leader such as Wärtsilä. They bring a vast depth of knowledge and experience in marine fuel gas supply systems, and by working together, we can make the availability and onboard storage of hydrogen a realistic option for the marine industry,” says Laura Rahikka, founder and CEO of Hycamite.
The know-how can in precept be utilized for all vessels working with LNG gas. When utilizing bioLNG, says Wärtsilä, this answer even permits on-board energy technology with a unfavorable carbon footprint.
