Impact of natural gas quality on engine performances during a voyage using a thermodynamic fuel system model

Jonas Thiaucourt, Pierre Marty and Jean-François Hetet

Energy, 2020, vol. 197, issue C

Abstract: Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel is seen as a solution to curb harmful emissions in shipping and its quick uptake is now significant. As heat leaks into the LNG fuel tanks, composition of the vapor and liquid phase change. This process, known as ageing, alters the fuel properties and can impact negatively the main engine performance. In this paper, a dynamical model to assess the methane number at engine inlet from the bunkered composition is presented. The fuel system is made of a 40 ft container tank and two heat exchangers. The model considers the two-phase real mixture in the tank and solves explicitly the heat and mass conservation laws. Then a strategy is developed to avoid “off-spec” methane number at engine inlet. The approach is tested on two bunkered compositions, one from Libya and one from Australia. The simulations have been conducted for a concept LNG/wind electric ship using multiple removable 40 ft container LNG tanks. Results show that with the proposed mixing strategy, the methane number remains above its limit value at engine inlet, insuring optimal operating conditions of engines.

Keywords: Boil-off gas; LNG fuelled ship; Methane number; IGF code; Type C tank (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:197:y:2020:i:c:s0360544220303571

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.117250

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