The DSME HP-FGS system: it’s compact size is suited for marine applications
DAEWOO Ship building & Marine Engineering has entered into a patent licence agreement with MAN Diesel & Turbo for use of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) DSME high pressure-fueled gas supply (HP-FGS) system. Under the terms of the contract, details of which are not publicly available, MAN will use DSME’s HP-FGS system patents and licences for its two-stroke LNG propulsion based commercial vessel projects.
DSME sees the agreement as a significant development in gas fuelled ship technology given MAN Diesel & Turbo’s dominant market share for large two-stroke marine engines. As the first orders for two-stroke marine engines using LNG fuel have been for MAN’s ME-GI engines, currently the only such engine available, DSME says that “this patent contract is expected to bring a significant ripple effect to the future ship-building market.”
DSME says there are existing FGS systems for compressing gas to a high pressure, which require enormous amounts of electricity and large deck area to accommodate the size of this equipment. However, the DSME HP-FGS system compresses LNG and vaporises it into gas form. With this method, this system can supply gas at about 300 bar using low electric power, typically about 100kW for the same amount gas supply, compared to existing similar products. It also is compact enough to be mounted on the ship. Its compact size makes its viable for ship power applications.
The DSME technology was successfully integrated with MAN’s ME-GI test engine in Copenhagen in May 2011, and is being supplied to NASSCO in the USA for the MAN ME-GI engines for what are expected to be the first LNG-powered container ships, being built for TOTE to a design by Busan-based DSEC CO Ltd, a subsidiary of DSME.
(Source: DSME)
