SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP DESIGN AND 　　EQUIPMENT

45th session　

Agenda item 4

11 January 2002

ENGLISH ONLY

　

Executive summary:	This document describes the outline of the continuous NOx monitoring field test project of Japan. This project intends to verify the reasonability of the Japanese paper submitted to the correspondence group.
Action to be taken:	Paragraph 16
Related documents:	DE 44/10, DE 45/4 (Report of the CG)

　

　

1　The NOx monitoring method can be applied as one of the verification procedure when re-issuing the IAPP certificate, as shown in the NOx Technical Code of ANNEX VI of MARPOL (Table 1). The NOx monitoring guide line is now being drafted by DE/CG led by USA. Japan feels that this method will be widely used by many shipowners in the future. Therefore we started this project intending to accumulate practical experience of continuous onboard NOx monitoring and supply the necessary information to the drafting work of the NOx monitoring guideline.

　

Table 1 Measures to be taken at Survey and Inspection of EIAPP/IAPP Certificate

　

Initial Survey at Manufacturer's Shop------	- NOx measurement
Initial Survey on Board------	- Simplified NOx measurement
	- Parameter Check
Periodical Survey------	- Simplified NOx measurement
	- Parameter Check
	- NOx monitoring

Outline of Japanese works on continuous on-board NOx monitoring

　

　

2　The purposes of this project are as follows:

　

(1)	Detail planning and confirmation of the system using practical zirconia sensors.
(2)	The confirmation of the effects of low grade fuel on NOx (Mainly, the effect of nitrogen contents in fuel)
(3)	Supply of necessary information to DE and new proposals and ideas to the drafting of the NOx monitoring guideline.

　

Fig.1 shows the comparison of the measuring system between CLD analyzer, which is used during shop test, and zirconia analyzer which is more simple and reliable and fit for on-board monitoring.

　

The zirconia sensor is widely used in car industries as oxygen sensor. Therefore they have very good reliability and stability under heavy vibration and its price is quite reasonable for on-board NOx monitoring.

　

3　The reading characteristics of zirconia analyzer were carefully compared with CLD analyzer beforehand and confirmed the very good agreement of readings under various conditions. The accuracy, linearity and other factors, which are specially required for ship engine, like the effect of sulphur, were checked. As a whole, it was found that the zirconia analyzer has excellent characteristics for on-board monitoring purpose. Fig.2 shows one of the examples of the results

　

　

4　The master plan of on-board NOx monitoring test is shown in Table 2. Major points are as follows:

　

(1)	Selected three different type of vessel, type of main engine and route of voyage (Bunkering port). FS year 2001 VLCC, Container FS year2002 PCC
(2)	Every fuel bunkered will be sampled and major components of fuel including nitrogen content will be analysed. At the same time, sampled fuels are sent to the constant volume combustion chamber test rig, and NOx is measured to compare with monitored NOx on-board.
(3)	Confirmation test by commercial engine size single cylinder test engine.