Technical Papers
Research and Development of the Super Marine Gas Turbine*
By Mitsuo Kawamoto**, Takao Sugimoto**
The International Marine Organization (IMO) has adopted regulations to reduce atmospheric pollution caused by ships, making the reduction of NOx emissions from ships a priority issue. Five Japanese companies, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Daihatsu Diesel, Niigata Engineering and Yanmar Diesel are developing a Super Marine Gas Turbine with low NOx emissions (less than lg/Wh), high efficiency (thermal efficiency of 38-40%) and the ability to use fuel oil type A. This paper outlines this gas turbine and its research and development.
1. Introduction
In April of 1997, five Japanese gas turbine makers (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Daihatsu Diesel, Niigata Engineering and Yanmar Diesel) jointly established a six-year plan to conduct R&D on a low-emission, high-efficiency, next-generation marine gas turbine (Super Marine Gas Turbine or, SMGT). The project is supported by the Ministry of Transport, the Association for Structural Improvement of Shipbuilding Industry and the Nippon Foundation. This paper presents an outline of the SMGT and its research and development.
2. R&D Background
As awareness of global environmental problems grows, methods of reducing air pollution caused by ships are attracting intense interest around the world. In 1997, the International Marine Organization (IMO) adopted a new amendment to the MARPOL agreement regarding reduction of atmospheric pollution caused by shipping, which establishes NOx emission level Standards after the year 2000. These standards are expected to become even more stringent in the years to come.
It is well known that gas turbines produce significantly lower levels of NOx emissions than diesel engines, and if they were widely used as ship engines they could contribute to significant reductions in NOx emissions caused by ships.
With an emergent recognition of the need for advancements in the maritime transport field, coastal shipping in particular is in need of more modern ships-faster coastal vessels, improved shipboard environments and reduced on-board labor requirements. With its compact size, slight weight, low vibration levels, relatively quiet operation and ease of maintenance, the gas turbine has the potential to meet all these criteria.
However, due to high fuel consumption and other cost-related concerns, applications of gas turbines as marine engines have until now been limited.
The goal of this project is to develop a next-generation gas tubine which offers the same thermal efficiency as a high-speed diesel engine, and low NOx emissions, thus permitting a much wider application for its use as a marine engine while solving the problems mentioned above.
3. R&D Development Goals
The SMGT is a 2,500kW class gas turbine designed for use primarily as a main engine for coastal shipping. It is being developed to meet the following three criteria:
1) NOx emissions of less than lg/kWh
2) Thermal efficiency of 38〜40%
3) Feasibility to use fuel oil type A(JIS K 2205 No.1)
NOx emissions are about one-tenth those of diesel engines, and thermal efficiency is approximately the same as that of high-speed diesel engines. When these target figures are compared with those of industrial gas turbines of the same output class, they represent a one-third reduction in NOx emissions (liquid fuel combustor) and an approximately ten point improvement in thermal efficiency.
In addition, it will be able to use the readily available type A fuel oil.
* Translated from Journal of MESJ Vol.34, No.8 (Manuscript received May 20, 1999)
** Technologies Research Association of Super Marine Gas Turbine (Minato-ku, TOKYO)
