DE202010017559U1 - Ship with dual-fuel machines - Google Patents

Abstract

Ship (1) with at least one dual-fuel machine as the drive motor and / or auxiliary unit, characterized in that, in addition to stationary fuel bunkers for primary fuel, such as heavy oil fuel and / or diesel fuel, integrated in the ship's hull, mobile interchangeable tank containers (10) for or with secondary fuel are provided, that the tank containers (10) on a ship deck (3), in particular a weather deck (3), and / or in a cargo space open to the weather deck or operable from there, at least temporarily fixed to the ship (1), and that a connection system (21, 20) with at least one container docking station (20) and with connection lines (21) to the tank container (s) (10) for supplying the drive motor and / or auxiliary units with secondary fuel is provided.

Description

The invention relates to a ship with at least one dual-fuel engine as a drive motor and / or auxiliary unit.

Dual-fuel machines are well known. It is for this purpose, for example, the article of MAN "Diesel Facts, 3/2010 (African Contract Continual's Dual Fuel Global Success)" pointed.

In a similar way, the publication also applies "MAN Dual Fuel Engines for Powerships" (The Daily Engineer; 2010-03-11) the use of dual-fuel machines aboard energy-producing ships, so-called "powerships".

Also in the patent literature dual-fuel machines are already described and patented. Exemplary will be on this US 5,711,270 . US 3,766,734 or US 2002/0002967 A1 pointed.

In this sense, dual-fuel engines are engines and propulsion systems that can be operated with at least two different fuels.

In LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) transport vessels, dual-fuel engines have been used at an early stage so that in certain situations and driving areas the main propulsion engine does not have to drive heavy fuel oil or diesel, but in special cases also transport the transported gas as fuel. To be able to use fuel. The conversion stages required for this purpose present no problems. For example, this is on US 3,766,734 pointed.

As more stringent environmental regulations also exist in the shipping industry for propulsion engines, the development in the use of ships is paving the way for the installation of environmentally friendly systems on board.

Such dual-fuel engines may be engines that are primarily fueled by heavy fuel oil or diesel, for example. However, these engines are then, so to speak, also switchable to gaseous fuels such as LNG or LPG (LPG, Liquefied Petroleum Gas).

National and international regulations and regulations are therefore causing shipowners to use dual-fuel machines more and more frequently.

For LNG carriers, the use of a part of the transported gas as a further propulsion fuel is quite understandable and offers itself there.

However, for ships currently using heavy fuel oil or diesel for propulsion and auxiliary equipment, the question arises of how to meet the more stringent requirements, both in terms of environmental requirements and national transport and safety regulations.

The invention is therefore based on the object to equip a ship with at least one dual-fuel engine so that according to the requirements and environmentally friendly fuel can be used and the availability of such fuels is guaranteed in shipping areas of ships, in which the infrastructure of the ship compared to industrial sectors is not yet developed.

This object is achieved in a ship of the generic type according to claim 1 by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous developments are included in the subclaims.

An essential idea of the invention can therefore be seen to have at least one secondary fuel on board the ship, in addition to primary fuels, which are particularly heavy fuel oil, diesel and / or gases of different consistency in ships, which is environmentally friendly and low in emissions. A limited amount of these secondary fuels is preferably carried in separate, specially suitable, fixed or loose tanks - for example, for gas (LNG) - entrained.

For economic-technical reasons, such stationary tanks or containers are limited in their capacity, so that occasional or frequent Nachbunkern is required. In order to reduce the frequency of Nachbunkerns, but if necessary also to be able to perform flexibly in less well-fueled ports, this is intended to carry tank containers on board the ship. In such tank containers gas may preferably be carried in liquid or gaseous form, for example as LNG. Alternatively, the tank containers can also serve the basic supply of fuel and thereby extend the range of action of the respective ship effectively and sustainably.

The tank containers or tank containers can have standardized standard dimensions or any other dimensions.

It is also possible to carry environmentally friendly diesel fuel in the tank containers.

In this way, on the one hand by ships at the start of ports and countries with high environmental standards, these regulations can be met by early, for example, switched to gas operation of the dual-fuel machine.

On the other hand, it is also possible to carry gas as a reserve fuel in appropriate tank containers when the ship approaches ports in countries whose infrastructure is not yet so advanced that it could be bunkered.

Corresponding tank containers with a secondary fuel can be placed on almost all freight or work vessels. Conveniently, this is done on the main deck or weather deck in the area of ship superstructures, which are there anyway, or in the vicinity of the engine room. In this way, relatively short routes to dual-fuel machines can be achieved.

In the case of newbuild ships and container ships or other types of vessels suitable for this purpose, retrofitting or retrofitting for the reception of tank containers with secondary fuel should be possible without major modifications on and in the ship. It remains unclear whether the ship already has solid or loose tanks for secondary fuels of the same or different kind or not. In particular, this is the rear, middle area following exhaust and ventilation shafts or suitable ship structures.

The tank containers are conveniently stationed on the main deck or a weather deck so that they communicate openly with the environment and the exterior. In this way, in the event of accidents in the sense of leaks, explosion hazards or the like, such incidents can be more easily prevented or possible injury to persons can be avoided or damage to the ship are kept within limits.

The tank containers may conveniently be summarized as packages in both a horizontal arrangement and / or a vertical arrangement. As a result, the length of connecting lines to a corresponding docking station or lashing station can be kept relatively short. Furthermore, the arrangement of such tank containers can be carried out both with distance from each other as well as in direct connection with the nearest tank containers.

When spacing the tank container against each other, this can be realized in an advantageous manner on cofferdams or protective walls.

The arrangement of the tank container can also be weatherproof, but also explosion-proof designed with appropriate protection and pressure walls against adjacent tank containers and the other shipping area.

To improve the connectivity of the secondary fuel to the operating system of the ship and in particular the main engine and auxiliary equipment, a docking station or Lasch bridge is provided directly adjacent to the tank containers. This docking station expediently connects the flexible conduit connections emanating from the respective tank container, for example, to supply the gas in a short way to the consumption points or existing stationary tanks in the ship.

If the docking station is provided freestanding, the two-sided arrangement of corresponding tank containers can be used.

In a middle arrangement of the tank container behind the ship superstructures of a container ship, the placement is also advantageous because usually both control and port side further freight containers are stowed, which offer a first protection, especially against laterally acting forces and environmental situation.

With an asymmetrical arrangement of the tank containers or tank containers only on one side of the ship, the storage processes for the normal cargo containers can be designed so that they can be safely stowed on board without ever having to move via tank containers.

The height of the laterally stacked freight containers expediently surpasses the height of the tank container. Suitably, this will also apply with regard to the freight containers placed in the stern direction, so that already hereby a middle protection area for the tank container is created.

It can also be provided that tank containers, in particular in the case of liquefied gas containers, which usually have a lower temperature, such tank containers are transported in an upwardly open loading space. In addition, less critical tank containers can be arranged with gaseous fuel or diesel fuel for space use.

The open or easy-to-open hold, as well as the stacking of tank containers on deck, can be considered as a first spatial measure to limit possible ship damage in the event of fire or explosion. Sprinkler systems with extinguishing agents such as water or gas or fluid systems for foam or fire-filtering gases are also provided.

The arrangement region of the tank containers is preferably provided in the loading area of an on-board crane. In this way, the jamming of one or more tank containers is also possible in ports without container bridges or in a supply transport by means of a feeder ship.

Since national requirements, especially for Germany, a solid or temporary rigid connection of tank containers and ship, at least as long as the tank container is used as such, require special fixation devices of the tank container are required.

The tank containers, which usually have a container support frame with horizontal and vertical supports within which a corresponding tank container is fixed, therefore, require a special fixation on board the ship.

Not enough here is the known bracing in freight containers by means of steel cables and hawsers or linkage against each other, crossed and / or against a ship's part.

Instead, the tank containers must be fastened by means of rigid, positive fastenings, optionally directly to the hull or to an intermediate foundation, which is welded onto the arrangement deck, for example.

This can be realized by screw or automatic or semi-automatic acting quick connections with appropriate locking devices.

Analogously, these compounds must also be provided for fixing the tank container under each other.

A suitable fixing device here is, for example, an inverted T-profile provided in the corner regions of a tank container, which is inserted and locked in an approximately complementarily designed shoe construction.

The packet-like arrangement of several tank containers, which is also referred to as "cell guides", can also provide for the wedging of the tank container against each other and against the corresponding ship deck.

Suitably, the docking station for the tank container may be part of ship superstructures or the deckhouse, so that ship-internal line connections are used to drive motor and auxiliary equipment. The docking station can also be prefabricated as an assembly and installed on deck so that the arrangement or stacking of tank containers is possible on both sides. In addition, resulting from a separate docking safety advantages with less risk to adjacent rooms in hazardous situations such as fire. The docking station may advantageously also be designed so that appropriate gas processing and distribution facilities are provided therein.

Furthermore, the otherwise customary and required bunker connections for the general fuel and consumable supply can be integrated in such docking stations.

Since forces acting on the hull by weather conditions and resulting deformations must be taken into account, the connecting lines between tank containers and docking station are designed flexible. This is conveniently done via flexible hoses or pipes with intermediate expansion compensators, which allow a corresponding compensation for occurring movements or shifts.

The connection of such lines can be done via quick-release fasteners, flange connections or automatically acting couplings with the docking station. Appropriately, the tank containers are protected at their parking spaces against any falling loads.

The invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to schematic drawings. Hereby show:

1 a partial side view of a container ship with the rear-facing area behind a ship body, such as above the main or weather deck;

2 a schematic plan view of the arrangement of containers behind a ship body, in a similar manner as after 1 but not to scale;

3 the schematic arrangement of a first example of three tank containers in horizontal way with surrounding cofferdam and docking station;

4 the packet-like, schematic arrangement of several tank containers on both sides of a docking station;

5 a fragmentary example of a fixing device in the corner of a tank container, and

6 another example of a comparable fixing device.

The schematic representation after 1 shows a part of a container ship 1 with deckhouse 2 and bridge and containers stacked behind 8th . 10 , This ship 1 has a dual-fuel drive, not shown as the main engine and corresponding auxiliary equipment, which are also designed according to the dual-fuel principle.

Since the presentation off 1 a schematic view from starboard above the ship's deck 3 In the example, the example shows some decks below the container 8th . 10 provided engine compartment not shown. Due to the design of the ship 1 with a dual-fuel engine on the one hand, to meet the more stringent environmental regulations in marine propulsion, and on the other hand, to be able to run on reserve fuel, are behind the ship's superstructure 2 Tank Containers 10 provided in a stacked arrangement.

Including the 2 , which is a view from above of the relevant area of a ship 1 like after 1 schematically, it is recognizable that the tank container 10 in packs with five or more random stackings and an array of 2 x 3 or more or fewer rows of tank containers 10 is provided in the horizontal direction.

Port side are according to 2 and 1 cargo container 8th with another, here shorter dimension, but a higher stacking than the tank container 10 , available.

Starboard side are more loading places 9 intended for freight containers. Also closes aft then in the horizontal and vertical direction, the stacking of more freight containers 8th at. At the same time is after 1 recognizable that an on-board crane 4 is available. But this is not absolutely necessary.

The tank container 10 are via connection lines 21 with a container docking station 20 connected. This docking station 20 is in the example after 1 and 2 in the stern area of the ship superstructures 2 arranged or integral part of these ship superstructures 2 ,

Due to the particular forces acting on the hull and the container load in heavy seas forces are the connecting cables 21 between tank containers 10 and docking stations 20 designed flexibly and optionally provided with expansion compensators. As a result, movement forces between these modules can be compensated, so that the resistance to breakage in the connecting cables 21 is significantly improved.

The tank container 10 , which are in terms of energy efficiency and environmental performance in the example gas tank container, are preferred, preferably from the main deck or a weather deck, driven on deck. However, the tank containers can also be driven in the usual way down subsequent cargo space as an open cargo space or closed cargo space with appropriate mechanical ventilation.

Instead of gas tanks with LPG or gaseous state, other secondary fuel, for example diesel fuel, can be provided in the tank containers.

The connecting cables 21 For example, you can use sealing and / or self-locking quick-release couplings on the tank side as well as on the docking station side 20 be connected.

From the docking station 20 Starting, then can the appropriate operating systems of the ship 1 , In particular, designed for a dual-fuel function drive motors and auxiliary units, with secondary fuel from the tank containers 10 be supplied.

The arrangement of the tank container 10 in the area of the loading gear of the on-board crane 4 allows the exchange of tank containers 10 with secondary fuel without the use of port's own container bridges and transport systems. All that is required is that appropriate tank containers suitable for the ship with the desired secondary fuel be available on the pier side or, for example, on feeder vessels for takeover.

The normal way of the ship's main engine operated on seagoing vessels with heavy fuel oil can therefore be due to the dual-fuel function in areas with strict emission regulations, for example, on gas operation from the tank containers 10 and also ports in these areas.

In addition, in the tank containers 10 guided secondary fuel can also be used in the sense of reserve fuel during trips, especially in low-infrastructure countries.

3 schematically shows a horizontal view of three spaced tank containers 10 with cofferdams 16 both circumferentially and in the intermediate distance of the tank container 10 are arranged. Simplified are also the connecting cables 22 and the docking station 20 shown.

The arrangement of the tank containers within cofferdams increases the safety factor, especially to adjacent containers or rooms. On the other hand, walk-in cofferdams can also be used for assembly, maintenance and operation.

In a similar way, the cofferdam can also be replaced by appropriate fire protection walls, in order to create an explosion-proof zone in this way.

In the illustration after 4 is schematically a two-sided arrangement of tank containers 10 with the docking station 20 , which can also be called Lasch Bridge, shown.

The term used here of the tank container includes on the one hand a support frame system known containers in their standard dimensions. However, the dimensions of the tank container can also deviate from this with appropriate requirements.

In addition, a tank container is permanently installed within the support frame system of the container. This tank container may preferably have a cylindrical shape with a circle diameter and dome-shaped or hemispherical end regions. Optionally, depending on the pressure and temperature of the corresponding fuel, such as in LNG, a plurality of spherical containers can be received and fixed within a support frame of the container. Likewise, so-called bi-lop tanks, in the sense of divided tanks, can be used, which consist in cross section of two semicircular tank elements of 180 degrees or more.

Also, a tank container can be designed with a closed outer wall, to thereby already ensure a pressure and explosion protection.

In the 5 and 6 are corner areas of tank containers 10 with its attachment to the deck 30 shown.

The solid and at least temporarily rigid compounds after 5 and 6 show in the corner area 13 of the supporting frame 12 an inverted T-shaped carrier 15 , This is in an approximately complementary designed fixation block or fixation shoe 14 recorded and by means of locking elements, taking into account usual forces acting on the deck 30 fixed.

6 shows a comparable alternative to 5 in the corner area 13 the lower mounting rail 32 For example, welded to the support frame 12 is available. This mounting rail 32 is by means of a locking element 33 , for example a bolt, with the deck 30 firmly connected, so that the required fixation of the tank container is reached by ship.

The described possibilities can be applied to seagoing vessels as well as to inland waterway vessels and vessels of all kinds, including any offshore use.

The invention therefore makes it possible to operate ships with dual-fuel drives in comparison with the use of heavy fuel oil, and also with low emissions, in particular with LNG or LPG, so that the stricter emission regulations can be observed and fulfilled.

At the same time, tank containers with, for example, LNG can also be used as reserve fuel, especially when driving in areas with underdeveloped infrastructure.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 5711270 [0004]
• US 3766734 [0004, 0006]
• US 2002/0002967 A1 [0004]

Cited non-patent literature

• MAN "Diesel Facts, 3/2010 (African Contract Continual's Dual Fuel Global Success)" [0002]
• "MAN Dual Fuel Engines for Powerships" (The Daily Engineer, 2010-03-11) [0003]

Claims (11)

Ship ( 1 ) with at least one dual-fuel engine as the drive motor and / or auxiliary unit characterized in that in addition to stationary in the hull integrated fuel bunkers for primary fuel, such as heavy fuel oil and / or diesel fuel, mobile removable tank container ( 10 ) are provided for or with secondary fuel that the tank container ( 10 ) on a ship deck ( 3 ), in particular a weather deck ( 3 ), and / or in an open to the weather deck or operated from there cargo space, at least temporarily with the ship ( 1 ) are fixed and that a connection system ( 21 . 20 ) with at least one container docking station ( 20 ) and with connecting cables ( 21 ) to the tank container (s) ( 10 ) is provided for supplying drive motor and / or auxiliary units with secondary fuel. Ship according to claim 1, characterized in that several tank containers ( 10 ) side by side and / or one above the other as a package, adjacent or spaced from each other, firmly fixed to the ship ( 1 ) and / or against each other, and that each tank container ( 10 ) is controllably connected to the connection system. Ship according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tank or containers ( 10 ) with a protective wall or a cofferdam ( 16 ) is surrounded to form a fire or explosion-proof zone, or are. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that tank containers ( 10 ) on several sides to the docking station ( 20 ) are arranged and connected to this. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the connection lines ( 21 ) between tank containers ( 10 ) and docking station ( 20 ) are designed to be flexible, in particular have flexible hoses or tubes with expansion compensators. Ship according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the docking station ( 20 ) for tank containers ( 10 ) freestanding on deck ( 3 ) or is part of ship superstructures ( 2 ) On Deck ( 3 ) or of shipwalls below deck, in particular of the cargo holds provided for tank containers. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that as a secondary fuel LNG, LPG or diesel fuel is provided. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the tank containers ( 10 ) is assigned individually or as a package a protection system to combat dangerous situations such as fire or explosion hazard. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that for the transfer of secondary fuel from tank containers ( 10 ) to drive motor or auxiliary units a transfer system ( 20 . 21 ), in particular with measuring and control devices, provided in the docking station ( 20 ) in / on a ship body ( 2 ) or in a ship's space below deck, wherein the transfer system has a pressure reduction device, in particular for LNG, LPG. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the fixation of the tank container ( 10 ) with the deck ( 3 ) of the ship ( 1 ) or with each other by means of positive connections ( 14 . 15 ), for example by means of shoe constructions ( 14 . 15 ) is provided with interlocks, semi-automatic or automatic quick connections in a direct manner or via an applied, in particular welded, Unterbaufundament. Ship according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the docking station ( 20 ) is designed as an open grid construction or as a watertight closed structure.

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