RINA greenlights Ecomotus' tech to improve vessel fuel efficiency
Classification society RINA has approved the UK-based hydrogen electrolyser maker Ecomotus' fuel catalyst system that can be retrofitted on marine engines to improve fuel efficiency.
PHOTO: Company representatives at the deal signing ceremony. RINA
A fuel catalyst system is a technology designed to enhance the combustion efficiency of fuels, typically in internal combustion engines. It often involves the use of catalysts, which are substances that accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed.
Ecomotus’ fuel catalyst system “optimises the engine’s fuel combustion, continuously monitoring engine requirements and ensuring that very specific quantities of hydrogen are produced at exactly the moment that the engine requires it.”
This allows shipowners to utilise small quantities of hydrogen to improve engine performance while minimising the risks associated with high-pressure hoses and pressurised hydrogen storage systems.
With no requirement for hydrogen storage tanks or high-pressure systems, it can be retrofitted to almost any marine engine. This means that it can be used on any marine engine, regardless of the type of marine fuel burned by the vessel. It allows vessel owners to control their fuel consumption and subsequently reduce their CO2 emissions.
The system is controlled remotely by Ecomotus HQ, while shipowners have access to live online data feeds.
Controlling fuel combustion “results in a significant reduction in carbon deposits (PMs) as well as reducing NOx, CO and CO2 at the point of ignition and reducing fuel consumption,” RINA claims.
Other benefits include engine oils and components remaining cleaner for longer due to carbon reduction and efficient burning of fuel optimises torque, thus increasing the lifespan of these components, the classification society adds.
It has been successfully retrofitted in over 30 marine engines till date, RINA says.
“The EcoPro bridges the gap between fossil fuels and the future of a hydrogen/electric economy, a way to use hydrogen safely to immediately reduce pollution and improve fuel consumption, cleaning up existing engines now,” Ecomotus’ director of innovation Jason Munro says.
By Tuhin Roy
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