|
By: Jeroen Berger, August 7, 2017 To meet the IMO Annex VI limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board of existing vessels, there are roughly two options to discuss: switching over to a low-sulphur fuel or choosing for a scrubber with HFO. A recent study have concluded that installing a scrubber with HFO would be a more effective way to protect human health from the adverse effects of ship emissions than switching over to a low-sulphur fuel.
The research was carried out by scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University of Rostock in cooperation with the University of Luxembourg, the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the University of Eastern Finland. The study was recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, which you can download via this link.
HFO: what kind of marine fuel is this exactly?
To understand why this study claims that installing a scrubber with HFO would be a more effective way to protect human health from the adverse effects of ship emissions than switching over to a low-sulphur fuel, I am first going to learn you more about HFO.
The abbreviation ‘HFO’ stands for Heavy Fuel Oil. HFO is a by-product of the refinery and looks like tar or asphalt in cold condition. Because HFO is viscous, it is difficult to process. That’s why HFO has to be heated stored. It is known that seagoing vessels are using this fuel the most.
HFO in combination with the environment
No we have defined HFO. If we are looking to HFO in combination with the environment, there are environmental standards to heavy fuel oil. It is known that all existing fuels, including HFO, create acid rain. It is a phenomenon that these fuels are bad for public health.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has drawn up sulphur limits for heavy fuel oil (HFO) used in Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs). These areas are: the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and English Channel. The regulation calls for a 0.1% m/m (mass by mass) sulphur limit in SECAs by 2015 and a worldwide limit of 0.5% m/m by 2020.
Low-sulphur fuels
By using a low-sulphur fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1% m/m, you are meeting the limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships automatically.
HFO with scrubber versus low-sulphur fuels
The particulate emissions are include in the investigation. And although you can reduce the particulate emissions by using low-sulphur fuels, you are able to reduce the fine particulates to almost 1% by using a scrubber in combination with HFO. Based on this, the researchers conclude that installing a scrubber with HFO would be a more effective way to protect human health from the adverse effects of ship emissions than switching over to a low-sulphur fuel.
| |
| |
|
Your information will be kept confidential. See our privacy policy for more information. |
Scrubber with HFO better to protect human heatlh than low-sulphur fuel
