New LNG monitoring system from Kongsberg Maritime

For many companies, LNG is becoming an option to help them comply with IMO and MARPOL environmental regulations with certain tests showing that using the fuel also reduces long term costs.

Now Kongsberg Maritime is responding to the growing popularity of LNG dual fuel engines with its latest monitoring and control system, AutoChief 600 Gas.

“With the introduction of the MAN ME-GI engine concept, the maritime world entered a new era,” explains product manager Kongsberg Maritime Thomas Kristiansen. “The use of LNG as fuel significantly decreases SOx, NOx, PM and CO2 emissions, thus complying with stricter IMO ECAs (Emission Control Area) requirements.”

Previously Kongsberg systems controlled the speed of the vessel’s engine, now the company has developed additional hardware and software so the fuel supply can also be controlled.

The new system, which has been under development for several years, is currently undergoing tests and commissioning,

“We’ve worked closely with MAN and Wärtsilä in developing the new system which has the ability to control LNG pressure,” said Mr Kristiansen.

And as part of its new systems, Kongsberg has also developed a Fuel Gas Supply System (FGSS) for the ME-GI dual-fuel high-pressure two-stroke engine.

“The main purpose of the FGSS is to supply the engine with the correct fuel gas pressure depending on engine load,” said Mr Kristiansen. “The LNG is supplied from a LNG storage tank and transferred to a suction drum where a booster pump increases the LNG pressure to obtain a correct head for the high pressure pump.”

AutoChief can be used as a stand alone system or with other control systems such as an LNG fuel tank monitoring system, AV Epostm, MetaPower and K-Remote.

“It’s a scalable system; we’ve added to the normal operations of the system so it will control the gas system and supply the engine with the correct fuel gas pressure depending on the engine load,” explains Mr Kristiansen.

The Kongsberg LNG fuel tank monitoring system includes radar based level measurement, radar based high level alarm detection, temperature monitoring and pressure monitoring.

As Mr Kristiansen points out: “Accurate and reliable monitoring of LNG in the tanks, regardless of the ship’s motion and tank boil-off rate, are an important safety function for storage of LNG.”

AVL EPOSTM is a scalable monitoring system for large bore engines with warnings for optimum engine system performance and the MetaPower digital system measures the twist of a rotating shaft. The system displays RPM, torque and power.

The K-Remote system provides remote access customer support.

In addition, an emergency shut down system is part of the complete gas fuel installation – integration to a fire and gas detection system will secure early warning of a hazardous condition and if required initiate a controlled shutdown of the ships machinery and fuel gas supply system.

By Katina Read