Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Two-stroke Engines

MAN Diesel

Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................. 5 Market Development .................................................................................... 6 Definition and types of liquefied gas ........................................................ 6 Types of LNG carriers and their containment systems .............................. 6 Size of the LNG carriers .......................................................................... 7 Ship classes ........................................................................................... 7 LNG carrier market ................................................................................. 8 Average Ship Particulars as a Function of Ship Size .................................... 11 Average hull design factor, Fdes ............................................................. 11 Average design ship speed ................................................................... 12 Propulsion Power Demand as a Function of Ship Size ................................. 14 Average LNG carriers ............................................................................ 14 Propulsion Power Demand of Average LNG Carriers as a Function of Ship Speed .................................................. 16 Summary ................................................................................................... 18 References................................................................................................. 18

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Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 3

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Introduction
Natural gas is a clean fuel compared to diesel and heavy fuel oil and, together with an increasing environmental responsibility, there is a rising demand for natural gas worldwide. Where it is not possible to transport natural gas by means of pipelines, the LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) carriers have to take over the transportation because natural gas in liquid form at atmospheric pressure only takes up 1/600 of the natural gas volume. LNG is a clear liquid with a density of about 450 kg/m3, i.e. 45% of the density of water [1]. However, the liquid form at atmospheric pressure can only be maintained by boil-off of some of the gas. The first LNG carrier was the 150 m3

taken into operation in 1964 (scrapped in 1998), the steam turbine has almost exclusively been used as the main propulsion engine. The reason is the simplicity of utilising the boil-off gas in steam boilers to produce steam for the steam turbines, even though the conventional steam propulsion system has a low efficiency of about 28% compared to the approx. 50% valid for the conventional two-stroke diesel propulsion system. Because of the relatively high price of natural gas today, it may be an economical advantage to utilise the expensive boil-off gas in a dual fuel (heavy fuel and compressed natural gas) diesel engine for main propulsion, as there will be no need for forced boil-off. A possibility is also to reliquefy the expensive boil-off gas by means of a reliquefaction plant, and then use an ordinary heavy fuel oil driven diesel engine for main propulsion. In both cases, fuel savings are obtained compared to the standard steam turbine system.

forerunner Suehiro Maru No. 8 from 1962 (scrapped 1983) with a four-stroke diesel engine as prime mover. However, since the second LNG carrier, the 27,400 m3 Methane Princess, was

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Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 5

Market Development
Definition and types of liquefied gas A liquefied gas has a gaseous form at normal ambient temperature and pressure, but is liquefied by pressurisation or refrigeration, or by a combination of both. Most liquefied gases are hydrocarbons and flammable in nature. The main groups of gas cargoes are LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), LPG (Liquefied Petrol Gas) and a variety of petrochemical gases. LNG contains mostly methane naturally occurring in association with oil fields, whereas LPG contains the heavier gas types butane and/or propane. LPG is for example used as a bottled cooking gas. LPG may be carried in either the pressurised or refrigerated form (butane 5C and propane 42C), but in few cases also in the semi-pressurised form. LNG is always carried/transported cold at atmospheric pressure, i.e. in its liquefied form at its boiling point of as low as 163C. As previously mentioned, in its liquid form, natural gas reduces its volume by 600 times and has a density of approx. 450 kg/m3. The LNG is always being refrigerated by means of its boil-off gas and, therefore, the LNG tanks will normally not be completely emptied because some of the LNG still has to cool down the tanks. All liquefied gases carried in bulk must be carried on a gas carrier in accordance with the Gas Code rules of IMO (International Maritime Organisation).

Only LNG carriers will be discussed in this paper. Types of LNG carriers and their containment systems The gas tankers are constructed according to the double-hull concept, including the bottom areas as a protection against ship grounding incidents. Furthermore, the gas must be carried according to the so-called cargo containment system principle, i.e. the cargo tanks are installed separately in the ships holds, and are not a part of the ships structure. The gas tanks (fully refrigerated at atmospheric pressure) used today in LNG carriers (see Fig. 1) [2] are normally of the spherical (Moss) type, introduced in 1971, and membrane type, introduced

in 1969, and in some few cases of the structural prismatic design. The spherical tanks and tanks of the structural prismatic design are self-supporting and are tied to the main hull structure. The tanks with the membrane wall system are rectangular and fully integrated into the hull and rely on the strength of the ships hull. The membrane system is based on a very thin primary steel barrier (0.7-1.5 mm membrane of stainless steel alloy) supported through the insulation [2]. Such tanks, therefore, are not self-supporting, but only a relatively small amount of steel has to be cooled. Today, membrane tanks are mostly being ordered because of its relatively higher utilisation of the hull volume for the cargo capacity, i.e. for the same cargo capacity, the ship dimensions

Examples on equal sized LNG carriers based on the Membrane and the Spherical (Moss) types the Membrane and the Spherical (Moss) types Examples on equal sized LNG carriers based

138,000 m LNG carrier of the membrane type 138,000 m3 LNG carrier of the membrane type

138,000 m3 LNG carrier of the membrane type 3

138,000 m LNG carrier of the spherical (Moss) 138,000 m3 LNG carrier of the spherical (Moss) type type 3
3

138,000 m LNG carrier of the spherical (Moss) type

Fig. 1: Examples of equal-sized LNG carriers based on the membrane and the spherical (Moss) types shown in the same scale

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

are smaller than for a similar spherical (Moss) type LNG carrier, as also illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the ships in the same scale. However, the boil-off gas amount is higher for the membrane tank type compared to that of the spherical tank type. The membrane systems have been greatly improved since the introduction in 1969, and especially over the last decade, they have, after the improvements, proved their suitability for LNG carriers. About 55% of the existing fleet in service (31 July 2007) consists of the membrane type, whereas about 80% of the LNG carriers on order today (31 July 2007), in numbers, are based on the membrane types [3], see Fig. 2. The main ship particulars of LNG carriers analysed in this paper are based

on the two, and almost only used, main groups of LNG carriers: 1. Spherical (Moss) containment system 2. Membrane containment system Size of the LNG carriers The deadweight of a ship is the carrying capacity in metric tons (1,000 kg) including the weight of bunkers and other supplies necessary for the ships propulsion. The maximum possible deadweight tonnage of a tanker, for example, will normally be used as the size of the tanker. The size of an LNG carrier is, however, normally not based on its deadweight tonnage, but on its obtainable volumetric capacity of liquid natural gas in m3. Depending on the density of the LNG and the ship size, the volumetric LNG
Distribution in containment systems of LNG fleet

capacity, of course, corresponds to a certain deadweight tonnage, which normally, when referring to the design draught, is of the magnitude of 0.470.52 times the corresponding size in m3, and when referring to the scantling (max.) draught is of the magnitude of 0.52-0.58. Ship classes As mentioned earlier, there is a split up in LNG carriers, but this is based on the differences in the construction of the cargo containment system, as for example the spherical (Moss) and the membrane containment systems. Depending on the ship size and particulars, the three main groups of merchant ships, tankers, bulk carriers and container vessels, are split into different main groups or classes, like handymax, panamax, etc.

Number of LNG carriers in %

80

Existing LNG fleet 239 ships - 31 July 2007 Ref.: LNG World Shipping Journal September/October 2007

LNG carriers on order 136 ships - 31 July 2007

80%

70

60 55% 50 42% 40

109

30 100

132 17%

20

10 3% 7 Others Moss Membrane Containment system 3% 4 Others

23

Moss

Membrane Containment system

MAN B&W Diesel

Fig. 2: Distribution in containment systems on LNG fleet

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

However, for LNG carriers, there is no such similar general split-up into different groups or classes based on the dimensions alone. The reason is that ever since 1962, LNG carriers have normally been designed for specific purposes/ routes and LNG terminals (with the resulting limitations to the ship dimensions) in large series of the same size. Thus, the most common size of LNG carriers delivered or on order is between 120,000-180,000 m3, and often referred to as Conventional. The demand for lower LNG transportation costs is most effectively met by increasing the LNG capacity of the LNG carriers. Thus, the LNG carriers to and from Qatar ordered over the last few years are of the large sizes of approx. 210,000 m3 and 265,000 m3, and referred to as Q-flex and Q-max, respectively. Thus, the LNG carrier classes often used today can therefore be referred to as listed in Table I and Fig. 3. Besides the main classes described for LNG carriers, special sub-classes are often used to describe the specialty of the ship in question, as for example the Med-max and Atlantic-max, see Fig. 3. LNG carrier market
Small: Small Conventional: Large Conventional: Q-flex: Q-max: Up to 90,000 m3 120,000-149,999 m 3 150,000-180,000 m3 200,000-220,000 m3 More than 260,000 m3

LNG carrier classes

Small

Dimensions

Ship size - LNG capacity

up to 90,000 m3

B: LOA: Small Conventional B: LOA: Large Conventional Tdes: B: LOA: Tdes: B: LOA: Tdes: B: LOA:

up to 40 m up to 250 m 120,000 - 149,999 m3 41 - 49 m 270 - 298 m up to 12.0 m 43 - 46 m 285 - 295 m up to 12.0 m approx. 50 m approx. 315 m up to 12.0 m 53 - 55 m approx. 345 m 150,000 - 180,000 m3

Q-flex

200,000 - 220,000 m3

Q-max

more than 260,000 m3

Examples of special LNG carrier sub-classes: Med-max (Mediterranean maximum size) about 75,000 m3 Atlantic-max (Atlantic sea maximum size) about 165,000 m 3

Fig. 3: LNG carrier classes

Number of LNG carriers in % 90 83% 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 198

LNG carrier fleet 31 July 2007 - 239 ships Ref.: Lloyds Register - Fairplays PC-Register

15% 36 Small Small Conventional

2% 5 Large Conventional

0% Q-flex

0% Q-max Classes

Fig. 4a: Distribution of existing LNG carriers in service (number of ships) Table I: Main LNG classes

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Distribution of LNG carriers on order (number of ships)

The first LNG carrier with a capacity of 150 m3 was introduced in 1962, and the second one of 27,400 m3 in 1964, and since the mid 1970s the maximum and commonly used LNG carrier size has been approx. 125,000-140,000 m3 for 30 years. However, recently there has been a dramatic increase in the size of the LNG carriers ordered, with 266,000 m3 (Q-max) as the largest one (31 July 2007), but LNG carriers as large as 300,000 m3 are now on the project stage. The reason for this is that the larger the LNG carrier, the lower the transportation costs. This increase in ship size will also involve design modifications of new LNG plants and terminals. Today, the maximum loaded ship draught in service is still approx. 12 m, because of the limitations of the existing harbour facilities. Distribution of LNG carriers today As of 31 July 2007, the number of LNG carriers on order is 136, corresponding to about 57% of the existing fleet in service (239), see Fig. 2. Fig. 4a shows the split-up in LNG classes of the existing LNG carriers in service. As can be seen, the current fleet is dominated by relatively small ships of the Small and Small Conventional classes. Only 2% of the LNG carrier fleet is larger than 150,000 m3 (Large Conventional). LNG carriers on order However, according to Fig. 4b, which shows the LNG carriers on order as of 31 July 2007, the distribution of the fleet on LNG classes will change drastically. Thus, the number of large LNG carriers

Number of LNG carriers in %

LNG carriers on order 31 July 2007 - 136 ships Ref.: Lloyds Register - Fairplays PC-Register
37%

40 35 30
26%

25 20 15 10 5 0
5% 7

23%

50 36 31 9%

12

Small

Small Conventional

Large Conventional

Q-flex

Q-max Classes

Fig. 4b: Distribution of LNG carriers on order (number of ships)

Number of LNG carriers delivered 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Q-max Q-flex

LNG carrier fleet 31 July 2007 Ref.: Lloyds Register - Fairplays PC-Register

Large Conventional Small Conventional Small

Fig. 4c: Year of delivery of LNG carriers

creased greatly during this period. At the same time, the contracting of Small ships has come to a complete standstill. On the other hand, some Small Conventional LNG carriers have been ordered as well, probably because of the application for a specific trade/route.

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ordered over the last three years has in-

19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10
Year of delivery

Fig. 4c shows, as indicated in Fig. 4b, that large LNG carriers like the Large Conventional and Q-flex and Q-max will enter operation in the coming years. Fig. 4d, which shows the average ship size of the ships delivered, also confirms that the average LNG size to be delivered will be larger in the future.

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Average size of ship, LNG capacity m3 200,000

LNG carrier fleet 31 July 2007 Ref.: Lloyds Register - Fairplays PC-Register

175,000

150,000 Average of the 2007 fleet

125,000

100,000

75,000

91 92

94 95

Fig. 4d: Average size of LNG carriers delivered

However, because many small LNG carriers have also been ordered, the average LNG size may not be as high as expected. Until now, very few LNG carriers have been scrapped.
30

Number of LNG carriers on order, in %

50 40%

40

19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10
Year of delivery

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

97 98

90

93

96

Distribution of Propulsion Systems of LNG Fleet on order

LNG carriers on order 136 ships - 31 July 2007 Ref.: LNG World Shipping Journal September/October 2007

33% 26% 55 45 10 35 1% 1 Steam turbine Two-stroke diesel and reliquefaction Dieselelectric Others

Distribution of propulsion systems on LNG carriers Of the ships on order as of 31 July 2007, 33% are with two-stroke diesel engines and reliquefaction, 26% with diesel electric propulsion and 40% with steam turbine propulsion [3], see Fig. 5a. Fig. 5b shows the distribution of the propulsion systems chosen in the LNG fleet delivered or on order as of 31 July 2007, and shown as a function of year of delivery. This curve also confirms the emerging shift from steam turbine to diesel.
0 20

Fig. 5a: Distribution of propulsion systems of LNG fleet on order

10 Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Number of ships per year 60

LNG carrier fleet Delivered or on order 31 July 2007

Average Ship Particulars as a Function of Ship Size

On the basis of LNG carriers built or contracted in the period 1997-2007, as reported in the Lloyds Register Fairplays PC-Register, we have estimated the average ship particulars of the different sizes of LNG carriers based on the spherical (Moss) and the membrane containment systems, respectively. However, as only very few LNG carriers of some ship sizes have been built in this period, for these ship types, it has also been necessary to look back to the time before 1997.

Two-stroke diesel 50 Diesel-Electric Steam turbine

40

30

20

10

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000 2005 2010 Year of delivery

Average hull design factor, Fdes Based on the above statistical material, the average design relationship between the ship particulars of the LNG carriers can, as an indication, be expressed by means of the average hull design factor, Fdes, see below and Fig. 6: Fdes = LPP x B x Dscant/Q

Fig. 5b: Distribution of propulsion systems of LNG fleet in year of delivery

Average Hull Design Factor of LNG Carriers (Membrane Type) Average hull design factor, Fdes 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 50,000 Main ship particulars Lpp B Dscant Q Fdes : Length between perpendiculars (m) : Breadth (m) : Scantling draught (m) : LNG capacity (m3) : Average hull design factor Fdes = Lpp x B x Dscant/Q 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

where LPP: B: Q: length between perpendiculars (m) ship breadth LNG capacity (max.) of ship (m) (m) (m3)

Dscant: scantling draught (max.)

Based on the above design factor Fdes,

Fig. 6: Average hull design factor of LNG carriers (membrane type)

any missing particular can approximately be found as: LPP B Q = Fdes x Q/(B x Dscant) = Fdes x Q/(LPP x Dscant) = LPP x B x Dscant/Fdes m m m m3

Dscant = Fdes x Q/(LPP x B)

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Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 11

Length between perpendiculars m 400

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the first three ship particulars are shown as a function of
Large Conventional Small Conventional Q-flex Q-max

the ship size in LNG capacity (Q). The main groups of LNG carrier classes are also shown.

300 Small
S ric phe al ( Mo ss)

br Mem

ane

The ship particulars of the Moss type ships are only shown up to about 150,000 m3 as being the largest one built of this containment type.

200

100

Average design ship speed

0

In Fig. 10, the average ship speed Vdes,

0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

used for design of the propulsion system and valid for the design draught of the ship, is shown as a function of the ship size. The design draught is normally from 5% to 10% lower than the scantling draught (max. draught) used for calculations of the hull strength.

Fig. 7: Average length between perpendiculars of LNG carriers (membrane and Moss types)

Breadth m 60

Large Conventional Small Conventional Small

o l (M ss)

Q-flex

Q-max

The larger the LNG capacity of the ships, the higher the ship speed, and today the average design ship speed is about 20 knots for ships larger than 150,000 m3.

50
he Sp rica

40

Me

ane mbr

30

20

10

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

Fig. 8: Average ship breadth (beam) of LNG carriers (membrane and Moss types)

12 Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Design draught m 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 50,000 100,000 Small

Large Conventional Small Conventional

Q-flex

Q-max

Sp

ca eri

l (M

os

s)
e

Me

mb

ran

150,000

200,000

250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

Fig. 9: Average design draught of LNG carriers (membrane and Moss types)

Average design ship speed knots 22

Large Conventional Small Conventional

Q-flex

Q-max

20

18

Small

16

14

12

10

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

Fig. 10: Average design ship speed of LNG carriers

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Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 13

Propulsion Power Demand as a Function of Ship Size

Average LNG carriers Based on the average ship particulars and ship speeds already described for LNG carriers built or contracted in the period of 1997-2007, we have made a power prediction calculation (Holtrop & Mennens Method) for such LNG carriers in various sizes from 19,000 m3 to 265,000 m 3. However, as the membrane type LNG carrier seems to become the dominating type in the future, cf. Fig. 2, a power prediction has only been made for LNG carriers of this type. For all cases, we have assumed a sea margin of 15% and an engine margin of 10%, i.e. a service rating of 90% SMCR, including 15% sea margin.

Furthermore, the size of the propeller diameter is assumed to be as high as up to approx. 76% of the design draught, because the ships are normally sailing with a big draught also in ballast conditions (low density cargo). The average ship particulars of these LNG carriers are shown in the tables in Fig. 11, and Figs 12 and 13 valid for LNG capacity 19,000-138,000 m3 and 150,000-265,000 m3, respectively. On this basis, and valid for the design draught and design ship speed, we have calculated the specified engine MCR power needed for propulsion. The maximum design draught for the large LNG carriers in service is limited to about 12.0 m because of harbour facilities. This results in beam/design draught

ratios being relatively high (above 4.0). In such a case, a twin-skeg/twin-screw solution will be an attractive alternative to the standard single-screw solution, as a potential reduction of the propulsion power up to 9% is possible. Therefore, the large LNG carriers, besides the single-screw version, see Fig. 12, have also been calculated for the twinskeg/twin-screw solution, see Fig. 13. The twin-skeg/twin main engine LNG carrier would also meet the safety demands of the future to install at least double propulsion drives enhancing the redundancy of the prime movers. In fact, the Q-flex and Q-max ships have only been made/ordered in the twin-skeg/twin-screw version.

Membrane Type Single-Screw

Ship size, LNG capacity Scantling draught Length overall Length between pp Breadth Design draught Sea margin Engine margin Average design ship speed SMCR power Main engine options m3

Small
19,000 7.1 130.0 124.0 25.6 6.5 15 10 15.0 5,300 5S40ME-B9 5S42MC7 7S35ME-B9 14.5 4,600 5S40ME-B9 5S42MC7 6S35ME-B9 15.5 6,150 6S40ME-B9 6S42MC7 8S35ME-B9

Small
(Med-max)
75,000 10.6 220.0 210.0 35.0 9.7 15 10 17.5 14,200 6S60ME-C8 7S60ME-C7 5L70ME-C7 5S65ME-C8 17.0 12,800 6S60ME-C7 5L70ME-C7 5S65ME-C8 18.0 15,900 7S60ME-C7 5L70ME-C8 6L70ME-C7 6S65ME-C8

Small Conventional
138,000 12.0 276.0 263.0 43.4 11.3 15 10 19.5 28,000 7K80ME-C9 6K90ME-C9 8K80ME-C6 6K90ME9 19.0 25,500 6K80ME-C9 6K90ME-C6 8L70ME-C8 8S70ME-C8 20.0 30,800 7K80ME-C9 6K90ME-C9 7K90ME-C6 6K90ME9

m m m m m % % Knots kW 1. 2. 3. 4.
Knots kW 1. 2. 3. 4. Knots KW 1. 2. 3. 4.

Average design ship speed - 0.5 kn SMCR power Main engine options

Average design ship speed + 0.5 kn SMCR power Main engine options

Fig. 11: Ship particulars and propulsion SMCR power demand (membrane type), LNG capacity 19,000-138,000 m3, single-screw

14 Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

Membrane Type Single-Screw

Ship size, LNG capacity Scantling draught Length overall Length between pp Breadth Design draught Sea margin Engine margin Average design ship speed SMCR power Main engine options m
3

Large Conventional
150,000 12.3 288.0 275.0 44.2 11.6 15 10 20.0 31,400 6K90ME9

Q-flex
210,000 12.7 315.0 303.0 50.0 12.0 15 10 20.0 39,300 7K90ME9 7K98ME7

Q-max
265,000 12.7 345.0 332.0 54.0 12.0 15 10 20.0 45,200 8K90ME9 8K98ME6 8K98ME7 19.5 41,100 8K90ME9 7K98ME7 8K98ME6 20.5 49,600 9K90ME9 9K98ME6 9K98ME7

The SMCR power results are also shown in the tables in Figs. 11-13 Ship Particulars and Propulsion SMCR Power Demand together with the selected main engine options of the MAN B&W two-stroke engine types. The similar results valid for +/- 0.5 knots compared to the average design ship speed are also shown.

m m m m m % % Knots kW
1. 2. 3. 4.
Knots kW 1. 2. 3. 4. Knots kW 1. 2. 3. 4.

Average design ship speed - 0.5 kn SMCR power Main engine options

19.5 28,500 6K90ME9

19.5 35,700 7K90ME9 6K98ME7

Average design ship speed + 0.5 kn SMCR power Main engine options

20.5 34,300 6K90ME9

20.5 43,200 8K90ME9 7K98ME7

All above ME engines can also be delivered in ME-GI version (gas injected)

Fig. 12: Ship particulars and propulsion SMCR power demand (membrane type), LNG capacity 150,000-265,000 m3, single-screw

Membrane Type Twin-Screw

Ship size, LNG capacity Scantling draught Length overall Length between pp Breadth Design draught Sea margin Engine margin Average design ship speed SMCR power Main engine options m3

Large Conventional
150,000 12.3 288.0 275.0 44.2 11.6 15 10 20.0 2x14,900 2x5S70ME-C7 2x6S65ME-C8

Q-flex
210,000 12.7 315.0 303.0 50.0 12.0 15 10 20.0 2x18,300 2x6S70ME-C7 2x7S65ME-C8

Q-max
265,000 12.7 345.0 332.0 54.0 12.0 15 10 20.0 2x20,800 2x7S70ME-C7 2x8S65ME-C8

m m m m m % %
kW 1. 2. 3. 4.

Knots

Average design ship speed - 0.5 kn SMCR power Main engine options

Knots kW 1. 2. 3. 4.

19.5 2x13,600 2x5S70ME-C7 2x5S65ME-C8

19.5 2x16,700 2x6S70ME-C7 2x6S65ME-C8

19.5 2x19,000 2x6S70ME-C8 2x7S65ME-C8

Average design ship speed + 0.5 kn Knots kW SMCR power Main engine options 1. 2. 3. 4.

20.5 2x16,300 2x5S70ME-C8 2x6S70ME-C7 2x6S65ME-C8

20.5 2x20,100 2x7S70ME-C7 2x7S65ME-C8

20.5 2x22,800 2x7S70ME-C8 2x8S65ME-C8

All above ME engines can also be delivered in ME-GI version (gas injected)

Fig. 13: Ship particulars and propulsion SMCR power demand (membrane type), LNG capacity 150,000-265,000 m3, twin-skeg and twin-screw

MAN B&W Diesel

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 15

Propulsion Power Demand of Average LNG Carriers as a Function of Ship Speed

When the required ship speed is changed, the required SMCR power will change too, as mentioned above, and other main engine options could be selected. This trend with the average ship particulars and average ship speed as the basis is shown in detail in Figs. 14 and 15 for single-screw vessels, and in Fig. 16 for large twin-skeg/ twin-screw vessels.

It is possible to derate the engine, i.e. use an SMCR power lower than the nominal MCR power, if the nominal MCR power needed for a given main engine is too high for a required ship speed. This would also result in a lower specific fuel consumption of the engine. Therefore, in some cases it could be of particular advantage, considering the high fuel price today, to select a higher mark number than needed and derate the engine.

SMCR power kW Including: 15% sea margin 10% engine margin Small Conventional
7K90ME9/ME-C9

40,000

21.0 kn 20.5 kn 20.0 kn

8K80ME-C9 6K90ME9/ME-C9 7K80ME-C9

30,000
8L70ME-C8 7L70ME-C8

19.5 kn

Small

19.0 kn

6K80ME-C9 8S70ME-C8

20,000
7S60ME-C8 5L70ME-C7 6S60ME-C8 5S60ME-C7 7S40ME-B9 6S40ME-B9 5S40ME-B9 5S35ME-B9

6L70ME-C8

esi ed ag ver peed A s ip sh

16.5 kn

gn
18.0 kn 17.5 kn
6S65ME-C8

18.5 kn 7S70ME-C8
6K80ME-C6

17.0 kn 16.0 kn

5S65ME-C8

10,000

14.5 kn 14.0 kn

15.0 kn

15.5 kn

50,000

100,000

150,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

Fig. 14: Propulsion SMCR power demand of an average LNG carrier (membrane type), Small and Small Conventional single-screw

16 Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

SMCR power kW 70,000

Including: 15% sea margin 10% engine margin Large Conventional 9K90ME9 8K90ME9

Q-max Q-flex
21.0 kn 20.5 kn 20.0 kn

60,000

10K98ME7 9K98ME7 8K98ME7 7K98ME7 7K98ME6 6K98ME6

50,000

40,000

7K90ME9 6K90ME9 7K80ME-C9 5K90ME9 8S70ME-C8 7S70ME-C8

ge d Avera

esign

ship s

peed

19.5 kn 19.0 kn

30,000

20,000

10,000

All above engines can also be delivered in ME-GI version (gas injected) 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

Propulsion SMCR Power Demand of an Average LNG Carrier (Membrane Type) Large Conventional, Q-flex and Q-max - Twin Screw Fig.15: Propulsion SMCR power demand of an average LNG carrier (membrane type), Large Conventional, Q-flex and Q-max single-screw

Total SMCR power kW 60,000 Including: 15% sea margin 10% engine margin Large Conventional Q-max Q-flex
21.0 kn 20.5 kn 20.0 kn

50,000

2 x 8S70ME-C8 2 x 8S70ME-C7 2 x 8S65ME-C8 2 x 7S70ME-C8 2 x 7S70ME-C7 2 x 7S65ME-C8

40,000

2 x 6S70ME-C8 2 x 6S70ME-C7 2 x 6S65ME-C8 2 x 5S70ME-C8 2 x 5S70ME-C7 2 x 5S65ME-C8

ge d Avera

esign

ship s

peed

19.5 kn 19.0 kn

30,000

20,000

10,000
All above engines can also be delivered in ME-GI version (gas injected)

0 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 m3 Size of ship, LNG capacity

Fig. 16: Propulsion SMCR power demand of an average LNG carrier (membrane type), Large Conventional, Q-flex and Q-max twin-skeg and twin-screw

MAN B&W Diesel

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 17

Summary
Safety and reliability of LNG carriers have always been important demands to the design of this type of ship, as can also be seen from the stringent standards given by IMO and several countries. Thus, the most widely used LNG containment systems the Moss and the membrane have been applied for many years because of their reliability. Today, the membrane type LNG carrier seems to take over the major market share because of its better utilisation of the ships hull volume.

The LNG carrier market is an increasingly important and attractive transport segment which, due to the increasing global demand to clean fuel, is expected to become of even greater importance in the future. Thus, the CO2 emission by burning LNG is about 23% lower than for heavy fuel oil. As described, MAN B&W engines are able to meet the engine power needs of any size in the modern LNG carrier fleet. It should be noted that today the alter-

References
[1] Introduction to LNG Center for Energy Economics The University of Texas at Austin January 2007 [2] Liquefied Gas Handling Principles on Ships and in Terminals McGuire and White Witherby & Company Limited, London Third Edition 2000 [3] LNG World Shipping Journal September/October 2007

For many years the steam turbines have almost exclusively been used as prime movers for LNG carriers, even though its efficiency is much lower than e.g. directly coupled two-stroke diesel engines. The reason is the simplicity of utilising the boil-off gas in steam boilers to produce steam for steam turbines. However, with the introduction of the reliquefaction plant and/or gas-driven diesel engines some few years ago, it is today also possible to install high-efficiency diesel engines as prime movers, and thereby cut the fuel costs [4].

native Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transportation form has potential to match the LNG transportation form for shorter routes. Is now being investigated, but has so far not yet been materialised in a ship, even though there are some projects with CNG carriers. CNGs gas density is about 2/3 of LNG [5]. The advantage of CNG is that, in contrast to LNG, CNG does not need any costly processing plants to offload the gas. The tanks have to be of the cylindrical pressure types or of the coselle type, i.e. of the coil/carousel type. Also for this ship type, the MAN B&W twostroke diesel engines are feasible.

[4] LNG Carriers ME-GI Engine with High Pressure Gas Supply System MAN Diesel A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark, January 2007 [5] The Trans Ocean Gas CNG Transportation Technical & Business Development Plan Trans Ocean Gas Inc. April 2004

18 Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers

MAN B&W Diesel

Propulsion Trends in LNG Carriers 19

Copyright MAN Diesel Subject to modification in the interest of technical progress. 5510-0035-01ppr Aug 2009 Printed in Denmark

MAN Diesel Teglholmsgade 41, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark Phone +45 33 85 11 00 Fax +45 33 85 10 30 [email protected] www.mandiesel.com