Blog by IPCO Power

IPCO Power proudly confirms Tech-Solutions as it’s distributor and service partner for Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Denmark. Tech-Solutions is a Danish Export Company with years of experience in sourcing of quality Technical Solutions and Products. 

Many years of cooperation with Danish and European Manufacturers has given us a thorough knowledge of innovative solutions that most often brings our customers great savings.
Solutions that are directed towards Caring about the Global Environment. 

With the additional of the IPCO Power Fuel Homogenizers Tech-Solutions can offer Sludge Reduction, Combustion Improvement for boiler plants, power plants and shipping. 

More information can be found on www.tech-solutions.dk
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Since the implementation of the 2020 compliant 0.5% sulphur fuel, the shipping industry is facing significant challenges, mainly due to the poor and inconsistent quality of the blended fuels. Blended fuel can become very unstable which can lead to major issues inside the fuel system, engine, and combustion process.

We are receiving an increased number of queries asking if fuel homogenizers work on 2020 compliant fuel, and it is important to understand that 2020 compliant fuel is only referring to 0,50% Sulphur, it does not mean that any other part of the specification of the fuel is improved. On the contrary, there are already numerous reports within the industry of significant damage to main engines and excessive sludge problems after vessels have changed over to the new compliant fuel. 

As most of the new compliant fuels are a blend of HFO and various percentages of ‘cutter stock’ it is difficult to know what the exact blend ratio or composition is, which can lead to instability (stratification, excessive sludge) and incompatibility issues. The ISO fuel specifications do not regulate this.
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So if you have a tank fuel of “bad” fuel you can use our FID Recycler to reactivate the fuel again.

The pump will circulate the fuel over the tank. All fuel will be handled by the fuel homogenizer at the same skid.The fuel homogenizer will reduce fuel droplets size and make a homogeneous fuel.

Last week the Water Fuel Emulsion system on board Pacific Princess was commissioned. The systems will feed the engines equipped with Exhaust Gas Scrubbers. With the FID Injector there will be a significant reduction in particulate matter, soot and NOx. Water Fuel Emulsions will reduce the visible smoke.

IPCO Power receives new order to equip Sea Princess and Golden Princess with it's Water Fuel Emulsion system the FID Injector. The systems will be installed to assist the Ecospray exhaust gas scrubber to reduce particulate matter and soot emissions with at the same time a 2% fuel saving. ​

With the 2020 Sulphur cap the Sulphur limits on fuel will be reduced from 3,50% to 0,50%. Shipowners can take several options to comply:

• Operate on 0,50% Sulphur fuel
• Operate on LNG
• Continue on 3,50% Sulphur fuel, but use Exhaust Gas scrubbers to reduce SOx emissions

 
On a regular basis we currently receive questions if fuel homogenizer work on 2020 compliant fuel. It is important to understand that 2020 compliant fuel is only referring to 0,50% Sulphur. It does not mean that any other part of the specification of the fuel is improved. 
 
Fuel homogenizers have the highest improvement with HFO 180 – 700.
With the 0,50% Sulphur compliant fuel the viscosity of the fuel will be reduced, but still most of the used fuel will be above the HFO 180 grade.

As newest addition to Seabourn's fleet of cruise ships also the Seabourn Ovation is now equipped with IPCO's Water Fuel Emulsions systems. NOx reductions using water in fuel emulsions are significant; approximately 1% NOx reduction is achieved for every 1% injected water. The FID Injector (WFE) system is one of the simplest systems to reduce the particulate matter and soot emissions significantly. The system will target these emissions at the source, the fuel. The FID Injector has a small footprint and all necessary components are available inside the frame. 

Last week the IPCO WFE systems (FID Injector) on board P&O Oceana were commissioned. The systems will assist Carnival (Ecospray) AAQS (Advance Air Quality System) with  reducing NOx, soot and particulate matter. The WFE system will reduce these emissions and will reduce fuel consumption due to the combustion improvement. With a combustion improvement there will be less dirt inside scrubbers waste water.

IPCO Power proudly confirms Shalx Equipment and Engineering as it’s distributor and service partner for China. Shalx Equipment and Engineering concentrates to specialize in preventive and predictive maintenance solutions for all diesel engine types in the Marine, Offshore and Power Generation industries. 
 
With the additional of the IPCO Power Fuel Homogenizers Shalx can offer Sludge Reduction, Combustion Improvement and Water Fuel Emulsions systems again to its clients. 
 
Shalx Equipment and Engineering is based in Hong Kong and Shanghai. More information can be found on www.shalxee.com

IPCO Power receives new order to install WFE systems (FID Injector) on board Seabourn Ovation. With the new systems the whole fleet of Seabourn is covered with Water Fuel Emulsions. The system are installed to assist the on board scrubber systems in reducing the visible emissions and for combustion improvement.

With the upcoming sulphur cap there is more and more interest in scrubber systems. Especially now scrubber wash water is also cleaner as expected by many. ​Several manufacturers are supplying scrubbers. Most of the scrubbers consist of a wet package to remove the SOx out of the fuel and a dry package to as after treatment to remove the PM (Particulate Matter) for example. Those dry package filter are extremely big in size.

Our WFE (water in fuel) system the FID Injector can be used as a pre treatment on board. The water in fuel emulsion with the use of a homogenizer will create an better combustion. With the cleaner and better combustion your engine’s emissions will be reduced. You target the emissions before they are created.
With the FID Injector the PM will be reduced with 60 - 90%. Also every percentage injected water to the fuel will reduce the NOx with 1%.

A cleaner combustion will result in cleaner wash water.
Currently our Water Fuel Emulsion system is part of Carnival's AAQS

Last week the IPCO Power service team have visited HAL Amsterdam, Regal Princess, HAL Rotterdam and P&O Azura to check the on board installed Water Fuel Emulsions systems and install new parts. It is always nice to revisit earlier installed vessels and hear about the experience of the operators of the systems. HAL Rotterdam Water Fuel Emulsions systems will receive a major upgrade. They have been in operation since 2010. The WFE systems on board P&O Azura are still nice on a picture!

IPCO Power is available for meetings at the Seatrade in Miami between April 9th and 11th. Please feel free to ask for any meeting at info@ipcopower.com  

At the moment the shipping industry is facing several challenges. Most of them are related to fuel and emissions. The fuel quality is not improving. Based on emission legislation fuel blends are becoming common. Blended fuel can become very unstable. This can lead to major issues inside the fuel system.

Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is not homogenous and has an average droplet size of 70 micron and larger. It contains numerous much larger clusters of asphaltenes and complex long-chain hydro-carbons. It is a refinery waste stream product with a high BTU content used as fuel oil. Centrifuges and automated filters are used to clean the fuel. A percentage of the purchased fuel ends up in the slop tank. 

HFO needs to be heated and pressurized before it can be used to operate engines or boilers. Exposing fuel to heat and pressure will unavoidably increase the size and mass of the fuel droplet, change the physical condition of the oil and negatively impact the combustion process.

Bad quality (blended) fuel tends to cause issues as tank residue and foaming fuel will upset centrifuges and filters.

Implementing IPCO Power Fluid Shearing Technology reduces fuel droplet size to 3 micron and smaller to enhance the cleaning process and reduce the waste stream going to the slop tank for disposal. Smaller fuel droplets enhance combustion, lower emissions, improve fuel economy, extend engine overhaul intervals and lower overall operating costs.
A cleaner combustion will have less emissions. This will contribute to a higher efficiency for scrubber operations. Also, the wash water of the scrubber will stay cleaner.