GEA expands marine portfolio with GEA NOx Separator and GEA bilgEGR Solution

Based on the GEA NOx Separator concept for nitrogen oxides (NOx), GEA now offers a complete series of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) modules for engine outputs up to 200 MW. This EGR technology is used to reduce emissions of NOx produced by the combustion of marine fuels. GEA has already delivered and successfully commissioned the first systems of the new GEA NOx Separator variant to selected customers.

With its wash water treatment systems and the new GEA NOx Separator, GEA offers its customers in the marine industry a technological solution to meet the NOx reduction requirements for the EGR process of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier II and III regulations. These regulations were enacted in 2011 and 2016 in the Emission Control Areas. Corresponding NOx limits apply to Tier II and Tier III vessels operating on low-sulfur (<0.1%) and high-sulfur (>0.5%) fuels outside and inside NOx emission control areas. For operation within NOx emission control areas, a marine engine must be able to convert operation to comply with Tier III controls.

In 2018, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) had adopted "Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Effluent Discharge Guidelines" that apply to vessels with an Engine International Air Pollution Prevention (EIAPP) certificate issued after June 2019. This EGR wastewater treatment requirement calls for specific treatment of the exhaust condensate depending on the sulfur content of the fuel oil and vessel operation area before it is discharged overboard as wastewater.

Why NOx reduction is important

Engine manufacturers offer their customers engines with EGR systems for heavy fuel oil (HFO), low sulfur fuels, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and IMO Tier II and Tier III methanol. EGR is a NOx emission reduction technology that ensures IMO Tier III compliance in both diesel and gas operations. This means that the GEA NOx Separator is designed for a single task. The system purifies the bleed water prior to discharge in compliance with MEPC EGR guidelines. The design is similar to that of a bilge water system, combining a centrifugal separator with an oil monitor and a three-way valve. Major engine manufacturers in the maritime industry also report that EGR will enable the latest LNG engines to reduce specific gas consumption by ~3%, and specific fuel-oil consumption by 5%. It will also significantly reduce methane slip by 30 to 50% and solve the issue related to pre-ignition on Otto-cycle engines.

There are strict criteria and an extensive approval process for wash water treatment systems to be approved by main engine manufacturers. GEA works with customers to customize configurations according to the appropriate requirements, finding a suitable solution for each type of vessel and application.