CONVERTING AERO-DERIVATIVE GAS TURBINES TO BURN BLENDED FUEL

Though they have been in service for some years, the four Euroliner-class container-ships are still very significant ships in respect of their gas-turbine propulsion and their demanding trans-Atlantic operating schedule. By operating on one screw instead of two (three are twin c.p. propellers, each driven by a 30,000-bhp P. & W. aero-derived turbine), it was found possible to reduce fuel consumption by nearly 10% at 19 knots (the original designed service speed was 25 knots). A further reduction in operating costs was made possible by a new fuel-processing system which allows blended residuals (i.e., residual oils plus lower-cost distillates) to be burned instead of gas oil. Research for this system, which was developed by Seaworthly Engine Systems, of Essex, U.S.A, and installed in Britain by the Falmouth dockyard, was described in the paper "Blended Residual Fuel Testing Aboard the Gas-Turbine-Powered Vessel Asialiner", by C.R. Nealis and D.A. O'Neill, presented to the Society of Marine Port Engineers of New York in January 1977. The present article, which gives extracts from that paper, mentions that the original fuel system in these ships worked well. However, when fuel costs rose as a result of the oil embargo of October 1973, various means of offsetting this increase (including changing to Diesel or steam propulsion) were considered. A study then showed that blended fuel would have significant cost benefits; the investigations made in the development of a suitable system for conditioning the blending residual are described in some detail. The new fuel-processing system has enabled gross savings of 18 to 25% to be made in fuel costs. Allowing for the cost of the equipment and the conversion work, and for the chemical used and some increase in maintenance, a realistic net saving in operating costs appears to be an average of 14%. A block diagram of the new system is included in the article. Order from: BSRA as No. 46,715.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7260964
• Corporate Authors:

  Engineering, Chemical and Marine Press, Limited

  33-39 Bowling Green Lane
  London EC1P 1AH,   England 
• Publication Date: 1977-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 4 p.
• Serial:
  • Motor Ship
  • Volume: 58
  • Publisher: Blohm + Goss GMBH
  • Serial URL: http://www.hhc.co/uk/motorship

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Economic analysis; Fuel consumption; Fuels; Gas turbine fuels; Gas turbines; Operating costs; Propellers; Propulsion; Residual fuels; Screw propellers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fuel costs
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Finance; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170758
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Ship Research Association
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 1978 12:00AM