Eltronic FuelTech launches energy-saving single-pump fuel-supply system for methanol-powered ships

Danish engineering company Eltronic FuelTech has launched a supply system called a Low-flashpoint Fuel Supply system (LFSS) for Laura Mærsk – AP Moller-Maersk’s first container ship that can sail on green methanol.

While most other supply systems on the market use two pumps to pump the methanol around, Eltronic FuelTech created an LFSS with only one pump, thereby saving energy.

It is also possible to adjust the pump depending on the engine load, so that only the right amount of methanol is supplied to the engine, which the company states has not been possible until now.

According to Eltronic FuelTech, players in the shipping industry can now have an integrated fuel supply system from the fuel tank to the engine comprising a single supply system and fuel valve train which improves safety, cuts costs and saves energy.

In addition to developing systems for a ship’s main engines, Eltronic FuelTech has also developed a compact combined system to supply the ship’s auxiliary engines with fuel from the tanks.

Louise Andreasen, CEO at Eltronic FuelTech, said, “Embracing green methanol as a fuel has been increasing markedly in recent years, and with the new LFSS system, we can make a significant contribution to the green transition of the shipping industry. In the past, several suppliers were required to put together a complete fuel supply system all the way from the fuel tank to the engine, but the fact that we can now supply the entire system brings multiple benefits.”

There are savings associated with the logistics, as the same container can be used for spare parts for the entire system, and fewer repair technicians will be required in connection with maintenance.

“It’s a huge advantage for customers that it’s now available as a combined package so they no longer have to maintain the interfaces between two different systems,” Andreasen said. “At the same time, when we deliver a combined solution, we can guarantee the safety of the entire system. This means that if a ship is sailing slowly, the pump automatically adjusts to the load, so that it only runs at 60% of full power for example. With other systems, unnecessarily large quantities of methanol are pumped around the system, which clearly affects electricity consumption, especially on large ships. With the biggest engines on container ships, for example, the pumps usually use more than 100,000kWh a year pumping the methanol from the fuel tanks to the engine. With our new supply system, we expect to be able to cut consumption by up to 40%.”

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