Nox & Sox Emissions Control

Marine Pollution
STATUTORY REGULATIONS GOVERNING MARINE POLLUTION

 The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MARPOL
73/78, was modified by the Protocol of 1978 and came into force in 1994 (6
annexes)
 Annex I Prevention of pollution by oil came into force 2 October 1983
 Annex II Control of pollution by noxious liquid substances came into force 2 October
1983
 Annex III Prevention of pollution by harmful substances in packaged form came into
force 1 July 1992
 Annex IV Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships came into force 27
September 2003
 Annex V Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships came into force 31
December 1988
 Annex VI Prevention of air pollution from ships came into force 19 May 2005
 International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water
and Sediments (BWM)
 Adoption: 13 February 2004; Entry into force: 12 months after ratification by 30
States, representing 35 per cent of world merchant shipping tonnage - not yet
enforced but does not stop member states from implementing national
environmental legislation e.g. US Coastguard has enforced their Ballast Water
Control requirements since 2012.
 MarPol Annex 6 - Exhaust Emissions Limits
• Air pollution from ships causes a cumulative effect that contributes to the
overall air quality problems encountered by populations in many areas, and also
affects the natural environment, such as through acid rain,
• The main air pollutants from ships are exhaust gas emissions, including sulphur
oxides (SOx) and nitrous oxides (NOx), and ozone depleting substances
(refrigerants).
IMO emissions limits for NOx and SOx control
• SOx limits: 4.5% Sulpur content reduced to 3.5% effective 1 Jan 2012, then
progressively to 0.5% effective 1Jan 2020.
• In E.C.A’s - Baltic Sea (SOx), North Sea (SOx), North American (SOx, and Nox
and PM), United States Caribbean Sea (SOx, NOx and PM): SOx and
Particulate Matter were reduced to 1.00%, beginning on 1 July 2010 (from the
original 1.50%); being further reduced to 0.10 %, effective from 1 January 2015.
• NOx limits: Tier I came into force in 2000 for engines with speed less than 130 rpm
= NOx limit 17.0 g/kWh, Tier II has superceded Tier I and came into force in 2011,
NOx limit 14.4 g/kWh and Tier III is in force for E.C.A’s but outside ECA shall come
into force in 2016, NOx limit 3.4 g/kWh.
Nitrogen Oxides or NOx Pollution
In the I.C.Engine, air mixture is 21 % Oxygen and 78%Nitrogen,
nitrogen reacts with oxygen under certain engine operating
conditions to form Nitrogen oxides or NOx during the
combustion of fuel.
What Causes NOx in Marine Engines?
• High Temperatures and Pressure during combustion process
• High Load’s on the engine or engine unit(cylinder)-improper load
balancing
• Improper air and fuel ratio for combustion.
• High Temperature of intake or scavenge air inside the cylinder.
• Poor cooling of diesel engine causing overheating.
• Bad quality fuel used in engine causing late ignition giving
rise to high exhaust temperatures.
Methods to reduce NOx emission High Scavenge Pressure and Compression
Ratio: With high scavenge pressure and
from Vessels
compression ratio, large amount of air can be
Humid Air Method: Water vapour
introduced inside the cylinder to lower combustion
is mixed in the combustion airbefore supplying
temperature and, hence, NOx emission.
it to the cylinder. Air from the T/C blower is
Selective Catalytic Reduction: The SCR is the
passed through a cell that humidifies and chills
most efficient method to reduce NOx emissions
the hot air taking moisture from the cooling
from ships (up to 90-95% of reduction). Uses a
water until air saturation is achieved. This
reactive agent to break NOx down to nitrogen, water
method can achieve reduction of NOx by 70
and little amounts of CO2. The only
80%.
disadvantage of SCR is its expansive installation
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
and operating cost.
As the name suggests, some amount of engine
Two Stage Turbocharger: ABB’s latest two stage
exhaust gases are send back to the scavenge
Turbocharger reduces the exhaust temperature
space to mix up with the air to be supplied
leading to reduced NOx content in the emitted
to cylinder for combustion. This reduces the
exhaust.
oxygen content of the air and hence reduces
Engine Component Modification: MaK engine
formation of NOx.
introduce short fuel injection period, e.g. 14
Water Injection and Water emulsion: Water
degrees compared to past 20-25 degrees fuel
is added to reduce the temperature of
injection period. New designs like ultra long stroke
combustion leading to low NOx emission. In
engine from MAN gives more air to fuel ratio
water emulsion, fuel is blended with water in
leading to proper combustion and reduction of
The cylinder head. This method reduces NOx by
NOx content.
20-45%.
Sulpher Oxides or SOx Pollution
The sulphur oxides emission is due to the presence of
sulphur compound in the marine fuels used in marine diesel
engines on board vessel. Better the fuel grade, lower will be
the sulphur content as it is removed by refining of the fuel.
The smoke containing sulphur oxides emitted by the
combustion of marine fuel will further oxidise and in
presence of catalyst like NO2, will form sulphuric acid which
causes acid rain.
Ships mostly use low grade of fuel oil i.e. heavy fuel oil with
high sulphur content as compared to any other
transportation medium because it is cheaper but contributes
to problems of high SOx emissions.
Methods and technologies used to reduce Sulphur
Emission from marine engines.

Use of Low sulphur fuel oil: It is expensive but most