Advancing sustainable marine propulsion: composite fuel storage tanks for next-generation NH3-powered ships

Research output: Contribution to book/conference proceedings/anthology/reportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Maritime transport routes are vital for Europe as a key player in the global economy. The European Commission is seeking to transform it into a smart, green system, with the European Green Deal strategy targeting a 90% reduction in emissions by 2050 through sustainable alternatives. Ammonia (NH3) as an energy carrier offers the potential for fossil-free ship propulsion systems. However, storage of NH3 for use in the propulsion system is subject to specific operational and design space requirements. Specifically, storage solution must maximize NH3 capacity within limited installation space while ensuring compatibility with existing containerized arrangements for seamless integration into existing vessels, because NH3 requires three times the storage space for same energy output as compared to conventional fuels. Composite fibre-reinforced polymers, with their outstanding mechanical properties, combined with excellent chemical resistance and low density, offer the possibility of designing NH3 lightweight pressure vessels that make optimal use of the available installation space. The methodology involves design space exploration, optimization, and verification through structural analysis of fibre reinforced composite tanks to ensure safety and structural integrity for maximizing storage efficiency. This study promotes sustainable maritime transportation, paving the way for environmentally conscious and commercially viable NH3-fuelled marine propulsion systems.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationECCM21 - Proceedings of the 21st European Conference on Composite Materials
PublisherEuropean Society for Composite Materials (ESCM)
Pages129-136
Number of pages8
Volume1
ISBN (print)978-2-912985-01-9
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jul 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

Conference

Title21st European Conference on Composite Materials
Abbreviated titleECCM 21
Conference number21
Duration2 - 5 July 2024
Website
Degree of recognitionInternational event
LocationLa Cité Nantes Congress Centre
CityNantes
CountryFrance

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0003-0311-1745/work/162844593
ORCID /0000-0003-1370-064X/work/162844924
Mendeley 3bad8b9f-1bb4-31d2-bb88-4fa985624ef2

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • High-Volume NH3 Storage, Feasibility Study, Structural Analysis, Design for manufacturing, woven composites, segmentation, synthetic training data, x-ray computed tomography