Marine Engine Monitoring

About

Summary Green Sea Guard provides real-time, exhaust gas telemetry for marine engines. A sample probe in the exhaust is connected to a gas analyser. The probe thermocouple monitors exhaust gas temperature and delivers exhaust gas samples to the gas analyser. The sample is filtered, cooled and the water vapour is extracted. The analyser, server and telecommunications are housed in a rugged tamper-evident box, positioned in the engine room. The data is monitored remotely in real time over the internet, allowing shipowners to monitor engine performance, diagnose and track faults, extend the service interval and keep regulators informed of their compliance. Project Status SEEC G100 is our base device. This analyser array offers high-resolution readings of up to nine gases at a time. This number includes all the toxic gases that need to be reported to regulators. We have used this array to diagnose a number of engine faults to date and are currently developing algorithms that will allow automated engine diagnosis. Bureau Veritas, a Class Society, is currently devising a certification process solely for this unique device. SEEC G300 is, we believe, the most advanced particulates system currently used in the maritime sector. It does not suffer the issues that laser-based products encounter: typically a laser will produce low results at higher particulate concentrations due to particulates "masking" each other. The SEEC 300, by contrast, uses a non-laser method which performs well across the spectrum. Van Oord , an international dredging company, is currently testing this device at sea. SEEC G200 is currently under development, but has a greater capacity to run long-term without breaks for recalibration. Twin devices recalibrate each other as the device works, resulting in minimal down time. We expect to add this array to our existing ocean-going vessel base set-up. Its great strength lies in carbon emissions monitoring. Description The Green Sea Guard units provides exhaust gas telemetry for marine engines. Green Sea Guard has modified existing analysers for autonomous, remote operation and ruggedness. Both hardware and software modifications have been undertaken by our team with some collaboration with the analyser manufacturers. Exhaust emissions data are sent, using our proprietary collection software to Green Sea Guard’s secure data collection server via a suitable telecommunications network. If an appropriate telecommunications signal is not available, the data is stored and transmitted to the data collection server as soon as a signal is re-established. The data collection server also records the vessel’s location from publicly available position data. The analyser, associated server and telecommunications modem are housed in a rugged tamper-evident box of our own design, normally positioned in the engine room. The telecommunications antenna is normally positioned on the vessel’s superstructure. We will also work with clients to integrate communications within existing telecommunications networks if desired.  The data is initially processed by the server controlling the analyser on board and further processed on arrival at our secure data collection server. Algorithms of our own devising are used to identify common engine faults, using the comparative data from other ships that Green Sea Guard has serviced. Compliance data is also generated using suitable algorithms, again of our own devising.  Clients and regulators login to view those ships for which they have proper authority. The data can be viewed on any suitable internet-enabled device. As the data are transmitted in real-time, ship engineers can monitor their engines in detail for the first time. To date although engine manufacturers collect a great deal of data from ship engines, that data is rarely made available to the shipowner or operator. Innovative Aspect Green Sea Guard monitors exhaust gases and particulates. Not only do we measure SOx, NOx and carbon- containing gases including CO and unburned hydrocarbons, but we also measure hydrogen sulphide. These gases are toxic and/or greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming; all of them are potentially harmful to the ship’s crew, to bystanders and the environment. The system is unique in that it provides data of sufficiently high resolution so as to be useful to the shipowner. A positive business case will encourage compliance: a negative costly compliance regime encourages adaptive behaviours.  Cheaper, less accurate monitors are available but lack both the reliability and resolution to allow diagnosis of engine faults. Benefits Marine Environmental legislation sets ever higher standards for ship operators and owners, whilst the cost of new, clean technology erodes profit margins. Ship owners and operators have an interest in helping to increase the enforcement of environmental regulations once they have made their own investment in new systems and components to protect their business from low cost competitors. Green Sea Guard provides a way to help guard against unfair competition of this kind. The benefits are: Avoidance of costly unscheduled inspections in ports Helping coastguards and other regulators to regulate, and to inspect more non-compliant vessels Viewing ship performance indicators in real time and schedule preventative maintenance Detection of engine faults at an early stage, tracking of such faults Reduction of carbon, particulates and toxic gases Our low price unit with a reasonable monthly operating charge safeguards the cashflow reduction arising from many types of engine fault and breakdown. On a vessel returning a theoretical 12.5% to its owner per year, assuming planned down time per year of 20 days, the difference between profit and loss could be as little as 27 days’ operation. As markets become more competitive and the rates of return decline, the difference between profit and loss is determined by activity or inactivity on far fewer days. At a 5% return, that difference is determined by just 12 days of activity or inactivity. As the shipping market becomes more competitive, as at present, shipowners should be more willing to invest in preventative maintenance to keep their ships working at the expense of competitors. Engine performance data has the potential to save cash on repairs, faults and sometimes even engine replacement. A diesel engine needs an overhaul around c. every 5,000 hours in normal use (or around every 200 days). The relationship between the way in which the engine is used and the chances of components failing between service is well-known. If an engine is placed under more strain than expected, components are more likely to fail. Monitoring components as they start to fail should allow preventative maintenance to create a significant saving in money, engineering time and fix quality. Reducing the possibility of unscheduled failure reduces the risk factor for the shipowner considerably. Regulatory authorities carry out spot inspections in all jurisdictions. According to Class Society Bureau Veritas, these can delay a large ship for up to 3 days in the worst case. A number of factors influence the frequency of these inspections. EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) has instructed regulators not to target ships carrying on board emissions analysers. We estimate that the impact of inspections on a large shipowner presently amounts to 0.0375% of gross annual revenue. EU instructions to regulators suggest that this should rise to 0.75% within the next few years. This level of inspection would reduce a highly profitable shipowner’s net profit by 6% per annum – a less profitable shipowner would see a larger reduction. Green Sea Guard units would allow a larger shipowner to save this amount on average.  Our aim is to accelerate compliance in an industry where today compliance is, frankly, often regarded as optional.