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MAN Diesel & Turbo has signed a cooperation agreement with an eye on upcoming emission regulations with German company, Couple Systems, to bring dry scrubbing technology to the market.

As an environmental technology leader within the marine world, Couple Systems has developed and patented DryEGCS, a dry-scrubbing system suitable for marine applications.

Extensive field tests have been carried out on the DryEGCS. It was installed on the freighter MS Timbus [pictured] in December 2009 and the system was reported to have reached a 97.5% SOx reaction during the first test period.

In April of this year DryEGCS was certified by German classification society, Germanischer Lloyd

“The cooperation agreement aims to jointly develop customer solutions for dry scrubbing technology and to expand its application as far as possible,” said Dr. Dirk Thum, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Head of Marine Engineering Medium-Speed, Emission and Gas.

“As a system supplier, MAN Diesel & Turbo will offer integrated solutions to its customers for engines and exhaust-gas cleaning systems featuring a scrubber and SCR catalyst for NOx reduction. This enables ships to operate economically on HFO and simultaneously comply with even the most stringent emission regulations.”

Future increased sulphur limits on fuels, introduced stepwise through 2010, 2015 and 2020, requires technical solutions for ships that offer operation modes for either within or outside of ECAs (Emission Control Areas). As of this year, stringent sulphur limits are already in place for vessels berthing in European ports.

In contrast to imminent NOx regulations, the sulphur limits apply to both newbuildings and existing vessels. Essentially, ship operators can choose between switching to significantly more expensive, low-sulphur fuels (LSFO or distillates) or installing a desulphurisation plant (scrubber) that removes SOx from exhaust gas.

In a comparison with existing wet scrubbing technology MAN Diesel said: "While current scrubbing systems mostly work on a wet base that has some inherent drawbacks, dry scrubbers represent a simpler solution that removes up to 99% of SOx from exhaust gas by means of a reactor filled with granulate of calcium hydroxide."

The company added that dry scrubbers possess the following advantages over wet scrubbers:

* no significant lowering of exhaust-gas temperature enabling an SCR located downstream to reach its operating temperature. NOx and SOx can thus be removed in one exhaust-gas cleaning system

* negligible energy consumption

* an easily handled and recyclable granulate

* no transmission of pollutants into the sea during use