SPECIAL | GREEN SHIPPING
IMO TIER 3:
Strategies and challenges
EMISSIONS The reduction of the permissible sulphur concentrations coming into force in emission
protected areas (ECAs) in 2015 will immediately be followed by the introduction of IMO Tier 3
emission stage in 2016. This stage requires a reduction of the NOx limit by 80% compared with the
present level (IMO Tier 1). A number of different engine plant approaches are being studied with a
view to complying with the future IMO Tier 3 NOx-limits and with the reduced SOx emission targets.
Bert Buchholz, Horst Harndorf, Christian Fink
T
he IMO Tier 3 limits require far-
reaching changes in the technology
of large engines. New basic solutions
and coordinated overall strategies are nec-
essary to achieve these considerable NOx
reductions without causing significant dis-
advantages concerning efficiency and con-
sumption.
Measures for engine internal emission re-
duction can be subdivided into the main
areas of air path and fuel path. In addition,
exhaust gas after treatment measures may
be applied to force the remaining emissions
below the limits. A coordinated, load and
operation condition depending control of
these measures will in future be indispensi-
ble to comply with the limits and guarantee
safe and efficient engine operation simulta-
neously. This will require complex engine
Figure 1: Basic elements of an efficient
and low-emission engine operation
(above), coordination of possible emis-
sion reduction measures
76 Ship & Offshore | 2010 | No 4
control systems and control strategies based
on maps and physical models.
Figure 1 shows the basic elements of an effi-
cient and low-emission engines operation.
A vital aspect is how to derive meaningful
overall concepts from this wide range of
individual measures in order to achieve an
efficient and IMO Tier 3 compliant engine
operation.
The conventional approach: Use of
SCR catalysts
The installation of SCR catalysts on board
ships has been promoted by the introduc-
tion of emission-depending port dues in
Sweden and the NOx tax in Norway. Opera-
tion even below the limits set for IMO 3 can
be achieved by the use of SCR catalysts.
In order to stick to the emission limits valid
inside the ECAs from 2016, it will be neces-
sary to switch to a low-sulphur fuel in addi-
tion to operation of the SCR catalyst. Outside
the ECA areas, engines can be operated as
normal IMO Tier 2 engines using sulphur-
ous heavy fuel. As additional NOx reduction
is not necessary outside the ECAs, the SCR
can be bypassed.
Fuel injection systems and air charge groups
can stay on the technological level of the
IMO Tier 2 strategies, meaning basically a
Common-Rail-System with single injection
(main injection) and a 1-stage charging
with highly efficient TC. The advantages of
SCR-based IMO Tier 3 strategies are the use
of established engine and exhaust gas af-
ter treatment technologies. Engine internal
NOx reduction can be dispensed with due
to the high NOx conversion rates of the SCR
catalyst.
The obvious advantages of an SCR-based
concept need to be compared with the in-
vestment and operating costs for the SCR
catalyst and the urea solution. Using low-sul-
phur distillate fuels within the ECAs also has
a negative impact on the overall operating
costs. The space required for the SCR catalyst
and the bunkering of the reduction means
may also present a disadvantage depending
on the ship concept.
Exhaust gas recirculation strategies
to comply with IMO Tier 3
A strategy for a marked reduction of NOx
emissions which is new to the marine die-
sel engine industry is the high-load EGR.
As has been learned from the Heavy Duty
Truck engine industry, using EGR can help
to force the NOx raw emissions below the
limit of 2 g/kWh. In connection with the
operation on low-sulphur fuels inside the
ECAs, an introduction of EGR in marine
diesel engines can become operational for
the first time.
An EGR-based IMO Tier 3 strategy within
the ECAs will require the installation of an
EGR system at the engine. The sulphur ox-
ide emissions will be limited by the use of
low-sulphur fuels which are also binding for
a successful EGR operation.
Outside the ECAs, the EGR path can be closed
and the engine can be operated on heavy fuel
as a standard IMO Tier 2 engine.
The advantages of an EGR-based strategy are
comparatively low investment costs despite
the higher costs for engine and charge air
system. The additional space required is not
to be neglected, but comparatively low. Ad-
ditional operating costs are caused by the use
of low-sulphur distillate fuels when sailing
in the ECAs.
On the other hand, there are a number of
challenges. As the amount of recirculated
exhaust gas forms a considerable part of the
cylinder fresh load, a significant increase of
the charging air pressure will be required.
This requires the installation of complex
2-stage turbo-charging systems with cor-
responding charge air coolers and control
measures. The EGR mass flow has to be
cooled and controlled, too. The high EGR
rates required to obtain the IMO Tier 3 lim-
its cause a marked increase in particle emis-
sions, which will place increased demands
on the injection system. Compared to
present large diesel engine Common-Rail-
Systems, the injection pressures will have to
be increased and multiple injection strate-
gies will have to be considered (especially
combinations of main and post injection).
Outside the ECAs, the injection system will
have to continue providing a normal IMO
Tier 2 operation with heavy fuel while EGR
is switched off. The complete system re-
quires complex engine control units.
There is still a large demand for research and
development before these technologies can
be put into series production. Figure 2: Layout principle of a SCR-based IMO Tier 3 strategy

The Cleaner: Complex exhaust

gas after treatment
As an alternative to the use of low-sulphur
fuel in the ECAs, the IMO also allows the use
rg
/ H 55
bu
of sulphuric fuels when due to suitable meas-
Metawell
10 7.3
am

ures the sulphuric oxide emissions have been

20 l B

reduced so that they correspond to an engine

M Hal

operation with low-sulphur fuel (maximal

0.1% sulphur). This has led to a newly in- Sandwich Panels
SM

creased discussion of and research on the

possibilities of using scrubbers to eliminate
sulphur dioxides from the exhaust stream.
llow weight, rigidity
A complex exhaust gas after treatment strat-
egy for IMO Tier 3 compliance can be based
and eveness
a
on a combination of SCR catalysts (NOx-
reduction) and SOx-scrubbers. When operat-
ing ships within the ECAs, this will keep the
NOx and the sulphur dioxide emissions be-
low the limits, even when using conventional
sulphuric heavy fuels. Outside the ECAs, the
engine exhaust gases can bypass the exhaust
after treatment system under continuous en-
gine operation on heavy fuel.
Apart from the low fuel costs, another
advantage of the strategy will be the pos-
sibility to present extremely low emission
levels. The engine technology can be car-
ried out comparatively simple (IMO Tier 2
level). With an optimal design and opera-
tion of the exhaust after treatment plant,
the emission levels can be kept below the
IMO Tier 3 levels.
These very important advantages are, how- Metawell panels allow a wide range of
ever, confronted by some challenges. So
the space required for the exhaust after surface finishes such as paint, coatings,
treatment system is considerable: apart
from the SCR catalyst and the urea bunker, laminates and foils. Ideal for ceilings,
a bulky exhaust gas scruber and large stores cooling ceilings, linings, floors and
for new and used scrubbing material (wet
or dry) have to be provided. In addition to furniture in cruise vessels, fast ferries
the considerable investment costs, the op-
erating costs have to be taken into account, and mega yachts.
because the SCR as well as the scrubber
Metawell GmbH
require consumables for their operation. metal sandwich technology
Current analyses show that, due to the
continuous heavy fuel operation, relatively P. O. Box 1880
short amortisation times may be reached. D-86623 Neuburg/Donau
Tel. +49 8431 6715-725
However, this requires a correct adaptation Fax +49 8431 6715-792
of the complex exhaust after treatment sys- info@metawell.com Fire Approval: Material meeting MED 96/98/EC requirements Fire testing standards:
tems to the engine plant, the engine opera- www.metawell.com IMO Resolution A653(16), IMO Resolution MSC61(67), Annex 1, Parts 2 and 5, Annex 2

tion profile and an optimal system control.

A sensible integration of all exhaust 
Anz_120x188mm_SMM_02.indd 1 25.06.10 10:55
Ship & Offshore | 2010 | No 4 77
SPECIAL | GREEN SHIPPING
Figure 3: Basic layout of an EGR-based IMO Tier 3 strategy
Figure 4: Basic layout of a IMO Tier 3 strategy based completely on complex exhaust
gas after treatment
Figure 5: Basic layout of a gas-operation based IMO Tier 3 strategy
after treatment elements into the engine
room seems to be feasible only with new-
building projects.
Alternative solution: Gas operation
An interesting and technologically proven
alternative is the conversion of the engine
plant to gas operation.
Using natural gas as fuel, at least in the
ECAs, would help to fulfil all IMO require-
ments set for 2016. As natural gas is sul-
phur-free the exhaust gas will be so, too.
An additional positive effect is the drastic
reduction of particle emissions. Apart from
these advantages, this strategy will make
the exhaust gas after treatment obsolete.
Designing the engine for dual fuel opera-
tion will permit the conversion to heavy
fuel operation outside the ECAs.
Difficulties may be caused by placing the vo-
luminous gas tank. Furthermore, infra-struc-
tural conditions have to be created allowing
the bunkering of LNG in normal port areas.
78 Ship & Offshore | 2010 | No 4
Latest Common-Rail injection tech-
nology and complex engine control:
challenges and keys to success
In all the strategies presented above, fuel in-
jection and mixture formation play a funda-
mental part in complying with IMO Tier 3
limits. The various strategies described show
a number of challenges for the development
of new injection systems and their control.
Thus, CR injection systems will form an es-
tablished part of marine diesel engines in the
next years.
Especially in the EGR-based strategies, high
EGR rates will lead to increasing fuel con-
sumption and growing particle and soot
emissions. Experience gained from large
high-speed engines, however, show that a no-
ticeable reduction in particle and soot emis-
sions can be obtained by increased injection
pressures or by multiple injection strategies,
consisting of main and attached post injec-
tion. In the latter case, the application of
injection strategies at common-rail systems
shows various features that have to be taken
into account when developing new engines.
Looking at the injection rates of a main
and a post injection measured at a mod-
ern heavy-fuel common-rail system of a
research engine, an influence of the main
injection on the following post injection
can be noticed. This is caused by the pres-
sure waves generated by the main injection.
These form especially between the injector
and the high pressure rail. As can be seen
in Figure 6, there are sharp differences in
the injection rates depending on the posi-
tion of the post injection in relation to the
main injection. Whereas the main injec-
tion is not influenced, the rates of the post
injection clearly vary depending on dwell
times; a fact that has to be taken into ac-
count when developing and analysing new
injection strategies.
Research work at LKV (Chair for Piston
Engines and Internal Combustion Ma-
chines) of the University of Rostock
The Professorship for Piston Engines and
Internal Combustion Machines at the Uni-
versity of Rostock (LKV) has traditionally
been actively working in the field of ma-
rine diesel engines.
The subject of the joint projects EMI-MINI
I and II was a systematic research into fuel
sprays in large, needle-controlled Common-
Rail injectors using distillate and heavy fuels.
To allow optical measurements of the fuel
sprays under engine-relevant conditions,
the CR injectors are mounted at an optically
accessible high-pressure, high-temperature
chamber specifically built for this purpose.
Figure 7 presents an example of an injection
sequence of an evaporating injection spray
that is visualised by means of a Combined
Schlieren Scatter Light procedure. The re-
search carried out yielded important funda-
Figure 6: Injection rates and line pres-
sure at injector inlet for main and post
injections depending on dwell times
mental findings for making full use of the
potential of modern common-rail systems.
Engine internal particle emission reductions
obtainable by the use of CR-systems provide
additional space for NOx-reduction meas-
ures, such as the Miller process or EGR.
The heavy-fuel one-cylinder research engine
used at LKV is equipped with a modern CR
injection system and a freely-programmable
engine control unit. In addition, the engine
was fitted with relatively large optical win-
dows to allow the analysis of injection, igni-
tion and combustion processes at real engine
conditions. The object of these analyses to in-
crease understanding of the emission forma-
tion processes inside the engine, especially
against the background of extremely varying
fuel properties. Apart from the examination
of emission-reducing measures, research at
LKV focuses especially on developing new
engine control strategies. Figure 7: Analysis of fuel sprays by means of a combined Schlieren/scatter light bypass meth-
Furthermore, in cooperation with the od, simultaneous recording of liquid and gaseous fuel phases at a common-rail injection spray
start-up enterprise FVTR GmbH, a number
of catalyst test stands are being operated.
They allow detailed analyses of the catalyt- gine-internal NOx reduction. The strategy The marine diesel engine, this uniquely
ic reaction processes in all relevant catalyst based on extensive exhaust gas after treat- reliable and efficient source of propul-
and scrubber designs. In addition to a di- ment and the use of SCR and SOx-scrub- sion and onboard energy has by no means
rect optimisation of the catalysts analysed, bers will allow extremely low emissions reached the end of its development. It has
combined physical and chemical model- even when using low-cost heavy fuel. the potential for rigorously reduced emis-
ling approaches can be developed. All strategies discussed here have in com- sions at continued high efficiency.
mon that engines and plants have to be op-
Summary erated at rather different modes within and
Depending on the type of ship, the trade route outside the ECAs. Combined with this fact, The authors:
and the strategies of the ship operators, the the demands for improved engine control Dr.-Ing. Bert Buchholz,
principle-based advantages and disadvantag- will increase sharply. Most strategies in- Forschungszentrum Verbrennungs-
es of the different strategies may be evaluated clude a frequent change in fuels consumed, motoren und Thermodynamik
differently. Therefore, it is quite likely that in which renders this task even more difficult. Rostock GmbH, Rostock, Germany
the remaining time span until 2016 different It will make the introduction of new en- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Horst Harndorf,
strategies may appear on the market. gine control strategies indispensible, but it Dipl.-Ing. Christian Fink,
A successful introduction of the EGR-based will also require the development of com- Universität Rostock, Lehrstuhl für
strategy on the basis of low-sulphur fuels pletely new control systems adapted to the Kolbenmaschinen und Verbren-
may set free an immense potential for en- operation of marine engines. nungsmotoren, Rostock, Germany

at
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Ship & Offshore | 2010 | No 4 79