Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding(MOU) with Alfa Laval regarding the development of a new Gas Combustion Unit(GCU) for use on liquid hydrogen carriers. By paving the way for the safe transport of hydrogen by sea, the project is an important step on the path to global decarbonization.
Crucial safety for zero-carbon fuel Under the MOU, Alfa Laval will develop a system to safely combust hydrogen boil-off gas(BOG) from a vessel’s storage tank, as part of a new liquid hydrogen carrier. Because the venting of cargo is restricted, a GCU offers a means of controlling tank pressure/temperature when the BOG poses safety risks beyond the tank’s design conditions.
As the leader in gas combustion on LNG carriers, Alfa Laval has insights and technology that will act as a springboard. The design of the new GCU system for hydrogen will be based on the existing Alfa Laval GCU for LNG. More than 200 of these units have been installed in just over a decade, and an additional 100 units have been ordered during 2022. The challenges in hydrogen combustion, however, are significantly greater than those involved with LNG.
Alfa Laval will design and engineer the new GCU for hydrogen with the aim of receiving an approval in principle(AIP) from an IACS classification society. Once the AIP is achieved, a GCU prototype will be built for testing and type approval.