HERTIS (Hybrid Exhaust-gas-cleaning Retrofit Technology for International Shipping) project aims to develop a compliant, effective, safe and feasible ship engine exhaust gas treatment system.
Today almost all medium and low-speed marine diesel engines run on heavy fuel oil with a high sulphur content, which inevitably leads to the formation of three main pollutants: nitrogen oxides -NOx, sulphur oxides - SOx and particulate matter - PM. In line with MARPOL global emission requirements of 0.50% for fuel sulphur from 2020 and Baltic/North Sea ECA NOx limits of between 3.4 and 2.0 g/kWh limits effective from 2021; it is expected that further significant PM reductions will be imposed by the IMO and EU. Current technological solutions for lowering emission levels are not enough to meet the transformational challenge in an innovative and cost-effective way.
The HERTIS project will develop novel, hybrid technology based on the concept of combining two methods to clean up exhaust gases: irradiation by an electron beam accelerator and subsequent purification by improved wet-scrubbing technology. This innovative, hybrid, exhaust gas-cleaning retrofit technology will simultaneously provide a solution for the SOx, NOx and PM emissions challenge in a single technological system, which will cost less than operating on low-sulphur fuel or deploying a conventional scrubber.
To roll out this ambitious agenda, HERTIS will bring together two parties that have never met before – the maritime and particle accelerator communities. Formed and operated through a consortium, the 12 partners from 8 countries, representing universities, technology institutes and industry, are fully engaged from the outset in generating complementary expertise, inter-disciplinary cooperation and a wider sharing of knowledge. HERTIS will drive the development of this technology to TRL 6, accompanied by a series of on-board tests for environmental and safety requirements. The lifetime cost-effectiveness, market potential and environmental impact of this novel emission clean-up technology will be evaluated, and its results presented and disseminated to the relevant stakeholders and the general public.
More information on the project
H2020 programme: Mobility for Growth
Implementation stage: pre-submission
Project partners: RTU, Fraunhofer, ICHTJ, UT, CERN, Vestlandsforsking, KPMG, Ecospray Technologies, Grimaldi Lines, Remontowa, Biopolinex, ABS
Total project expenses: 6 131 418 EUR
Project implementation period: 48 months