KITECH Develops High-Efficiency Exhaust Purification Tech for LNG and Ammonia Ship Engines
A research team from the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) has developed a high-efficiency exhaust gas purification technology for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ammonia ship engines. The technology, which involves a metal-supported coated catalyst module, has been successfully demonstrated under 1 megawatt (MW) ship engine operating conditions.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) aims to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping sector to net zero by 2050, making LNG and ammonia attractive alternatives. However, these fuels emit greenhouse gases and harmful substances like methane, nitrous oxide, and toxic ammonia, necessitating effective exhaust gas purification technology.
The KITECH team replaced conventional ceramic supports with thin metal materials, increasing the catalytic reaction surface area and reducing pressure loss. They then uniformly coated the metal support with catalysts to purify unreacted methane and ammonia, nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide, and other exhaust gases. The developed catalyst module demonstrated significant reductions in NOx (98.8%) and N2O (72.1%) under 75% engine load conditions.
The research team also built a system that directly heats the metal-supported catalyst module using high-frequency induction heating, which achieves reaction temperatures more quickly and uniformly than conventional burner methods. This technology has the potential to reduce carbon emission burdens and manufacturing costs. Principal Researcher Lim Dong-ha of KITECH plans to automate processes for coating catalysts onto metal supports and develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model that predicts pollutant reduction performance.