ferry profile Lpez Mena

High powered wavepiercer uses

adapted aviation engines

The first application of a dual-fuel diesel and LNG gas turbine system on a fast ferry utilised novel technology that could be the start of a whole new type of high speed propulsion

ARGENTINIAN owner, Buquebus, is no stranger to innovative propulsion technology, having employed two gas turbines on what was formerly the worlds fastest car carrying catamaran, the 58-knot Luciano Federico L in November 1997. The companys need for speed on its River Plate services stems from the competition with airlines and indeed, during sea trials of a 55-knot car ferry in 1998, Juan Carlos Lpez Mena, the companys president, told a Passenger Ship Technology reporter that there were no limits to Buquebus speed requirement except those imposed by technology. With the firms latest newbuild, the 99m wavepiercing catamaran Lpez Mena (named after the companys president himself), it pushed the technology envelope even further by specifying dual-fuel diesel and liquid natural gas (LNG) gas turbines to attain a speed of 47 knots. Buquebus technical

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The 99m Lpez Mena is the first fast ferry to employ dual-fuel LNG gas turbines

manager, Anibal Argomedo, commented, We wanted a very fast ferry but diesel engines could not give us enough power. We needed gas turbines to get the power for the high speeds we required. Furthermore, when we realised that LNG could be less costly than other fuels today, it allowed us to think about using LNG-powered gas turbines on a vessel. The owner worked with GE Power & Water to adapt GEs aviation engines for a maritime application. The LM2500 design which was finalised is an aeroderivative of the TF39 and CF6 GE Aviation high bypass jet engines. They are called high bypass because the engine powers a large fan that drives 80 per cent of the air used to generate thrust. As Ivan Bach, GEs commercial marine sales manager explained, Our GE Aviation engineers removed that fan to create the LM2500 design, using that power to turn a shaft in the rear of the gas

turbine to provide power for other purposes in this case for marine propulsion. The two LM2500 engines installed on board Lpez Mena compress air to over 18 times atmospheric pressure by having the air pass 16 rows of an axial compressor. The LNG is then burned in a singular annular combustor using 30 fuel nozzles. The resulting high pressure, high temperature gas then pushes through two stages of the high pressure turbine, which is attached to the axial compressor to provide the power to turn both assemblies on a common shaft. The gas then travels through a six-stage power turbine attached to a second, separate shaft that exits the rear of the turbine to supply mechanical drive power. According to Mr Bach, The LM2500 gas turbine has lower weight than a diesel engine, critical for maximum ship speed. It is also more reliable, as it has less moving parts. When it is time

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Lpez Mena

ferry profile

The JCO & Associates-designed interiors are planned to be high quality

for an overhaul the engine can be removed from the package, and a spare replacement engine installed, while the original engine goes to an external service depot. There are also lower structural vibrations and noise than diesel engines. The turbines need the fuel to be delivered at a pressure of 23 bar and so required high pressure pumps to be installed. As LNG is stored in liquid form at a temperature of -161C, heat exchangers were also fitted to turn it into a gas, using the exhaust gas heat. We needed the fuel to be vaporised to ensure the engines could go from zero to full power, commented Mr Argomedo. Two 200kW Caterpillar C9 gensets are installed to start the gas turbines, while another four 340kW Caterpillar C18 gensets are utilised for domestic use. The LM2500 is mounted in an enclosed package that includes a fuel metering valve, lube oil pump, hydraulic starter motor, and fire control system. It also has duct work for the air inlet and exhaust. However, the installation of the propulsion system was

LPEZ MENA
Owner Builder Designer Length, oa Length, wl Beam, oa Draught, design Deadweight Speed Accommodation Cars Fuel oil tanks (main storage) Fuel oil (generator header tanks) LNG tanks (main storage) Flag Class society Certification Buquebus Incat Tasmania Revolution Design 99.00m 90.54m 26.94m 2.98m 450 dwt 47 knots @ 450 tonnes deadweight, 100% MCR 1,024 (total passengers and crew) 155 2 x 70,000 litres 2 x 1,240 litres 2 x 40m3 Uruguay Det Norske Veritas DNV + lA1 HSLC R4 CAR FERRY B GAS FUELLED EO

not entirely straightforward. Robert Clifford, chairman at the construction yard Incat in Hobart, Australia, reported, We had some difficulty getting the engine package completed as we, GE and the class society involved, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), had to come to grips with the technical issues involved in this first-of-akind installation. All the issues have now been overcome but the process took a little longer than we would prefer. He continued, We have learned about the fire control systems and using oxygen measuring systems to ensure there are no gas leaks. Monitoring of the atmospheric conditions is obviously important but fortunately LNG can only be ignited within a very small range of oxygen and gas mixture. However, the integration of all these systems has been a little complex. Each gas turbine package was inserted through the side of the ships respective hulls using a forklift. Many installation options were considered by Incats sister naval architect company, Revolution Design, before this approach was decided. The shaft at the rear of the gas turbine connects to the gearbox to power the two 22MW Wrtsil LJX 1720 SR waterjets. The power turbine can operate at any speed up to 3,600 rpm without any restrictions for critical operating range. The waterjets, gearbox and shafts are all bigger than we would normally fit, said Mr Clifford. The propulsion system had to satisfy DNVs Rules for High Speed Light Craft, which incorporate requirements for gas turbine main propulsion and the use of gas fuel. DNV has much experience with classing LNG-fuelled vessels, as this particular set of rules was originally developed in 2000. DNVs Hobart station manager, Tony Allwood, commented,

EQUIPMENT/OUTFIT
Gas turbines Gensets Gas turbine gensets Waterjets Trim control Hydraulics Seating Safety equipment 2 x 22W, GE Power & Water LM2500 4 x 340kW, Caterpillar C18 2 x 200kW, Caterpillar C9 2 x Wrtsil LJX 1720 SR Hydraulically operated trim tab 3 x hydraulic power packs Georg Eknes 4 x 256-people MES, 9 x 128-people open reversible liferafts

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ferry profile Lpez Mena

The amount of rule development as part of this project was minimal, however there were some alternative safety solutions proposed by various stakeholders to some design challenges. Enhanced safety features were commonly incorporated into these solutions and supported the safety case. The location of the two 20m-long cryogenic gas tanks was one challenge. The gas tanks are double skinned and the gap between the two skins is pumped to a high degree of vacuum. Mr Allwood said, The rules prior to this project did not allow the tanks to be positioned within the hulls because the side damage criteria penalises a catamaran design due to the relatively wide beam and narrow hull compared to monohull designs, for example. Different tank locations were explored and finally we agreed to alter the definition of beam for catamarans so that the side damage criteria were equivalent to those used for monohulls. Mr Clifford commented, The gas tanks were finally positioned midships, and the catamaran hulls actually worked out to be a suitable receptacle for the tanks. They were also located immediately above the oil tanks which are in the bottom of the hulls, allowing the oil tanks to be another compartment removed from the vehicle deck and passenger decks. From a safety point of view they are in a remote position. Revolution Designs catamaran hulls are a fairly standard Incat 99m design but are tailored to the calm weather operation of the River Plate. Mr Argomedo said, The vessel is designed above the necessary requirements, to ocean-going vessel standards. Each hull is segmented into nine vented watertight compartments divided by transverse bulkheads. This is a very high powered ship but it is still comparatively lightweight, said Mr Clifford. The ship will be refuelled using LNG transported by trucks to the Buenos Aires terminal from which the vessel will sail. We are also looking at liquefying the natural gas found near the other end of the route in Montevideo, Uruguay, said Mr Argomedo. Refuelling should last around an hour. The Buenos Aires to Montevideo route is around 106nm and should take Lpez Mena around two hours. Buquebus intends to run two round trips a day, with possibly a third added in peak season. Loading over 1,000 passengers and 155 cars should take about 40 minutes. The vehicle deck is accessed via shore-based stern ramps across the transom and features nine car lanes. However, unloading should only last around 15 minutes. The ships design matches the embarkation facilities at Buenos Aires, but Mr Argomedo reported that Buquebus is installing a new

Four Caterpillar C18 gensets are for domestic use

One of the two gas turbines being slotted into place through the side of the hull

passenger ramp in Montevideo. The accommodation areas were designed by interior designer Julio Ortega of JCO & Associates. Mr Argomedo commented, We have high quality accommodation and use the best suppliers. Mr Ortega visited the Incat yard several times throughout the build to ensure the interiors were to his liking. Passenger facilities are housed over two decks and include a childrens room as well as a 1,200m2 duty free shop which enables passengers to take advantage of the duty free trade between Uruguay and Argentina. There is also a high degree of internal LED lighting. Seating is divided into four classes: VIP, business, first and economy, each with its own lounge areas and cafeterias. Each class is fitted out with corresponding classes of Georg Eknes seats. Crew also have a lounge area. The onboard facilities will be of the highest class we have ever built, commented Mr Clifford. Sea trials are imminent, but Mr Clifford reported that they will be more complicated than those for standard dieselpowered ships. Normally on a diesel engine ship, a trial programme will be done in three days but this vessel could take three weeks. We have to start the engines using diesel and prove that they work with this fuel. Then we have to introduce LNG for the first time, which we can only do at 25 per cent load. This means the ship will have to be at sea at that point. Finding enough LNG fuel in Tasmania will also be a challenge as there is only one LNG truck on the island. We will have to refuel in two loads, which could take up to two days, said Mr Clifford. The sea trials should be completed ready for the vessel to be delivered in December and put into service in January. Depending on how Lpez Mena performs in operation, this type of LNG gas turbine-powered vessel could become popular. LNG is a very clean fuel and we will consider using it again. We think it is a very good option, said Mr Argomedo. GEs Mr Bach commented, As the world requires better emissions and a cheaper source of fuel, more LNG fuelled LM2500 gas turbines are sure to be installed in the next generation of maritime vessels. DNVs Mr Allwood agrees. Technically there is no reason why the concept cannot be applied to other high speed ferries, so we would expect this pioneering design to generate further interest in the sector. This could be good news for yards such as Incat. However, Mr Clifford has a slightly different take on the technology. This vessel will act as a demonstrator, he said. We probably will not make any money out of this ship but the learning curve has been worthwhile. I think there will be more of this type of ship built with gas turbines or reciprocating engines, where diesel-type engines can be converted to run on gas. This is an easier technology to install. PST

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