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Singapore-based Blue Ocean Solutions (BOS), a specialist provider of emulsified fuel technology, recently installed two of its fuel-saving and emissions-reducing Emulsified Fuel Systems for the P&O Cruises vessel P&O Oriana.

BOS says the Emulsified Fuel System provides the following key benefits:

Improved fuel efficiency

The BOS Emulsified Fuel System is designed to improve combustion efficiency by producing stable water-in-fuel emulsions to improve injector fuel atomization. Smaller fuel droplets achieve better fuel-air mixture as more fuel-air surface will be available for combustion. Therefore, the key to achieve better combustion is to create a secondary atomization effect by adding water into the fuel. The secondary atomization effect creates even smaller fuel droplets after injection.

In addition to the measured fuel savings of 2-5%, BOS says evidence of better combustion has also been recorded in the form of increased heat release rate.

Reduced emissions

The system reduces NOx by reducing the combustion temperatures. According to BOS, 1% of water reduces NOx by about 1%. The system is said to reduce NOx up to 20%, thus meeting TIER II requirements.

As the system reduces NOx by up to 20%, it can complement selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. The size of SCR can also be reduced by 20%, which in turn reduces capital expenditure (CAPEX) by 20%.

Cleaner exhaust and engine

The Emulsified Fuel System cleans the exhaust and reduces PM emissions. The better combustion and presence of steam reduces and softens the soot, resulting in cleaner exhaust. This is evident visibly in the emission from the funnel.

The better combustion and presence of steam also improves the condition of the engine, BOS says.

Other aspects of the system

The system is designed for easy and trouble-free operation. It is fully automated and fail safe with safety interlock built in, according to BOS.

A key aspect of the technology is the patented BOS dynamic mixing emulsifier that has no mechanical moving parts. It is designed to produce the optimal emulsion for the best fuel savings.

The system has been certified by the classification societies American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Korean Register (KR), DNV-GL and Lloyd's Register. It has been tested on both Wartsila and MAN B&W slow-speed and medium-speed engines.

Other clients using the system include Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Regent Seven Seas Cruises, American President Line (APL) and Diamond S Shipping.