Kawasaki Develops a New Composite System That Makes Marine Diesel Engines Greener

Tokyo, February 12, 2014 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has developed a new system that combines multiple environmental technologies to effectively reduce air-polluting CO₂ and NOx emissions from marine diesel engines. Called the Kawasaki-ECO System (K-ECOS), it is a totally new type of system that puts Kawasaki at the leading edge of global competition. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line) and Japan Marine United Corporation will join Kawasaki in undertaking an on-board test using an actual ship.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is set to introduce its Tier III emissions regulations starting in 2016 at the earliest. Once the new regulations take effect, vessels sailing international waters will be mandated to reduce NOx emissions in the designated emission control areas by 80% compared to Tier I levels.

Kawasaki's newly developed system comes in two types: the K-ECOS T2, designed to meet the Tier II regulations currently in effect (15.5% reduction compared to the Tier I level), and the K-ECOS T3, designed to meet Tier III regulations. The K-ECOS T2 features technology that combines turbocharger cut-off with water-emulsion fuel^*1. It significantly reduces CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption by increasing the efficiency of diesel engines with a turbocharger cut-off operation. The use of water-emulsion fuel helps reduce NOx emissions to a level below the Tier II limit. The K-ECOS T3 is an enhanced version that comes with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)^*2 system added onto the K-ECOS T2. As such, it retains the same level of CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption as the existing Tier II-compliant engine, while reducing NOx emissions level to meet the Tier III standards.

The on-board test will be conducted as part of the Drive Green Project, a project being pursued by "K" Line to introduce next-generation environmental technologies. The K-ECOS T3 will be integrated into a large car carrier (scheduled for delivery at the end of FY2015) being constructed by Japan Marine United Corporation. The test will run for a period of about two years.

Through this test, Kawasaki will demonstrate the K-ECOS T3's capabilities on two levels. First, it will be tested to demonstrate a CO₂ reduction of 4% compared to the existing Tier II-compliant engine (by the engine alone, operating under the same load conditions) during normal operation. Then, it will be tested under Tier III-compliant operations to show that it reduces NOx emissions to the Tier III level, while maintaining the same CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption levels as the Tier II-compliant engine.

This test has been adopted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as a next-generation marine environment-related technology development assistance project, and also as a joint research theme by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai. Kawasaki will evaluate the system's performance, durability and safety through this test, with a view to launching the system during FY2016.

Kawasaki will continue to develop new marine technologies that will help conserve and improve the global environment.

*1

Water-emulsion fuel is a mixture of fuel with water in small particle form. The water particles capture heat when the fuel is combusted. This reduces the combustion temperature inside the cylinder, thereby decreasing the production of NOx.

*2

The EGR system curbs the production of NOx by redirecting part of the exhaust gas back to the engine, and lowering the combustion temperature inside the cylinder.