Technology review and design verification of the LCO₂ – EP Technology

Background
The project completed experimental testing of the tank design for the Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers (KNCC) LCO₂-EP technology at ResQ’ safety and emergency center close to Haugesund. The Test Rig was designed, engineered, purchased, commissioned, and operated successfully. The Test Rig is composed of two (2) Containers representing two (2) independent tanks containing four (4) pipe sections each. These Containers represent a scale design of a ship installation and can be tested at design pressure.

Goal
The project’s main goal was to qualify the Elevated Pressure (EP) concept. This is an important milestone for ship’s application in the future for both conversion and new building cases.

Activities
A test program and related procedures was successfully identified and developed keeping in mind the operational needs of a cargo handling process for a ship. The test program follows the natural process of making a ships’ cargo system ready for receiving cargo, loading, discharging, and finally making ready for planned maintenance period. The most important findings are:
• Commissioning, gassing up and pressurizing the CO₂ where successfully performed according to developed procedures.
• New knowledge about heat transfer between phases of CO₂ and steel gave important input to further design and operation related to normal operation and leak management.
• Minor leaks can easily be detected and handled and if tank pressure is maintained, minimal cooling to the remining LCO₂ was observed.

The test rig confirms that CO₂ handling at elevated pressure (34 to 45 bar) is ready for use. The test rig has also become a unique tool for improving the knowledge about CO₂. Next phases will include testing of new CO₂ equipment such as corrosion monitoring technology and influence of having impurities.

Support from Climit has been a significant contribution to this project together with CapeOmega and DNV.

The way forward
KNCC has the ambition to be major transporter of LCO₂-EP in the future and having a test rig for verifications and crew training is important to meet our ambition.