Gas and Heat and Bureau Veritas make cargo/fuel tank compatible with both LNG and Ammonia
Milan September 2022 – Bureau Veritas (BV), a world leader in testing, inspection and certification, has awarded an Approval in Principle (AIP) to Gas and Heat (GH), a company specialized in design, construction and integration of Liquefied Gasses Handling Systems both for Marine and Onshore installations for theirflexible solution to transport LNG and ammonia. Through a thorough study, GH supported by the BV team demonstrated that IMO Type C cargo/fuel tank made of a specific austenitic steel can transport both LNG and Ammonia for sea-going and inland navigation.
During the Gastech 2022 fair, the handover ceremony was held between Gas and Heat and Bureau Veritas, an approval in principle “cargo / fuel tank compatible with both LNG and ammonia. “
The Vice President of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore Division South and East Europe, Mrs. Paillette Palamologou, handed over the certification to the President of Gas and Heat Spa, Mauro Evangelisti.
While LNG is expected to be widely used this decade, alternative fuels are under scrutiny to ensure their safe and sustainable use in the future. At the same time, shipowners are becoming more and morefocused on multi-fuel supply systems able to handle two or more different fuels. As part of their ambitions to develop innovative solutions to help the industryanticipate the next wave of alternative fuels, GHembarked on a study to identify possible options and develop solutions.
GH has used this austenitic steel for LNG containment since the approval by Bureau Veritas in 2020, as an “alternative material”. The compatibility of this material with ammonia has been proved upon a specific Stress Corrosion Cracking test issued by Gh in August 2022 and then validated by Bureau Veritas.
Twelve specimen were prepared for the tests inaccordance with ISO 16540. Throughout the test, the specimens were loaded as Four-Point-Bend (FPB) to the Specified Minimum Yield Strength of the base material. Then tests were performed in three different conditions: at ambient temperature, -20C, -33C, in an environment of pure ammonia. After the completion of all tests, each specimen was visually examined at x10 magnification by stereoscopic microscope and subjected to fluorescent liquid penetrant examination to detect any visible surface crack. An additional tomographic scan was performed to ascertain that no inner crack was detected. The outcomes successfully demonstrated that cargo/fuel tanks made of this austenitic steel can carry both LNG and Ammonia, for seagoing and inland navigation.
BV was involved from the very early stage, validated the stress test methology and reviewed each phase of the test. We confirmed that the applied methodology to design Type C tank complies with the International Gas Carrier (IGC) Code which applies to marine vessels carrying liquefied gas in bulk, as well as applicable BV’s classification rules for seagoing and inland navigation.
Laurent Leblanc, Senior Vice President Technical & Operations at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “The shipping industry is facing many uncertainties. This is the role of class to support the industry in this period of change. I am proud of the work accomplished by both teams and the to collaborating with AG on new projects. “
QUOTE FROM AG
Mauro Evangelisti , president of Gas and Heat spa, said:”innovation has been always and will be our main focus. This material is the right continuation on the road to innovate and we do hope that the use of this innovative material will result on more competitive and safer components for the incoming new stream of alternative fuels”.
Gas and Heat has already secured one contract which includes the supply of cargo tanks for Inland navigation of LNG/Ammonia and one for seagoing LNG/Ammonia fuel supply system. This austenitic steel is the material used for this tank.