Development of simulator-exercises on scrubber operation and environmental impact
Typ
Examensarbete på grundnivå
Program
Publicerad
2022
Författare
Hansson, Max
Tamminen Lindqvist, Marcus
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Since 2020 there have been a global limit on the sulphur content that is allowed in the fuel that is combusted onboard a vessel. An Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS), commonly known as a scrubber, allows a vessel to be exempt from this limit by cleaning the exhaust gases with water. In short, this system negatively affects the marine environment since it redirects pollutants from the exhaust gases released to the atmosphere and discharges it into the ocean. This discharge is acidic, significantly increases the acidification of the oceans, and is toxic for marine organisms, and creates a completely new path for pollutants to reach the marine environment. The theoretical lessons on how an EGCS and how it affects the marine environment today lack a relevant simulator exercise. To be able to use a simulator software for this topic, the software had to be evaluated. This was done by formulating learning outcomes from relevant information collected from the scientific community, regulatory requirements, and guidelines from the industry. The learning outcomes were formulated into questions that would be tried to be answered by usage of the simulator. The conclusion of this evaluation is that while the simulator can complement the education in some regards, mostly in watchkeeping, many features are missing that limits the simulator’s capabilities for use in education outside the basic principles of environmental impact. It is useful for highlighting certain topics, such as on how a vessels total load onto the environment increases when using an EGCS and visualizing the number of pollutants that are discharged overboard during a voyage. Key features such as what the discharge water contains are missing. There is also a limitation in the amount of possible operational scenarios that is possible to investigate due to key components, such as the wash water treatment, are either not implemented or not possible to manipulate by introducing malfunctions into the system’s components. A list containing recommendation of features to be implemented and what potential an implementation of these features could do for future education will also be presented.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Shipping , scrubber , MARPOL , Annex VI , regulation 14 , sulphur oxides , environmental impact , MET , simulator exercise , marine engineering