New Catalyst System Expected to Reduce Methane Slip

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Equipment (MHI-MME) has begun demonstration testing of a methane oxidation catalyst system for LNG-fueled marine vessels which is being jointly developed with Daihatsu Infinearth Mfg.

Methane oxidation is a chemical reaction in which methane (CH4) is converted into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) through reaction with oxygen. The system’s purpose is to reduce methane slip – the release of unburnt methane in the exhaust gas of marine engines.

The demonstration test, which began in May in cooperation with KEYS Bunkering West Japan involves installing the demonstration equipment on the LNG bunkering vessel KEYS Azalea which was built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.

An initial methane oxidation rate of 70% or higher has been verified in onshore engine testing, and the onboard demonstration will now run for a year.

The methane oxidation catalyst system was developed with MHI-MME's catalyst design and manufacturing technology at its core, combined with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's shipboard installation technology, and Daihatsu Infinearth's engine optimization technology.