Project monitoring
This is why the round the world record attempt later this year will be a
defining moment for Clean Fuel, and perhaps the emulsified fuel
industry. To complete the record attempt, the boat must pass through
the Suez and Panama Canals, cross the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator
and start and finish in the same location. The world record authority
Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) has approved Team Britannia’s
proposed route, which will start in Gibraltar and call at Puerto Rico,
Manzanillo, Honolulu, Guam, Singapore, Oman and Malta to take on fuel.
In total, a substantial journey of some 23 000 miles.
The record attempt is a milestone for emulsified fuel, with the key
question being: if it works under these challenging conditions, why has
this old solution been ignored for so long? The vessel will be carrying up
to 35 000 l of marine gas oil (MGO) and this will be mixed in-situ using
desalinated water and mixing equipment in 450 l batches for use in the
two 500 hp diesel engines. The data from the engines will be monitored
in real time; among the data will be the fuel burn, power output and
emissions at all stages of the voyage. All of this data will be beamed
back to the UK and published in full on the project’s website so it can be
monitored and, most importantly, scrutinised by the public. The
publicity generated by the record attempt will expectantly act as a spur
to further research, as the public and policy makers alike begin to see
the potential benefits of switching to emulsified fuel.
Testing programme
There is still a long way to go for the testing programme. Aside from the
record attempt, the company is conducting work into emulsifying pure
biodiesel, which goes some way to solve the issue of CO
2
, but
conversely can burn hotter, exacerbating the NO
X
and PM issues.
Furthermore, there is the issue of the fuel’s operation in cold weather.
The company has been testing the fuel in the relatively benign
conditions of the UK, including light frost conditions, but what if the
fuel were to be used in the frozen waste lands of Antarctica, or similar?
The science and simple logic suggest that the presence of water will
cause problems with the fuel freezing more rapidly – how would this
affect the rate of stratification? Most importantly, the company aims to
push the regulators (that have, until now, been caught flat-footed and
were either not aware that there are alternatives to simply burning
straight diesel, or that there is a clear need for new regulations) to look
at what can be done to support an industry that, for the most part,
operates below the radar.
Conclusion
The environmental benefits of supporting the emulsified fuel industry
could be significant. According to leading Environmental Commentator
Matt Ridely, the world still remains wedded to fossil fuels, with around
87% of global energy coming from this source – 4% comes from nuclear
fuel, and just 1.3% from wind and solar. This profile is unlikely to change
in the short term, meaning that harnessing existing technology and
improving it must be a worthwhile project. The government will
undoubtedly play a role as well, ensuring that the emulsified fuel enjoys
a favourable tax regime, improving its cost efficiency – while water is
untaxed, it is when mixed into an emulsion.
Where this project has already gone, Clean Fuel expects other
companies to follow, but only if governments and regulators realise that
they must do more to promote innovation and make it significantly
easier for new market entrants. This is crucial if the voyage of Clean Fuel
and the emulsification industry is to continue after Team Britannia
crosses the finishing line in Gibraltar at the end of the year, having
broken the round the world powerboat record.
FLUXUS
®
F/G809
ATEX, IECEx Zone 1 and
FM Class I, Div. 1 approved
Rugged solution for any
environment
No media contact, no wear
and tear, no risk of leaks
No process shut-downs for
installation
Very reliable and virtually
maintenance free
Highly accurate, zero point
stable and drift free
Non-intrusive ultrasonic
flow measurement of
Liquids and Gases
in hazardous areas
