CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL

DES MACHINES A COMBUSTION

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL
ON COMBUSTION ENGINES
PAPER NO.: 220
Field experience of Marine SCR
Johnny Briggs, IACCSEA, UK
Joseph McCarney, IACCSEA, UK
Abstract: Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) is
an established technology and has been used to re-
move acidic oxides of nitrogen (NO
x
) from the exhaust
gases of engines, boilers and other combustion pro-
cesses for over 50 years. The rst SCR demonstra-
tion on a ship engine was conducted more than 30
years ago and since then over 500 vessels have in-
stalled SCR technology. Today, SCR is considered
a proven, commercially available technology capable
of removing 95% or more of NO
x
in an exhaust gas.
As such, it is expected to be one of the major techni-
cal options capable of meeting IMO Tier III standards.
Whilst there has been considerable success in the ap-
plication of Marine SCR, the experience in the eld
is mixed and contrary messages have emerged. As
part of the IMO NO
x
Review, the International Associ-
ation for the Catalytic Control of Ship Emissions to Air
(IACCSEA) committed to sponsoring an independent
review of eld experience of marine SCR. A database
comprising most of the shipping SCR installations was
compiled and a representative sample was surveyed.
In this paper we propose to explore the following nd-
ings from the dataset and survey: 1. The extent to
which SCR has been applied to a wide range of ma-
rine engine types, utilizing different fuels (of differing
sulphur content) and operating over a range of engine
conditions over the past 30 years. 2. The major prob-
lems that operators have had with SCR and a descrip-
tion of how these issues were managed, resolved or
mitigated. 3. An outline of the most important lessons
learnt that may be applicable during and after the tran-
sition to IMO Tier III.
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai Paper No. XX 2

INTRODUCTION

NOx emission limits set by the IMO (Tier III, see
figure 1) are forcing the shipping industry to
consider new technology. The IMOs NOx Review,
carried out during 2012/13, identified Selective
Catalytic Reduction (SCR) as an attractive solution
that will be favored in many applications.

An extensive survey of the marine and shipping
sector reveals that many stakeholders have little or
no appreciation of SCR. There is often confusion
over its capabilities and technical limits. A survey
of stakeholders with some knowledge of its
capabilities and those with substantial field
experience offers interesting insights. It reveals
that many of the reported issues with SCR can be
understood and largely avoided with a fairly basic
understanding of the SCR process. Adhering to a
few simple, easily explained guidelines can lead to
years of trouble-free SCR operation.

SCR systems were first applied on land over 60
years ago. SCR technology has been developed
and today many millions of SCR units are installed
on mobile and stationary sources, removing millions
of tons of NOx before it enters the greater
atmosphere. 30 years ago SCR technology was
first applied on board a ship and today there are
over 500 vessels with SCR systems installed. In
2012, to support the work of the IMO NOx Review,
IACCSEA, the International Association for the
Catalytic Control of Ship Emissions to Air (whose
member organizations develop and supply SCR
technology), compiled a database that summarized
this experience. IACCSEAs survey of those who
have installed SCR systems reveals that many of
the issues and problems are experienced during a
learning phase of early installation. Furthermore the
issues faced by those pioneers can be understood
with a fairly simple, first order appreciation of the
science and engineering of the process. It offers
guidance and reassurance to those concerned
about the transition to post IMO III world.

It is hoped that this paper will help educate those in
the sector who wish to learn more about the
capabilities of SCR. The aim is to help demystify
SCR technology and illustrate that by adhering to a
few simple rules, running an SCR system can and
should offer years of effective, efficient compliance
with respect to NOx emissions.

The problem with NOx

NOx, an acidic, reactive gas is formed in the heat of
the engine. In addition to acidifying the
environment, it contributes to the formation of
particulates and ground level ozone and as such,
NOx directly effects human ailments such as lung
and heart complaints. For centuries efforts have
been made to decouple the benefits of energy
provision from its polluting aspect. Processes and
practices have developed to improve combustion
and limit the impact of emissions. The most
effective of these, which has developed rapidly in
the last 50 years, is the technology of catalytic
after-treatment, where chemical reactions on a
catalyst surface remove pollutants in the exhaust,
close to their source, before they reach the
atmosphere. Such catalytic converters are now
standard in applications such as road transport and
power plants.

The scientific and engineering effort is motivated by
the need for cleaner air but it is regulation on
emissions limits, granting some certainty of market
demand, which drives technology companies
towards significant investment. This ensures the
innovation process continues to deliver the next
generation of products meeting market and
customer needs. Nation-state and regional
regulations for on-road transport and stationary
power supply have created a multibillion dollar
industry in catalytic after-treatment. Emissions from
a car built today are many orders of magnitude
lower than its typical counterpart of 1975. The case
for shipping is quite different.

Shippings contribution to air pollution.

The global nature of the shipping sector means that
its emissions are more difficult to regulate so the
marine contribution to air pollution has grown
significantly over the last few decades. It is
estimated that global transport makes up 30% of
global anthropogenic NOx emissions, with shipping
accounting for 5% - 7%. Whilst on-road transport
in the United States and Europe is powered by fuel
with maximum 10ppm sulphur content, shipping
continues to be powered by heavier, dirtier fuels,
typically 27000 35000 ppm sulphur. In a Lloyds
survey
i
57% of respondents stated they would
respond to the new Sulphur limits by continuing to
use heavy fuel oil and install a scrubber. Other
respondents said that they would use lower
sulphur, distillate fuel or switch to natural gas.
When shipping is required to use cleaner fuels, e.g.
in EU ports, these still contain high levels of
sulphur, typically 1000ppm. The use of such fuels,
with high combustion temperatures, in large ship
engines, leads to significant emission of pollutants
such as NOx. Regulators are particularly interested
in ship emissions close to shore and for the EU, air
quality experts have predicted that by 2020
shippings contribution to NOx pollution could
outstrip that from land based sources.

In response to the growing concern over NOx
emission from shipping, the Marine Environment
Protection Committee of the IMO agreed a three-
tier structure for new engines, setting progressively
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai Paper No. XX 3

tighter NOx emission standards. NOx emission
limits are set for diesel engines depending on its
maximum operating speed - n, rpm (as shown in
Figure 1). Whilst the transition to Tier II can be met
with engine modifications, the more substantive
80% reduction requires technology development.
Figure 1 The IMO NOx limits for new engines
The 2013 NOx review of technology readiness
studied the available solutions such as SCR, EGR,
and LNG and reported that the technology with the
widest applicaton was SCR.
SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION
How an SCR system works
Much about the operation of Selective Catalytic
Reduction technology can be understood from a
fairly simple, first order, appreciation of the process.

Figure 2 Schematic of an engine/SCR system.
When the combustion products of a lubricated ship
engine exit the chambers, the content of the hot
exhaust gas includes NOx, SOx and particulate
material. The concentrations of these and other
gases can be predicted, knowing the fuel and
engine conditions, or determined more accurately
via monitoring. The difference between the actual
NOx concentration and the desired/regulated limit
determines the amount of reducing agent,
urea/ammonia that is injected. Ammonia is often
introduced via the breakdown of a urea solution (in
the heat of the exhaust). The exhaust / ammonia
mixes to a more uniform gas and as its passes
through the channels of the SCR catalyst the NOx
is neutralized by the ammonia via reaction on the
catalyst surface, as depicted in Figure 3. The
catalyst can also increase the content of SO
3
. This
is undesirable as it can lead to acid-related
problems further downstream and in the
atmosphere, and can form ammonium sulphate
salts (ABS) in, or downstream of, the SCR reactor.





Figure 3 Basic Chemistry of SCR
It is theoretically possible to achieve 100% NOx
reduction but typically, SCR is designed to remove
80-95% of NOx in the exhaust gas of a marine
engine.
The installed base of marine SCR
IACCSEAs database, compiled using the
knowledge and experience of its member
organisations, accounts for over 90% of SCR
experience on larger vessels. Figures 38 illustrate
the extent of this experience illustrating the
versatility and applicability of SCR. The number of
vessels presented in each graph is dependent
upon what information was received by IACCSEA
when compiling the database.

Over the last 30 years SCR systems have been
installed on more than 500 marine vessels
illustrated in Figure 4. Some have been in
operation for well over 10 years and have
accumulated >80,000 hours of experience.












Figure 4 Number of vessels with SCR installed.


SCR systems have been installed on propulsion
engines, auxiliary engines and boilers, as shown in
Figure 5.
NH3
Urea
S C R
Reactor
Engine
Fuel
Lubricant
Exhaust Gas
Monitoring
1 1 4 4 7 9 9 13 16 18
28
44
62
68
76
96
103
121
132
160
198
264
362
404
461
515519
0
100
200
300
400
500
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

v
e
s
s
e
l
s
Year
Total number of vessels with SCR installations
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai Paper No. XX 4











Figure 5 Number of SCR systems installed per
application

The technology has been applied on a wide range
of vessel types, as shown in Figure 6.

















Figure 6 Vessels with marine SCR

SCR systems have been successfully designed for
engines using a range of fuels, see Figure 7.
















Figure 7 Vessels operating on different fuels
SCR systems have been fitted to many
manufacturers engines, as shown in Figure 8.













Figure 8 Engine / SCR systems

The majority of the installed SCR base has been
applied to 4-stroke engines. However, some of the
earliest experience was with large, 2-stroke
engines and in the last few years there has been a
renewed effort in the installation of SCR on low-
speed engines.

The IACCSEA survey
This survey data was collected using a number of
methods. Information was gathered through an
online survey specifically targeted at vessel
owner/operators. More detailed data was collected
during extensive interviews with a range of
stakeholders including recognised experts,
regulators, ship-owners, vessel operators, engine
manufacturers, classification societies and other
shipping associations. Each had some knowledge
of the application of marine SCR. The interviews
established what issues, if any, had been
experienced with SCR systems at sea. The survey
responses have been consolidated, summarized
and outlined in Table 1.


171
58
18
4 3
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Main Engine Auxiliary
Engine
Boilers Auxiliary
Boiler
Genset
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

S
C
R

s
y
s
t
e
m
s

i
n
s
t
a
l
l
e
d
Field of application
SCR systems installed per field of application
116
111
99
62
22
14
10 10
6
4 3
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

v
e
s
s
e
l
s
Fuel type
Number of SCR-installed vessels using specific fuel types
43
33
28
27
24
18
13
12
5
0
10
20
30
40
50
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

v
e
s
s
e
l
s
Engine manufacturer
Engine manufacturer on SCR-installed vessels
109
31
30
16
6
5 5
4
2
1 1 1 1 1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

v
e
s
s
e
l
s
Type of vessel
Number of various types of vessels with SCR
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai Paper No. XX 2


Report Concern
Difficulty
of Mitigation
Impact if
not
resolved
Route causes ? Underlying considerations Mitigation Comment
High NOx
emissions
Med Low Med High
Outside window of SCR capability
Fuel specification etc
Inactive catalyst.
Engine load, exhaust temp.
High Nitrogen content in
fuel?
Catalyst blocked
Use of standard
consumables. Use of
NOx monitoring
Exhaust containing high
levels of SOx, NOx and
NH3 present particular
challanges for monitoring.
Industry requires compact,
durable cost effective
monitoring technology.
Couild help with
compliance / verification.
High NOx & NH3
emissions
Med Low Med High
Outside operating window of SCR.
Complete mixing (NOx & NH3)
Incorrect reactor / catalyst volume
Inactive catalyst.
Engine load, exhaust temp.
Efficient & complete mixing
Fuel, Lub & Urea standards
Use of CFD.
Monitor NOx & NH3
High NH3
(ammonia slip)
Med Low Med High Incorrect NOx NH3 balance
Correct level of NOx in
exhaust?
Incomplete mixing?
CFD Modelling
Use of monitoring /
sensors
Catalyst blocking
HIgh back
pressure
Med Med High
Build-up of particulate material ?
Combustion derived soot / ABS
salt condensation on catalyst
Choice of catalyst
Soot blowing

Catalyst Pitch &
optimised soot blowers.
Temp & SO3 content of
exhaust
ABS can form in the
catalyst reactor, on/in the
catalsyst cells or
downstream e.g. on the
economiser (for improved
energy effficiency).
Catalyst blocking may
require a bypass. High
SO3 causes problems with
acid corrosion and plumes
Salt ABS deposits Med Med High
Med
High
Exhaust gas conditions wrt temp
and SO3 & NH3 content
NH3, SO3 content in the
exhaust at exhaust gas
temperature.
Inteligent operation
Low load
performance
High Med - High Lo Med
Outside window of SCR operating
conditions.
Limits of SCR catalysts.
ABS formation
Engine SCR tuned for
optimum performance
Catalyst
Durability
Med Med Lo
Deactivation - blocking/poisoning


Catalyst poisoning
Catalyst integrity
Control sources of
poisoning, fuel, lube,
urea.
System / reactor design
Standard consumables.
Design must consider on-
board stresses & strains
Maintenance
Frequency
Med Med - High Lo Normal wear and tear
SCR system components
have finite life dependent on
operation conditions.
Operation of system
within guidelines.
SCR systems are generally
guaranteed for 16000 hours
Space Lo Lo - Med Lo
Fixed designs already in place IMO III applies to New Build
Vessels operating in an NOx
ECA
SCR design
could/should be
incorporated at design
phase
Norways NOx Fond
experience shows that
retrofitting is often possible
Operating Cost
Lo
Med
Med Hi Med
SCR requires a reducing agent
consumable. Urea/Ammonia
water
Urea and Ammonia Water
solutions are efficient and
safe stores of NH3
Some experimentation
of making making
solutions on board.
Other forms of NH3 exist
but have other issues e.g.
cost / storage
Urea Logistics Med Lo
Med -
High
Supply chain issues
Ensuring compliance
Competitive supply chain in
operation to meet
requirements
Standard developed for
Marine Grade Urea
AUS40
The use of standards is
important
Compliance High Med - High High
The actual NOx out is different to
that predicted
Catalyst / system not operating as
designed
Engine operation. Variable
Nitrogen content in the fuel.
Uniform mixing etc
Catalyst fouling / poisoned
Use of monitoring for
NOx and NH3
Need for cost effective
reliable monitoring
technology

Table 1 The key findings of the IACCSEA survey Marine SCR experience.
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai Paper No. XX 6

ANALYSIS AND INSIGHTS
The IACCSEA survey of the installed base, where
SCR technology has been fitted to a ship engine,
reveals that major issues reported with respect to
the SCR systems fall into three main interrelated
categories:

- Catalyst deactivation,
- The operating conditions,
- Integration, design & operation of complete
systems.

A fourth relates to concern over the supply chain
that delivers urea solution and key SCR system
components such as replacement catalyst.

Catalyst Deactivation

At the heart of the SCR system is the catalyst. With
its honeycomb structure, large surface area and
dense network of active sites, the catalyst facilitates
the reduction of NOx by ammonia (NH
3
) at
temperatures typical in the exhaust (see Figure 3).
If these active sites are blocked then the ability of
the catalyst to reduce NOx is diminished. Physical
blocking with dust etc. may be minimized through
the correct choice of catalyst pitch and/or
mechanisms to dislodge weakly bound material,
e.g. with the use of dust blowers.

When chemical components in the exhaust bind
tightly to the active sites, they are more difficult to
dislodge and are said to poison the catalyst. These
poisons are generally traceable to either the
combustion products of the fuel/lubricant or the
thermolysis of urea/ammonia solution. Their
deleterious impact on SCR performance is so
significant that the industry recommends the use of
standards. Slow deactivation of the catalyst is
expected over time but the use of well-considered
standards (e.g. of fuel, lubricant and urea) generally
ensures that the engine/SCR functions adequately
for many years. Catalyst experts understanding of
the mechanism and rate of poisoning allows them
to offer warranty periods, with the caveat that the
operator complies with the use of standard/certified
consumables that do not accelerate poisoning.

A third method of deactivation is related to the
formation of sticky ammonium sulphate salts, often
referred to as ABS. These salts form when
ammonia and sulphur trioxide (SO
3
) interact and
associate so strongly that they leave the gas phase
and condense onto a surface. This can effect a
loss in catalyst activity and if significant deposition
occurs, the blocking of the catalyst channels will
lead to increased back pressure and the need for
the vessel operation to take preventative action.
ABS formation can also be an issue downstream of
the engine such as on the economizer of large
low-speed engines leading to other operational
issues.

Some SO
3
forms in the engine but more can be
produced over the SCR catalyst (via oxidation of
SO
2
). Limiting its formation in both the engine and
the SCR reactor is a key factor in resolving this
issue. The ABS formation is reversible so the
deposits may be removed and returned to the gas
phase e.g. by increasing the temperature.

A catalyst with reduced activity can lead to non-
compliance if insufficient NOx is removed.
Furthermore, if this inactivity is not detected and
urea/ammonia injection continues, the issue is
compounded by ammonia slip where ammonia
and unreacted NOx are emitted to air.

Operating Conditions

The formation of ammonium salts discussed above
is dependent on both the temperature and the SO
3

content of the exhaust as shown in Figure 9.


Figure 9 Generic represetation of minimum
temperature for long-term SCR operation. This
could be seen as a conservative depiction as actual
critical conditions are system dependent.

Operating at steady state, engines using higher
sulphur fuels require an SCR system to operate
above the critical conditions. A ship engine with a
varied duty cycle accounting for the dynamics of
ABS formation may combine some operation at
lower temperatures with an intelligent regeneration
strategy
ii
. This can either be accomplished by using
the engine or by another mechanism such as a
burner, though for energetic and design reasons
the former is often preferable. Exhaust gas
temperature will vary with engine type and with
engine load, so it can be instructive to take a
holistic view and see the engine/SCR system as a
mechanism of meeting power and emission
requirements.

In the case of larger engines, the exhaust gas
temperature after the turbocharger is often too low
to support trouble-free SCR. One solution is to use
CIMAC Congress 2013, Shanghai Paper No. XX 7

a burner to heat the exhaust gas. Another is to fit
the SCR reactor in front of the turbocharger (or
between turbochargers) where the temperature
window supports the SCR reaction (in a high
sulphur exhaust).


System design, component integration & operation

Issues with on-board SCR have led to major
improvements in design, such as the development
of special systems to withstand the shocks and
vibrations typical on some vessels. Special tuning
of an engine/SCR system has also been reported,
demonstrating successful operation at very low load
(5%). Success often depends on the intelligent
consideration of the combination of science with
engineering. It has been noted that technical
solutions to problems are resolved more efficiently
and effectively if all the interconnecting components
are considered. This holistic approach introduces
new challenges to the industry, requiring a much
greater level of cooperation but offering excellent
opportunities for significant advances in product
development.

Greater collaboration between the engine
manufacturers and component suppliers will help
ease industry concern over operation, compliance,
verification and maintenance. These issues are
often best solved with an engine/SCR system
approach. There is concern in some sectors over
the space required by SCR. Normally this is not a
key issue as IMO III regulations apply to new build
vessels (post Jan 1
st
2016 when operating in NOx
ECAs) and space can be factored in to the design
phase. There are potential benefits for energy
efficiency too. The fitment of after treatment
technology can allow engine inefficiencies
(introduced to meet earlier / less demanding
emission limits) to be reversed.

Other industry concerns relate to the use,
availability and cost of urea. Urea is a preferred
source of ammonia which plays an essential role in
reducing NOx (see Figure 3). As discussed earlier
the long term operation of SCR systems requires
the use of standards that do not accelerate catalyst
poisoning. Recognizing this, the marine SCR
industry has established a standard urea solution
(AUS40) for application in the shipping sector. With
respect to supply chain issues, the industry expects
a competitive market to develop that will ensure
security of supply. The industry also has experience
of using aqueous ammonia and this may be a
preferred option for some applications. In the first
phase of IMO Tier III, the market is expected to
develop slowly, allowing competitive supply chains
to respond to the growing need.


CONCLUSIONS

As the shipping sector approaches one of its
greatest periods of change, it can draw
reassurance from the experience already gained in
meeting the tightest of NOx limits. SCR technology
has been installed in over 500 vessels. Issues
have been reported, but mainly as part of a learning
process where most were quickly resolved
thorough holistic thinking and adherence to good
practice. SCR technology continues to develop to
meet evolving customer and market demands.
Many issues will be resolved with a more integrated
approach involving the engine and its SCR
components. As the sector continues to use high
sulphur fuels greater effort is required in developing
durable, cost effective monitoring mechanisms to
ensure safe, efficient and compliant operation.

IMO Tier III NOx limits apply to new build vessels
(from Jan 1
st
2016) operating in NOx ECAs. It will
take many years for shippings NOx emissions to
be substantially reduced. The IMO may be forced
to consider the options for controlling NOx
emissions from the existing fleet. There are
significant challenges in retrofitting but the shipping
sector can draw more reassurance here, as many
vessels have already been successfully retrofitted
with SCR systems. It is further testament to the
versatility of the technology and a tribute to the
continued efforts of scientists and engineers who
innovate and develop new product designs that
meet the evolving needs of the shipping sector.
NOMENCLATURE
IMO International Maritime Organisation
SCR Selective Catalytic Reduction
NOx Mixture of the oxides of Nitrogen, NO, NO
2

ppm parts per million 10ppm = 0.001%
SOx Mixture of oxides for sulphur SO
2
& SO
3

ABS Ammonium Sulphate
AUS40 Standard aqueous urea solution - 40% urea
ECA Emission Control Area e.g. for NOx, SOx
IACCSEA International Association for the Catalytic
Control of Ship Emissions to Air
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
IACCSEA would like to thank Mark Dyble for his
diligent efforts in compiling the database and for his
work on the survey.


i
See Lloyds list scrubber survey
ii
See IACCSEA White Paper www.iaccsea.com