Samsung Heavy Industries is introducing the latest eco-friendly technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
On October 13, Samsung Heavy Industries and LG Innotek announced that they succeeded in developing the world's first thermo-electric generator module and system for ships through joint research, and signed a business agreement with NYK of Japan for actual ship application.
Samsung Heavy Industries is planning to apply the thermoelectric power generation system to the propulsion engine of a 174,000 ㎥ LNG carrier scheduled to be delivered to NYK in December, and expand the scope of application by accumulating track records.
A thermoelectric power generation system is a device that converts thermal energy into electrical energy by utilizing the characteristics of a thermo-electric material.
By attaching it to the surface of heat generating equipment such as ship propulsion engines and generators to produce electricity, it is possible to reduce fuel costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The company expects that demand will increase significantly in the future as there is no noise and no harmful gas emission, and there are no mechanical devices such as rotating bodies, so maintenance costs are low.
In March, after four years of research efforts with LG Innotek, a specialized manufacturer of materials and parts, Samsung Heavy Industries succeeded in developing a thermoelectric power module and system using a nano-structured polycrystalline material that is resistant to vibration and has improved power generation performance.
In April, the HSD engine and actual product performance tests were completed, enhancing the reliability of the technology. In May, it obtained the New Excellent Technology (NET) certification from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy along with domestic and foreign patent technology applications.
“The thermoelectric power generation system is an eco-friendly technology that can simultaneously reduce carbon dioxide and operating costs by improving ship efficiency in a short period of time,” said Lee Dong-yeon, head of the shipbuilding and offshore research center of Samsung Heavy Industries.
