Ammonia fuel ship and cover

Abstract

An ammonia fuel ship according to an embodiment comprises: a main engine driven by ammonia fuel; and a cover structure capable of switching the upper section of the main engine to be in a covered state or in an uncovered state.

Description

Ammonia fuel ship and cover

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate to an ammonia-fueled vessel and cover.

[0002] As one of the efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, ammonia-fueled ships that use ammonia as fuel are being considered.

[0003] Ammonia, whether in liquid or gas form, has a high potential for adverse effects on the human body. Therefore, ammonia-fueled ships are required to implement measures not only to prevent ammonia leakage, but also to take measures in the event of an ammonia leak.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses that, as a measure to be taken in the event of an ammonia leak, an airlock space is installed at the entrance to the engine room in order to reduce odors in areas where many people move around if odors are generated in the engine room where an ammonia-fueled engine is installed.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-93266

[0006] There is a risk that not only ammonia gas but also liquefied ammonia may leak from an ammonia-fueled engine. Liquefied ammonia leaking from an ammonia-fueled engine may fall onto the engine room floor before vaporizing. If there are people on the engine room floor, there is a risk that they may come into direct contact with liquefied ammonia leaking from an ammonia-fueled engine. Therefore, there is a need to take measures in the event of an ammonia leak, without distinguishing between ammonia gas and liquefied ammonia. Patent Document 1 does not disclose measures to be taken in the engine room.

[0007] Here, an ammonia-fueled engine requires periodic maintenance, and therefore, it is preferable that measures to be taken in the event of an ammonia leak do not impair the maintainability of the ammonia-fueled engine.

[0008] An object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a technology that can achieve both prevention of diffusion of ammonia leaked from a main engine and ease of maintenance of the main engine.

[0009] An ammonia-fueled ship of a first aspect according to an embodiment is an ammonia-fueled ship equipped with a main engine driven by ammonia fuel and a cover that can change the state of an upper stage of the main engine between a covered state and an uncovered state.

[0010] In a second aspect of the embodiment, in the ammonia-fueled ship described in the first aspect, the cover can change the fuel system section of the compressed liquefied ammonia in the upper stage of the main engine between a covered state and an uncovered state.

[0011] In a third aspect of the embodiment, in the ammonia-fueled ship described in the second aspect, the fuel system section includes a pump that compresses liquefied ammonia, a pipe through which the liquefied ammonia compressed by the pump flows, and a valve that injects the liquefied ammonia flowing through the pipe.

[0012] In a fourth aspect according to the embodiment, in the ammonia-fueled ship according to the second aspect, the fuel system section is a part to be maintained.

[0013] In a fifth aspect of the embodiment, in the ammonia-fueled ship described in the first aspect, the cover can independently change each of a plurality of parts in the upper stage of the main engine to a covered or uncovered state.

[0014] In a sixth aspect of the embodiment, in the ammonia-fueled ship according to the fifth aspect, each of the plurality of sections includes one or more fuel system sections for compressed liquefied ammonia.

[0015] A cover according to a seventh aspect of the embodiment is a cover that can be used as the cover provided in the ammonia-fueled ship according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

[0016] According to the embodiment, it is possible to prevent the diffusion of liquefied ammonia leaked from the main engine and to facilitate the maintenance of the main engine.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a front view illustrating the interior of an ammonia-fueled ship according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the interior of an ammonia-fueled ship according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a first configuration example of a cover according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a second configuration example of a cover according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a third configuration example of a cover according to an embodiment.

[0018] The embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scale of each part in the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments may be changed as appropriate. Also, for the sake of explanation, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments may omit components.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a front view illustrating the interior of the ammonia-fueled ship 1. Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the interior of the ammonia-fueled ship 1 as viewed along the arrow A shown in Fig. 1 .

[0020] The x-axis is an axis parallel to the horizontal plane and along the longitudinal direction of the ammonia-fueled ship 1. The y-axis is an axis parallel to the horizontal plane and along the width direction of the ammonia-fueled ship 1. The y-axis is perpendicular to the x-axis. The z-axis is an axis along the vertically upward direction.

[0021] The ammonia-fueled ship 1 is a ship that is propelled using ammonia as fuel. The ammonia-fueled ship 1 is not limited to a ship that uses only ammonia as fuel. The ammonia-fueled ship 1 may be a ship that uses fuel other than ammonia, such as heavy oil, in addition to ammonia.

[0022] The ammonia-fueled ship 1 includes an engine room 2. The engine room 2 is a room in which a main engine 3 is installed. In addition to the main engine 3, a generator, a boiler, and the like are installed in the engine room 2, but these are not shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0023] The main engine 3 is an engine driven by ammonia fuel. The main engine 3 is not limited to an engine that uses only ammonia fuel. The main engine 3 may be an engine that can switch between being driven by ammonia fuel and being driven by a fuel other than ammonia fuel, such as heavy oil. The main engine 3 rotates a propeller to propel the ammonia-fueled ship 1. The main engine 3 extends in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the engine room 2. Here, the bottom surface of the engine room 2 is assumed to be a surface parallel to the horizontal plane. For example, the main engines 3 are on three levels: upper, middle, and lower.

[0024] The upper stage of the main engine 3 is the part through which liquefied ammonia flows. Therefore, the upper stage of the main engine 3 is an example of a part of the main engine 3 that is at risk of ammonia leakage. The term "ammonia" in relation to leakage can refer to either ammonia gas or liquefied ammonia, or both. The upper stage of the main engine 3 is the part that is subject to maintenance. The term "maintenance" includes maintenance performed by hand and maintenance performed using an overhead crane. For example, the valve 313, which will be described later, is not heavy and can be removed by hand. The pump 311, which will be described later, is heavy and is therefore maintained using an overhead crane. Therefore, the upper stage of the main engine 3 is the part that is maintained from above the upper stage of the main engine 3 using an overhead crane as necessary. The term "upper side" includes the meaning of the upper side along the vertically upward direction.

[0025] The upper stage of the main engine 3 is provided with a cylinder cover, a cylinder jacket, a cylinder liner, pistons inside the cylinder cover and the cylinder liner, an exhaust valve, a start air valve, a cylinder oil dosing valve, an ammonia fuel injection valve / high-pressure pipe / injection pump, a pilot fuel injection valve / high-pressure pipe, a heavy fuel injection valve / high-pressure pipe / injection pump, an ammonia / heavy oil / pilot fuel pipe, a hydraulic oil pipe for the fuel injection pump, and a solenoid valve. Note that the configuration of the fuel injection valve may vary depending on the manufacturer of the main engine. These are examples, and various components are provided in the upper stage of the main engine 3. For example, the upper stage of the main engine 3 may include multiple fuel system units 31, multiple combustion chamber components 32, and multiple exhaust valves 33 depending on the components provided in the upper stage of the main engine 3. While an example will be described in which four fuel system units 31 and combustion chamber components 32 are arranged along the x-axis in the upper stage of the main engine 3, the number of fuel system units 31 and combustion chamber components 32 may be any number other than four.

[0026] The fuel system unit 31 is a fuel system for compressed liquefied ammonia that is made up of multiple components. The fuel system unit 31 is the part through which the compressed liquefied ammonia flows. Therefore, the fuel system unit 31 is an example of a part in the upper stage of the main engine 3 that is at risk of liquefied ammonia leaking. In particular, there is a risk of liquefied ammonia leaking at the connection points between components. The fuel system unit 31 pressurizes the liquefied ammonia, causing the compressed liquefied ammonia to flow, and injects the compressed liquefied ammonia into the combustion chamber that is formed by the combustion chamber configuration unit 32.

[0027] The fuel system section 31 is the part to be maintained. Maintenance of the fuel system section 31 is performed from above the fuel system section 31 using an overhead crane as necessary.

[0028] The fuel system unit 31 includes a pump 311, a pipe 312, and a valve 313. The pump 311 is an ammonia injection pump that compresses the liquefied ammonia by increasing the pressure of the liquefied ammonia with a piston unit and sends the highly compressed liquefied ammonia to the pipe 312. The pipe 312 is a high-pressure ammonia pipe through which the liquefied ammonia compressed by the pump 311 flows. One end of the pipe 312 is connected to the pump 311, and the other end is connected to the valve 313. The valve 313 is an ammonia injection valve that injects the compressed liquefied ammonia into the combustion chamber.

[0029] The combustion chamber component 32 includes a cylinder liner 321, a cylinder cover 322, and a piston that constitute the combustion chamber. The cylinder cover 322 is provided to cover the upper part of the cylinder liner 321. The cylinder cover 322 is provided with an exhaust valve 33, a valve 313, and a starting air valve, which will be described later.

[0030] The exhaust valve 33 discharges exhaust gases from the combustion chamber.

[0031] The cover 4 is a cover for covering the upper stage of the main engine 3. The cover 4 covering the upper stage of the main engine 3 includes the cover 4 covering the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3. By the cover 4 covering the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3, the upper stage of the main engine 3 faces the cover 4 in a vertically upward direction. The cover 4 covering the upper stage of the main engine 3 includes the cover 4 covering the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3. By the cover 4 covering the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3, the upper stage of the main engine 3 faces the cover 4 in a horizontal direction. The expression "lateral side" includes the meaning of the lateral side along the horizontal direction. The cover 4 is a shield for shielding ammonia. The cover 4 not only prevents leaked liquefied ammonia from diffusing toward people, but also prevents leaked ammonia gas from diffusing toward people. The expression "leaked ammonia gas" can include not only ammonia gas leaked as a gas from the upper stage of the main engine 3, but also ammonia gas vaporized from liquefied ammonia leaked from the upper stage of the main engine 3. The cover 4 is installed on an element to be installed. The element to be installed may be the main engine 3, or may be an element different from the main engine 3. The cover 4 includes a first side cover portion 41 and a first upper cover portion 42. The first side cover portion 41 and the first upper cover portion 42 may be configured as an integral member or may be configured as separate members.

[0032] The first lateral cover portion 41 covers the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3. By covering the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3, the upper stage of the main engine 3 faces the first lateral cover portion 41 in the horizontal direction. The first lateral cover portion 41 is a shield for shielding ammonia. The first lateral cover portion 41 not only prevents liquefied ammonia leaked to the lateral side from spreading toward people, but also prevents ammonia gas leaked to the lateral side from spreading toward people. The first lateral cover portion 41 is supported by a support member. The first lateral cover portion 41 may be made of a flame-retardant material. Note that, although FIGS. 1 and 2 show the first lateral cover portion 41 covering only one lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 along the y-axis, this is not limiting. The first lateral cover portion 41 may cover both lateral sides of the upper stage of the main engine 3 along the y-axis. The first lateral cover portion 41 may cover one or both lateral sides of the upper stage of the main engine 3 along the x-axis.

[0033] The first upper cover part 42 covers the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3. By covering the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 with the first upper cover part 42, the upper stage of the main engine 3 faces the first upper cover part 42 in a vertically upward direction. The first upper cover part 42 is a shield for shielding ammonia. The first upper cover part 42 not only prevents liquefied ammonia that has leaked upward from diffusing toward people, but also prevents ammonia gas that has leaked upward from diffusing toward people. The first upper cover part 42 is supported by a support member. The first upper cover part 42 may be made of a flame-retardant material.

[0034] The cover 4 can change the state of the upper stage of the main engine 3. Being able to change the state of the upper stage of the main engine 3 includes being able to change the state of the upper stage of the main engine 3 to a covered state or an uncovered state of the upper stage of the main engine 3. The covered state of the main engine 3 is a state in which at least a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3 faces the cover 4. The covered state of the main engine 3 may be a state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered by the cover 4, or a state in which only a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered. On the other hand, the uncovered state of the main engine 3 is a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is less covered than the state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered by the cover 4. The uncovered state of the main engine 3 is a state in which at least a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3 does not face the cover 4. The uncovered state of the main engine 3 may be a state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered by the cover 4, or a state in which only a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered.

[0035] In a typical example, the cover 4 can change the state of the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 by the first lateral cover portion 41. In this example, the above description can be read as follows. The term "cover 4" can be read as "first lateral cover portion 41". The term "state of the upper stage of the main engine 3" can be read as "state of the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3". The term "state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be read as "state in which the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered". The term "state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be read as "state in which the entire lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered". The term "state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be read as "state in which a part of the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered". The term "state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered" can be read as "state in which the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered". The expression "a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not entirely covered" can be read as "a state in which the lateral sides of the upper stage of the main engine 3 are not entirely covered". The expression "a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is partially uncovered" can be read as "a state in which the lateral sides of the upper stage of the main engine 3 are partially uncovered".

[0036] In a typical example, the cover 4 can change the state of the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 by the first upper cover portion 42. In this example, the above description can be rephrased as follows. The term "cover 4" can be rephrased as "first upper cover portion 42". The term "state of the upper stage of the main engine 3" can be rephrased as "state of the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3". The term "state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be rephrased as "state in which the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered". The term "state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be rephrased as "state in which the entire upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered". The term "state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be rephrased as "state in which a part of the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered". The term "state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered" can be rephrased as "state in which the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered". The expression "a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not entirely covered" can be read as "a state in which the upper side of the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered". The expression "a state in which the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not entirely covered" can be read as "a state in which the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not entirely covered".

[0037] The cover 4 may be capable of changing the state of at least the fuel system section 31 in the upper stage of the main engine 3 among the upper stages of the main engine 3. Being able to change the state of the fuel system section 31 includes being able to change the fuel system section 31 to a covered state or an uncovered state. The covered state of the fuel system section 31 is a state in which the fuel system section 31 faces the cover 4. The covered state of the fuel system section 31 may be a state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered by the cover 4, or a state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is covered by the cover 4. On the other hand, the uncovered state of the fuel system section 31 is a state in which the fuel system section 31 does not face the cover 4. The uncovered state of the fuel system section 31 may be a state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered by the cover 4, or a state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is uncovered by the cover 4.

[0038] In a typical example, the cover 4 can change the state of at least the lateral side of the fuel system section 31 in the upper stage of the main engine 3 by using the first lateral cover portion 41. In this example, the above description can be interpreted as follows. The term "cover 4" can be interpreted as "first lateral cover portion 41." The term "state of the fuel system section 31" can be interpreted as "state of the lateral side of the fuel system section 31." The term "state in which the fuel system section 31 is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the lateral side of the fuel system section 31 is covered." The term "state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the entire lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered." The term "state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which a part of the lateral side of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is covered." The expression "a state in which the fuel system section 31 is not covered" can be read as "a state in which the side surfaces of the fuel system section 31 are not covered." The expression "a state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered" can be read as "a state in which the entire side surfaces of the upper stage of the main engine 3 are not covered." The expression "a state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is not covered" can be read as "a state in which a part of the side surfaces of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is not covered."

[0039] In a typical example, the cover 4 can change the state of at least the upper side of the fuel system section 31 in the upper stage of the main engine 3 by using the first upper cover portion 42. In this example, the above description can be interpreted as follows. The term "cover 4" can be interpreted as "first upper cover portion 42." The term "state of the fuel system section 31" can be interpreted as "state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31." The term "state in which the fuel system section 31 is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the upper side of the fuel system section 31 is covered." The term "state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the entire upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered." The term "state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the upper side of a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is covered." The expression "a state in which the fuel system section 31 is not covered" can be read as "a state in which the upper side of the fuel system section 31 is not covered." The expression "a state in which the entire upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered" can be read as "a state in which the entire upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered." The expression "a state in which a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is not covered" can be read as "a state in which the upper side of a part of the upper stage of the main engine 3, including the fuel system section 31, is not covered."

[0040] Similarly to the above, the cover 4 may be able to change the states of the fuel system section 31 and the combustion chamber component section 32 in the upper stage of the main engine 3, among the upper stages of the main engine 3. Being able to change the states of the fuel system section 31 and the combustion chamber component section 32 includes being able to change the fuel system section 31 and the combustion chamber component section 32 to a covered state or an uncovered state. In a typical example, the cover 4 is able to change the states of the lateral sides of the fuel system section 31 and the combustion chamber component section 32 in the upper stage of the main engine 3, among the upper stages of the main engine 3, by using the first lateral cover portion 41. The cover 4 is able to change the states of the upper sides of the fuel system section 31 and the combustion chamber component section 32 in the upper stage of the main engine 3, among the upper stages of the main engine 3, by using the first upper cover portion 42.

[0041] Similarly to the above, the cover 4 may be capable of changing the states of the fuel system section 31, the combustion chamber component section 32, and the exhaust valve 33 in the upper stage of the main engine 3, among the upper stages of the main engine 3. Being able to change the states of the fuel system section 31, the combustion chamber component section 32, and the exhaust valve 33 includes being able to change the states of the fuel system section 31, the combustion chamber component section 32, and the exhaust valve 33 to a covered state or to an uncovered state.

[0042] In a typical example, the cover 4 can change the state of the fuel system section 31, the combustion chamber configuration section 32, and the lateral side of the exhaust valve 33 in the upper stage of the main engine 3, among the upper stages of the main engine 3, by using the first lateral cover portion 41. The cover 4 can change the state of the fuel system section 31, the combustion chamber configuration section 32, and the upper side of the exhaust valve 33 in the upper stage of the main engine 3, among the upper stages of the main engine 3, by using the first upper cover portion 42.

[0043] An example of the configuration of the cover 4 that can change the state of the fuel system section 31 as described above will be described. Hereinafter, a state in which all of the fuel system sections 31 are covered by the cover 4 will also be referred to as a first state. A state in which all of the fuel system sections 31 are not covered by the cover 4 will also be referred to as a second state. A state in which some of the fuel system sections 31 are covered by the cover 4 and the remaining fuel system sections 31 are not covered will also be referred to as a third state.

[0044] The cover 4 only needs to be configured to be able to change the state of the fuel system section 31, and the configuration of the cover 4 is not limited to the configuration example described here. Here, a configuration of the cover 4 that is able to change the state of the fuel system section 31 will be described as an example. The configuration of the cover 4 described here can be similarly applied to an embodiment in which the state of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is changeable. Therefore, the configuration of the cover 4 described here can be similarly applied to an embodiment in which the states of the fuel system section 31 and the combustion chamber component section 32 are changeable. The configuration of the cover 4 described here can be similarly applied to an embodiment in which the states of the fuel system section 31, the combustion chamber component section 32, and the exhaust valve 33 are changeable.

[0045] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a first configuration example of the cover 4. The diagram on the left side of Fig. 3 shows a first state. The diagram on the right side of Fig. 3 shows a second state. An arrow (a1) indicates a transition from the first state to the second state. An arrow (b1) indicates a transition from the second state to the first state.

[0046] The first upper cover part 42 is movable as indicated by the arrow (a1) to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31 from a first state to a second state. If the first upper cover part 42 is detachable from the support member, the first upper cover part 42 can be removed from the support member. Therefore, the first upper cover part 42 can be moved from a position in the first state to a position in the second state.

[0047] The first upper cover part 42 is movable as indicated by the arrow (b1) to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31 from the second state to the first state. If the first upper cover part 42 is detachable from the support member, the first upper cover part 42 can be attached to the support member. Therefore, the first upper cover part 42 can be moved from the second state position to the first state position in order to be attached to the support member.

[0048] While the first upper cover part 42 has been described here using Figure 3, the same applies to the first side cover part 41. In this example, the above description can be read as follows: The term "first upper cover part 42" can be read as "first side cover part 41." The term "state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31" can be read as "state of the side of the fuel system section 31."

[0049] The first upper cover portion 42 may be fixed to the first side cover portion 41 or may be configured as a member integral with the first side cover portion 41. In this case, the first upper cover portion 42 can move together with the first side cover portion 41.

[0050] According to the first configuration example, the cover 4 can change the state of the fuel system section 31 between the first state and the second state with a simple configuration.

[0051] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of the cover 4. The diagram on the left side of Fig. 4 shows a first state. The diagram on the right side of Fig. 4 shows a second state. Arrow (a2) indicates the transition from the first state to the second state. Arrow (b2) indicates the transition from the second state to the first state.

[0052] In a second configuration example of the cover 4, the cover 4 is configured to be deformable. The deformable form is a form in which the shape can be changed. For example, the deformable form is a form in which the cover can be deformed by stretching and contracting, but is not limited to this. The form in which the cover can be deformed by stretching and contracting may be a form like an accordion curtain.

[0053] The cover 4 is configured such that the first upper cover portion 42 is deformable. Although an example in which the first upper cover portion 42 is configured to be deformable along the x-axis will be described, the direction in which the first upper cover portion 42 deforms is not limited to this. The first upper cover portion 42 may also be configured to be deformable along the y-axis.

[0054] The first upper cover portion 42 is deformable to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from a first state to a second state as indicated by the arrow (a2). The first upper cover portion 42 can transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the first state to the second state by deforming so as to contract along the x-axis.

[0055] The first upper cover part 42 is deformable to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the second state to the first state as indicated by the arrow (b2). The first upper cover part 42 can transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the second state to the first state by deforming so as to extend along the x-axis.

[0056] Here, the first upper cover part 42 has been described using Figure 4, but the same applies to the first side cover part 41. In this example, the above description can be read as follows: The term "first upper cover part 42" can be read as "first side cover part 41." The term "state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31" can be read as "state of the side of the fuel system section 31." The term "y-axis" can be read as "z-axis."

[0057] The first upper cover portion 42 may be fixed to the first side cover portion 41 or may be configured as an integral member with the first side cover portion 41. In this case, the first upper cover portion 42 can deform together with the first side cover portion 41. For example, the first side cover portion 41 and the first upper cover portion 42 can deform together along the x-axis.

[0058] According to the second configuration example, the cover 4 can easily change the state of the fuel system section 31 between the first state and the second state without changing the position of the cover 4 .

[0059] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a third configuration example of the cover 4. The diagram on the left side of Fig. 5 shows the first state. The diagram on the right side of Fig. 5 shows the third state. Arrow (a3) ​​indicates the transition from the first state to the third state. Arrow (b3) indicates the transition from the third state to the first state.

[0060] In the third configuration example of the cover 4, the cover 4 can independently change each of the multiple target portions in the upper stage of the main engine 3 between a covered state and an uncovered state.

[0061] The cover 4 is capable of independently changing the state of each lateral side of a plurality of target portions in the upper stage of the main engine 3 to a covered or uncovered state by the first lateral cover portion 41. The first lateral cover portion 41 includes a plurality of second lateral cover portions 411. Each of the plurality of second lateral cover portions 411 is capable of independently changing the state of the lateral side of any of the plurality of target portions in the upper stage of the main engine 3. Being able to change the state of the lateral side of the target portion includes being able to change the lateral side of the target portion to a covered or uncovered state. The state in which the lateral side of the target portion is covered is a state in which the target portion faces the second lateral cover portion 411 along the horizontal direction. On the other hand, the state in which the lateral side of the target portion is not covered is a state in which the target portion does not face the second lateral cover portion 411 along the horizontal direction. The second lateral cover portion 411 is a shield for shielding ammonia.

[0062] Each of the plurality of second lateral cover portions 411 may be configured to be independently attachable to and detachable from the support member. Each of the plurality of second lateral cover portions 411 may be configured to be independently deformable. The manner in which the second lateral cover portions 411 are deformable is as described above. The second lateral cover portions 411 may be configured to be deformable along the x-axis or along the z-axis.

[0063] The cover 4 is capable of independently changing the state of the upper side of each of the plurality of target portions in the upper stage of the main engine 3 to a covered state or an uncovered state by the first upper cover portion 42. The first upper cover portion 42 includes a plurality of second upper cover portions 421. Each of the plurality of second upper cover portions 421 is capable of independently changing the state of the upper side of any of the plurality of target portions in the upper stage of the main engine 3. Being able to change the state of the upper side of the target portion includes being able to change the upper side of the target portion to a covered state or an uncovered state. The state in which the upper side of the target portion is covered is a state in which the target portion faces the second upper cover portion 421 along the vertically upward direction. On the other hand, the state in which the upper side of the target portion is not covered is a state in which the target portion does not face the second upper cover portion 421 along the vertically upward direction. The second upper cover portion 421 is a shield for shielding ammonia.

[0064] Each of the plurality of second upper cover portions 421 may be configured to be independently attachable to and detachable from the support member. Each of the plurality of second upper cover portions 421 may be configured to be independently deformable. The manner in which the second upper cover portions 421 are deformable is as described above. The second upper cover portions 421 may be configured to be deformable along the x-axis or along the y-axis.

[0065] Each of the multiple target portions is a portion through which liquefied ammonia flows. Each of the multiple target portions includes one or more fuel system sections 31. In this case, the target portion may include two or more adjacent fuel system sections 31. The target portion may include one or more sets, each set consisting of one fuel system section 31 and one combustion chamber section 32. The target portion may include one or more sets, each set consisting of one fuel system section 31, one combustion chamber section 32, and one exhaust valve 33. Here, an example will be described in which each of the multiple target portions is one fuel system section 31.

[0066] The second upper cover part 421 may be movable to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from a first state to a third state, as indicated by arrow (a3). If the second upper cover part 421 is detachable from the support member, the second upper cover part 421 can be removed from the support member. Therefore, when removed from the support member, the second upper cover part 421 can move from a position in which the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 is covered to a position in which the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 is not covered. The cover 4 can transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the first state to the third state by moving the second upper cover part 421.

[0067] The second upper cover portion 421 may be deformable so as to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31 from a first state to a third state as indicated by the arrow (a3). If the second upper cover portion 421 is deformable, the second upper cover portion 421 can be deformed so as to contract. The cover 4 can transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31 from the first state to the third state by the deformation of the second upper cover portion 421.

[0068] The second upper cover part 421 may be movable to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the third state to the first state, as indicated by the arrow (b3). If the second upper cover part 421 is detachable from the support member, the second upper cover part 421 can be attached to the support member. Therefore, in order to be attached to the support member, the second upper cover part 421 can be moved from a position in which the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 is not covered to a position in which the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 is covered. By moving the second upper cover part 421, the cover 4 can transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the third state to the first state.

[0069] The second upper cover part 421 may be deformable so as to transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the third state to the first state, as indicated by the arrow (b3). If the second upper cover part 421 is deformable, the second upper cover part 421 can be deformed so as to extend. The cover 4 can transition the state of the upper side of the fuel system unit 31 from the third state to the first state by the deformation of the second upper cover part 421.

[0070] 5 shows an example in which one of the plurality of second upper cover parts 421 does not cover the upper side of the fuel system section 31, but this is not limiting. Two or more of the plurality of second upper cover parts 421 may each not cover the upper side of the target section.

[0071] Here, the second upper cover portion 421 has been described using FIG. 5 , but the same applies to the second side cover portion 411. In this example, the above description can be interpreted as follows: The term "second upper cover portion 421" can be interpreted as "second side cover portion 411." The term "state of the upper side of the fuel system section 31" can be interpreted as "state of the side side of the fuel system section 31." The term "state in which the upper side of the fuel system section 31 is covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the side side of the fuel system section 31 is covered." The term "state in which the upper side of the fuel system section 31 is not covered" can be interpreted as "state in which the side side of the fuel system section 31 is not covered."

[0072] The second upper cover part 421 may be fixed to the second lateral cover part 411 or may be configured as an integral part with the second lateral cover part 411. In this case, the second upper cover part 421 may be movable together with the second lateral cover part 411. Alternatively, the second upper cover part 421 may be deformable together with the second lateral cover part 411.

[0073] According to the third configuration example, the cover 4 can narrow down the target portion to be maintained among the multiple target portions and change the state of the target portion from a covered state to an uncovered state, thereby reducing the workload during maintenance.

[0074] According to the embodiment, the ammonia-fueled ship 1 can be provided with a cover 4 that can be changed between a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered and a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered. For example, the cover 4 is in a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is covered except during maintenance, and the cover 4 is in a state in which the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not covered during maintenance.

[0075] Because the upper stage of the main engine 3 is a section through which liquefied ammonia flows, the upper stage of the main engine 3 is at risk of ammonia leakage. In particular, the fuel system section 31 is a section of the upper stage of the main engine 3 at risk of ammonia leakage. Even if ammonia leaks from the upper stage of the main engine 3, the cover 4 can prevent the leaked ammonia from diffusing. For example, the cover 4 can prevent the leaked liquefied ammonia from diffusing toward people. This reduces the risk of people in the engine room 2 coming into direct contact with the liquefied ammonia. For example, the cover 4 can prevent the leaked ammonia gas from diffusing toward people. This reduces the risk of people in the engine room 2 being directly exposed to ammonia gas. Furthermore, because the cover 4 can leave the upper stage of the main engine 3 uncovered, the maintainability of the upper stage of the main engine 3 is not impaired. For example, because the cover 4 can leave the upper side of the upper stage of the main engine 3 uncovered by the first upper cover portion 42, an overhead crane can easily access the pump 311 and the like from above. Therefore, ease of maintenance using an overhead crane is not impaired. For example, the cover 4 can leave the upper lateral sides of the main engine 3 uncovered by the first lateral cover portions 41, allowing people to easily approach the valves 313 and the like. Therefore, ease of maintenance performed by human power is not impaired. Therefore, the ammonia-fueled ship 1 can, with the cover 4, achieve both prevention of diffusion of ammonia leaked from the main engine 3 and ease of maintenance of the main engine 3.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the cover 4 is applied to the upper stage of the main engine 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cover 4 can be similarly applied to a portion through which liquefied ammonia flows other than the upper stage of the main engine 3. The cover 4 can be similarly applied to a portion through which liquefied ammonia flows in a structure other than the main engine 3.

[0077] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0078] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Ammonia-fueled ship, 2...Engine room, 3...Main engine, 4...Cover, 31...Fuel system section, 32...Combustion chamber component section, 33...Exhaust valve, 41...First side cover section, 42...First upper cover section, 311...Pump, 312...Pipe, 313...Valve, 321...Cylinder liner, 322...Cylinder cover, 411...Second side cover section, 421...Second upper cover section

Claims

1. An ammonia fuel ship comprising a main engine driven by ammonia fuel and a cover that can be changed to a state of covering or not covering the upper part of the main engine.

2. The ammonia fuel ship according to claim 1, wherein the cover can be changed to a state of covering or not covering a fuel system part of compressed liquefied ammonia in the upper part of the main engine.

3. The ammonia fuel ship according to claim 2, wherein the fuel system part includes a pump for compressing liquefied ammonia, a pipe through which the liquefied ammonia compressed by the pump flows, and a valve for injecting the liquefied ammonia flowing through the pipe.

4. The ammonia fuel ship according to claim 2, wherein the fuel system part is a part to be maintained.

5. The ammonia fuel ship according to claim 1, wherein the cover can be changed to a state of independently covering or not covering each of a plurality of parts in the upper part of the main engine.

6. The ammonia fuel ship according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of parts includes one or more fuel system parts of compressed liquefied ammonia.

7. A cover that can be used as the cover provided in the ammonia fuel ship according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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