Floating Emissions Control Platform for Tanker Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current emissions control systems for oceangoing vessels at berth face significant challenges, including high costs, inefficiencies, and safety concerns due to the need for tugboats, land-based infrastructure modifications, and inability to effectively capture emissions from tanker vessels, which limits their widespread adoption.
Innovation Solution
The STAXcraft system employs a floating platform with an anchoring system that allows for self-positioning relative to serviced vessels, an exhaust capture system with a flexible arm for emissions collection, and a purification system, eliminating the need for tugboats and enabling efficient emissions capture from both exhaust pipes and cargo tank vents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If land-based infrastructure modifications are used for emissions control, then emissions capture capability is improved, but implementation cost and time are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a floating platform as an intermediary between land-based infrastructure and vessels. This platform carries emissions control equipment and can be positioned near vessels without requiring permanent land-based infrastructure modifications, thereby maintaining emissions capture capability while reducing implementation complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating platform is equipped with its own propulsion system, anchoring system, and emissions control equipment, allowing it to independently position itself and perform emissions capture without requiring extensive external infrastructure support or tugboat assistance.
2Ease of operation
If tugboats are used for positioning emissions control watercraft, then positioning capability is improved, but operational cost and safety risk are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The emissions control watercraft is equipped with its own propulsion system and positioning mechanisms, enabling it to independently navigate and position itself relative to vessels without requiring external tugboat assistance, thereby eliminating the associated costs and safety risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The watercraft employs dynamic positioning capabilities through its propulsion system and anchoring mechanisms, allowing flexible and precise positioning relative to vessels while maintaining operational independence from tugboats.
3Reliability
If emissions control systems are designed for conventional vessels, then emissions capture is improved, but adaptability to tanker vessels is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The floating platform is designed with universal emissions control capabilities that can service multiple types of vessels including conventional vessels and tanker vessels. The platform can capture emissions from various sources such as exhaust pipes and cargo tank vents, making it adaptable to different vessel configurations and emission sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The platform employs flexible positioning and capture mechanisms that can dynamically adjust to accommodate different vessel types and emission sources, enabling effective emissions capture from both conventional vessels and tanker vessels with their unique structural characteristics.
4Productivity
If floating platform is positioned close to serviced vessel for emissions capture, then capture efficiency is improved, but safety risk from hazardous areas is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The floating platform serves as an intermediary that can be positioned in hazardous areas to capture emissions without exposing personnel on land-based infrastructure or on-board equipment to those hazards. The platform's self-contained design allows it to operate safely in environments that would be dangerous for other systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A novel emissions control watercraft (STAXcraft) solving a long-felt but unsolved need regarding disadvantages associated with prior-art emissions servicing watercraft, the disadvantages selected from the group, but not limited to, the use of tugboats, securing or mooring servicing watercraft to a serviced vessel, additional expenses and time-delays and inefficiencies of land-based approaches, increased toxic emissions, increased greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, danger from falling cargo, tanker safety, alongside mooring in narrow channels preventing other OGV's to pass safely, and cargo tank emissions.