Dynamic calculation of ship exhaust emissions based on real-time AIS data

The activity-based methodology is becoming an increasing way to calculate exhaust emissions from ships in a port. Existing studies make great effort to build and analyze ship emission inventory in a variety of ports by applying this method to historical ship trajectory data. This kind of static emission inventory however, cannot meet the needs of real-time ship emission monitoring. This article proposes a method of dynamic calculation of ship exhaust emissions based on real-time ship trajectory data. Firstly, real-time ship AIS messages are partitioned into continuous data blocks and go through a series of pre-processing operations, including trajectory extraction, association and interpolation. Ship activity parameters are then determined by database querying and regression analysis based on ship attributes. Subsequently, an improved activity-based methodology is employed to estimate exhaust emissions from ships in a distributed way. Based on the grid model, regional ship exhaust emissions can be statistically and dynamically calculated by the spatial allocation of all ship emissions. In a case study, a real-time monitoring platform for ship exhaust emissions in Shenzhen port is developed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Thermodynamic,environmental and economic analysis of absorption air conditioning unit for emissions reduction onboard passenger ships

In this paper, the waste heat of exhaust gases and jacket cooling water in marine diesel engines are analyzed to operate the absorption refrigeration unit (ARU). Thermo-economic and environmental analysis of the absorption refrigeration cycle operated with the two heat sources that use lithium bromide as an absorbent is carried out. The analysis is performed using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software package where the thermodynamic properties of the steam and the LiBr-water mixtures are provided. The used EES code is verified by published experimental data. As a case study, high speed passenger vessel operating in the Red Sea area has been investigated. The results show that a considerable specific economic benefit could be achieved from ARU jacket cooling water operated over that gained from main engine exhaust gases. Environmentally, applying ARU machine during cruise will reduce the annual fuel consumption for the diesel generators by 156 ton with a reduction percentage of 23%. This will reduce the exhaust gas emissions by 6.3% from the applied main engine emissions. In addition, this will result in reducing NO_x, SO_x, and CO₂ emissions with cost-effectiveness of 4.99 $/kg, 13.18 $/kg, and 0.08 $/kg, respectively.     

Health externalities of ship air pollution at port – Piraeus port case study

This paper is employing the well-known methodology of impact pathway approach to assess the external costs in human health from ship air pollution at port areas. The passenger port of Piraeus, Greece is the scenery of the study. Piraeus port is in the vicinity of the greater Athens metropolitan area where almost half of the country’s population lives. Hence, this port is the central hub of the Greek coastal passenger ship system which connects the islands of the Aegean Sea with land and is characterized by heavy ship traffic. The case study presented in this paper assesses the annual external cost in human health from air emissions produced by all passenger ships and cruise ships calling the port of Piraeus. Health cost from ships at port has been estimated at both local (Athens metropolitan area) and regional level (entire territory of Greece). Results show that higher costs occur at the local level. The dominant pollutants creating this cost are particulate matter (PM_2.5, and PM₁₀). Overall, the results indicate that the health impact of Piraeus’s passenger port emissions is not negligible; however the cost of PM₁₀ is considerably lower than the corresponded cost deriving from the land based industries of the Athens regional area for which comparison has been available.     

Port-city exhaust emission model: An application to cruise and ferry operations in Las Palmas Port

Exhaust emissions cause air pollution and climate change. The exhausts of shipboard fuel combustion are equally damaging particularly, so close to the environmentally sensitive mainland and island coasts, as well as at ports due to their urbanized character. This paper estimates, for the first time, exhaust pollutants related to cruise and ferry operations in Las Palmas Port and, in an island context. Emission assessment is based on a full bottom-up model and messages transmitted by the Automatic Identification System during 2011. Results are described as a breakdown of NOx, SOx, PM_2.5, CO and CO₂, according to ship classes, operative type and time, providing valuable information to environmental policy makers in port-city areas and islands under similar conditions. It is generally concluded that vessel traffic and passenger shipping in particular are a source of air pollution in Las Palmas Port. Emission maps confirm location of hot spots in quays assigned for cruise and ferry operations. Policy recommendations encourage regular monitoring of exhaust emissions and market-based incentives supported by details on polluting and operative profiles. On the other hand, feasibility studies are suggested for automated mooring, LNG bunkering facilities and also shore-side energy services, prioritizing berthing of shipping sectors (or sub-sectors) with the highest share of exhaust emissions once their local effects have been confirmed by a dispersion, exposure and impact assessment.     

Road vehicle emission inventory of a Brazilian metropolitan area and insights for other emerging economies

The vehicle fleet in the Ceará state has grown 180% over the last ten years. The growth of the resulting emissions is unknown in view of the expansion of this fleet in the greater Fortaleza Metropolitan Area (FMA). The largest fleet in the FMA is in the Fortaleza city itself, where flex fuel vehicles predominate (∼30%). Flex fuel motorcycles increased significantly (greater than 800%) between 2010 and 2015. This paper aims to estimate the road vehicle emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), aldehydes (RCHO), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), and particulate matter (PM) from the main road vehicle fleets of Fortaleza and its metropolitan area using a macrosimulation, bottom-up method, between 2010 and 2015. The results showed that road vehicle emissions of CO, NMHC and RCHO increased mainly by Otto cycle vehicles increase due to the introduction of flex fuel vehicles; however, the NO_x and PM emissions noticeable reduction is also a result of emission policies that seed the introduction of new technologies. In 2015, more than 70,000 tons of CO (21.2 ton/1000person), 8000 tons of NMHC (2.5 ton/1000person), 290 tons of RCHO (0.09 ton/1000person), 15,000 tons of NO_x (4.4 ton/1000person) and 600 tons of PM (0.2 ton/1000person) were emitted in the region under study. Comparing with other Brazilian regions, FMA emit higher levels of pollutants per inhabitant than the state of São Paulo and the state of Rio de Janeiro but lower levels than Porto Alegre city.     

Evaluating the social cost of cruise ships air emissions in major ports of Greece

Detailed NO_x, SO₂ and PM_2.5 emissions have been estimated for cruise ships in the five busiest Greek ports (i.e. Piraeus, Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu and Katakolo) for year 2013. The emissions were analyzed in terms of gas species, seasonality and activity. The total in-port inventory of cruise shipping accounted to 2742.7 tons: with NO_x being dominant (1887.5 tons), followed by SO₂ and PM_2.5 (760.9 and 94.3 tons respectively). Emissions during hotelling corresponded to 88.5% of total and have significantly outweighed those produced during ships’ maneuvering activities (11.5% of total). Seasonality was found to play a major role, as summer emissions and associated impacts were significantly augmented. The anticipated health impacts of ship emissions can reach to €24.3 million or to €5.3 per passenger proving the necessity of control of the emissions produced by cruise ships in port cities or policy and measures towards a more efficient cruise industry.     

Sources and exposure risk of trace elements for traffic policemen in roadside locations

Samples of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ at four types of roadside location (major road, secondary road, branch road, and expressway) in Tianjin were collected and analyzed in 2015. The average annual roadside PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations were higher than the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS: GB3095-2012). The chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in both PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ over four seasons displayed significant differences (p < 0.05). An enrichment factor (EF) analysis revealed that Cd, copper (Cu), Zn, As, Ni, and Pb in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mainly originated from anthropogenic sources. A factor analysis (FA) and correlation analysis (CA) revealed that vehicle emissions (exhaust and non-exhaust), soil dust, coal combustion, and industrial emissions were the main sources of roadside PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ in Tianjin. Both the total hazard quotients (total HQ) and the total carcinogenic risk (total CR) for selected elements in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were within acceptable limits. The HQ of Pb was higher than for other metals, and it should therefore be given special attention. The CR for traffic policemen was highest for Cr exposure (1.01 × 10⁻⁵ for PM_2.5 and 1.52 × 10⁻⁵ for PM₁₀), followed by As and Ni. A sensitivity analysis showed that the total contributions of the metal concentrations, exposure time (ET), and exposure frequency (EF) accounted for over 50% of the risk for Cr, As, and Ni, suggesting that these metals had the greatest impact on the uncertainty of health risk assessments.     

The impact of marine engine operation and maintenance on emissions

This paper examines the role of marine engine maintenance in reducing pollution. It tests four marine diesel engines, one constructed prior to January 1, 2000 and three after 2000. This paper explains how the condition of an engine’s nozzles and faulty injection pressure significantly influence NO_x and CO emissions and describes both bench and onboard ship tests, on engines fitted with new or worn nozzles at different injection pressures. The tests showed that, when the engine constructed prior to 2000 operates under normal in-service conditions, the emissions are within limits, but, with a small fault in injection timing, the NO_x emissions exceed the limits. For the engines constructed after 2000, a fault in the maintenance of the nozzles increases the CO emissions to a high level.     

Greenhouse gas emissions from ships in ports – Case studies in four continents

Emissions of GHG from the transport sector and how to reduce them are major challenges for policy makers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships while in port based on annual data from Port of Gothenburg, Port of Long Beach, Port of Osaka and Sydney Ports. Port call statistics including IMO number, ship name, berth number and time spent at berth for each ship call, were provided by each participating port. The IMO numbers were used to match each port call to ship specifications from the IHS database Sea-web. All data were analysed with a model developed by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute for the purpose of quantifying GHG emissions (as CO₂-equivalent) from ships in the port area. Emissions from five operational modes are summed in order to account for ship operations in the different traffic areas. The model estimates total GHG emissions of 150,000, 240,000, 97,000, and 95,000 tonnes CO₂ equivalents per year for Gothenburg, Long Beach, Osaka, and Sydney, respectively. Four important emission-reduction measures are discussed: reduced speed in fairway channels, on-shore power supply, reduced turnaround time at berth and alternative fuels. It is argued that the potential to reduce emissions in a port area depends on how often a ship revisits a port: there it in general is easier to implement measures for high-frequent liners. Ships that call 10 times or less contribute significantly to emissions in all ports.     

Dynamic optimization of ship energy efficiency considering time-varying environmental factors

Nowadays, optimization of ship energy efficiency attracts increasing attention in order to meet the requirement for energy conservation and emission reduction. Ship operation energy efficiency is significantly influenced by environmental factors such as wind speed and direction, water speed and depth. Owing to inherent time-variety and uncertainty associated with these various factors, it is very difficult to determine optimal sailing speeds accurately for different legs of the whole route using traditional static optimization methods, especially when the weather conditions change frequently over the length of a ship route. Therefore, in this paper, a novel dynamic optimization method adopting the model predictive control (MPC) strategy is proposed to optimize ship energy efficiency accounting for these time-varying environmental factors. Firstly, the dynamic optimization model of ship energy efficiency considering time-varying environmental factors and the nonlinear system model of ship energy efficiency are established. On this basis, the control algorithm and controller for the dynamic optimization of ship energy efficiency (DOSEE) are designed. Finally, a case study is carried out to demonstrate the validity of this optimization method. The results indicate that the optimal sailing speeds at different time steps could be determined through the dynamic optimization method. This method can improve ship energy efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions effectively.     

On-road emissions from urban buses with SCR + Urea and EGR + DPF systems using diesel and biodiesel

Due to growing concerns about NO_x and particulate matter (PM) emissions from diesel engines, stricter regulations are being introduced requiring advanced emission control technology. In response the diesel industry has begun testing various emission control technologies and applying them. To assess vehicle renewal policies of bus companies, two exhaust after-treatment technologies are compared: the combination of a diesel particulate filter and an exhaust gas re-circulation system and the combination of a selective catalytic reduction and urea. On-board emission measurements were conducted under real-world driving conditions on a specific bus route in the city of Madrid.     

Exhaust emissions generated under actual operating conditions from a hybrid vehicle and an electric one fitted with a range extender

The paper describes exhaust emission tests performed on a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), in which the combustion engine was used as a range extender. The measurements of the exhaust emissions were performed for CO₂/fuel consumption, CO, THC and NO_x. The RDE measurements were performed including the engine operating parameters and emissions analysis. This analysis shows that the engines of BEVs and PHEVs operate in a different parameter range when under actual operating conditions, which directly translates into the exhaust emission values. This is particularly the case for the emission of NO_x. The investigations were carried out for two routes differentiated by the length and share of the urban and extra-urban cycles. For both routes, the emission of THC and CO were lower for the PHEV engine – HC by 69% (22 mg/km, route 1) and 6% (15 mg/km, route 2), CO by 69% (0.12 mg/km, route 1) and 80% (0.1 mg/km, route 2). For route 1, characterized by a greater share of the urban cycle, the emission of NO_x was lower by 70% (2 mg/km) for the BEV engine, and (route 2) lower by 60% (8 mg/km) for the PHEV engine. Additionally, the curves of the exhaust emissions in time for individual exhaust components have been presented that indicate that in the motorway cycle the emission of THC and CO from the BEV vehicle increases significantly up to ten times compared to urban cycle.     

A velocity and payload dependent emission model for heavy-duty road freight transportation

The paper develops a forecasting model of emissions from traffic flows embracing the dynamics of driving behavior due to variations in payload. To measure of emissions at the level of individual vehicles under varying payloads a portable emission measurement system is used. This paper reports on a model based on data at the level of individual vehicles for a representative road trajectory. The model aggregates the data to the level of a homogeneous flow dependent of velocity and specific power, which is dependent on payload weight. We find a lean specification for the model that provides emission factors for CO₂, NO_x, HC, CO, and NO₂. The results indicate that, in comparison with earlier models, NO_x emissions in particular tend to be underestimated.     

Ship emissions and their externalities in cruise ports

This paper presents an estimation and analysis of ship exhaust emissions and their externalities in the popular cruise destinations of Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Kotor (Montenegro) along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. To this extent, the recent record (2012–2014) of cruise ships calling at these ports is used to model and estimate the ship exhaust emission inventories and externalities within the associated bays and ports.The results indicate that cruise ship traffic produces continuously increasing air pollution in both ports over recent years. More importantly, however, the analysis of the ship operating characteristics reveals that for any given ship traffic involving specific vessels using marine fuel of a given quality, the presence of other factors (e.g. berth availability, berth accessibility etc) can also influence the ship emission levels. This is particularly evident in the case of the port of Kotor where berth space insufficiency dictates the need for ship anchorage thus leading to increased air pollution and costs of associated damage.The application and results of the aforementioned ship activity-based methodology to the ports of Dubrovnik and Kotor improves our understanding of ship emissions in cruise bays and ports, and contributes toward the implementation of port policies for the effective control of air quality in such environmentally sensitive locations.     

Analysis of fuel consumption and pollutant emissions of regulated and alternative driving cycles based on real-world measurements

Discrepancies between real-world use of vehicles and certification cycles are a known issue. This paper presents an analysis of vehicle fuel consumption and pollutant emissions of the European certification cycle (NEDC) and the proposed worldwide harmonized light vehicles test procedure (WLTP) Class 3 cycle using data collected on-road. Sixteen light duty vehicles equipped with different propulsion technologies (spark-ignition engine, compression-ignition engine, parallel hybrid and full hybrid) were monitored using a portable emission measurement system under real-world driving conditions. The on-road data obtained, combined with the Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) methodology, was used to recreate the dynamic conditions of the NEDC and WLTP Class 3 cycle. Individual vehicle certification values of fuel consumption, CO₂, HC and NO_x emissions were compared with test cycle estimates based on road measurements. The fuel consumption calculated from on-road data is, on average, 23.9% and 16.3% higher than certification values for the recreated NEDC and WLTP Class 3 cycle, respectively. Estimated HC emissions are lower in gasoline and hybrid vehicles than certification values. Diesel vehicles present higher estimated NO_x emissions compared to current certification values (322% and 326% higher for NO_x and 244% and 247% higher for HC + NO_x for NEDC and WLTP Class 3 cycle, respectively).     

Real-time optimization of ship energy efficiency based on the prediction technology of working condition

Ship energy efficiency management and control is an effective strategy to improve the marine economy and reduce CO₂ emission. The determination of the best navigation speed under different working conditions is the basis and premise for real-time improvement of ship energy efficiency. In this paper, the working condition in short distance ahead of the ship related to navigation environment factors was predicted by the method of wavelet neural network, and then the best engine speed for the optimal energy efficiency under different working conditions could be determined through the established ship energy efficiency real-time optimization model. Further, by presetting the ship engine at this optimal speed, the ship energy efficiency could be guaranteed at the optimal state when the ship arrived at the navigation environment ahead of the ship, thus achieving real-time optimization of ship energy efficiency under different navigation environment factors. Experimental studies showed that the proposed optimization model was effective in energy saving and emission reduction, which could provide theoretical guidance for optimal sailing of the ship in service. Compared to traditional setting speed navigation methods, our proposed method has more practical significance to the improvement of ship energy efficiency.     

Energy use and emissions of two stroke-powered tricycles in Metro Manila

CO, CO₂, NO_x and HC emissions of two stroke-powered tricycles in Metro Manila are examined using an instantaneous emissions model. Results show that fuel consumption and HC emissions in middle class residential areas and main roads are similar but lower than levels in low income residential areas. On the average, tricycles in Metro Manila consume 24.41 km/l of fuel and produces 9.5, 9.7, 40.5 and 0.07 g/km of HC, CO, CO₂ and NO_x, respectively. They fail to satisfy HC, CO and NO_x emission limits set by reference standards in the Philippines and other Asian countries. They produce greater HC and CO emissions than gasoline fueled private cars and diesel powered public jeepneys, taxis and buses on a per passenger-km basis but significantly lower NO_x emissions. Tricycles account for 15.4% of the total HC emissions from mobile sources in the metropolis while their contributions to CO, CO₂ and NO_x are minimal.     

Natural variability in exposure to fine particles and their trace elements during typical workdays in an urban area

Studies on the natural human exposures to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and their elements composition are practically non-existent in South America. In order to understand the natural exposure of the typical Brazilian population to PM_2.5 and their trace element composition, we measured PM_2.5 concentrations and collected mass on filters for nine continuous hours during a typical workday of volunteers. In addition, bus routes were performed at peak and non-peak periods, mimicking the routine activity of the population. Mean concentrations of PM_2.5 in the bus and car groups were similar while the fraction of BCe was higher for the bus group. For all routes, mean PM_2.5 concentrations were higher during peak than non-peak hours, with an average of 43.5 ± 33.1 μg m⁻³ and 14.3 ± 10.2 μg m⁻³, respectively. The trace elements S, K and Na originated mainly from vehicle emissions; Na was associated with the presence of biofuel in diesel. Toxic elements (Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mn) were found at low levels as evident by the total hazard index that ranged from 2.15 × 10⁻⁰³ to 1.38 for volunteers. For all routes, the hazard index ranged from 2.25 × 10⁻⁰³ to 5.03. Average PM_2.5 respiratory deposition dose was estimated to be 0.60 μg/kg-hour for peak hours. Potential health damages to people during their movements and at workplaces close to the traffic were identified. Improvements in the design of the building to reduce the entrance of air pollutants as well as the use of filters in the buses could help to limit population exposure.     

Impact of Visible-Solar-Light-Driven photocatalytic pavement on air quality improvement

Photocatalytic pavement has attracted significant interest in the past decades by both the academia and industry for its ability of spontaneous cleaning of air pollutants, such as motor vehicle exhaust gas. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is used as the photocatalyst that is mixed into pavement materials or coated on the pavement to remove motor vehicle exhaust gases, e.g., carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), under the irradiation of the solar light. However, the pure TiO₂ additive only absorbs the light within the ultraviolet region due to its large bandgap. One approach to increase the ability of TiO₂ to the utilization of the full spectrum of the solar light is doping TiO₂. Therefore, this visible-solar-light-driven photocatalytic pavement embedded with doped-TiO₂ will exhibits a better cleaning efficiency of exhaust gas. This work conducted computational simulations of the cleaning efficiency on reducing exhaust gas NO₂ by photocatalytic pavement with doped-TiO₂, and its subsequent influence on the air quality in the surrounding environment. A three-dimensional model was developed for a section of pavement and its vicinal region. Effects of weather conditions, doped-TiO₂ coverages, road widths and traffic flow conditions on the removal of NO₂ and its influence to the adjacent environment were studied. Results indicate that visible-solar-light-driven photocatalytic pavement with doped-TiO₂ features a significantly higher removal efficiency of exhaust gas compared with the normal photocatalytic pavement. Moreover, the doped-TiO₂ embedded pavement is effective to remove NO₂ with different traffic densities and wind conditions, and consequently improve the air quality of the surrounding environment.     

Exhaust emissions and fuel consumption of a triple-fuel spark-ignition engine powered passenger car

This paper examines the influence of compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and gasoline fuel on the exhaust emissions and the fuel consumption of a spark-ignition engine powered passenger car. The vehicle was driven according to the urban driving cycle and extra urban driving cycle speed profiles with the warmed-up engine. Cause and effect based analysis reveals potential for using different fuels to reduce vehicle emission and deficiencies associated with particular fuels. The highest tank to wheel efficiency and the lowest CO₂ emission are observed with the natural gas fuelled vehicle, that also featured the highest total hydrocarbon emissions and high NO_x emissions because of fast three way catalytic converter aging due the use of the compressed natural gas. Retrofitted liquefied petroleum gas fuel supply systems feature the greatest air-fuel ratio variations that result in the lowest TtW efficiency and in the highest NO_x emissions of the liquefied gas fuelled vehicle.