Singapore: MESD researchers publish paper on accidental release of ammonia during ammonia bunkering

The Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD) on Saturday (8 April) said its researchers have published an article on ammonia bunkering and the impact of key operational parameters has on the dispersion of ammonia.

The article titled Accidental release of ammonia during ammonia bunkering: Dispersion behaviour under the influence of operational and weather conditions in Singapore was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

The centre’s researchers are Research Associate Clara Kay Leng NG, Research Lead Dr Liu Ming, Centre Director Professor Jasmine Lam, and Research Associate Yang Mengyao. 

The safety study simulates the impact of key operational parameters on ammonia dispersion and its consequences. 

The findings suggest that refrigerated storage of ammonia is most effective in reducing ammonia bunkering operational risks, and the severity of the consequences increases significantly with a release height of more than 5m. 

“In addition to avoiding the vertical release of ammonia, reducing the release duration and transfer flow rate can significantly reduce severity. Based on the scenario used in this study, the ammonia cloud disperses over a longer distance over water due to the high vaporisation rate driven by the large amount of heat generated from the dissolution of ammonia in seawater, and the dispersion of ammonia spreads over a larger area during the day than at night,” MESD said. 

“These findings provide valuable insights into the development of effective operational and mitigation control measures for ammonia bunkering operations, ultimately promoting safer and more sustainable practices in the maritime industry.”

Note: The report and article can be found here and here respectively. 

Photo credit: Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence
Published: 10 April, 2023