Protocol development for real-time ship fuel sulfur content determination using drone based plume sniffing...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science and Engineering
• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Remote Sensing

Background:

• Maritime shipping significantly contributes to air pollution in coastal cities, primarily through sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from high fuel sulfur content (FSC) bunker oil used by ocean-going vessels (OGVs).
• Existing regulations aim to reduce SO2 emissions by capping FSC, but effective enforcement is hindered by a lack of efficient screening tools for non-compliant vessels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a lightweight, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne microsensor system (MSS) for real-time measurement of ship emissions.
• To assess the system's capability in determining fuel sulfur content (FSC) for regulatory enforcement.

Main Methods:

• Development of a 750 g UAV-borne MSS capable of measuring SO2, NO2, NO, CO2, CO, and particulate matter in real-time.
• Extensive laboratory and field experiments to evaluate sensor performance, including cross-sensitivity and meteorological effects.
• Formulation of an SO2 to CO2 concentration ratio-based FSC expression and investigation of plume dilution impacts on measurement accuracy.

Main Results:

• The UAV-borne MSS demonstrated robust performance in measuring various ship plume gases and particulate matter.
• The study successfully correlated SO2/CO2 ratios with FSC, aligning with EU regulations.
• Accuracy of FSC determination was assessed under varying plume dilution conditions at safe distances from vessels.

Conclusions:

• The developed UAV-borne sensor system is a robust tool for ship emission 'sniffing' and effective FSC determination.
• This technology provides a foundation for a framework to enhance the enforcement of maritime emission control regulations.