Alfa Laval hits 100 GCU orders for LNG newbuilds

Heat transfer technology specialist Alfa Laval noted its gas combustion unit (GCU) has been ordered for boil-off gas management more than half of the LNG carrier newbuilds in 2018. 

The company said that the number of GCU’s ordered has surpassed 100 units and that it is eyeing the capture of a larger market share.

Miltos Zisis, innovation and technology manager at GasLog, the company that placed the order for the 100th Alfa Laval GCU, said, “the GCU is easily integrated into our LNG carriers and provides the high reliability we demand.” 

“Numerous GCU advances have been made at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre, such as a full free-flow application that enables full-capacity burning at low inlet pressure without the need for gas compressors,” said Pieter Borg, manager exhaust & combustion systems at Alfa Laval.

The company is also expecting to launch a smaller GCU version for commercial use in 2019. Whereas the current GCU is most suited to large vessels, the new unit will be optimized for 100–1000 kg/h of boil-off gas.

“The smaller GCU will be an excellent fit for small LNG carriers, floating storage and regasification units, LNG bunker vessels and vessels using LNG as fuel, which also need an option for burning boil-off gas,” says Borg.