EFFECTIVE SEALING

SOLUTIONS TO
REDUCE MARINE
SHIPPING EMISSIONS

www.flexitallic.com
 FLEXITALLIC
THE FLEXITALLIC GROUP IS THE INTERNATIONAL
MARKET LEADER IN THE MANUFACTURE
AND SUPPLY OF HIGH QUALITY, HIGH VALUE
INDUSTRIAL STATIC SEALING PRODUCTS.
ABOUT US
As the developer of the spiral wound gasket in
1912, we have built on this legacy of innovation
with revolutionary products including
Thermiculite®, Sigma®, Change™ Gasket and
more recently Corriculite®, our tightest sealing
material, which is set to transform the global
sealing industry.
We have a global network of Allied Distributors
across 30 countries. This ensures local demand
is met quickly, providing a combination of the
highest product quality and outstanding
customer service.
2.
Our extensive and varied product offering
includes spiral wound gaskets, RTJ gaskets,
Flexpro™ Kammprofiles, sheet materials, dynamic
and static packings, pipe support and custom
rubber products. Drawing upon the group’s rich
history and present day values of leadership,
quality, service and technology, we are at the
forefront of developing sealing solutions for
industries around the world.
In addition to a wide range of products, we also
deliver world-class technical support and Joint
Integrity training.
OUR MISSION
MAKING THE WORLD SAFER
AND CLEANER THROUGH
ENGINEERED SEALING SOLUTIONS.
LOW EMISSION
REQUIREMENTS
MEETING 2020 LOW SULPHUR LEGISLATION
IS A CONCERN FOR OPERATORS IN THE
MARINE INDUSTRY.

The legislation requires the vessel owners/
operators to reduce sulphur emissions to
meet new environmental targets, where
non-compliance may result in hefty fines
and vessels being declared unseaworthy.
Governed by the ‘International Maritime
Organisation’ (IMO), ‘The International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships’ (MARPOL) is the primary international
convention covering the prevention of pollution
of marine environments from either general
operations or accidental causes.
Since January 2020, the MARPOL Treaty
includes air pollution control with imposed
limits. The IMO mandate that merchant vessels
have a sulphur content in fuels limited to
0.50% globally and limited to 0.10% in Emission
Control Areas (ECA’s) including: The Baltic Sea,
The North Sea, The United States, Canada, and
the United States Caribbean Sea Area.
Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) also
known as Exhaust Gas Scrubbers, are used
to remove harmful particulates such as
‘sulphur oxides’ (SOx) and nitrogen oxides
(NOx) from diesel engine exhaust gases.
These cleaning/scrubbing systems have
been developed for marine operators to
control air pollution both at sea and inshore,
by treating the exhaust gases generated by
the combustion processes in marine engines,
auxiliary engines, and boilers. These
scrubbing systems have been fitted into
vessels as emissions control systems to
meet international regulations.

EFFECTIVE SEALING SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE MARINE SHIPPING EMISSIONS 3.

 EXHAUST GAS CLEANING
SYSTEMS (EGCS)
– GAS SCRUBBERS
MARINE ENGINE EXHAUST SCRUBBERS HAVE
TWO MAIN CLASSIFICATIONS: ‘WET’ AND ‘DRY’.
‘DRY’ SCRUBBERS USE SOLID LIME, WHILST ‘WET’
SCRUBBERS SPRAY TREATED WATER INTO THE EXHAUST
GASES TO REMOVE THE SULPHUR DIOXIDE OR SOX.

Wet scrubber EGCSs are separated These technical challenges include:

into two main classifications:
• Closed-loop systems: Use fresh water
that is stored and/or produced on board
• Open-loop systems: Use sea water in
the process.
Hybrid scrubber systems can operate in
the open or closed-loop modes or both
simultaneously. The main diagrammatic
image on page 5 shows the typical
components required in a Wet Scrubber
system.
The most commonly used chemical additives
used are caustic soda/sodium hydroxide
(NaOH), Limestone (CaCO3) and
magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2).
TECHNICAL CHALLENGES FOR
SEALING SOLUTIONS
Marine engine exhaust scrubber systems
have several technical challenges that often
rule out the use of regular sealing materials.
In addition, careful consideration must be
taken when selecting the style of seal or
gasket used.
EXHAUST GAS LINES
a. High temperatures, with connections
experiencing temperatures between
450°C to 850°C.
b. Daily cycles leading to mechanical and
thermal cycle service requirements.
c. Light or low strength flanges designed to
reduce weight for efficiency – Standard
PN6 to PN40 / Class 150 - 300 flanges
and non-standard flanges often used.
d. Metal bellows.
SEA WATER LINES AND EQUIPMENT
e. Corrosion – galvanic.
f. Erosion – abrasives entrained in the
water.
g. Metallurgy.
CHEMICAL (ALKALI) TANK / LINES
h. Chemical compatibility.
i. Metallurgy
j. Light or flimsy flanges used to reduce
weight for efficiency.

4.
EXHAUST GAS CLEANING
SYSTEMS (EGCS)
– GAS SCRUBBERS
DIAGRAMMATIC INDICATING TYPICAL EQUIPMENT USED
IN A HYBRID ‘OPEN/CLOSED’ LOOP SCRUBBER SYSTEM

EFFECTIVE SEALING SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE MARINE SHIPPING EMISSIONS 5.