Feasibility Study of Environgas Rapid Purge Technology

The overall aim of the proposed RTP project is to conduct a Feasibility Study for commercialising our innovative and patented Rapid Purge Technology (RPT), which separates gases during change of cargoes and general tank cleaning using inflatable bellows within the tank and can be used on board LGCs carrying all types of liquefied gas cargos (LPG, LNG, ethylene, propylene, butadiene etc.). The key benefits of our Rapid Purge Technology are: - Significant reduction in the time needed to purge a tanker (i.e. cost saving due to greater utilisation rate), and improved safety, with reduced chance explosions/fire to due combustion of the cargo and reduced chance of exposure of the ship crew to the toxic gas. - Tens of tons of cargo, which today is vented to the atmosphere for each cargo change, will be recovered by RPT (i.e. a zero emission technology resulting in cost savings and pollution reduction). - The ship is more flexible to trade with any liquefied gas cargo available anywhere compared with current designs (better ship utilization, less CO2 emission per ton*km transported). From the original formulation of the RPT concept in 2002 until now, we have focused on developing and patenting the core technology, creating a functional prototype of our Rapid Purge Technology and bringing it to TRL6. The next step in the evolution of our product is to conduct market maturation and pilot it in collaboration with suitable piloting partners, with the aim of rapidly bringing it to market. To this end, we intend to seek funding under the H2020 dedicated SME Instrument, to address the SMEInst-10-2016-2017 call topic in the Innovation in SME Work Programme 2016-2017, and to conduct a detailed feasibility study (both business and technical) of our envisaged business innovation project. The key result of the project, and the criteria for success, will be the elaboration of our existing business plan based on the feasibility study.