Oily Water seperators

Gravitational
The most common type of oily water seperators found on ships are of the gravitational type. these rely on
the difference in SG of the mix to seperate out the oil from the water
Shown above is a gravitational type seperator capable of very good quality effluent discharge.
A safety valve (not shown) is mounted on the unit as are test cocs and a drain valve.
Operation
The unit is initially filled with purge water. The discharge from the pump has a sample line tae of to a
!"ppm monitor. This is lined up and in used with flushing water used until the pump is running. The unit
activation button is pressed# the oil outlet valve is closed# the suction valve is opened and the discharge
pump is started. $ilge water is drawn through the unit over a vertical arranged plate stac. The !"pp
monitor is lined up to the pump discharge sample line
As oil coalescers it is led to the oil discharge chamber. As the oil here builds up the interface
drops until the pump cut in probe is activated# the pump is stopped# the suction valve is closed# the oil
discharge is opened and the purge water is opened. %il is forced out of the oil outlet by the purge water.
&hen the oil water interface reaches the cut out the oil discharge valve and the purge water
valve is closed. The suction valve is closed and the pump started.
Alarms and shutdowns
Should the !"ppm equipment detect discharge with oil content over !"ppm it shuts the unit down and
activates and alarm
&hen the pump cut out probe is activated a timer starts# should the oil interface not reach the pump cut
in probe within a set time a alrm is sounded and the unit shutdown.
Should the oil interface reach the alarm and shut down probe and alarm is activated and the unit shut
down
Centrifugal seperators
'entrifugal seperators have been propsed for the use as oily water seperators. The quality of the output is
determined by the throughput rate. The slower the flow of oil through the seperator the better quality
output. A question mar exists over their ability to cope with fine emulsions and chemical pre(treatment is
recommended.
Seperators capable of emulsion treatment
Gravitational seperators are not capable of operation with oil emulsions # or mixtures containing oil of high
sg. Approaching ! or above. The latter may be improved by the preheating of the mixture before or during
the gravitatinal process. The former is more difficult# current regualtion requires the careful control of
detergents capable of effecting the operation of the fitted seperator.
This means that modern efficient detergents containing surfactants may be only used in
restricted quantities or not at all.
Alternatives to gravitational seperation are now becoming available capable of dealing with
these mixtures. The most common at the moment involves the use of )olyaluminium 'hloride. This causes
the emulsified oil to *oin to gether (floc). The emulsion is thus broen and the water and oil seperated.
+sing this process very high quality effluent can be produced with little of no oil or chemical content. The
cost is higher than for more conventional gravtiational seperators.
An alternative method is the useof ,lectrocoagulation. This relies on the three factors of a
stable emulsion
(-onic 'harge
(.roplet or )article Si/e
(.roplet or particle density
An electrical charge is passed through a scarificial anode made of aluminium. The released
ions are attracted to the negatively charge fine droplets of contaminants. The overal effect is one of
agglomeration with larger and larger droplet si/es being produced. -n addition gas bubbles produced by
hydrolysis attach to these droplets increasing there bouyancy. The seperated droplets rising to the surface
may be removed. This is a very efficient process and large volumes can be coped with.