Salt Water Separation

[pepei]

I am trying to find a suitable solution to a marine barge offload application. The offload pipe is often flooded with salt water between offloads, and the client uses a truck to dump the first pipe volume of salty mixed fluid. They want to somehow save as much kerosene as possible during this process. Aside from a oil/water separator, is anyone had exeprience with this type of situation?

 

[magnetchief]

I have had many years experence using sea water to maintain trim conditions within ships due to fuel usage.
We always used some sort of centrefuge/ oil water seperator to 'clean' the fuel prior to use in the main engines ect.
I really cannot think of another solution.

 

[orenda1168]

Pepei:

Adding to Magnetchief's recommendation, you might want to consider use of an appropriately chosen demulsifier to further enhance the kerosene/sea water separation through either a centrifuge or oily water separator.

Ge Betz, Nalco, Baker-Hughes among others can help you with this.

Orenda

 

[DougMSOE]

Many years ago we used a common sump pump with the float type of on/off switch.
We set up the float such that oil would make it float up but water would not cause the switch to operate. Inshort a specific gravity type of switch.
Hope this helps.

 

[skimmer]

Using a standard centrifugalsump type pump to move oil and water-creates a mechanical emulsion that no standard oil water separator can handle, and it will not separate out naturally----for a VERY long time. Although the water may look clean----our eyes are not sharp enough to detect anything less than 500 ppm oil, which is way over discharge limits. There is an Oilsmart sensor/switch available that will allow you to pump water only----if/when it sees oil it shuts the pump down, however it is not a sensitive detection device.
Probably the best way is to just drain the pipe section into a tank, let it rest and separate---then decant the water off the bottom then run the fuel thru a passive in-line fuel separator which is a cyclonic type device (with no moving parts) that runs off of existing pump pressure and drops out water and dirt. See this stuff at:

http://www.skimoil.com

 

[netherhay]

There is a Oil Content Monitor manufactured by Rivertrace Engineering Ltd that will detect oil content down to less than 5ppm, is adjustable, and provides volt free contacts for alarms or switching.
Flight Refuelling Ltd (don't be fooled by the name) manufacture a ceramic membrane bilge water separator that will handle emulsions and is certified to the latest IMO spec MEPC.107(49) - not cheap but very low through life costs.

 

[MikeHalloran]

OR, you could keep the seawater out of the offload pipe by:

- not dropping the pipe in the water

- terminating the pipe with self- closing connectors

- blowing compressed air into the pipe when not offloading






Mike Halloran
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA