PONDICHERRY MARITIME ACADEMY

In this article, we delve into the critical operational factors that influence the performance of an Oily Water Separator (OWS). A proper understanding of these factors is vital for the efficient functioning of the OWS, an essential component on-board ships. Marine engineers encounter various types of Oily Water Separators throughout their careers, each with its unique features. While equipment-specific knowledge can be obtained from on-board operational manuals, a fundamental understanding of OWS operation remains consistent across types. Operational Factors Affecting Oily Water Separator Performance on Ships: 1. Avoid Emulsions: Emulsions occur when the interfacial tension between two liquids decreases sufficiently, allowing droplets of one liquid to disperse in another. Mechanical agitation, shearing forces, solvents, chemicals, surfactants, and particulate matter can reduce interfacial tension and lead to emulsion formation. 2. Avoid Chemical Emulsions: Chemical emulsions result...

Operating an Oily Water Separator An oily water separator serves the vital role of purifying bilge water, reducing its oily content to within acceptable levels for safe discharge overboard. The operation of an oily water separator is so significant that it is entrusted to either the 2nd engineer or the chief engineer, although the duty engineer may also be called upon to operate it under supervision. To ensure the proper functioning of an oily water separator, the following operating procedures must be followed: 1. The manual discharge valve for the oily water separator's overboard discharge should remain locked, with the keys held by the chief engineer. Unlock the valve and open it, along with all other relevant system valves. 2. Select the appropriate bilge tank valve from which the oily water mixture will be discharged through the oily water separator. 3. Activate the air supply if control valves are air-operated. 4. Power on both the control panel and the Oil Conten...

Every ship engineer understands the significance of the oily water separator (OWS) and may have heard stories of legal actions taken against seafarers who attempted to tamper with or bypass the OWS automation system. The primary reason for tampering with the oily water separator often stems from a decrease in system performance. Beyond the common issue of filter clogging due to continuous usage, various other factors can contribute to this performance decline. This article delves into several critical points that engineers operating oily water separators, particularly the coalesce filter type, may overlook. These insights aim to ensure the efficient performance of OWS systems used on board ships: 1. Proper Usage: The separator is designed for separating a small quantity of oil from bilge water, not the other way around. If the mixture contains mostly water with a small quantity of oil, it's best not to pass it through the OWS. Instead, transfer it directly to a waste oil tank fo...