Hydrocarbon Adsorbents: A Potential Polishing Step to Treat Shipboard Oily-water Waste.
Abstract
Current shipboard oily-water waste (OWW) separators installed on RAN ships frequently fail to reduce oil concentrations in OWW to specified discharge limits. The presence of detergents is the major interference. This report examines the potential of hydrocarbon adsorbents to polish OWW containing detergents, to meet the 15 mg/l MARPOL discharge limit Test OWWs were prepared containing a variety of detergents and tested with a hydrocarbon adsorbent. Results showed that strongly emulsifying detergents affected effluent quality, although some oil reduction in the effluent was experienced. Other less strongly emulsifying detergents, particularly fast breaking detergents, had little effect on oil and grease concentrations in the effluent. when these detergents were present in OWW, oil and grease concentrations could be reduced to less than 15 mg/l. Flow rates and adsorbent housing design also affected effluent quality when strongly emulsifying detergents were present. Consequently, hydrocarbon adsorbents could be used to reduce oil concentrations to the lower MARPOL discharge limit of 15 mg/l, provided some restrictions are also placed on shipboard detergent use, and adsorbent housings are constructed to minimise internal turbulence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA307299
Entities
People
- F. J. Upsher
- Lyn E. Fletcher
Organizations
- Defence Science and Technology Group