Process Overview
Bilgewater is a mixture of fuel, lube oil, cooling water and seawater leakage that collects in the engine room of a ship as well as the effluent that is produced during cleaning processes. Water with a considerable seawater content accounts for the most part. Bilgewater is heavily contaminated with partially emulsified oil. Impurities are largely bonded in the oil phase.
Sludge is produced particularly in fuel, lube oil and bilgewater treatment. There are wide fluctuations in the product composition due to the sedimentation processes in the storage tanks. Water and oil make up the biggest proportion. Solids are mainly concentrated on the tank bottom or bonded in the oil phase.
Centrifugal technology efficiently separates these products into their main constituents water, oil and solids. GEA Westfalia Separator Systems has developed a centrifuge capable of treating both products.
