Method and plant for purification of oil-contaminated bilge and sludge water on a ship, and ship equipped with such plant
First Claim
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1. A method for purification of oil-contaminated water generated on a ship, comprising:
- gathering the oil-contaminated water in a bilge/sludge tank;
directing the oil-contaminated water from the tank to a heating system;
heating the oil-contaminated water in the heating system;
evaporating the heated oil-contaminated water at a sub-atmospheric pressure via an evaporation chamber that is situated at a different location than the system to obtain water vapor, oil sludge and particles and/or aerosols, the step of evaporating the heated oil-contaminated water comprising finely dividing the heated oil-contaminated water into droplets to be introduced into the evaporation chamber;
thenseparating the particles and/or aerosols from the water vapor in the evaporation chamber;
thencondensing the water vapor after the particles and/or aerosols have been separated therefrom to obtain water condensate;
thenmeasuring the level of oil-contamination in the water condensate as compared to a maximum upper limit which is 15 ppm;
re-circulating water condensate having a measured level of oil-contamination exceeding the maximum upper limit to the heating system to be heated; and
withdrawing the oil sludge obtained in the evaporation chamber,wherein the oil-contaminated water directed to the heating system is taken directly from the sludge water and/or bilge water tank without any preceding purification.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for purification of bilge and sludge water on a ship, especially at sea, using excess heat from the ship'"'"'s engine(s) to a level of oil contamination of less than 15 ppm. The invention also relates to a plant for carrying out the method, and a vessel including such plant, as well as the use of the method and plant.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for purification of oil-contaminated water generated on a ship, comprising:
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gathering the oil-contaminated water in a bilge/sludge tank; directing the oil-contaminated water from the tank to a heating system; heating the oil-contaminated water in the heating system; evaporating the heated oil-contaminated water at a sub-atmospheric pressure via an evaporation chamber that is situated at a different location than the system to obtain water vapor, oil sludge and particles and/or aerosols, the step of evaporating the heated oil-contaminated water comprising finely dividing the heated oil-contaminated water into droplets to be introduced into the evaporation chamber;
thenseparating the particles and/or aerosols from the water vapor in the evaporation chamber;
thencondensing the water vapor after the particles and/or aerosols have been separated therefrom to obtain water condensate;
thenmeasuring the level of oil-contamination in the water condensate as compared to a maximum upper limit which is 15 ppm; re-circulating water condensate having a measured level of oil-contamination exceeding the maximum upper limit to the heating system to be heated; and withdrawing the oil sludge obtained in the evaporation chamber, wherein the oil-contaminated water directed to the heating system is taken directly from the sludge water and/or bilge water tank without any preceding purification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A plant for purifying oil-contaminated water generated on a ship when the ship is in motion and stored in a bilge/sludge tank, comprising:
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a heat exchanger for heating oil-contaminated water, the heat exchanger being configured to receive oil-contaminated water from the bilge/sludge tank; an evaporation chamber external to the heat exchanger; at least one nozzle coupled to the heat exchanger and arranged in the evaporation chamber, the at least one nozzle being configured to inject oil-contaminated water heated in the heat exchanger into the evaporation chamber; a circulation pump for circulating liquid from a bottom of the evaporation chamber back to the heat exchanger, the circulation pump also being configured to direct oil sludge withdrawn from the evaporation chamber out from the circulation/process; a vacuum device for producing a sub-atmospheric pressure in the evaporation chamber; a condenser for condensing water vapor obtained in the evaporation chamber to obtain water condensate; a condensate tank for holding water condensate obtained in the condenser; a demister arranged in the evaporation chamber above the at least one nozzle; an oil gauge for measuring a level of oil-contamination in the water condensate from the condenser; a water condensate recirculating device which recirculates water condensate having a concentration of oil above a maximum upper limit to the heat exchanger; and a flow control device operatively coupled after the oil gauge in a direction of flow of the water condensate, said flow control device being configured to direct water condensate having a level of an oil contamination less than or equal to the maximum upper limit to a separate tank; wherein the oil-contaminated water fed to the process is taken directly from the sludge water and/or bilge water tank without any preceding purification. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification