Boss 11T-107 Installation Manual A 0
Boss 11T-107 Installation Manual A 0
Boss 11T-107 Installation Manual A 0
FOR
M15113
Version ( A.0 )
2015.09.09
Website: www.recoveredenergy.com
Email: [email protected]
BOSS 2.2T/107
BOSS 5T/107 BOSS 11T/107
BOSS 25T/107
BOSS 45T/107
Prior to delivery the system is tested in the factory to verify that the system is watertight and
that all the pumps, valves, instrumentation and controls are operational. A factory acceptance
test and QC checklist is included in the control panel along with an electrical drawing,
mechanical drawing and various operational spare parts. Once the system has been checked
and tested at the factory it is cleaned and prepared for shipping. After the cleaning process, the
system is wrapped in shrink wrap and then crated in a wooden crate that is certified to ISPM 15
international shipping standards.
During the cleaning process all water is blown out of the system so that it can be stored in cold
temperatures without risk of freezing damage. The unit can be stored indoor or outdoor at a
temperature range of -10 C to 40 C. The unit will be shipped on a wooden pallet specifically
designed for the system so it can be moved easily with a forklift. The crate is not designed to
stack a lot of weight on top of it. The units can be stacked 2 high as long as they are the same
size. The corners are reinforced with lumber so as long as anything on top is the same size it
will support the weight. However, avoid stacking heavy objects on the center of the crate. It
will not support the weight and could cause damage to the top of the separator. The crates will
hold up to rain and humidity for a reasonable period of time. Obviously it is better to store the
unit inside a warehouse but the unit is also designed to be stored outdoors. No covering or
other preservation is required to store the units.
When the system arrives at it final destination it should be carefully checked for damage that
may have been sustained during shipping. All damage should be noted and reported to the
shipping company and to the manufacturer. If replacement parts or components are needed the
manufacturer should be informed immediately.
When you are ready to use the separator carefully remove the crate and shrink wrap. The unit
can be moved either with a forklift, while it is on the pallet, or by a crane using the lifting lugs
on the top of the separator.
If the unit is unpackaged or has been placed in operation and needs to be stored the following
should be done to protect the system from freezing or developing bacteria:
a. If the unit has been in operation and is still in place, force the unit into the fill mode
several times by opening the separator vent valve. This will help make sure there is very
little oil in the system.
b. Remove the inner and outer separator drains and drain the system into the bilge. This
will drain most of the water.
c. Open the sample valve or cap at the bottom of the pipe where the discharge and recycle
valves are located.
1. Move separator into place and mount the separator to the deck.
2. Make the necessary piping connections to your application. All piping connections to the
system are listed in the table in Attachment 1.
BOSS 2 , 5, and 11 Units: The BOSS 2, 5 and 11 systems are piped complete.
BOSS 25 & 45 Units: The BOSS 25 and BOSS 45 and larger units are shipped with the
polishing unit separate from the separator unless the skid option is ordered. These
polishing units can be installed in a separate location from the separator if needed or
desired. These units require the installer to install piping to connect the separator and the
polisher together. The inlet and outlet on these units are clearly marked. The polisher can
only be piped up one way, as marked on the unit.
All Units: It is critical that the connecting pipe runs are sized to permit unrestricted
operation of the unit. Piping that is undersized can impair the operation of the system. To
facilitate service and testing procedures it is recommended that the customer install
isolation valves at all piping connections to the separator unit.
3. The unit has been set up for the proper voltage requirements at the factory as specified by
your purchasing department. Please insure that the voltage you are supplying matches the
voltage that the unit is designed to operate on. This voltage is shown on the electrical
drawing. This schematic is found inside the control panel, as well as within the
attachment section of the operating manual. The power connections to the main power
disconnect are shown on the electrical schematics attached.
4. If the unit is in a hazardous area and has an Ex p purge control system you will need
clean instrument quality air for the purge control. Refer to the purge control manual for
the proper volume and pressure of the air. No air is required for a non hazardous area.
Every system receives an acceptance test at the factory prior to shipping. A factory authorized
technician is available to come on site for a field startup, commissioning and acceptance test if
desired. This is not required for the system, however, it is a good idea and one that we highly
recommend. The following procedures are those that a factory authorized technician will
perform. If the customer does their own startup they will need to follow these same
procedures. If the customer initially elects to do their own startup and then changes their mind
the factory startup can be done at any time. Contact your representative or the factory for the
associated costs. The factory startup can also be performed by your distributor if they have a
factory trained technician. Check with your distributor to determine if they have a factory
trained technician. The fee charged by the distributor’s technician will be determined by the
distributor.
The general steps for startup are listed here. More details are provided in the text.
Before applying power to the unit, be sure all isolation valves to and from the system are
closed with the exception of the oil out valve after CV-102.
Verify that the power is at the voltage and frequency indicated on the electrical drawing and
connected as shown on the electrical drawing. There are 2 copies in the electrical enclosure.
One copy should be kept there.
If your system is wired for 115 or 240 VAC SINGLE PHASE operation the following
procedure is NOT required. Follow this procedure ONLY if your system is wired for 3
PHASE operation. Connect power to the L1, L2 and L3 terminals on the combination motor
starter as shown on the electrical drawings. Do not remove the other wires on these terminals.
WARNING!!
An experienced and trained electrician or controls technician should do this
procedure, as potentially lethal voltages are present in the control panel.
Check rotation by manually energizing the pump. Open the control enclosure and turn the
power on by turning the disconnect shaft counterclockwise 90 degrees. Momentarily push the
contactor button with a pencil or other non-metallic item. At the same time, watch the
direction of the fan on the rear of the pump. It should rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed
from the back end of the motor (see figure 2). After testing rotation turn the disconnect off and
close the enclosure door.
Figure 1
Power Connections
Ground
The “REM” position of the BOSS selector switch is for remote on/off control. This would be
for a remote controller or for a remote level switch in the bilge sump. The unit comes from
the factory with a jumper on the REM position so that the system will operate the same at the
“ON” or “REM” positions. For any remote operation, the customer will need to connect to the
terminals provided. When the power disconnect on the BOSS unit is turned on, the power
light should come on. The TPH monitor on the 107 unit should power up and perform its self
test mode
Before the initial filling and testing, isolate the supply of oily water. It is important that the
system is tested BEFORE any oily water is admitted into the separator. Verify that the clean
water source has been turned on. It is recommended that the pressure of the clean water should
not exceed 15 psig (the vessel design pressure). The next step is to fill both the separator and
the filter.
To fill the separator, turn the system switch to ON. The separator will automatically start to fill
and the Fill & Oil Discharge light should be on. Open the separator vent valve (V001) at the
top of the separator. When the separator is full the fill valve and oil discharge valve (MOV-
101) will close (if your unit has the MOV option) and the pump will come on. The primary
separator is now full. When the pump comes on it will automatically fill the polisher. With
the inlet isolation valve closed the pump will pull from the separator to fill the polisher. That is
not a problem. It will go into the fill mode several times during this process but it will fill the
polisher with clean water. In the normal mode air will be trapped in the top of the filter. To
evacuate the air you will need to switch the backwash valves (V-006—polisher inlet-- and V-0
07—polisher outlet) to the backwash position for a short while. This will push the air out of
the polisher. When water starts coming out the backwash valve then the entire system if filled
and the system is ready to run.
IMPORTANT: If the polisher is not completely filled the TPH monitor will have problems
due to air in the polisher interfering with the oil ppm reading.
While the system is running on clean water the TPH needs to read zero. If the TPH is not
reading zero this may be caused by air in the sample lines or turbidity in the water. After a few
minutes of running with clean water the air will work itself out of the system and any turbidity
from the system should be eliminated. It is possible you may need to clean the cell with the
brush. When the unit returns with a display of “0” PPM the unit is ready for operation.
If the monitor continues to read > 0 it may need to be reset. For further explanation of the TPH
see the vendor O&M manual.
Once the system is filled with water and the TPH has been zeroed, turn the system on if it was
turned off from the filling process or if it is still on open the isolation valve to allow oily water
into the system. Establish proper flow by adjusting the flow control valve until the flow
indicator shows the proper system flow rate. Observe the pressure gauge located on the pump
outlet. It is normally not necessary to adjust the flow rate during operations once it has been
set.
Check the suction by reading the suction gauge on the inlet pipe. If the suction pressure reads
0 there are most likely leaks in the piping. If the suction pressure is > 12 inches Hg there are
either restrictions in the suction piping or the suction lift is too high. If you have removed all
restrictions and the vacuum gauge still reads > 12 inches Hg the system could have difficulty
achieving the design flow rate. In most cases the pump is oversized and the system will
accommodate a somewhat higher than normal suction head. If there is no foot valve in the
sump the system will drain every time it is shut off and will have a hard time priming. Verify
that there is a foot valve in the sump.
The 107(49) monitors are factory calibrated by law and so no calibration is needed on
startup.
When the inspectors come to verify the operation of the oil water separator, they will want to
see that the monitor will open the discharge valve when less than 15ppm and that the recycle
valve will activate when over the limit.
There is no reason to put oil in the system to verify its operation. If you were to introduce oil
to the oily water inlet, it would only be absorbed by the filter and would not demonstrate
anything, but would instead use up some of the capacity of the filter without showing any
results. If you put oil directly into the monitor it will take a while to purge the oil out of the
system once you start up and it will be harder to demonstrate the switching back and forth
between the no alarm and alarm modes.
The proper operation of the monitor can be demonstrated by simulating the alarm conditions.
This is accomplished on the Brannstrom monitor by holding the back arrow key for 4
seconds. This will simulate what happens when the unit is above 15 ppm. The discharge
valve will close and the recycle valve will open.
This can be demonstrated on the Deckma Monitor by turning the cleaning water valve to the
right while the unit is running and the discharge and recycle valves can be checked.
You can check that the valves are actuating by shutting off the isolation valves (customer
supplied) and observing the pressure gauges on the separator. For example if the discharge is
isolated and the recycle is not, you will have pressure when it is trying to discharge and no
pressure when it is recycling.
You can cause the system to go into the fill mode to demonstrate the level control by opening
the vent valve while the system is running. This will pull air into the head of the separator and
force the water down until the level probe no longer senses water. This will cause the level
control to think there is oil in the oil reservoir and will cause the system to go into the fill
mode.
BEFORE APPLYING POWER TO THE SYSTEM FOR THE FIRST TIME O.K. Remarks
1 Verify the installation connections to the right locations and proper sizing
per installation drawing
2 Make sure isolation valves are installed before and after the unit and a foot
valve in the sump/bilge.
3 Verify power connection is correct including voltage per electrical drawing.
4 Before applying power to the unit, be sure all isolation valves to and from
the system are closed with the exception of the oil out valve after CV-102.
1
Not used during normal operation
D D
C C
C
E E
A F
G
Explain
without individual tolerance indication:`10
B B
(A)OILYWATER INLET DN25 PN1.0
(B)WATER DISCHARGE DN25 PN1.0
(C)RECYCLE OUTLET DN20 PN1.0
(D)OIL DISCHARGE DN20 PN1.0
(E)CLEAN WATER SUPPLY DN15 PN1.0
(F)DRAIN INNER SHELL WITH PLUG G1"
(G)DRAIN OUTER SHELL WITH PLUG G1"
D D
C C
B B
Maintenance Space
BOSS 11T/107 ID NO
2811-00XS
Maintenance Space
6 5 4 3 2 1
Website: www.recoveredenergy.com
Email: [email protected]
BOSS 2.2T/107
BOSS 5T/107 BOSS 11T/107
BOSS 25T/107
BOSS 45T/107
The BOSS-107ä oil water separation system includes the following basic components:
1.1.4. Electrical/Controls
In the few cases where circumstances dictate, the pump is located on the inlet side of the
separator and the oily water is pushed through the separator. This requires a progressive
cavity pump running at low rpm’s in order to minimize the formation of mechanical
emulsions. In these applications the bilge or sump can be located either below or above
the separator. Once again it does not matter if the inlet pressure is negative or positive.
A process pump (P-101) is mounted on the outlet of the separator which pulls water
from the oily water sump through the pre-filter (F-101) and separator (S-101). This
placement reduces the formation of mechanical emulsions. The standard pump
will pull 10 – 13 feet (3 - 4 meters) (up to 12” Hg on the vacuum gauge) of negative
head or vertical suction lift and still provide the design flow through the unit. The
suction of the pump is continuously flooded with a positive head so there is no need
to prime the pump. The pump is a stainless steel centrifugal pump and therefore
does not need a safety relief valve. Depending on suction and head requirements for
a given installation, the process pump is generally capable of pumping more than
the designed flow through the system. A manual flow control valve is provided to
adjust the flow to the design level.
If the actual lift is more than 12” Hg on the vacuum gauge the system will still work
up to as much as 16” Hg on some models, but the flow will be restricted. The flow
indicator will still read full flow but what is happening is that the system is pulling
part of the water from the bilge and part of the water is coming from the head of the
separator because the high vacuum increases the size of the bubble in the top of the
separator pushing the water out of the head of the separator. The system will short
cycle and go into the fill mode more often than normal. The system will work at
high vacuum but it will not process the full design flow above 12” Hg. The higher
the vacuum the less water the system will pull from the bilge.
A progressive cavity process pump (P-101) is mounted on the inlet of the separator
which pushes water from the oily water sump through the pre-filter (F-101) and
separator (S-101). The progressive cavity pump reduces the formation of
mechanical emulsions. The suction of the pump will need to be flooded at all
times. If there is a negative head there will need to be a foot valve to prevent the
water from going back into the bilge from the separator. On start up the suction line
will need to be filled with water and the pump will need to be primed. The flow
rate of the pump is determined by the pressure and the rpm at which the pump
operates. A pressure regulator protects the pump in case of over pressure. It is
critical that ALL connections to the oil water separator are airtight and properly
sized for the installation.
The flow rate from the pump will vary somewhat depending on the inlet and
discharge pressures and other factors. A progressive cavity pump is designed for a
narrow flow rate range which is set by the rpm of the motor and the pressure. If the
pressure changes the flow rate will change within a narrow range. In order to
control the flow rate, the standard system includes a manual bypass valve back to
the inlet of the separator so the flow rate can be adjusted or controlled by bypassing
any excess flow. An option for an automated system to control the frequency (rpm)
of the pump motor is also available at an extra cost. The VFD option is automated
but much more expensive. A manual flow control valve is provided to adjust the
flow to the design level.
Since the pump is on the inlet of the system, the separator will always be under
pressure. The vessel is designed to handle the full pressure of the pump so no
pressure relief valve is required for the vessel. If the customer wants a PSV anyway
it can be installed for an additional fee.
If the system is operating under vacuum and the actual lift is more than 18” Hg on
the vacuum gauge (approximately 21 ft. or 7 meters suction head) the pump will
stop pulling and will cavitate. Between 14” Hg and 18” Hg, the system will still
work but the flow may be restricted.
When the pump is located on the inlet of the separator the fresh water valve is not
required because the pressure from the pump will force the oil out when the oil
level reaches the oil discharge point.
When the unit is turned on the main process pump (P-101) pulls water from the
sump through a pre-filter screen F-101 (Y-strainer). This strainer will remove
particulates larger than 1/20th of an inch in any dimension. The pre-filter screen
system also includes a check valve (CV-101) to prevent water from back flowing
from the system when the unit is off or in the fill/oil discharge mode.
Warning: The system will not operate to its peak performance if suspended solids
are present and they are not being filtered out. We strongly recommend a bag filter
option if suspended solids are an issue. The bag filter will increase the life of the
polishing filter media and it will result in lower ppm oil being measured by the
OCM monitor.
The oil water separator (S-101) is a coalescing type gravity separator that relies on
the difference in specific gravity of oil and water. The separator will not remove
aqueous fluids or fluids that have a specific gravity of near 1.0 or higher. The oily
water flows from the pre-filter into the bottom of the separator. The separator has
an inner and outer section. The water comes up through the center section of the
separator through an oleophilic media (polyethylene or polypropylene). The media
facilitates the separation of the oil from the water by providing a surface area that
attracts droplets of oil and holds them until they coalesce into larger droplets which
rise rapidly to the surface of the water in the separator. As oil collects in the top of
the separator it displaces the water and forces the water level in the separator
downward. Any gas vapor or air that enters the separator will rise rapidly to the top
of the separator where it collects with the oil. Air or vapor that collects in the
separator will be discharged with the oil. A level sensor (LS-101) in the top of the
separator detects the water level in the separator. When the water is displaced by
the collected oil to a predetermined low level, the pump P-101 turns off, SV-102
and SV-103 close, and SV-101 and MOV-101 (if applicable) open. Makeup water
is allowed into the separator through SV-101 raising the level of water in the
separator and pushing the oil out of the separator through the oil outlet valve
(MOV-101 or CV 102). Once the water reaches the high level, LS-101 causes SV-
101and MOV-101 (if applicable) to close. The main pump (P-101) turns on and
SV-102 or SV-103 opens and normal operation resumes.
Where the pump is on the inlet of the separator or in certain situations where the
inlet is pressurized it is not necessary to have a makeup water valve. In these
situations an MOV-101 is required. The MOV-101 opens to allow the oil to escape
During normal operation oily water entering the system flows up through the center
section of the separator and over the top of the inner section where most of the oil is
separated from the water. The water then flows down through the outer section of
the separator, which contains additional media. The pass through the second stage
of coalescing media helps remove any residual oil and provides discharge water
from the primary separator in most cases with less than 15-PPM oil content.
Separated water exiting the separator comes out the bottom of the outer section and
is pumped to the polisher unit.
The BOSS 107 includes a Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon meter (“TPH”, also
sometimes called an Oil Content Monitor or “OCM” or bilge alarm) that has been
certified to meet the MEPC 107(49) regulations. The TPH monitor has the ability
to automatically return non-conforming discharge water back to the sump or bilge.
The recycle solenoid valve (SV-103) and the oil in water monitor (TPH) control the
recycle action. The TPH unit is a 15 PPM oil content alarm monitor that has been
tested and approved in accordance with IMO Resolution MEPC.107 (49). The TPH
monitor is continually sampling the process stream and is designed to react quickly
to any changes in the oil content.
In some cases there is a requirement for 5 ppm discharge. The BOSS system will
accommodate a 5 ppm upper limit with minimal modification as described in the
following section. The monitor can be set to alarm at 5 ppm. For instruction on
how to reset the monitor to 5 ppm, consult the monitor O&M manual or contact
Recovered Energy.
The tubing to the TPH monitor will flow more water than is required. There is a
flow-restricting orifice in the outlet port of the TPH meter just inside the end of the
tube fitting. This will limit the flow through the TPH meter to a flow of
approximately 0.5 L/min. You cannot see the orifice without removing the tube
fitting.
The industry is moving towards a 5 ppm oil discharge limit. The BOSS system will
accommodate a 5 ppm upper limit with minor modifications. There are 3 ways to
achieve assurance of 5 ppm operation.
Option 1 is based on providing more residence time, better coalescing and removal
of suspended solids. Under this option the separator is made a little taller so that
there is more residence time in the separator. A different type of coalescing media
is placed in the separator that works in conjunction with the standard media. The
two media’s work slightly different and impact the oily water differently. The
1.2.7. Polisher
The primary purpose of MEPC 107(49) was to address the monitoring and removal
of emulsified oil. A coalescing separator will not remove chemical emulsions and
will only partially remove mechanical emulsions. Some form of post treatment is
necessary.
The standard BOSS 107 system includes a polyglass (Models 2.2T-107, 5T-107 and
11T-107) or steel (Models 25T-107 and 45T-107) polisher vessel designed to hold
bulk media. The standard bulk media used is generally organoclay. This media has
the advantage of being efficient and long lasting. Activated carbon can also be used
but does not last as long.
There are 2 types of polisher housings that are supplied. The 2, 5 and 11 gpm
systems use a polyglass polisher with a tube that goes down the center. The inlet
and outlet are both handled through the top distributor. These vessels are rated for
125 psig pressure.
Normally the system runs with a negative suction pressure. However, there are
situations where the inlet pressure can be positive. For example, if the bilge or
sump is higher than the separator or if the bilge is more than 6 meters below the
separator and a pump is required at the bilge or if the oily water is being pumped to
the separator.
The separator will normally operate the same in either vacuum or positive pressure
conditions. The principles of operation are the same. The controls are the same.
The valves function the same. A positive pressure setup has a few differences from
the standard vacuum pressure setup. With a positive pressure:
1. You will need to have a motorized valve on the oil discharge. For vacuum
situations we use a check valve to keep anything from coming back into
the separator. However, with positive pressure the check valve will not
work and a motorized valve is required.
2. Depending on the inlet pressure it may be necessary to relocate the OCM
discharge line. Normally we put the OCM water discharge back into the
separator and let the vacuum pull it back into the separator. However, if
there is positive inlet pressure this will only work if the discharge pressure
requirement is greater than the inlet pressure. In most cases this works,
however, there may be situations where the discharge water line from the
OCM will need to be relocated to the discharge side of the recycle valve
so the water goes back to the bilge instead of into the separator.
3. The inlet gauge is a combo vacuum/pressure gauge. The pressure side is
15 psig (1 bar). If the inlet pressure is greater than 15 psig you will need
to replace the gauge with a pressure gauge that has a higher pressure
rating.
4. The normal design pressure for the separator is 40 psig (2.6 bar). If the
inlet pressure is greater than 40 psig a pressure reducing valve will be
required to keep the inlet pressure within its design rating.
5. If the factory knows about the pressure condition upon order we will make
any necessary adjustments at the factory. If the condition changes over
time or if the factory is not informed of the situation upon order then the
operator will need to make any adjustments.
NOTES:
Custom designs are available to vary specifications
Combinations of specs may have pricing implications
Oil Discharge Pressure equals the pressure of the makeup water inlet, but should be restricted to less than 15 lbs.
Installation procedures outlined in the installation manual should be followed before this
initial procedure. Verify that the clean water source has been turned on. It is
recommended that the pressure of the clean water should not exceed 15 psig (the vessel
design pressure). Turn the system switch to ON and follow the startup procedure in
Section 4 of the Installation Manual.
After all of the specified testing has been completed and the system has run satisfactorily
with the water flowing through the polisher, then the system can be put in normal
operation. Turn the switch to ON and open the sample lines to the TPH. The unit will
then monitor the outlet stream and automatically switch between discharge and recycle as
needed. The system is designed to operate without operator interface except in certain
conditions as described below.
The systems are designed to handle up to 12” mercury suction vacuum and
approximately 80 feet of discharge head where a standard centrifugal pump is used. If a
progressive cavity pump is used in front of the separator it will handle up to 18” mercury
suction vacuum with approximately 80 feet of discharge head.
With the progressive cavity pump, the pump is designed for a specific application and is
not very flexible. It will have a small operating range. Anything outside that range will
either cause the pump to cavitate on the low end or to stop pumping on the upper end.
With a centrifugal pump, the pump is oversized so that the same pump will work in most
all situations. It is also generally easy to switch from one voltage to a different voltage.
The standard BOSS line of oily water separators with a centrifugal pump can be
configured to any voltage from 110V to 575V. If you have a pump that has been
configured for one voltage you can switch it to a different voltage. To change from one
voltage to a different voltage at the same frequency and phase just change the tap on the
motor. A change between single phase and 3 phase will require a motor change. It is
also possible to switch from one frequency to a different frequency. Modifications from
380/415 – 50 hz to 440/480 – 60 hz. are as outlined below:
One of the major issues the industry faces in brown water is silt. It will plug the polisher
and it will impact the accuracy of the TPH monitor. Backwashing the polisher will
increase the life of the organoclay media. We have developed several options for
removal of the silt.
a. Option 1 – Backwash System: The system will come with a 3-way manual
backwash valve assembly. This allows the operator to backwash the polisher whenever
they want. This valve assembly will come installed for each system. In order to add
the valve to an existing system we have prepared a kit that can be used to convert any
system. Pricing for the kit is available from the factory or most distributors. This option
will work very well for most situations and will significantly extend the life of the
organoclay media.
The timing of how often to do the backwash will be determined by the differential
pressure across the polisher as measured by the inlet and outlet pressure gauges. When
the differential pressure rises, simply change the valve positions to the backwash mode
and let it run for about 5 minutes. You can pipe the backwash back to the bilge. This
will cause silt to build up in the bilge. Periodically the bilge will need to be cleaned out
to remove the silt. It is also possible to pipe the backwash so that it goes through a filter
to remove the silt. This will prevent the buildup of silt in the bilge. The system does not
come with such a filter and would have to be added by the customer if needed.
Alternatively, it can be ordered separately from the factory or a distributor.
It is possible to automate the 3-way valves to make the backwash process automatic. The
system will not come this way but this option can be added. To obtain a quote call the
factory or a distributor.
All of these options are simple to install and will effectively address the silt issue and
extend the life of the organoclay. We recommend that any operator that is experiencing
silt issues should consider one of these options if not already part of the system.
The only alarm condition that requires operator action is when the polisher has reached
maximum hydrocarbon saturation. This is determined by the inability of the separator
and polisher to remove oil below 15 PPM. At this point, the TPH monitor will not be
discharging water overboard but is in a continuous recycle mode.
Cycle the TPH several times through with clean water and clean the cell glass with the
brush located on the side of the panel by removing the cell plunger located on the top of
the cell before it is determined that the polisher is full. If, after cleaning the cell, the TPH
level is still above the 15-PPM limit, it is time to change the Polishing media. Sometimes
it is possible to reverse the flow through the separator and stir up the media. Sometimes
this will extend the life somewhat. For 2 and 5 gpm systems it is easy to reverse the flex
hoses and reverse the flow. For the other systems it is more difficult.
There is 1 alarm condition and 4 action conditions that require operator response.
2.5.1. Oil in Discharge Water Alarm—If the oil in the discharge water is greater than 15
PPM the TPH monitor will alarm. A TPH alarm will cause the system to
automatically go into recycle mode until the condition no longer exists. The alarm
light on the TPH panel indicates that the system is in recycle and that oil greater
than 15 PPM has been detected in the water. There is an adjustable 0-20 sec. delay
timer in the TPH that is met before the recycle valve is actuated.
2.5.2. Plugged pre-filter—If the pre-filter is plugged the pump will not pull the design
flow of water through the system. When this happens it is time to clean the filter.
A better approach would be to set up a routine schedule to clean the filter. The
timing for cleaning the filter will be determined by the customer based on operating
conditions.
2.5.3. Short-cycle condition—If the inlet pump is pulling air into the system from leaks in
the piping, air will collect in the top of the separator and force the oil down. This
will cause the level sensor to read hi oil level and will cause the system to short
This is also a possible indicator that the external sump low level switch is faulty,
and the system is sucking the sump dry. Check the sump level switch or adjust the
system flow rate. If the inlet line is plugged, or the pre-filter is plugged, the
separator will likely short cycle. Remove the restriction. If the process flow is
greater than the design it can also cause a short-cycle condition.
2.5.4. Excess flow condition—The system is designed to process the oily water at a
specific flow rate. The pump is capable of pumping more than the design flow rate
to accommodate many possible variables with suction and discharge lift that may be
encountered with each application or installation. The flow adjustment valve (V-
003) must be adjusted to the designed separator flow rate for your unit. Processing
more than the design flow will reduce the efficiency of the separator. An excessive
flow rate could also cause other problems in the system such as a short cycle
condition. When the system is initially started up the flow rate should be adjusted
to achieve the design flow, and periodically checked if there is a possibility that the
position of the flow adjustment valve V-003 has been changed.
Operating properly the BOSS 107 Separator system will reduce the oil in your discharge
water to below the 15 ppm limit set by the IMO MEPC regulation 107(49). In many
situations the oil content will be significantly lower than the 15 ppm. With the 5 ppm
option the oil content will be below 5 ppm. You can expect the following results from the
system:
2.6.1. With no emulsions present and using organoclay in a down flow configuration, the
system will generally remove any free oil and the monitor will generally read 0-1
ppm.
2.6.2. Assuming no emulsions and carbon, the oil content in the discharge will be higher
than with organoclay.
2.6.3. The higher the volume of oil in the oily water the more oil the primary separator
will discharge. For example, in most situations the primary separator will remove
free oil to < 15 ppm. However, with high concentrations of oil the primary
separator will pass more than 15 ppm oil. The separator will handle 100% oil for
short periods of time. It will run 35% oil continuously. However, as the oil
concentration goes up so will the amount of oil in the water leaving the separator.
This is generally not a problem because the organoclay polisher will take out
whatever the primary separator does not remove. The more oil in the separator
discharge the faster the post polisher media will be consumed but the system will
accommodate such conditions.
2.6.4. If the separator is not being used all the time or is not running full time at the design
rate, the performance can be improved by slowing down the separator. The flow
The only work you can do on the monitor is to change the cell or clean the cell or
perform some other minor functions explained in the oil content monitor instruction
manual. Any other work must be done by the factory. A separate instruction manual for
the oil content monitor is attached.
The oil content monitor cell will need to be cleaned on a regular basis. To clean the cell,
turn the 3 position switch to the OFF position. Then go to the “clean and test” mode on
the oil content monitor. This will show how dirty the cell is. The cell must be below
50% dirty in order to read accurately. Push the “clean cell” button. This will open the
solenoid valve and bring clean water into the cell. Let the clean water flush through for a
couple minutes. Then shut off the water button and open the top of the cell and brush out
the cell using the brush that comes with the unit. Do not use toothbrushes or other
brushes that do not have a soft end. Brushes can be ordered from your distributor or the
factory. Once the cell is brushed screw the top on the cell and push the water button
again to flush clean water through the cell again. Make sure the system is less than 50%
dirty. The system can now be turned back on. Do not shut off the disconnect. The
monitor will need power in order to control the solenoid valve and go through its
functions. You should read and refer to the separate OCM manual for more details on
how to operate and maintain the OCM.
There are times when the cell can be coated with material that is hard to get off. You
may need to use soap or vinegar or some other cleaner that is non abrasive to get the cell
clean.
At IOPP certificate renewal time every 5 years, the calibration of the OCM has to be
verified. In some cases the OCM may require recalibration. The cell can be sent back to
the factory in order to be recalibrated. IMO requires that the OCM be recalibrated by the
factory or a factory authorized center. Check the calibration certificate that comes with
the system in the O&M manual to verify the calibration date. If you have lost your
calibration certificate or if the cell is ready for recalibration either contact your distributor
or the factory. A common recommended alternative is to simply purchase a new
measuring cell that has a recent calibration and replace the old one.
There are no special tools, test equipment or materials needed for servicing and
maintaining the system except the following:
If the system is connected to a level control in the bilge sump the separator will
automatically come on and off according to the high and low settings on the level control
and no manual intervention is required. If there is no level control in the bilge then the
system will need to be started and stopped manually. Startup procedures are shown
above. To shut the system off simply turn the 3 position selector switch on the face of
the control panel to the off position.
If the shutdown is required for any maintenance that requires opening the panel or
servicing an electrical component, make sure that the disconnect on the separator AND
the main breaker is turned off and the system is locked out and tagged according to
standard lock-out, tag-out procedures.
To clean the cell, do not shut off the disconnect. You will shut off the 3 position switch
but not the disconnect. You will need power to the system to operate the oil content
monitor during the cleaning process.
2.11. Reprogramming
The control system is not PLC controlled and there is no programming or reprogramming
required. There is a logic chip for the level control but it cannot be reprogrammed. If the
level control is not functioning properly the level relay will need to be changed out. A
new relay is less expensive than the cost to troubleshoot the relay.
The system does not have installed redundancy. The general maintenance philosophy for most
of the components is to replace the components as they fail. We have not developed a mean
time between failure for most of the components because every situation is different. The
system does not generally run continuously—only when the bilge level increases to a
designated level. In general there is adequate time to make any required repair without
impacting the bilge water level. We recommend maintaining critical spare parts in inventory
so that if there is a failure the part can be replaced quickly. Every component can be changed
within a few minutes.
There are no components that need to be overhauled. In most cases the components are fairly
inexpensive and it is less expensive to replace the part than it is to overhaul or repair the part.
The only exception to this is the oil content monitor, which is the most expensive component
on the system. In the case of the oil content monitor it is against IMO regulations for the
customer to do any maintenance on the system other then cleaning the cell and other minor
service. If the monitor fails it generally has to be sent back to the factory for repair. Any
attempt by the customer to break the seal and open the monitor will void the validity of the
monitor.
There are some routine maintenance functions that need to be performed to keep the system
running at peak performance.
3.2.1. Pump—The pump installed on the system does not require lubrication. The
mechanical seal should be replaced periodically or when it fails.
3.2.2. Valves—The valves installed on the system are high quality marine grade valves
and do not require lubrication. If sand particles get into the solenoid valves it can
cause them to leak and they will need to be cleaned. The coils and gasket will need
to be replaced periodically or when they fail. NEVER remove the solenoid cover
from the valve with the power on. This will IMMEDIATELY destroy the coil and
will void any warranty on the valve. If you need to service the valve, loosen the
large nut at the base of the coil and remove the entire coil assembly. This will
expose the plunger and allow you to replace the o-ring and disc or clean out any
sand. If you need to change the coil you will need to disconnect the power before
removing the cover.
3.2.3. TPH (OCM) Monitor—The TPH will need a periodic check of zero against clean
water, and frequent cleaning of the glass sample cell. For Deckma monitors, the
dessicator will need to be replaced whenever the color indicator is not blue. It is
possible to bake out the dessicators in an oven at low temperature. A spare parts kit
is recommended for the Deckma TPH. The Brannstrom monitor does not require a
3.2.4. Coalescing Media— The coalescing media inside the separator is not to be
confused with the filter media. The coalescing media does normally not need
cleaning. It tends to work better the more oil it accumulates. It rarely will need
replacing. Under normal circumstances we expect the coalescing media will need
changing only once every 5-10 years. It does not require specific maintenance or
replacement under normal operating conditions. If the media is damaged by adding
chemicals to the water or for some unusual reason you should do the following in
order to change out the media:
1. Remove the old media. This is easier if you make a hook using a small
diameter rod. Shove the rod down the side of the media. Turn 90 degrees so
the hook part is under the media and use the hooked rod to pull the media up.
(It is easier with 2 hooks.) For larger systems the media may have to be cut
out in pieces.
2. The replacement media should come packaged with an inner section and an
outer section. Both sections come a little over sized.
3. It doesn’t matter which section you install first. Place the media in the proper
section and get it started, making sure not to damage the edge of the media
trying to force it in place. The media should be tight but not too tight. The
center section will compress more than the outer section and it can be a little
tighter. If the outer section is too tight it will be hard to push down and could
buckle. You may need to trim a small amount off the rolls—either the inside
of the roll or the outside or both. To do this just cut off the excess with a
utility knife. If you cut too much that is not a problem—just add some back.
If you have to add any back unroll the media bundle a little and insert the
small piece and re-roll the bundle.
4. It is easier to push the media into the vessel with 2 people. Both people can
help get the media started and then push it down uniformly. If there is only 1
person it is easier if you can use the round piece of wood to put on top of the
media and push down uniformly. We have found that when the media is
almost in place it gets hard to push down. We use a couple of short pieces of
2 x 4 to help us push down the last little bit. On the larger systems we find
that it works well to walk around on the media and use your weight to push it
down. You should be able to jump up and down on the media to help push it
down on the large units.
5. The inner section should be pushed down about 1-2 inches below the weir on
2 and 5 gpm units and about 4-6 inches on the larger units. The outer section
should be pushed down just below the weir.
3.2.5. Polisher Media—The polisher media will need to be changed when the oil content
monitor will not go below 15 ppm AND you have cleaned the cell. High oil content
can be caused by using surfactants and other cleaning chemicals that make hard-to-
remove chemical emulsions. We recommend the use of cleaners that do not cause
1. The procedure is basically the same as with the smaller units except that the
housing has a manway cover that will be removed. The new sand and
organoclay or carbon is dumped into the manway opening. The sand should
be filled at least 5” above the bottom distributor but not more than 50%.
Organoclay and/or carbon should be loaded at least 8” below the top
distributor.
2. If the manway cover gasket is damaged you may need to replace the gasket.
The following table shows the number of buckets that should be used for each size
vessel. Do not overfill the polisher vessels. In some cases there will be a little
more media than is required because the vessel size doesn’t match exactly with the
buckets. If you overfill the vessel vacuum out the excess.
You can also hire a local filter company (such as US Filter) to change the media.
They will come out and vacuum out the polisher and replace the media.
You can also order a replacement polisher, swap out the new polisher for the old
polisher and return the old polisher for a credit to the factory or to your distributor
Sand Organoclay
2 gpm
buckets 0.5 2
weight 30 60
5 gpm
buckets 1 4
weight 60 120
11 gpm
buckets 2 7
weight 100 210
25 gpm--5 ft x 30” filter
buckets 8 14
weight 400 420 23" from top
45 gpm buckets 10 28
weight 500 840 21" from top
3.2.7. Flow Indicator—The flow indicator is an industrial class, direct reading indicator
that is simple to use and install. It provides an excellent way to measure the flow
through the system without having to use an expensive meter. If the glass gets
cloudy or breaks, the cover is easily removed and a replacement glass can be
installed. The spring inside the indicator is specific to each size unit and is not
interchangeable. The spring can be changed by removing the cover. The separator
system will function perfectly fine without the flow indicator. The only impact is
that you will not know exactly what the flow rate is. If the flow indicator fails the
system can be operated normally until a replacement can be procured. In this
situation the system can be operated based on its performance. If there is too much
flow going through the separator, the efficiency will decrease. If the oil content in
the discharge goes up slow down the flow and the efficiency will improve. As long
as the separator is meeting IMO requirements it is not critical to know the exact
flow rate during a temporary situation.
The separator is designed to hold water all the time. Should it become necessary to drain
the separator for any reason you should cycle the system between fill and normal
operation several times in succession to eject as much oil as possible from the top of the
separator. To cycle the unit place the system in normal operation, close the inlet valve
that is located on the inlet side of F-101 and open the vent valve (V001). The unit will go
into fill mode as soon as the fluid level in the top of the unit is pumped down to the low-
level sensor. This should happen in approximately 30 – 60 seconds. The unit will cycle
between fill and normal operation as long as the vent is open and the inlet is closed.
Three cycles should be enough to dilute and reject as much oil as possible. Then proceed
to open the drain plugs D1 & D2. This will drain both of the internal sections of the unit.
Leave the vent open to facilitate the draining process. To refill the unit follow the
procedure outlines in 2.4.
The following suggestions are provided for situations that have been encountered in the past:
The BOSS system is designed to go into fill mode (Cycle) when the oil water interface
reaches the low level. If conditions are normal this should happen no more often than
every 30 minutes. If the system is cycling more often than that, several problems may
exist. The most common thing that will cause the system to recycle prematurely is when
air is drawn into the system and pushes the interface level down to the low level. If the
connections are not air tight, air will be pulled into the separator or if the inlet is
restrictive it will cause the unit to cycle between fill and discharge in a less than 30-
minute cycle. The larger the leak or greater the restriction the faster the cycle time.
If the vacuum gauge is reading more than the design rate you should first look for factors
that could be impacting the suction lift. These may include too small inlet piping,
restrictions in the line, to many fittings or too many valves. If the situation demands a
high suction lift and a high discharge head and a stronger pump is needed then a higher
pressure polisher may be required to accommodate the increased pressure.
If the flow through the system becomes reduced it could be caused by a plugged pre-
filter. To unplug the filter, remove the screen, clean it and reinstall the screen.
Low flow can also be caused by a plugged post polisher. In some cases suspended solids
in the bilge water will collect on top of the organoclay and cause the polisher to a plug.
In these situations an optional sand filter is recommended to be installed prior to the
organoclay polisher to remove these suspended solids before they reach the organoclay
polisher. Once the organoclay polisher is plugged with solids it will most likely need
replacing. If suspended solids are a problem in your installation we recommend you
purchase a backwash valve for the top of the polisher. This can be purchased in a retrofit
kit and will extend the life of the separator significantly when suspended solids are
present. It is highly recommended that something be done about the solids before
replacing the organoclay and restarting the system as it will likely plug again. The best
alternative is either the backwashable sand filter if turbidity is very high or the backwash
valve on the organoclay filter when turbidity is not quite so high.
In some cases we have found that the bilge is full of bacteria that is growing in the bilge.
This will plug the polisher and will also cause the TPH to not work because it will
discolor the water and cause the TPH to alarm. If there is bacteria in the bilge is must be
removed with chlorine or something else that will kill the bacteria and keep it from
returning.
The TPH monitor is designed to alarm if the oil content exceeds the set limit or if the
TPH system fails or (for a Deckma monitor only) if the blue handle on the detector is in
the test mode position. If the oil content exceeds the set limit the TPH alarms internally
and causes the system to go into recycle mode until the alarm condition no longer exists.
The alarm will show on the TPH display and will be recorded by the TPH data logger.
Under a system fault alarm the alarm will show on the TPH display. Any TPH alarm or
fault condition will automatically put the system into the recycle mode. Potential causes
of the TPH system fault include:
a. loose or improperly inserted data card
b. loss of communication between the display and the detector (loose cable)
c. internal board or power supply failure
(See separate TPH O&M manual for a more detailed explanation of the TPH monitor.)
The customer can connect directly to the TPH and obtain the following information at a
remote location:
a. 4-20 ma signal showing the ppm oil content in the water (0-20 ppm)
b. Voltage free contact for the TPH alarm
c. Voltage free contact for the TPH system fault
The customer can connect to the main control panel and obtain the following:
a. 120 v signal showing whether the system is in normal operation mode (pump is
running and either discharging water or recycling water)
b. 120 v signal showing whether the system is in fill mode (pump is not running, the
system is filling and oil is being discharged)
c. The customer can remotely start or stop the system with an external voltage free
contact.
The above control features are standard with the system. Any other control features that
the customer would like to have can probably be done for an additional fee.
If a solenoid valve does not work, the most likely cause is a failure of the coil or a loose
wire. You can verify the electrical continuity from the control panel. To replace the coil,
turn off the power to the system, disconnect the wiring, remove the cover and replace the
coil.
NEVER remove the coil with the power still connected. You will destroy the coil
instantly if the coil is separated from the valve and the power somehow is either left on or
gets turned on.
If the valve needs a new gasket or O ring turn off the power and make sure there is no
power to the coil. Then loosen the nut just above the valve and remove the coil section.
4.6. System goes into fill mode but the fill valve does not open
For systems with the optional MOV valve on the oil discharge, the MOV and the fill
valves should open when the system goes into fill mode. If the MOV opens but the Fill
Valve does not open then it is possible that the MOV switch is faulty. If the switch does
not make complete contact then the MOV will open but SOV 101 will not do anything.
If this happens you have a bad switch on the MOV and need to replace the switch.
4.7. High oil content reading causing water to recycle and not discharge overboard.
a. If there is turbidity in the water the TPH monitor can give a false oil content
reading. If this happens, a filter option may be needed to remove turbidity. You
can either add a sand filter or cartridge filter to remove the turbidity. If this is done
it is recommended to be placed just prior to the organoclay polisher in line.
Alternatively, you can change the loading in the polisher to include more sand in
the bottom of the polisher and less media.
b. If you have high levels of emulsions and the organoclay is not removing the oil
adequately, you may need to use carbon instead of organoclay or you can use a
combination of carbon and organoclay. Carbon will work better for emulsions and
organoclay will work better for free oil. If you use the combination you should
load a bed of sand first, then carbon and then organoclay. The water goes down
through the media. It is best to go through the organoclay first and then the carbon.
c. If you are running high concentrations of oil the primary separator may pass more
than 15 ppm oil. The system will handle up to 100% slugs of oil and will handle
35% or more on a continuous basis. However, the water coming out of the
separator will also go up in oil content. This is generally not a problem because the
organoclay polisher will remove the oil. However, the organoclay media will fill up
faster and the media will need to be changed more often.
d. In most situations the organoclay will remove 100% of the free oil that goes
through the polisher. As the organoclay fills up with oil the ppm oil in the
discharge will rise until the monitor goes into alarm. When this happens it is time
to change the media.
e. Sometimes a high TPH reading has nothing to do with the polisher and is simply
caused by a dirty TPH cell. The glass in the cell should be cleaned on a regular
basis. This should be the first thing checked when the monitor is in alarm mode.
f. One important thing to check is to make sure the flow rate is not over the design
rate. Letting the water flow through the separator as a higher rate than the design
rate will reduce the efficiency of the 1st stage separation because the residence time
is not sufficient. Lowering the flow rate will increase the residence time and the
efficiency of the separation and lower the oil content of the water to the polishing
filter.
In rare situations it is possible to pull high enough vacuum and collapse a fiberglass
Polisher vessel. There are 3 situations where this is possible:
a. If the operator is pulling high vacuum and shuts off the inlet ball valve and then shuts
off the unit. In this case the separator will be under full vacuum and if the inlet is
restricted it will not allow the separator to pull water from the bilge so it will pull
from the filter. If the pressure in the filter is low at the time then it is possible to pull
enough vacuum to collapse the fiberglass filter.
b. If the Y strainer is plugged or there is some other obstruction in the inlet piping and
the unit is shut off then you will have the same condition described in “a”.
c. If the filter vessel is tightened down too tight it is possible for the filter clamp to
flatten the filter so that when there is vacuum pulling it is easier to collapse the filter
where the filter clamp is located.
These conditions are rare but possible. There are several ways to address this situation:
a. Don’t shut off the inlet isolation valve until after the separator has had a chance to
relieve the vacuum.
b. Keep the Y strainer clean.
In order to prevent this from happening we have located a check valve (CV-103) on the
inlet side of the filter tank. This will prevent the separator from pulling vacuum from the
filter and will prevent the collapse of the fiberglass Organoclay tanks on the 2, 5, and 11
GPM units. It is not an issue for 25 or 45 gpm units. If for any reason your unit does
not have a check valve on the inlet line to the filter you should install a check valve or
ask the factory or your distributor for a check valve. The factory will provide this check
valve at no charge.
b. Electromagnetic
The system has been tested under EN Standard 61000-6-2:2005 and EN 61000-6-4:2007
for electromagnetic compatibility by an independent laboratory and was found to have no
EMI or EMC interference or hazard to the operator.
The control panel has an IP 66 rating. All components in the control panel are finger
safe.
The separator operates under vacuum so there are no pressure issues. Even through the
separator vessel operates under vacuum it has been designed according to ASME Section
VIII standards at 45 psig pressure and has been tested at 65 psig pressure.
The system does not require hand rails, ladders, scaffolds or any other devices for access
to the separator or post polisher.
The system has its own disconnect, which must be turned off in order to open the control
panel enclosure. The system is protected by fuses.
If the inlet has a positive head then an MOV is required for the oil discharge. Otherwise
this feature is optional.
Boss systems come standard without a skid or drip pan. This option can be ordered
with any system.
This option is designed for situations that require a higher suction lift. This option will
allow the separator to pull up to 16 feet (5 meters) of negative head.
The system is normally rated for a 10 ft. (3 meter) suction lift. A dual suction/pressure
gauge is provided on the inlet of the separator that reads in inches of Hg. 8.8 inches of
Hg is equal to 10 ft of suction lift. If the inlet vacuum gauge is reading more than 8.8 in.
Hg then the system may not be able to achieve full design flow. This will handle most
situations. In cases where the suction lift is more than 3 meters but less than 5 meters
some minor changes can be made to the system to achieve up to 5 meter lift (16 ft or 14
inches Hg). If the suction lift is more than 5 meters then a progressive cavity pump and
other changes are required and the price will go up significantly.
There are 2 different technologies for monitoring Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons. The
most common monitor uses light refracting technology. The three primary suppliers are
Deckma, Brannstrom and Rivertrace. REI uses either Deckma or Brannstrom. These
monitors are relatively inexpensive. However, turbidity in the water will be measured as
oil since the light refracts off the particles the same as it refracts off oil. If the turbidity in
the water is greater than 35 NTU, the monitor will go into alarm even if there is no oil
present. If your system has turbidity then it possible that a secondary filter will be
needed to remove the turbidity before the TPH. If the TPH alarms it does not necessarily
mean that the system is not removing oil or that the oil content is > 15 ppm. If the post
polisher back pressure is increasing it is likely plugging up with solids, which indicates
the presence of turbidity. If the oil content increases without an increase in back pressure
then the post polisher is removing oil and the issue is likely emulsions of high
concentrations of oil coming through the system.
The second technology uses ultraviolet light to shine through the water. Hydrocarbons
will fluoresce when ultraviolet light is present. Each hydrocarbon has a defined color.
The spectrum for various hydrocarbons is known and is measured based on the intensity
of the color. The primary supplier for this technology is Turner Design. Turner monitors
are much more expensive than the other type of monitors but they are not impacted by
turbidity. If the application has a lot of turbidity and a sand filter or other form of
The BOSS system is also certified to use standard cartridge filters or Mycelx filters. The
primary types of media are activated carbon and organoclay. Each type has advantages
and disadvantages depending on your specific needs. Carbon generally works better than
organoclay for most emulsions. Organoclay works better than carbon for any free oil,
BTEX, heavy metals or turbidity. The mix of media can be adapted to fit any specific
requirement. If you have a mix that does not fit your specific requirements or is not
performing as you think it should, call the factory and we will work with you to design a
mix that meets your specific needs.
Bulk polishers have certain advantages over cartridge filters. A cartridge filter for a 2
gpm system will hold about 5 ounces of oil. The same size cartridge filter that has been
treated with Mycelx coating will hold about 1.5 lbs. of oil. The BOSS bulk media
polisher for a 2 gpm system using organoclay will hold about 30 lbs. of oil or about 100
times more than a 2 gpm cartridge. The other advantage is that the media can be adapted
easily to any situation. We can put sand in the bottom to help remove turbidity. We can
mix carbon and organoclay to address a wider variety of situations. We can use all
carbon or all organoclay. The disadvantage of the bulk polisher is that changing the
media is more difficult than with a cartridge. There are certain situations where we
recommend using a cartridge filter but in most cases the system will come with a bulk
media polisher loaded with a base of sand covered by organoclay.
A sand filter can be used to remove turbidity out of the water. If the water has an
NTU of more than 35 it could cause the TPH monitor to give a false alarm.
Removal of the turbidity should help the TPH monitor provide more accurate
readings. If turbidity is a problem the most economical solution is a sand filter to
remove the turbidity.
6.6.2. Other.
Filters can be used to achieve other post separation objectives, such as the removal
of iron, H2S, mercaptans, metals and other contaminants. Such other filter options
are offered on a project specific basis and will vary from project to project. If there
are space limitations, it is also possible to combine multiple media types in the same
filter vessel to create a multimedia filter.
New organoclay will generally remove free oil to a non-detect level. If emulsions
are present it will require a combination of carbon and organoclay to achieve non-
detect levels. This can sometimes be done by combining carbon and organoclay in
the same polisher. To do this load sand in the polisher first, then carbon and then
organoclay on top. It may also require a sediment filter because turbidity will read
the same as oil and to have the monitor read zero there can’t be any turbidity.
The system normally comes with a polycarbonate control panel and marine rated cable.
Where more rugged conditions exist the “Rig Unit Option” can be selected. This option
includes a stainless steel panel, a motorized ball valve on the oil discharge instead of a
check valve, armored cable, sample ports and other minor features.
There are times when the vessel operates a dry bilge and rarely if ever uses the separator.
This is not good for the separator and could cause problems when it is used. If the unit is
not going to be used on a regular basis we can include an option to install a timer that will
automatically turn the system on at some interval using clean water. If water is allowed
to just sit in the separator it can grow bacteria or other bugs. By cycling the system on a
timed basis the system will stay clean and fresh and available for use when needed.
A heater can be added as an optional feature. The heater is located in the top section of
the separator just above the weir in the oil storage section of the separator. If there are
emulsions in the oily water, some of the emulsions can collect on top of the water but
below the free oil. If the emulsions have a high water content it is possible for the
emulsion to act more like water than oil and can possibly be detected by the level sensor
as water. Sometimes these emulsions can exit the separator with the water. The post
polisher is designed to remove the emulsions that make it through the separator without
being removed. Another way to break an emulsion is to heat the emulsion to a
temperature above 140 degrees F. The heater is located in the section of the separator
where emulsions can collect. By heating this section of the separator it is possible to
achieve a better separation of emulsions and increase the life of the post polisher media.
The heater can come with a variety of configurations, including a single heater or
multiple heaters working together. The heater has an internal thermostat that can be set
anywhere from 10 degrees C to 120 degrees C, although it should not be set above 80
degrees C. The heater is controlled by a circuit breaker located in the panel. If the
heater is to be used the circuit breaker is turned on and will heat the affected zone of the
separator to the set temperature and then turn off. As long as the heater switch is turned
on the heater will maintain the set temperature in the upper section of the separator.
The hi flow option is designed for a situation where the customer has a large volume of
water in a tank with some oil on the top. The hi flow system allows the operator to pump
the tank at a high rate (no real maximum limit). The BOSS continually samples the water
through the oil content monitor. Once oil is detected above a given set point, the system
closes the main valve and diverts the water through the separator at a slower rate. For
example, lets say that the main pump is discharging 600 gpm of water and is able to
empty 95% of the tank before oil is detected. This water is discharged at a rate of 600
gpm. The last 5%, which contains oil goes through the separator at the design rate of the
separator (lets say 45 gpm for illustration purposes). This option allows the customer to
pump large volumes of water, knowing that the system will automatically switch to the
separator when oil is detected.
With a hi flow option the separator works exactly the same as a normal separator. The
difference in the system is that there is a control valve on the main line and additional
control valves coming in and out of the separator to control the two different modes of
operation.
The system can be designed to meet a hazard area classification for either Zone 2 (Class
I, Div II) or Zone 1 (Class I, Div I). If this option is selected the following changes take
place:
The Oil Content Monitor does not come rated itself for Zone 1 or Zone 2, so a
separate purged enclosure is provided for the Oil Content Monitor. The purge
control is rated for Zone 1 or Zone 2, as required. The purge panel is designed so
that if the panel is opened power to the OCM is immediately shut off. The rest of
the system can continue to run in a safe mode but the valves will automatically fail
to the recycle position when the purge panel is opened.
The purge panel can be set to allow time to purge each time the door is opened. For
instructions on how to do this see the separate purge control manual.
-BALL VALVE
-GATE VALVE
-FLOW RESTRICTOR
-FILTER/STRAINER
RECYCLE
DRAIN V-107
BL-F V-106
SV-103
SV-101