GEA celebrates 1000th bilge water separator unit

The treatment of bilgewater plays a critical role in protecting the oceans.

Bilgewater, is a fuel, chemical, oil, lubricant, wash water, soot and pollution “cocktail”. To protect the fragile marine ecosystem, bilgewater must be treated before the purified water portion can be returned to the sea. Shipping companies have been using centrifugal bilgewater treatment for decades. This enables them to meet the strict ecological specifications and limit values worldwide, while at the same time benefiting from the economic advantages offered by the system. GEA is now launching the GEA bilge Separator, a new generation of separators with integrated direct drive.

A ‘GEA bilge Separator family’ from 200-5,000 litres in various sizes is offered by GEA.

With its direct drive and best flow rates, the GEA bilge Separator has an efficiency level of 96 percent. It is thus even more efficient than old standard models. Another advantage is the energy saving of up to 30,000 kWh/vessel/year. The space saving is of benefit due to its design with the direct drive. The complete unit has 360° accessibility and also a space requirement reduction of 30 percent. The service interval is 16,000 hours, which has been doubled. The time required for maintenance has been reduced by 94 percent. In addition, the system is self-cleaning and designed for unattended operation, eliminating the need for additional personnel. The system drains and cleans fully automatically. GEA separators handle large flow rates with maximum separation efficiency. Vessel movements do not affect the function.

GEA bilge Separator systems are modular in design. The main components are feed pump, automatic filter, preheater, self-cleaning centrifugal separator, oil monitor and control panel. They are installed on two modules (feed pump / preheater unit, separator). These modules are assembled into a complete unit and can also be supplied separately. This means that the system can be adapted to local conditions in the best possible way, even where space is limited.

In addition to the GEA bilge Separator, GEA offers the SafetyMaster, a system to prevent unintentional overboard pumping of bilge water with excessive values by permanently monitoring complete separation.

By Jake Frith