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Feature 3 | WASTE TREATMENT RETROFITS Mahle OPS system passes its tests


Mahle Industrial Filtration aims to help protect the world’s oceans with its chemical-free OPS Ballast Water Treatment system.


in-line during both the uptake and discharge of ballast water. T e system is based on proven technologies used in industrial applications and combines mechanical and physical cleaning with disinfection principles. During uptake, the ballast water flows


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through two self-cleaning filter stages followed by one low pressure Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (LP-UV) stage, before it ends up in the tanks. During discharge all the fi lters are bypassed and the ballast water is treated once again with high performance LP-UV. The filter complies with International


Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) D-2 standard and is claimed to provide an effi cient solution for fi ltering sea water containing large quantities of dirt. T e fi ltration process creates diff erential pressure that rises until a predetermined value is reached (normally 0.5bar) to activate the fl ushing process. In cases of low operating pressures and where suction forces do not reach the required minimum level, a small suction pump is added to the fl ush line to assist the cleaning process. Mahle says this is a reliable and inexpensive addition to the system, enabling the fi lter to operate under extremely low pressures of only 1.2 bar. “T is low operating pressure is crucial, in particular for retrofi ts, because the low operating pressure meets the parameters of existing ballast water pumps and therefore


ahle’s new Ocean Protection System (OPS) is a three-stage ballast water treatment system which operates


The OPS 250 is available as a skid unit, as above, and in a containerised version.


saves costs and the potential need for internal reconstruction,” Mahle states. In spring 2009 land based test trials of


OPS were carried out successfully at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), on the island of Texel, in accordance with both the IMO D-2 standards and G8 guidelines (Resolution MEPC.174(58)). In each of the offi cial test runs the numbers of organisms were well below the IMO D-2 standard. An additional G8 requirement to show that the discharge of ballast water is environmentally acceptable was also achieved during these land based tests. Mahle adds: “At the same time various eco-toxicological studies proved that no potentially toxic changes in chemistry occurred during the UV irradiation. T e treated water did not contain any toxic or growth inhibiting substances nor were chemicals produced as a by-product.” Currently shipboard testing of OPS is underway and experience to date is said to back


up the positive results of the land-based tests. A containerised OPS unit has been installed on a 1100TEU capacity container vessel in one of the cargo holds. T e container was delivered as a plug-and-play version especially designed for use as a retrofi t unit and the ballast water piping system was adapted for the inlet and outlet connections of the OPS, so that an exchange of the existing pump was not necessary. A new and fast installation method with


a minimal amount of welding reduced the complexity of the integration process so that retrofi t works could carried out within fi ve days without interrupting normal ship operations. Given the customised and modular design of the OPS BWT system, Mahle also points out that it would be possible to install this unit as a retrofi t across the owner’s entire fl eet, which ranges from feeder ships to large post-Panamax class vessels. Besides a standard design which is available as


a skid-mounted unit, the OPS is also available as a containerised system or in single components. T e fi ltration system can be installed separately from the disinfection system, and both systems can be installed either vertically or horizontally as this has no eff ect on the operation or the effi ciency of the system. Mahle expects IMO-type approval to be


received for OPS in the fourth quarter of 2010 and says it has already received a number of orders for the system from well-known shipping companies as a result of the positive outcome of tests to date. SCRT


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Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 4th Quarter 2010


Interior refits / Offshore vessel conversions/ China/ Northern Europe / 4th Quarter 2009


Interior refits / Offshore vessel conversions/ China/ Northern Europe / 4th Quarter 2009


Interior refits / Offshore vessel conversions/ China/ Northern Europe / 4th Quarter 2009


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