5 Preventive measures
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Marine Environment Protection Committee - MEPC.1/Circular.677 – Guide to Diagnosing Contaminants in Oily Bilge Water to Maintain, Operate and Troubleshoot Bilge Water Treatment Systems – (22 July 2009) - Annex – A Guide to Diagnosing Contaminants in Oily Bilge Water to Maintain, Operate and Troubleshoot Bilge Water Treatment Systems - Annex 3 – Emulsions - 5 Preventive measures

5 Preventive measures

 Depending on the results of other diagnostic tests performed, any or several of the following measures are recommended:

  • ▸ Prevent cleaners, solvents and detergents from entering bilge.

    ▸ Prevent soot from entering bilge (capture cleaning residues) and divert from the bilge. See annex 4.

    ▸ Keep rust from ageing machinery and fittings from entering bilge. See annex 4.

    ▸ Install pre-treatment particulate strainers and separators (settling tanks).

    ▸ Do not discharge biologically active water (sludge water, sanitary water, etc.) into the bilge.

    ▸ Employ minimal shearing and turbulent transfer operating.

    ▸ Replace pumps with low shear pumps when possible.

    ▸ Design the bilge treatment system, including bilge storage tanks to take advantage of available heat in the engine-room. Fit bilge storage tanks with heating coils to assist with separation.

    ▸ Design and retrofit system for addition and availability of post-treatment modular polishing and particle filtering technology. If not possible, consider upgrading 60(33) OWS units to 107(49) units. Specific recommendations for a particular post-treatment retrofit or OWS system upgrade depend on the ship’s circumstances.

    ▸ For particulates that create emulsions only: employ (by and large for newer ships or major upgrades only) high-aspect ratio (height to width) separation tanks in conjunction with heat and serial decanting. See note above and annex 4.

Parent topic: Annex 3 – Emulsions
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