A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF DETERGENTS ON TYPICAL BILGE WATERS AND CORRELATION OF OIL PARTICLE SIZES

Oil removal systems for treating bilge water are drastically affected by the condition, composition, and character of the incoming bilge water-oil mixture. The presence of various detergents and cleansers causes emulsification of hydrocarbon products already present. The extent of emulsification caused by synthetic detergents on eight oils was studied at a fixed agitation rate and intensity as a function of detergent type (cationic, anionic, or non-ionic) and concentration as well as temperature, pH and salinity of the continuous (external) phase (distilled water). Laboratory test emulsions were generated using ultrasonic agitation, coupled with high speed non-aerating dispersion to simulate the type of emulsions produced by action of a centrifugal pump. A HIAC Particle Counter was used to determine the amount of oil emulsified. The conclusions indicated that: (1) Detergents with cationic-active ingredients would promote a higher degree of emulsification than those with non-ionic or anionic type surfactants. (2) The amount of oil emulsified under fixed agitation rate and intensity and fixed oil concentration does not increase proportionally with increasing detergent concentrations. (3) The concentration of emulsified oil tends to approach a nearly constant value with increasing detergent concentration. (4) At low concentrations of detergent, 100 ppm, the effect of some detergents seems to be one of deemulsification. An appendix is included in this report covering a correlation of particle size data generated by a number of investigators. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  General Electric

  Marine Turbine & Gear Engineer, 1100 Western Ave
  Lynn, MA  United States  01910
• Authors:
  • Batutis, E
  • Hogue, H
  • McGinn, J
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 222 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bilges; Dispersers; Oil spill cleanup; Water quality management
• Old TRIS Terms: Bilge water treatment; Emulsifying agents; Oil removal systems
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00131856
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: USCG-D-177-75 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-CG-43287
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM