Approval for sewage system
revised guidelines on treatment of black water, IMO MECP 159(55), came into effect on 1 January 2010. This resolution is said to entails new and significantly stricter standards, compared with the previous limits, and apply to sewage treatment plants on ships of 400 grt and above as well as on smaller ships certified to carry a crew of more than 15.
“ Our Bioreactor represents the next generation of biological sewage plants and designed to handle all kinds of human waste water from any vessel and offshore platform. And on top of now being on par and even better than the 2010-guidelines, the plant is as environmentally friendly as they come. It works with UV light sterilization and uses no chemicals in the process,” said Thorsten Larsen-Seul, G&O managing director.
Some 250 examples of the G&O plant have been installed in various configurations for a variety of maritime customers including the Royal Danish Navy and Mærsk. The core element of the aerated submerged fixed bed unit is a rigid matrix which provides a growth environment for the bacterial media. This form of construction is said to offer an internal surface area that is 150 times larger than in traditional sewage treatment plant. The system is said to be capable of exceeding any known current or expected environmental limit in any waters, to require very little maintenance, and use no consumables. It can handle both black and grey waste water; the company expects limits for grey water to be introduced more widely (at present only Alaskan waters are covered by guidelines).
The Bioreactor is purpose-built to handle wastewater from 6 to an indefinite number of persons. Due to its design, the reactor has a small footprint and limited weight. It can be delivered in mild coated steel, stainless steel, and in duplex, suitable for newbuildings or retrofits.
G&O is also able to offer a range of oily water separator (OWS) systems through its distribution agreement with US company EnSolve Biosystems, which allows the Ensolve PetroLiminator biological OWS to be marketed under the G&O name. The company says that it can offer its customers a full suite of ‘all-green’ biological treatment solutions for bilge, black and grey water.
The PetroLiminator uses a combination of physical and biological means to treat oily bilge water. It treats both pure and emulsified oil, as well as detergents, degreasers and other chemicals in the water. The system generates minimal hazardous materials and does not produce harmful by-products. No flocculent or coagulant chemicals are used, which is claimed to reduce sludge accumulation. It is designed for continuous unattended operation, and features a fail-safe oil content monitor to prevent the possibility of accidental discharge.
