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Oil in Water Monitoring

Leakages of oils, fats and grease into process and waste water systems, not only result in product losses, but is also very expensive and problematic to treat.  Our LAR QuickOIL Analyser systems provide a tailor made monitoring solution for these difficult sample applications. 

Oils and fats are the main components in a variaty of products such as fuels and edible oils.  During production processes, these oils and fats can leak into the process and waste water systems.  This is not only costly to the producers, who effectively are losing product down the drain, but also add to the additional process costs to purify and treat the contaminated water.  

The QuickOIL Analyser system determines hydrocarbons in water - which includes all fats and oils. 

What is oil actually?

Oil is a collective term for viscous, sticky and fatty hydrocarbon substances. Oils and fats are extracted from raw materials, such as seeds and animals fats. Mineral oils are processed in oil refineries, where tons of steam and hot water are being used. The purity of such water is a big concern and requires fast and reliable analysis methods.

Oils are hydrophobic and therefore it cannot be mixed with water. Oil can be present as free oil, as an oil sheen and / or as tiny droplets. But at increased temperatures, in turbulent conditions and when some process solvents are leaked into the water, oil can be dissolved or gets emulsified. As the water temperature slowly drops, the emulsified oil starts to separate, thickens, hardens and solidifies. Oil becomes fat. The typical solidification range depends on the type of oil, e.g. palm oil at 31to 41°C. As a consequence, a layer of fat is built up in process pipes and/or sewer systems, restricting the water flow.

It is extremely difficult to clean oily and fatty wastewater. Whilst free oil rises to the water surface where it can easily be skimmed, the emulsified and dissolved oil flows untreated through the oil and fat separator.  This can have dire effects on any WWTP.  


Monitoring of Oil in Water

The LAR QuickOIL Analyser system does not need any dilution or pretreatment of the sample.  The high temperature combustion method used with this Analyser system ensures that the sample is completely oxidised without the need for reagents or catalysts.  

High salt concentrations can easily be handled on the Analyser system.  For special high salt applications, the Analyser system can handle salt concentrations of up to 300 g/L.  

The Analyser comes complete with a dedicated maintenance fee sample conditioning system (FlowSampler) that ensures a representative sample is analysed at all times. 

The OIW measurement on the QuickOIL Analyser system takes between 2-3 minutes.  Up to 6 samples streams can be monitored on one Analyser system.  These Analyser systems are of a modular design and can be expanded on at any time in the future to encorporate additional parameters and sample streams. 

  • Exact determination of Oil-in-Water (OIW)
  • Measurement Range: 0.1-50,000 mg/l, further options available
  • Proven thermal oxidation principle
  • High temperature combustion (1,200°C)
  • Catalyst-free
  • Response Time: 2-3 minutes
  • Up to 6 sample streams can be monitored on one Analyser system
  • No sample filtration required
  • High salt concentrations possible, up to 30% NaCl
  • No memory effects
  • Maintenance and operational costs are low with no hidden costs
   QuickOIL

Applications

Options

Housings

  • Oil in water
  • Waste water
  • Process water
  • FlowSampler
  • Multi-stream measurement
  • Combination with TOC, COD and TNb detection
  • IP54 (Standard)
  • NEMA 4X
  • ATEX Zone I
  • ATEX Zone II

Industry Applications:

  • Food Industry
  • Waste Water Treatment processes
  • Refinery applications

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