Process for breaking down emulsified hydrocarbon in water - using anaerobes in reactor, producing water-poor and water-rich phase, where floating and non-floating low water phase are recycled etc.

摘要

Emulsified aromatic and/or aliphatic hydrocarbons in water, i.e. bilge water, is broken down by anaerobic micro-organisms in a reactor, producing a mixed phase of water and sludge, which is passed through a line to a sludge collection zone of a separator, for floating separated sludge at the top and non-floating sludge at the bottom. The floation phase is discharged at the top of the separator and a sedimentation phase is discharged at the base both returned to the reactor, while the aqueous phase in the middle is discharged to anaerobic reactors for further clarification. ADVANTAGE - Process can be used with a range of hydrocarbons as contaminants.