Alfa Laval

FOPX Separation System

System Description

Printed Jun 2001

Book No. 1810235-02 V3

Marine & Diesel Equipment

Alfa Laval reserve the right to make changes at any time without
prior notice.
Any comments regarding possible errors and omissions or
suggestions for improvement of this publication would be
gratefully appreciated.
Copies of this publication can be ordered from your local
Alfa Laval company.
Published by: Alfa Laval Tumba AB
Marine & Diesel Equipment
SE - 147 80 Tumba
Sweden
© Copyright Alfa Laval Tumba AB 2001.
Contents

1 Scope 1

2 System Overview 3

2.1 System Layout 4

2.2 Oil Flow 6

3 The ALCAP FOPX Process 7

3.1 The ALCAP Principle 7

3.2 Low Water Content 8

3.3 Medium Water Content 10

3.4 High Water Content 12

3.5 Extreme Water Content 14

3.6 Definition of Terms 16

1810235-02
1810235-02
1 Scope

This system description is valid for the

following separation systems:

FOPX 605

FOPX 609
FOPX 610

FOPX 611

FOPX 613

FOPX 614

FOPX 616

The FOPX separation systems are designed

for cleaning of fuel oil for diesel engines in
marine and power applications.

1810235-02 1
1 Scope FOPX System Description

2 1810235-02
2 System Overview

In the FOPX process, heated fuel oil is fed

through the FOPX separator to clean the oil
from solid particles and water.
An FOPX system comprises:
• An FOPX separator.
• Ancillary equipment including a control
unit and a water transducer.
• Optional equipment such as an oil feed
pump and an oil heating system.

Basically, the FOPX separator operates as a

clarifier. Cleaned oil leaves the separator
through the oil outlet while separated water
and sludge accumulate at the periphery of the
separator bowl.

The control unit supervises the entire

operation of the separation system and
performs monitoring, control and alarm
functions.
The process is automatically adapted to
changed conditions such as changing water
content of the unprocessed oil.

1810235-02 3
2 System Overview FOPX System Description

2.1 System Layout

The basic FOPX system layout is illustrated
by the following symbol diagram.

P000241A
The FOPX system

The inlet and outlet arrows indicate the

following:
A Unprocessed oil inlet D Water inlet
B Cleaned oil outlet to service tank E Sludge outlet
C Oil returns to the settling tank F Water drain

Item Symbol Designation Function

Displacement pump Feeds unprocessed oil to the separator.

1

Heater Heats unprocessed oil to separation temperature.

2

4 1810235-02
FOPX System Description 2 System Overview

Item Symbol Designation Function

Temperature transmitter Measures the oil temperature.

3 TT

Pneumatically controlled Leads the unprocessed oil to the separator or back

change over valve to the settling tank (recirculation).
4

Separator Cleans the oil by removing water and solid

5 particles.

Shut-off valve Drain valve. Opens when water should be drained

6
from the separator bowl.

Water transducer Measures the changes of water content in the

7 separated oil.

Flow indicator Displays the clean oil flow rate.

8a
FOPX 614/616 only.

Flow indicator Displays the clean oil flow rate.

8b
Not FOPX 614

High pressure switch Senses high pressure in the oil outlet.

9

Low pressure switch Senses low pressure in the oil outlet.

10

Pressure gauge Displays the pressure in the oil outlet.

11

Manually controlled Regulates the clean oil back pressure.

12 regulating valve

Non-return valve Stops reverse oil flow.

13

Solenoid valve block, water Distributes separator opening and closing water,
14 conditioning water, and displacement water.

Control unit Supervises the separator system.

15

1810235-02 5
2 System Overview FOPX System Description

2.2 Oil Flow

The unprocessed oil is fed through a heater by
a positive displacement pump, operating at a
constant flow.
After the heater the change over valve directs
the oil to the separator. The separated oil
passes the manually operated back-pressure
regulating valve to the daily service tank.

The oil can also be directed back to the

settling tank. This is the case when the oil
temperature is outside the preset range, during
separator start and stop procedures, and during
alarm conditions.

6 1810235-02
3 The ALCAP FOPX Process

The terms used in this process description are

explained in section ‘‘3.6 Definition of
Terms’’ on page 16.

3.1 The ALCAP Principle

During the separation process sludge and
water accumulate at the periphery of the
separator bowl.

Sludge and water are discharged at preset time

intervals or when needed, and excessive water
can also be drained from the separator bowl
between discharges.

When the build up of separated water and

sludge increases, water approaches the disc
stack. Traces of water then start to escape with
the cleaned oil. This small increase of water
content is immediately detected by the water
transducer, installed in the oil outlet.

The signal from the water transducer is

continuously transmitted to the control unit,
where a reference value is stored.

The control unit continually compares the

transducer signal with the reference value. A
deviation from the reference value will cause
draining of water or a sludge discharge to keep
the system at optimum separation efficiency.

1810235-02 7
3 The ALCAP FOPX Process FOPX System Description

3.2 Low Water Content

When the fuel oil contains little or no water,
sludge discharges are timer initiated.

A
1

G H
t
C D

E F

G019794A
Transducer signal, low water content

s Transducer signal E Maximum time between discharge sequences

t Time F Displacement of oil
A Trigger range G Addition of conditioning water
B Trigger value H Addition of displacement water
C Reference time 1 Storing of reference value
D Minimum time between discharge sequences 2 Sludge discharge
The water transducer signal reflects the
process cycle when the unprocessed oil
contains little or no water. The minimum and
maximum time between sludge discharges are
set in the control unit as timer functions.

8 1810235-02
FOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP FOPX Process

Process Cycle
1. Conditioning water is added to the
separator bowl. The conditioning water
softens the sludge in order to accomplish a
good discharge.
2. A new reference value is stored by the
control unit.
3. When the maximum time between sludge
discharges has elapsed, displacement
water is added to the separator bowl. The
displacement water eliminates the risk of
oil loss at the following sludge discharge.
4. The interface between oil and water
moves toward but never into the disc
stack. This means that there is no risk of
water contaminated oil leaving the
separator.
5. When the interface between oil and water
approaches the disc stack, the transducer
signal reaches the trigger value. A sludge
discharge is initiated.

After the sludge discharge a new process cycle

starts with the adding of conditioning water. A
new reference value is then stored.

1810235-02 9
3 The ALCAP FOPX Process FOPX System Description

3.3 Medium Water Content

When the water content is medium, the
transducer signal will reach the trigger value
after the minimum time between discharge
sequences but before the maximum time.

A
1

F
t
C D

G019804A
Medium water content

s Transducer signal D Minimum time between discharge sequences

t Time E Maximum time between discharge sequences
A Trigger range F Addition of conditioning water
B Trigger value 1 Storing of reference value
C Reference time 2 Sludge discharge

Process Cycle
1. After the sludge discharge a new cycle
starts with the adding of conditioning
water.
2. A new reference value is stored.

10 1810235-02
FOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP FOPX Process

3. Separated water will fill out the sludge

space of the bowl before the maximum
time between discharge sequences has
elapsed.
4. Water escaping with the cleaned oil is
immediately detected by the water
transducer, and a sludge discharge is
initiated. No displacement water is added
in this case.
The next process cycle starts with addition of
conditioning water and storing of a new
reference value.

1810235-02 11
3 The ALCAP FOPX Process FOPX System Description

3.4 High Water Content

When the water content is high, the transducer
signal will reach the trigger value before the
minimum time between sludge discharges.

P000231A
High water content

s Transducer signal E Maximum time between discharge sequences

t Time
A Trigger range 1 Storing of reference value
B Trigger value 2 Drain valve opens at trigger value
C Reference time 3 Drain valve closes
D Minimum time between discharge sequences 4 Sludge discharge

Process Cycle
1. The transducer signal reaches the trigger
value before the minimum time between
discharges has elapsed.
2. The water drain valve opens to decrease
the amount of water in the separator bowl.

12 1810235-02
FOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP FOPX Process

3. When the transducer signal has decreased

to the trigger range, the drain valve stays
open another 20 seconds.
4. Step 1 - 3 may be repeated for each trigger
value before the minimum time between
discharge sequences.
5. When this minimum time has elapsed, the
next trigger value will not open the drain
valve but initiate a sludge discharge. No
displacement water is added.

The next process cycle starts with storing of a

new reference value. In this case no
conditioning water is added.

1810235-02 13
3 The ALCAP FOPX Process FOPX System Description

3.5 Extreme Water Content

If the water content of the unprocessed oil is
extremely high, opening the drain valve may
not be enough to reduce the amount of water
in the separator bowl.

P000261A
Extremely high water content

s Transducer signal D Minimum time between discharge sequences

t Time E Drain valve open, transducer signal remains high
A Trigger range 1 Storing of reference value
B Trigger value 2 Drain valve opens at trigger value
C Reference time 3 Sludge discharge

Process Cycle
1. The transducer signal reaches the trigger
value before the minimum time between
discharge sequences has elapsed.
2. The drain valve opens.
3. If the transducer signal is not decreased to
the trigger value within 2 minutes, a
sludge discharge is initiated. No
displacement water is added.

14 1810235-02
FOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP FOPX Process

4. The next process cycle starts with the

storing of a new reference value. No
conditioning water is added.
5. If the next trigger value is reached before
the minimum time between discharge
sequences, a sludge discharge is
immediately initiated. The process cycle is
not affected.

Alarm

Should the water content stay extremely high

for two consecutive process cycles, an alarm
is activated.

1810235-02 15
3 The ALCAP FOPX Process FOPX System Description

3.6 Definition of Terms

Transducer signal The analog signal from the water transducer.
The transducer signal is monitored by the
control unit to detect minor changes of water
content in the outlet oil.
Reference value The lowest achievable transducer value for the
oil that is being processed. The reference value
is determined during the reference time interval
and stored in the control unit.
Reference time interval The time period after each sludge discharge,
(Parameter value) after which the actual transducer signal is
stored as a reference value.
Trigger range The allowed deviation of the water transducer
(Parameter value) signal, compared with the reference value.
The trigger range lower limit is the reference
value, and the range is normally set to 0.2% of
the reference value.
Trigger value Trigger range upper limit. When the transducer
signal reaches the trigger value, water must be
discharged from the separator.
Maximum time between sludge When this time has elapsed after a sludge
discharge sequences discharge, the next discharge is initiated.
(Parameter value)
Minimum time between sludge When this time has elapsed after a sludge
discharge sequences discharge, the next discharge may be initiated
(Parameter value) by the transducer signal.
Conditioning water Water, added to the separator bowl to soften the
sludge.
Displacement water Water, added to the separator bowl to displace
the oil and ensure there is no loss of oil at
sludge discharge.

16 1810235-02