Satisfactory tests results for Aalborg’s BWT solution
Aalborg Industries in Denmark has successfully finalised the land-based tests towards obtaining IMO type approval for its AquaTriComb ballast water treatment system with what the company says are very satisfactory test results.
The tests were carried out at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) on the Dutch island of Texel, and with the completion of satisfactory land based testing, Aalborg Industries began sea-based tests in May 2010 on the general cargo vessel Timbus sailing in northern European waters. The tests have so far shown very good results and Aalborg Industries has managed to carry out eco-toxicological and water-chemistry tests beyond the standards required to reach the highest level of confidence in terms of disinfection efficiency.
Type approval has been applied for with German authorities, specifically the Federal Office for Maritime Shipping and Hydrography supported by the Federal Office for Environment. Basic approval was received from IMO in 2009.
The IMO convention is scheduled to come into force in the beginning of 2012 and Aalborg expects to be ready to launch its AquaTriComb ballast water treatment system for commercial operation in early 2011. The AquaTriComb uses a combination of three technologies: filtration for pre-treatment, low pressure UV light for disinfection and ultrasound for cleaning. Ultrasonic technology means that the system is self-cleaning and almost entirely maintenance-free.
The AquaTriComb system is designed to clean ballast water without the use of chemicals and features high efficiency combined with low operating costs and a small footprint. No chemical substances are generated and energy requirements are said to be relatively low. To ensure compliance with IMO legislation, the AquaTriComb solution is active during deballasting, where the water is again passed through the system for cleaning and filtration. This ensures that bacteria and micro-organisms in the inaccessible ballast tanks and channels of the ship are effectively eliminated and only treated water is returned to the sea.
