Application · Oil on water
Floating Oil Detection on Water Surfaces
Oil floats and spreads as a thin film on the water surface. At an oil separator, a stormwater basin or a cooling water outfall, every minute counts before the oil leaves your site. Our non-contact sensors watch the water surface from above, around the clock, and raise an alarm as soon as an oil film appears.
Non-contact: the sensor stays above the water
Infrared reflection or UV fluorescence
Alarm output, around the clock
Applications
Where floating oil needs to be detected
Oil separators
Monitoring of oil separators and their outlets, so that floating oil is detected in time.
Basins and drainage
Stormwater retention basins, site drainage and water collection tanks.
Outfalls and canals
Cooling water and open channels, before the water leaves the site.
Treatment and intakes
Inlets of wastewater treatment and emulsion splitting plants, process water tanks and drinking water intakes.
Why non-contact
Sensors in the water get coated by the oil
Methods that measure in the water are impaired in continuous operation by fouling, algae growth and oil deposits on the measuring cells. Keeping them working takes considerable maintenance.
A sensor mounted above the surface does not touch the water and therefore works with little maintenance. Typical applications include chemical and petrochemical plants, power plants, drinking water and wastewater treatment.
Describe your applicationMounting position
In the water
——————
Above the water
= no contact with the medium
The sensor measures from above. There are no measuring cells in the water that could foul.
Measuring principles
Two measuring principles, two sensors
Infrared reflection (IRmat): the sensor directs infrared light onto the water surface. Water absorbs most of it, while oil and other organic substances reflect much more. The sensor detects this stronger reflection as an oil film.
UV-induced fluorescence (FLUCOmat): the surface is illuminated with UV light, and hydrocarbons in the oil fluoresce. To increase sensitivity further, the reflected light can also be evaluated. This allows the FLUCOmat to detect oil in the microliter range on the water surface. More on both methods: infrared reflection and UV-induced fluorescence.
Sensors
IRmat or FLUCOmat?
Both sensors measure from above without contact. Which one fits depends on location, water level and oil type. The FLUCOmat combines fluorescence and reflection for very high sensitivity and can be calibrated in ppm or mg/l in a bypass vessel.
IRmat: infrared reflection
Factory-calibrated, long-life IR LED, stainless steel 1.4571, IP65 / NEMA 4X, approx. Ø 100 mm, length approx. 215 mm, −15 to +45 °C (ice-free). IR-21-A evaluation unit with 0/4–20 mA (isolated), one programmable relay and fault relays. View the IRmat
FLUCOmat: UV fluorescence
Very high sensitivity, stainless steel 1.4301, IP65 / NEMA 4X, −20 to +45 °C (ice-free), 0/4–20 mA (isolated), one programmable relay and one fault relay, ATEX Zone 1 / Zone 2 optional. View the FLUCOmat
Concentration value
With the FLUCOmat in a bypass vessel, calibrated in ppm or mg/l.
Which one fits?
We decide together in the requirements analysis, based on location, water level and oil types.
Installation
Keeping the right distance to the surface
Fixed mounting
On a mounting frame or articulated arm, for a largely constant water level: IRmat up to ±1 cm, optionally ±7.5 cm with ultrasonic level compensation; FLUCOmat up to ±4 cm.
Pontoon mounting
Floats keep the sensor at a constant height above the surface, whatever the level. For the FLUCOmat, the ultrasonic-controlled NiveauTron level lift or a chain hoist can also track the level.
Bypass vessel
A floating skimmer and a self-priming pump draw surface water into a vessel with a free overflow, so the level at the sensor stays constant.
Working together
Four steps to a monitored outfall
We support you from the first question to commissioning.
01
Contact
You describe your application by phone or email.
02
Requirements analysis
We review location, water level and oil types and recommend the IRmat or the FLUCOmat.
03
Customization
We configure measuring cell, materials, process connection and calibration for your application.
04
Installation
On request, our technicians support installation and commissioning and connect the system to your controls.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about floating oil detection
Which ambient conditions are the sensors designed for?
Both sensors are rated IP65 / NEMA 4X and operate ice-free from −15 to +45 °C (IRmat) and −20 to +45 °C (FLUCOmat). We agree the exact location with you.
What if the water level changes a lot?
Then pontoon mounting or a bypass vessel keeps the distance constant. For the FLUCOmat, the NiveauTron level lift is also available.
Can I get a concentration value instead of an alarm?
Yes, with the FLUCOmat in a bypass vessel, calibrated in ppm or mg/l.
What if the oil is dissolved or emulsified in the water?
A surface scanner cannot see that. For oil in the water itself, use the FLUORImat inline sensor, see oil in condensate monitoring.
Is there a version for hazardous areas?
The FLUCOmat is available with ATEX Zone 1 / Zone 2 explosion protection.
Inquiry
Want to protect your outfall?
Briefly describe your application. We review it and get back to you with a proposal for the right sensor.
Helpful for your quotation: location, water level variation, oil types, required signal (alarm or concentration value), indoor or outdoor installation, hazardous area and available power supply. Anything you do not know yet, we clarify together.
Prefer to talk? Call us or email info@chemtronic-gmbh.de.
+49 (0) 2173 57007