Innovations for the environment

Tank cleaning on chemicaltankers

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Ausgabe: 06477-53/02

Publisher:Deutsche BundesstiftungUmwelt, An der Bornau 2, 49090 OsnabrückPhone ++ 49 (5 41) 96 33-0Fax ++ 49 (5 41) 96 33-190E-mail: info@dbu.deInternet: http://www.dbu.de

Contents responsibility:Dr. Markus Große Ophoff

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Concept & script:Ulf JacobZentrum für Umweltkommunikationder DBU gGmbH

Translation:Antoinette Bismark

Volume:06477-53/02

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Innovationen für die Umwelt

The Deutsche Bundesstif-tung Umwelt is one of thelargest foundations in Euro-pe and promotes innovative,exemplary projects for pro-tecting the environment.Since 1991, more than 4,700projects have received finan-cial backing totalling about€ 930 million.

In the fields of environmen-tal technology, research andnature protection, communi-cation and cultural assets,the subsidies are concen-trated on SME with prioritygoing to the concept ofsustainable development.

Three main criteria forobtaining a subsidy are:

Innovation – the projecthas to be an advance tothe state-of-the-art ofcurrent technology andresearch.

Model character – theinnovation should be ofinterest to a broad seg-ment of application, e.g.a complete industry andable to be implementedunder commercial condi-tions within a brief time-scale.

Environmentally bene-ficial – the innovationshould lead to new sup-plementary measures inenvironmental protection.

Die neu entwickelten Reini-gungsmethoden für Chemika-lientanker wirken Kosten sen-kend und Umwelt schonend.Durch das bessere Reini-gungsergebnis und die ver-kürzte Reinigungszeit lassensich die Schiffe optimal ein-setzen und die Transportewirtschaftlicher durchführen.

Im Vergleich zu konventionel-len Verfahren ist zudem dieanfallende Restmenge an verschmutzter Lösungerheblich geringer. NebenSchiffstanks kann das Verfah-ren auch auf Landtanks, Con-tainer und andere Behälterübertragen werden.

The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt

Tankreinigung umweltschonend und wirtschaftlich

Project objective

Optimising tank cleaning procedures on chemical tankers

Project team

Schmitt & Fintelmann INLABCO GmbHMendelssohnstrasse 15 d · 22761 Hamburg Phone: + 49 (40) 89 96 64 12Fax : ++ 49 (40) 89 96 64 10E-mail: schmidt@inlabco.com Internet: www.inlabco.com

Transocean Shipmanagement GmbHPalmaille 45 ·D-22767 HamburgPhone: ++ 49 (40) 38 01 65 47Fax: ++ 49 (40) 38 01 65 03E-mail: spolomsk@tr-ocean.deInternet: www.tr-ocean.de

Reederei John T. Essberger GmbHPalmaille 45 · 22767 Hamburg

Enhanced tank cleaningprocedure on chemicaltankers

Eco-friendly cleaned and clean ship tanks andtheir main cargo systems are of increasingimportance in sea transport. Even on chemicaltankers in parceltrade in the North and theBaltic Sea tank cleaning is still a big problem:no cleaning method serves adequate enoughboth ecological aspects and chemo-physicalproperties. Cleaning either is costly or onlyeffective if additional strong cleaning chemicalsare used in changeover of ship tank cargoesfrom mineral oil products, paraffins or vegeta-ble oils onto the transport of liquid chemicals.

Tank cleaning in a circuit procedure

A DBU project has shown a considerableenhancement of the working and environmentalconditions during tank cleaning procedures onchemical tankers. Within laboratory and fieldtest series the cleaning procedures have beenoptimised for the aboard practice. The Schmitt& Fintelmann INLABCO GmbH developed theinnovative technical cleaning product“Watensol”. All tanks and their mains systemsget washed with a diluted solution of only 0.1 % in water. The procedure is adapted to theindividual cleaning problem and allows achangeover of tanks and their mains systemswithin normal process times onto the transportof high quality liquid chemicals.

Lower level of dirty solution

The cleaning of ship tanks with “Watensol” isalso effective in practice – proven by severalfield tests on chemical tankers with differentcargoes. Compared with conventional cleaningprocedures the remaining amount of dirty solu-tions is considerably lower. Further advantagesare a shorter process time and a lower energyconsumption. “Watensol” is also suitable andcan be easily disposed of in combination withmineral oil products and paraffins as a conven-tional oil-water-emulsion. That is shown bytests of Hamburg recycling companies withsupport of the Authority for the environment.

Eco-friendly and economical tankcleaning

The innovative cleaning procedures for chemi-cal tankers are cost-saving and eco-friendly.Better cleaning results and a shorter processtime lead to an increase in the useful degree of the ships and their ecological transport effi-ciency. Apart from ship tanks the procedure can be applied to various other tanks, containersand other types of receptacles.

Chemical tanker “Annette Essberger”

In laboratory: Product tank (left) and washing water tank

Tank cleaning procedure tested on the “Annette Essberger”