GEA’s CatFineMaster to Debut at SMM

A solution for separating dangerous catalyst fines (cat fines) from fuel with one touch of the button: This is the new product GEA Westfalia Separator Group will be showcasing this year at the SMM 2014 in Hamburg. The company is continuing its clear line as a competent and innovative partner for the maritime industry. Stricter regulations and rules mean that ship operators constantly have to face new challenges. They also have to cope with the pressure of having to reduce operating costs and being efficient at the same time. At stand 212 in hall A3, GEA Westfalia Separator Group will not only present innovative solutions for this purpose; it will also demonstrate how the machines can be operated even better by means of intelligent control technology.

To combat the problem of cat fines in fuels, GEA Westfalia Separator Group is now offering a new system solution – the CatFineMaster -, which will be presented for the first time at the SMM 2014. Cat fines can significantly damage the engine and, under extreme circumstances, may also result in the total failure of the main engine. Fuel processing on board is thus of utmost importance; the new CatFineMaster is able to perform this task extremely efficiently and reliably. The system consists of a separator as the core element and a feed pump that can be regulated in the process for ensuring that the flow of heavy fuel oil is adjusted optimally to take account of the respective process requirements. This ensures an additional boost to efficiency and also results in energy savings. The system is completed by the new GEA Westfalia Separator IO control system and optional measuring and analysis equipment.

The CatFineMaster ensures an efficient reduction of cat fines, targeting a concentration of less than 5 ppm and separation of all particles larger than 3 μm. The CatFineMaster is the first system available on the market which ensures maximum reduction of cat fines and thus optimum fuel composition.

Complex situations can be simplified by means of intelligent control technologies. IO is the new generation of control units that GEA Westfalia Separator Group uses with the CatFineMaster. IO focuses on ease of operation; one touch is all that is required, to have the centrifuge automatically regulate the desired program. This innovative control system concentrates precisely on what the user requires for this specific task. This results in enormous benefits for operations: Operating staff can easily master the use of the control system for the centrifuge; the familiarization time is relatively short, thus enhancing flexibility in operations. The processes have also become more reliable, IO enables the user to intuitively utilize the wide range of functionalities.

Furthermore, IO is not only able to control and display; it is also able to evaluate as well. This is because it is not sufficient to merely display the status of the machine; on the contrary, data also have to be interpreted in order to optimize the operating processes. The concentration of cat fines can be measured online during operation by an additional analysis system which can be optionally integrated. Furthermore the IO control system provides assistance by means of corresponding efficiency programs. With one touch, the operator can decide which specific status of the centrifuge he wants: Is the aim to optimize the separating result, reducing energy consumption or is capacity to be maximized? This demonstrates the major benefit of installing the centrifuge and control unit as a complete solution: the efficiency programs combine the know-how and decades of experience in regulating centrifuges that only the manufacturer has.

GEA Westfalia Separator Group and Trojan Technologies – the largest UV company in the world – have partnered to market and distribute Trojan Marinex ballast water treatment systems. These systems will be marketed as GEA Westfalia Separator BallastMaster marinex, powered by Trojan Marinex, and added to the existing GEA ballast water treatment product line. BallastMaster marinex, powered by Trojan Marinex systems are purpose-built for the marine environment, and provide filtration + UV in a single, compact unit. The product suite includes a full range of systems that are able to efficiently treat any flow rate throughout all water qualities. For operational flexibility and higher flow rates, units can be installed in parallel without compromising efficacy. They can also be installed either vertically or horizontally, and for vessels requiring explosion-proof systems, Ex versions are available. The BallastMaster marinex, powered by Trojan Marinex product suite is IMO Type Approved to stringent standards, in accordance with United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Ballast Water Protocol. It is tested and approved to the lowest UV transmittance value (poor water quality) in the industry under full flow conditions, and in all three salinity ranges - brackish, fresh and marine.

The new CatFineMaster and BallastMaster marinex, powered by Trojan Marinex are only two examples of the innovative solutions for marine technology. From a single source, GEA offers a wide range of solutions under the umbrella of GEA Westfalia Separator sea protect solutions, varying from individual components to complete systems. The separators and supply systems of GEA meet the economic challenges of maritime logistics and also comply with the increasingly stringent requirements regarding marine protection and the progress in shipbuilding technology. Visitors will be able to verify this in person at SSM from September 9-12.

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