Alfa Laval PureBallast gets USCG Approval
On 23 December, Alfa Laval received U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) type approval for the third generation of its ballast water treatment system, PureBallast. The approval allows ship owners who deballast in United States waters to make a confident choice of treatment technology.
The USCG based its type approval of PureBallast on CMFDA/FDA testing conducted at DHI in Denmark. This testing was performed using the same hardware, power consumption and flow as the already market-leading IMO-certified version of the PureBallast 3 family. Outside the United States, where PureBallast has been type approved using the MPN method, the USCG-certified system will operate in IMO mode and be able to treat water with UV transmittance as low as 42%.
PureBallast has a flexible construction based on four different UV reactor sizes. This allows for optimized sizing and competitive solutions over a wide flow range. The current type approval covers flows of 150-3000 m3/h based on the 300 and 1000 m3/h reactor sizes, while type approval for systems based on 170 and 600 m3/h reactors is expected soon. The delay between approvals is due to the evaluation of the mathematically modelled reactor scaling, which is a new process for the USCG. Additional time is needed to review the already completed verification from the independent DNV GL lab.
“With both USCG and IMO type approvals backing up the market’s best biological disinfection performance, ship owners can be truly confident in their choice of PureBallast,” says Anders Lindmark, General Manager, Business Centre PureBallast. “Alfa Laval is proud to be at the forefront of ballast water treatment worldwide.”
Prepared for revised IMO G8 guidelines and more
Besides meeting the demands of the USCG, the PureBallast 3 family is prepared for the revised IMO G8 guidelines determined by the recent MEPC70 meeting. Pending a few final tests of biological efficacy, a completed application for an updated G8 certificate is expected during the first half of 2017.
Likewise, Alfa Laval is prepared for the increased demand triggered by the ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. Having sold over 1200 systems to date, including hundreds installed as retrofits, the company has the knowledge, project management and production muscle to handle the coming retrofit wave.
“Alfa Laval can provide not only technology with the relevant type approvals, but also a complete range of vessel-adapted solutions with high efficiency and a well-developed service offering,” says Lindmark. “We are committed to supporting customers, whether in comparing ballast water treatment systems or in handling the many recommissioning and retrofit projects ahead.”
