Commissioning Tests are carried out to check whether the BWTS installed on the ships are working correctly. During these tests, sampling points are located at the ballast water discharge lines. At these points, sampling is performed with isokinetic effect. Two different methods can be used to sample from these points.
1. Sampling with Plankton Net
The first of these is sampling with plankton net, which is the classical method and which wastes a lot of time. With the system installed at the sampling points, the water in the ballast tanks is passed through the plankton net with a certain flow rate. For this method, 1000 liters of water are filtered, which is specified in the IMO documents. Filtered water is deposited in a bucket after the plankton net and drained. If it is not possible to drain the filtered water at the sampling point, it is discharged from the deck with the help of a pump. The sampling bucket should be large enough that the plankton net can be placed in the box at best. Therefore, a box with a height of about 100 cm and a diameter of 50 cm is needed. A bucket of this size filters the ballast water so that it is permanently immersed in water, while allowing enough space for the plankton net to be placed in the water in the bucket. This is very important to prevent the filtered organisms from dying or being damaged, since they are subjected to different stresses during filtration.
Plankton net and bucket (David and Gollasch, 2015)
2. Sampling with BallastWise Filtration Unit
This filtration system developed by MicroWise is used as a new method. It is more useful than the other method in terms of both dimensions and function. It helps to get rid of lengthy installation processes such as plankton net. Only one hose is connected from the sampling point and the filtration system is passed. Thanks to the large volume 50 μm filter inside, it allows sampling by filtering the ballast water passed through it. Unlike the other method, the lack of space at the sampling points is prevented by taking up less space. It allows the discharge of water filtered directly from the water outlet point.
It allows the filtered water to be taken directly to the BallastWise analyzer or sampling bottles from the sampling valve located above it.
AEM Laboratory; With its expert staff, technical facilities and quality service, it is an accredited organization from TURKAK (Turkish Accreditation Agency), which has international validity in ballast water analysis. It serves throughout Turkey and World. Thanks to the infrastructure in our laboratory, we get faster and more accurate results. With our latest and fastest instruments, we save you from long waiting times when taking samples and performing analysis.
The analyzes we make with our internationally recognized BallastWise device offer both faster and more technological solutions. BallastWise allows for quick analysis when taking samples on board. Unlike other companies, we shorten the analysis times that take 7-8 hours and provide half or even less waiting time.
References
David M. and Gollasch S. (2014). BALMAS Ballast Water Sampling Protocol for Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement of the BWM Convention and Scientific Purposes. BALMAS project, Korte, Slovenia, Hamburg, Germany. 48 pp
