LOPX Separation System

System Description

Printed Aug 1997

Book No. 1810234-02 V3

Alfa Laval Marine & Power

Alfa Laval reserve the right to make changes at any time without
prior notice.
Any comments regarding possible errors and omissions or
suggestions for improvement of this publication would be
gratefully appreciated.
Copies of this publication can be ordered from your local
Alfa Laval company.
Published by: Alfa Laval Separation AB
Marine & Power Division
S - 147 80 Tumba
Sweden
Copyright Alfa Laval Separation AB 1997.
Contents

1 Scope 1

2 System Overview 3

2.1 System Layout 4

2.2 Oil Flow 6

3 The ALCAP LOPX Process 7

3.1 The ALCAP Principle 7

3.2 Low Water Content 8

3.3 High water content 10

3.4 Displacement Water

Adjustments 12
3.4.1 Decreasing the Amount of
Displacement Water 12
3.4.2 Increasing the Amount of
Displacement Water 12

3.5 Definition of Terms 14

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1810234-02
1 Scope

This system description is valid for the

following separation systems:

LOPX 705
LOPX 707

LOPX 709
LOPX 710

LOPX 713

LOPX 714

The LOPX separation systems are designed

for cleaning of lubricating oil for diesel
engines in marine and power applications.

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1 Scope LOPX System Description

2 1810234-02
2 System Overview

In the LOPX process, heated lubricating oil is

fed through the separator to clean the oil from
solid particles and water.

An LOPX system comprises:

An LOPX separator.
Ancillary equipment including a control
unit and a water transducer.
Optional equipment such as an oil feed
pump and an oil heating system.

The LOPX separator operates as a clarifier.

Cleaned oil leaves the separator through the
oil outlet while free water and separated
sludge accumulate at the periphery of the
separator bowl.
The control unit supervises the entire
operation of the separation system and
performs monitoring, control and alarm
functions.

At normal conditions, characterized by low or

no water content and normal sludge content,
sludge discharges are initiated by the control
unit at preset intervals. Sludge and water are
then discharged through sludge ports at the
periphery of the bowl.
Water is used in the separation process, and
specific amounts of processing water are
added at different times.
The control unit adapts the process to changed
conditions such as changes in the water
content of the lube oil.

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2 System Overview LOPX System Description

2.1 System Layout

The basic LOPX system layout is illustrated
by the following symbol diagram.

C
14

13

8 10
6 7 PS PI
4
MT FI

PS
3 TT 12 5
9
D 11
2

12
1

P00022DA
B
The LOPX system

The inlet and outlet arrows indicate the

following:
A Unprocessed oil inlet C Water inlet
B Cleaned and recirculated oil outlet D Sludge outlet

Item Symbol Designation Function

Displacement pump Feeds unprocessed oil to the separator.

1

Heater Heats unprocessed oil to separation temperature.

2

Temperature transmitter Measures the oil temperature.

3 TT

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LOPX System Description 2 System Overview

Item Symbol Designation Function

Pneumatically controlled Leads the unprocessed oil to the separator or back

change over valve to the tank (recirculation).
4

Separator Cleans the oil by removing water and solid

5 particles.

Water transducer Measures the changes of water content in the

6 separated oil.

Flow indicator Displays the oil flow rate.

7

High pressure switch Senses high pressure in the oil outlet.

8

Low pressure switch Senses low pressure in the oil outlet.

9

Pressure gauge Displays the pressure in the oil outlet.

10

Manually controlled Regulates the clean oil back pressure.

11 regulating valve

Non-return valve Stops reverse oil flow.

12

Solenoid valve block, water Distributes separator opening and closing water,
13 conditioning water, and displacement water.

Control unit Supervises the separator system.

14

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2 System Overview LOPX System Description

2.2 Oil Flow

The unprocessed oil is fed through a strainer
by a positive displacement pump, operating at
constant flow.

After the heater the change over valve directs

the oil to the separator. The separated oil
passes the manually operated back-pressure
regulating valve back to the lubricating oil
tank.

The oil can also be directed back to the oil

tank, bypassing the separator. This is the case
when the oil temperature is outside the preset
range, during separator start and stop
procedures, and during alarm conditions.

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3 The ALCAP LOPX Process

The terms used in this process description are

explained in section 3.5 Definition of
Terms on page 14.

3.1 The ALCAP Principle

During the separation process sludge and
water accumulate at the periphery of the
separator bowl.

Normally, sludge and water are discharged at

preset time intervals.

Should the build up of separated water and

sludge increase, water may approach the disc
stack. In that case traces of water start to
escape with the cleaned oil. This small
increase of water content is immediately
detected by the water transducer, installed in
the oil outlet.
The signal from the water transducer is
continuously transmitted to the control unit,
where a reference value is stored.

The control unit continually compares the

transducer signal with the reference value.
Should a deviation from the reference value
occur, a sludge discharge is initiated to keep
the system at optimum separation efficiency.

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3 The ALCAP LOPX Process LOPX System Description

3.2 Low Water Content

Normally the lube oil contains little or no
water. In this case sludge discharges will be
timer initiated.

A 2
1

F G
t
C

D E

G019793A
Transducer signal, normal conditions

s Transducer signal E Displacement of oil

t Time F Addition of conditioning water
A Trigger range G Addition of displacement water
B Trigger value
C Reference time 1 Storing of reference value
D Preset time between discharge sequences 2 Sludge discharge
The water transducer signal reflects the
normal condition where the oil contains no
water. The preset time between sludge
discharges is set in the control unit as a timer
function.

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LOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP LOPX Process

Process Cycle
1. Conditioning water is added to the
separator bowl. The conditioning water
softens the sludge in order to accomplish a
good discharge.
2. A new reference value is stored by the
control unit.
3. When the preset time between sludge
discharges has elapsed, displacement
water is added to the separator bowl. The
displacement water eliminates the risk of
oil loss at the following sludge discharge.
Initially, water is continuously admitted.
4. After that, a number of short pulses add a
minor amount of water. The interface
between oil and water moves toward but
never into the disc stack. This means that
there is no risk of water contaminated oil
leaving the separator.
5. The sludge discharge is initiated after a
predetermined number of water pulses.
The actual number of pulses is calculated
by the control unit, and is adapted to
changing conditions.

6. After the sludge discharge a new process

cycle starts with the adding of
conditioning water. A new reference value
is then stored.

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3 The ALCAP LOPX Process LOPX System Description

3.3 High water content

When the water content is high, the transducer
signal will reach the trigger value after the
minimum time between discharge sequences
but before the maximum time.

A
1

F
t
C C

G019803A
Process cycle, high water content

s Transducer signal D Preset time between discharge sequences

t Time F Addition of conditioning water
A Trigger range
B Trigger value 1 Storing of reference value
C Reference time 2 Sludge discharge

Process Cycle
1. After the sludge discharge a new cycle
starts with the adding of conditioning
water.
2. A new reference value is stored.

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LOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP LOPX Process

3. Separated water will fill out the sludge

space of the bowl before the preset time
between discharge sequences has elapsed.
4. Water escaping with the cleaned oil is
immediately detected by the water
transducer, and a sludge discharge is
initiated. No displacement water is added
in this case.

Alarm

Should five consecutive sludge discharges be

initiated by the transducer signal, the alarm for
high water content is activated.

This alarm indicates that a water leakage has

occurred somewhere in the lube oil system.

Resuming the Normal Process

When the water content in the lube oil is
reduced, the preset time will elapse without a
transducer initiated discharge.

The control unit then starts to add an

appropriate amount of displacement water.
The amount is adapted to the decreasing water
content in the unprocessed oil.
After a few process cycles the system resumes
its normal operating mode.

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3 The ALCAP LOPX Process LOPX System Description

3.4 Displacement Water

Adjustments
The ALCAP LOPX process is automatically
adjusting the amount of displacement water to
suit changing conditions, such as changed
water content in the oil or scaling in the water
line.

3.4.1 Decreasing the Amount of

Displacement Water
If the water content of the unprocessed oil is
low, displacement water is added prior to the
sludge discharge.

Should a sludge discharge be initiated by the

transducer signal during addition of
displacement water, too much water has been
added. Less displacement water will then be
used at the next sludge discharge cycle.

3.4.2 Increasing the Amount of

Displacement Water
Every fourth sludge discharge the amount of
displacement water is checked to ensure that
an accurate amount of water is added.

A minor amount of extra water is then added

with the displacement water.
An increased transducer signal confirms that
the amount of displacement water was
sufficient.

Should the transducer not respond to the

additional water, the amount of displacement
water is increased at the next sludge discharge
cycle.

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LOPX System Description 3 The ALCAP LOPX Process

Alarm
If the amount of displacement water is
increased two times with no transducer
response, the A7-11 alarm is activated.

This alarm indicates that the displacement

water supply is insufficient and must be
checked.

DANGER

Disintegration hazard

If the A7 - 11 alarm is not remedied

there is a risk for breakdown due to
insufficient sludge conditioning.

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3 The ALCAP LOPX Process LOPX System Description

3.5 Definition of Terms

Transducer signal The analog signal from the water transducer.
The transducer signal is monitored by the
control unit to detect minor changes of water
content in the outlet oil from the separator.
Reference value The lowest achievable transducer value for the
oil that is being processed.
The reference value is determined during the
reference time interval. The value is stored in
the control unit.
The reference values differ for different lube
oils.
Reference time interval The time period after each sludge discharge,
(Parameter value) after which the actual transducer signal is
stored as a reference value.
Trigger range The allowed deviation of the water transducer
(Parameter value) signal, compared with the reference value.
The trigger range lower limit is the reference
value, and the range is normally set to 0.2% of
the reference value.
Trigger value Trigger range upper limit. When the transducer
signal reaches the trigger value, water must be
discharged from the separator.
Preset time between sludge discharge When this time has elapsed, a sludge discharge
sequences is initiated.
(Parameter value)
Conditioning water Water, added to the separator bowl to soften the
sludge.
Displacement water Water, added to the separator bowl to displace
the oil and ensure there is no loss of oil at
sludge discharge.

14 1810234-02