Two Stage Separators

Type A - For sheltered positions.

ALUMINIUM ALLOY
Type B - For exposed positions.
OPERATION &
MAINTENANCE NOTES

Reference: 0205

Revision: 8
Lun-A Platform
.

Turkish Naval Forces - MILGEM

Corvette

info@premaberg.com | +44 (0) 1787 475651 | www.premaberg.com

1. Operation

1.1 Pre Start-Up Checks

Before start-up of newly installed separation equipment or existing equipment

which has not been operational for some time it is essential to check that the
manometric drain traps are all fully primed. Empty or partially primed traps
are not acceptable either at start-up or during any part of the running cycle. It
is also recommended that the second-stage coalescers should be lightly
washed and moistened before start-up.

1.2 Drain Trap Level Check

i) In the ‘shut-down’ mode the water level in each drain trap should
coincide with the lower edge or lip of the outlet aperture or pipe in the
trap. The detail design of drain traps and their outlets varies
considerably from installation but it will be self-evident by visual
examination which is the main outlet aperture of any trap.

ii) In most instances the traps will be reasonably accessible and water
levels can be checked by observation through the top of the trap which
will be wholly or partly open to atmosphere.

iii) In cases where traps are inaccessible or cannot be checked in the

same manner described above the following indications can be
employed:

• By a sight glass on each trap (if fitted).

• By the presence of a water flow at each trap outlet when water is

directed into the traps.

• These three alternative methods of checking the trap water levels

are individually or jointly applicable to drain installations according
to their design. For any specific installation the best method of
checking the trap water levels is self-evident.

1.3 Drain Trap Priming

i) If priming is necessary, it can be effected in a number of different ways

according to the design of the installation.

a By direct replenishment from a can, receptacle or hosepipe through

the top of each trap if easy access exists. Replenishment should
continue until water is seen to flow through the trap outlet pipe.

b If a built-in second-stage washing system is fitted trap priming can

be effected by activating the washing facility for five to ten minutes
until the drain traps are seen to be full.

Ref: 0205 1 of 8 Revision 8 dated 19/03/2019

 It is then important to allow at least five minutes to elapse after
turning the washing system off before the system is started.

It is extremely important that drain trap priming by this method is

NEVER permitted when the system is actually running.

c In some installations a permanent trap priming system is fitted.

This generally comprises a small-bore pipe system with a feed to
each trap from a central supply with an ‘on/off’ valve. In some
instances, the valve is opened manually until all the traps are seen
to be primed, whereupon the valve is closed. In other cases, a
continuous low volume flow is directed to each trap AT ALL TIMES
other than during prolonged shut-down periods.

ii) Under many running conditions the traps are self-priming, but under
particularly dry environmental conditions they tend to partially or wholly
dry out.

iii) Priming can be carried out WITH THE SYSTEM RUNNING by methods
1.3 (a) and (c) provided due care is taken to avoid overloading the
separator, but NEVER by means of method 1.3 (b).

iv) Priming water can be salt or fresh.

v) The drain traps must be inspected periodically during system running

periods (the frequency of inspection cannot be predicted, but must be
established by experience) to ensure that the correct water levels are
being maintained. This action is particularly important when the
relative humidity of the environment falls below 70% for prolonged
periods or when the general weather state is dry for a prolonged
period.

vi) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should the system be run when any of

the drain traps are dry or only partly filled. If a trap is persistently dry a
leak must be suspected and a repair effected immediately.

vii) Premaberg drain systems are carefully designed and sized and vary in
detail from installation to installation. It is essential that the drains work
efficiently at all times if maximum separation is to be achieved. Any
leakages, blockages or other malfunctions must be located and
corrected with maximum possible promptness.

viii) The importance of good drainage maintenance cannot be over-

emphasized

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1.4 Coalcescer Wash

i) After checking the trap water levels and before system start-up it is
recommended that the coalescers should be lightly washed and
moistened.

• It is likely that each separator module in the installation will

incorporate a built-in washing facility. This device greatly
simplifies the procedure of lightly washing and moistening the
coalescers. The wash facility is usually activated by a manual
‘on/off’ valve and should be run for approximately five to ten
minutes just before the system start-up.

A period of five minutes should elapse between water shut-off

and system start-up. This is important.

• In the event of a built-in wash system not being fitted the

coalescers should be removed (see 2.4 (ii) and (iii)), lightly
sprayed with salt or fresh water and immediately replaced into
their separators.

ii) It is important to appreciate that the above procedures are intended

only to prepare the separator system for efficient operation after a
prolonged period of shut-down or in the case of newly installed
equipment. The washing procedures described in 4.1 (i) and (ii) are in
no way intended for removing the types of fouling commonly
experienced after prolonged periods of running and will be ineffective in
removing such contamination.

iii) No other actions are necessary to prepare a basic Premaberg two

stage system for normal operation.

2. Maintenance

2.1 The Premaberg system has a relatively low maintenance requirement and will
operate efficiently for prolonged periods without attention, particularly in
environments containing low levels of particulate contamination. High levels
of moisture entrainment in the environment will also greatly prolong the
running periods between maintenance.

2.2 It is essential to check the drain trap levels at regular intervals during normal
running and maintain them accordingly. The procedures for these checks are
described in Sections 1.2 and 1.3 of these notes.

The frequency of such trap level checks cannot be pre-determined with any
certainty and must be established by experience for a particular installation.

Obviously, however, systems operating in environments carrying frequent sea

spray, rain or fog, will require much less frequent checking than those
operating in dry, warm conditions.

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 Systems operating in the latter conditions are best fitted with the continuous
priming systems referred to in section 1.3 (i).

2.3 The condition of the vanes should be monitored at intervals found by

experience to be appropriate to a particular installation.

i) In the case of aluminium alloy vanes (anodized or non-anodized) a

coating of oxide will rapidly form on all visible surfaces. This oxide
should not be disturbed or removed. The rate of oxide generation will
decrease rapidly during the first few months of use and any attempt to
remove it will only accelerate the corrosion rate of the vanes. The
oxide layer is in itself an effective protection for the vane surfaces and
also enhances the separation performance of the vanes.

ii) Vane fouling in two-stage systems is likely to be minimal and only very
rarely will light cleaning with compatible detergent/water solutions be
necessary. Similarly, accidental vane damage is an extremely unlikely
and rare occurrence.

iii) By their very nature Premaberg inertial vanes are not particularly easy
to clean. In consequence care must be exercised during vane cleaning
operations to prevent vane damage or deformation and to preserve
intact the oxide layer as discussed in section (i).

iv) Individually bent or deformed vanes are likely to have only an

extremely minimal effect on the overall performance of the system but
in cases of more extensive damage to a multiplicity of vanes an
assessment of the situation must be made. In some instances, vanes
can be satisfactorily re-formed into their original configuration in-situ
but in others a new separator module will be required. In cases of
doubt reference should be made to Premaberg Manufacturing Limited.

v) In instances where it is observed that the oxide layer on the vanes has
been seriously disturbed it is likely that the anodic surface (if such was
originally supplied) will also be damaged. In such cases the vane
areas surrounding the damaged surface should be thoroughly cleaned
back to the parent metal and the “Alocrom 1200” process applied
thereto.

The method of applying this repair treatment is specified in the

instructions issued by the manufacturer.

Under no circumstances should any other surface finish be applied

without reference to Premaberg Manufacturing Limited.

vi) In vane banks which were not originally anodized no remedial action is
necessary in the event of damage to the oxide layer which well be self-
renovating

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2.4 Maintenance of the filter/coalesce panel is the most important and frequent
activity necessary when operating any Premaberg system.

The periodicity of panel maintenance cannot be pre-determined and can only

be established by operational experience with the client’s installation.

The necessity for some forms of panel maintenance can be easily and
promptly detected when an increase in pressure drop across the separator
system is made evident by instrumentation fitted to the air intake. Other forms
of deterioration are more difficult to detect and only manifest themselves by
system fouling or corrosion over very long periods of running by which time it
is too late to apply appropriate maintenance to the panels. To combat the
latter problems a regime of preventative panel maintenance must be
established.

Broadly speaking, in any specific environment, Premaberg separation

systems fitted with pre-filters (these can take several different forms) will
require far less coalescer panel maintenance than those without pre-filters.

i) The easiest form of coalescer fouling to detect and remove is that

caused by dry salt. Dry salt deposits can form on the coalesce after
periods of prolonged shut-down or during normal running when dry or
low relative humidity conditions are experienced for prolonged and
uninterrupted periods. The latter conditions are not frequently
experienced but can occur under unusual circumstances.

Normally, such deposits are automatically cleared by natural

deliquescing at frequent intervals before they produce any harmful
effects. However, in the unlikely event of such deposits becoming
excessive they will manifest their presence and extent by creating a
marked rise in pressure drop across the separator system.

ii) If the system can be stopped the dry salt deposits can easily be
removed by activating the built-in washing system for five or ten
minutes after shut-down. No removal or disturbance of the panels is
necessary and following a delay of approximately five minutes after
washing the system can be re-started. If the high pressure drop
persists some other form of fouling should be suspected and the
panels removed for inspection.

iii) If the system cannot be stopped the panels should be removed (see
sections 2.4 (vi)) and the salt washed away with a low pressure supply
of salt or fresh water. After removing any excess water, the panels
should be quickly replaced and normal running resumed.

iv) It should be emphasized that the only immediate manifestation of

excessive dry salt deposits on the coalescers will be the increasing
pressure drop (although the latter can be caused by other forms of
contamination). However, if the deposits are allowed to persist for long
periods and increase in volume, extreme and long-term harm can be

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 caused to the system so it is most important that the salt is removed at
the earliest opportunity. Consequently, irrespective of pressure drop,
every convenient opportunity should be taken to visually inspect the
coalescer panels for undue dry salt deposits.

v) The other more frequently experience form or coalescer fouling is that

caused by particulate entrainments in the intake environment.

Such fouling, like dry salt, is promptly detected by a rise in pressure

drop across they system but will cause virtually no other immediate
problems, but in the longer term however it will degrade the coalescing
efficiency of the panels. It should certainly be removed at the earliest
possible opportunity but it is certainly more difficult to deal with than the
dry salt referred to in section 2.4 (i).

vi) The use of the built-in washing facility is unlikely to be effective against
such fouling and resort must be made to removing the coalescer
panels for cleaning.

a) Panel removal can be effected with or without the system running

although both removal and replacement is much easier with the
system stopped.

b) Access to the coalescer panel (or panels) is gained via removable

channel shaped cover plates on the sides or top of the separator
module concerned. These plates are secured by a clamping bolt or
‘T’ bar which should be released with a spanner or by hand. The
cover plate can then be slipped out of the retaining bracket at the
opposite end to the bolt and removed.

The coalescer panel (or panels) can then be slid out of the slot
horizontally or vertically according to the design.

Where more than one coalescer is incorporated in a particular

module it will be found that each panel is clipped to its adjacent
panel with simple clips so that each panel pulls out the panel behind
it.

c) In the case of relatively few two-stage units access to the coalescer

panel is not as described as above. In such instances there will be
a direct access to the coalescer from the front or rear of the unit.
The coalescer panel (or panels) will be retained by simple clamps
the releasing procedure which is shown in fig. 7. It is important to
release the camp by turning the nut (P2) and not to turn the screw
(P3)

Ref: 0205 6 of 8 Revision 8 dated 19/03/2019

 vii) The procedures for cleaning panels are described in Premaberg
reference 0214.

viii) When re-fitting coalescer panels great care must be taken to ensure
that the felt face neoprene seal around the frame of the coalescer is in
perfect condition AND THAT THE PANEL IS INSERTED INTO THE
SEPARATOR WITH THE SEAL ON THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF
THE PANEL. THE LATTER POINT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
Care must also be taken to ensure that multiple panel assemblies are
clipped together correctly as the panels are inserted.

After inserting the panels, the slot cover plate is replaced. Care being
taken to ensure that its seal is in perfect condition and correctly
positioned.

Integrity of sealing between separator and bulkhead is important to

avoid leakage. These seals should be checked regularly to ensure that
an effective seal is maintained. Normally, this can only be a visual
check to determine if the seal has been damaged, deteriorated or if
there re any visible signs of leakage inside the plenum.

2.5 At extremely extended intervals the drain system will need cleaning.

The drain system is simply cleaned in a self-evident manner and the operator
will find a drain plug in each trap to facilitate this operation.

2.6 The priming system, if fitted, should be checked frequently for leakage,
blockage or uneven flow volumes to individual traps.

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2.7 At similarly extended intervals, the built-in washing system, if fitted, should be
checked. This can be done very simply by checking its effect on the
coalescer by visual means. If there is any evidence of malfunction, the
internal spray pipe should be inspected and cleaned.

2.8 For hinged separators apply general purpose spray lubricant or Renolit Aqua2
grease, (PS336) for hinges with nipples fitted to keep hinges free running.

3. Repair of Paint Damage

In the event of the Powder Coat Paint finish on any separator or drain
component becomes damaged or scratched to such a degree that the surface
of the base metal is penetrated, it will be necessary to rectify the damage.

The original paint needs to be cleaned prior to ‘touch-up’ or ‘touching-in’.

Clean the surface by washing with a detergent and roughen with a light
abrasive. Thoroughly rinse and dry. If solvents are needed, Isopropyl Alcohol
may be used. Refer to manufacturer’s instructions.

To repaint use a Toluene and Xylene based aerosol or brush touch up paint.

The paint should be applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s

instructions.

Premaberg Manufacturing Ltd

1 Third Avenue
Bluebridge Industrial Estate
Halstead
Essex
CO9 2SX
United Kingdom

Ref: 0205 8 of 8 Revision 8 dated 19/03/2019