Principles of Fluorescence Detection
Marine oils emit light at specific wavelengths when they are irradiated with ultra-violet light. This molecular effect is called fluorescence and is an extremely reliable indicator of oil concentration in a bilge oily water separator process stream.
Their are only two primary methods of oil detection for marine OWS bilge applications: Light Scatter and Fluorescence. Light Scatter devices estimate oil concentration based on the amount of scattering of light rays in a bilge stream. However, this method has no way to discriminate between a particle of rust or a particle of oil causing subsequent scattering. Consequently, a dirty bilge will constantly yield false high alarms and never allow the OWS to process the waste overboard.
Fluorescence technology is the only way to detect oil in either droplet or dissolved form. It has the further advantage that it is immune from solids or other particles in the bilge water process stream.
