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Shell Water Detector Usage Guide

The Shell Water Detector (SWD) capsule is used to detect finely dispersed suspended water in jet fuel at lower concentrations than visual examination. The procedure involves fitting an SWD capsule to a syringe, drawing a fuel sample, and examining the capsule for color changes which indicate the presence of water. A trace result is shown by slight yellow/green speckles while a distinct color change to green would be recorded as suspended water. Each capsule can only be used once and they have a shelf life of 9 months from manufacture date marked on the tube.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
261 views3 pages

Shell Water Detector Usage Guide

The Shell Water Detector (SWD) capsule is used to detect finely dispersed suspended water in jet fuel at lower concentrations than visual examination. The procedure involves fitting an SWD capsule to a syringe, drawing a fuel sample, and examining the capsule for color changes which indicate the presence of water. A trace result is shown by slight yellow/green speckles while a distinct color change to green would be recorded as suspended water. Each capsule can only be used once and they have a shelf life of 9 months from manufacture date marked on the tube.

Uploaded by

Thúy An Phạm
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Shell Water Detector

Technical advises for use


The Shell Water Detector (SWD) capsule determines the presence of finely dispersed
suspended water in jet fuel at concentrations lower than those normally detectable by visual
examination.

PPE
PVC gloves (gloves that are impervious to fuel)
Eye protection

Safety Footwear
Anti-static clothing

Equipment
Clean glass jar or metal bucket with bonding cable attached
Syringe

SWD capsule
Record sheet

Procedure
Step 1: Check the equipment

Detector capsule: examine the bottom of the tube to ensure the capsules have not
passed their expiry date.

5 ml syringe (0.2 fl oz) the syringe operates freely and the nozzle is not damaged

Glass jar or closed circuit sample: ensure the sample jar is clean and free from water
Step 2: Fit the capsule

Remove a capsule from the tube. Handle carefully and do not touch or allow any
moisture onto the yellow paper of the capsule

Close the tube to avoid contamination of other capsules at ambient humidity.

Check that paper is uniformly yellow, if it is not, discard an use another capsule

Fit the capsule to the syringe with the plunger in the depressed position
Step 3: Draw a sample

Use the sample from the visual check you have just completed

If you do not already have the sample, follow the task breakdown procedures from
the Visual Clear and Bright Procedure
Step 4:

Immerse the capsule and approximately half of the syringe using a circular motion
into the sample

Ensure you are using gloves that are impervious to fuel

Step 5:

Pull the plunger to draw 5 ml of fuel sample into the syringe


Step 6:

Withdraw the syringe from the fuel and examine the capsule immediately for any
change of color in the centre wetted area of the capsule
Step 7: Results

If there is no color change, the sample is acceptable

The color of the centre can change to slight yellow/ green at very low dispersed water
concentrations with the change to green becoming progressively more noticeable with
increasing water content

A few green speckles or a slight change in color would be recorder as a trace, a


distinct color change would be recorder as suspended water.

OK, no water

Repeat the test

Dispersed water

Step 8: After sampling

Dispose of the used capsule safely. It can only be used ONCE.

Empty the contents of the syringe back into the sample container and return into
recovery tank

Complete the documentation

Interpretation of Shell Water Detector Results


The presence of suspended water is indicated by a change in color of the centre portion of the
detector capsule.
It changes from faint yellow to green if water is detected
Storage Life
The life for unused Shell Water Detector capsules is nine months from the time of
manufacture. The expiry date month and year is marked on the bottom of each tube of
capsules.
Unused capsules should be stored in their container with the cap screwed tightly to prevent
discoloration by humidity.
Each capsule must only be used once.

Common questions

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Using an expired Shell Water Detector capsule could lead to inaccurate water detection because the sensitivity might be compromised over time. This can be avoided by checking the expiry date marked on each tube of capsules and ensuring they are used within nine months of manufacture . Proper storage conditions also help maintain their efficacy .

The Shell Water Detector indicates the presence of suspended water in a jet fuel sample by a change in color from faint yellow to green in the centre portion of the detector capsule . The intensity of the green color increases with the water content .

Proper handling and storage of unused Shell Water Detector capsules are critical to maintaining their effectiveness. Capsules should be stored tightly sealed to prevent discoloration from humidity, as stated in their storage guidelines, and each capsule must only be used once . Handling them carefully ensures the yellow paper does not get contaminated or exposed to moisture before use .

To draw a sample using the Shell Water Detector, first, immerse the capsule and half of the syringe in a circular motion into the sample . This ensures a homogenous mix of fuel is sampled, minimizing sampling errors. Pull the plunger to draw 5 ml of the sample into the syringe . These steps ensure the accurate detection of suspended water by controlling the sample volume and exposure of the capsule to the fuel.

Recording 'trace' indicates only a few green speckles or a slight color change, suggesting a very low dispersed water concentration in the sample . In contrast, 'suspended water' refers to a distinct color change, indicating a significant presence of suspended water .

After completing a sample test with the Shell Water Detector, dispose of the used capsule safely since it can only be used once . Empty the contents of the syringe back into the sample container and return it to the recovery tank . Finally, complete the necessary documentation to record the test results .

To ensure accurate testing, the Shell Water Detector capsule should be fitted to the syringe with the plunger in the depressed position before drawing any sample. This prepares the syringe to draw the correct volume of sample efficiently without disturbing the capsule's initial state .

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when conducting tests with the Shell Water Detector is crucial for safety due to the hazardous nature of fuel. PVC gloves protect the skin from the fuel, safety footwear prevents slip hazards, eye protection shields the eyes from splashes, and anti-static clothing minimizes static discharge risks . These measures protect against both chemical exposure and physical hazards.

When checking the equipment for using the Shell Water Detector capsule, you should examine the bottom of the tube to ensure capsules have not expired . Additionally, verify that the syringe operates freely and its nozzle is undamaged. Ensure the sample jar or closed circuit sample is clean and free from water .

Discarding a capsule if the yellow paper is not uniform is crucial because color inconsistency indicates possible pre-exposure to moisture, which can preemptively trigger a color change. This could result in false positives or unreliable test results . Ensuring uniformity guarantees that the capsule's sensitivity to water is intact prior to sample exposure.

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