Question 142General Subjects - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is A) Flushing the oil content detector with clean water. When an oil/water separator is in recirculation mode due to high oil content in the processed water outlet, it indicates that the oil content detector is not functioning properly. Flushing the oil content detector with clean water can help reset the sensor and restore its proper operation, allowing the separator to discharge the processed water overboard once the oil content is within the regulatory limits. The other options are incorrect because they do not directly address the issue with the oil content detector. Flushing the bilges with an emulsifying agent or detergent (options B and C) may help disperse the oil, but it does not fix the underlying problem with the oil content detector. Cleaning the bilge suction strainer (option D) may improve the overall system performance, but it does not specifically address the oil content detector malfunction.