Video: New Tube Skimmer Skims Oil Faster, Cleaner
Oil Viper, the Natural Enemy of Surface Oil

If you already like the efficiency and dependability of the Model 8 Oil Grabber, you'll like Abanaki's invitation to "run with the sun." The Model 8 Oil Grabber with Solar Option makes is ideal for remediation at remote locations, including large mills and trenches far from stationary power sources.

This solar oil skimmer gives you a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 40 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface— but it makes that power portable. A 12-V motor runs the compact, self-contained unit. That motor runs off a deep-cycle battery, which in turn is recharged by a solar panel. It takes only a couple of hours to recharge the battery. Of course, the solar panel is adjustable to literally follow the sun.

Like the other Model 8 Oil Grabbers, the belt runs through contaminated liquid to pick up oil from the surface. After traveling over the head pulley, the belt passes through tandem wiper blades where oil is scraped off both sides of the belt and discharged. The tail pulley has flanges, which allow it to roll freely on the inside of the belt without becoming dislodged. It requires no bearings and does not need to be fastened to the tank. If turbulent conditions exist, an optional tether and cage assembly prevents the tail pulley from being dislodged.

The shipping time for this unit with option is 4 to 6 weeks.

Check out the standard features of the Model 8 Oil Grabber with Solar Option.

Skimming Handbook: Facts at Your Fingertips

Typically, when you need information on the shop floor, you need it immediately. Abanaki understands that. Its Oil Skimming Tutorial Handbook is the industry's most complete handbook on how to select and size an oil skimmer for your application, delivering the 4-1-1 on all aspects of oil skimmer applications. The pages can be easily downloaded, too. What could be faster or easier?

For immediate access click on Skimming Handbook.

Tips for Effective Skimming

1. Make sure the skimmer is level. (A skimmer with a free-hanging belt must be mounted level for the belt to track properly over the pulleys.)
2. Proper positioning of wiper blades is essential—not too tight, but still touching the belt. (Over-tightened wiper blades cause premature wear on blades. Under-tightening leads to poor recovery results, as the oil collected by the belt is not fully recovered.)
3. Run the unit when oil is present. This will lessen any possibility of picking up coolant or water. Use of a timer is recommended for greater efficiency
4. The unit is most effective when there's no turbulence. Operating it during quiet times will give oil the chance to rise to surface.
5. Keep a spare belt and wiper blades on hand.
6. Choose a belt that is long enough so that the tail pulley is submerged when the liquid level is at its lowest point.
7. Properly size the skimmer to the size of tank. Use a skimmer that will maximize the removal of oil for the size of tank.
8. If skimmer must be run when little or no oil is present, use an oil concentrator, which will eliminate the removal of coolant and water.
9. Choosing a proper belt for the application is important. It will maximize life of the skimmer belt and the efficiency of skimmer. See Oil/Water Separation Technology for more info.
   
10. Position the skimmer so that the down stroke of the belt is facing the bulk of the floating oil and is not within 2 feet of a wall or a tank side.
11. Always remember that the friendly support staff of Abanaki Corporation is just a phone call a way to help you with any of your skimming needs.

Lights, Camera, Skimming!

Abanaki invites the users of its products to send in videos of those products in action on shop floor, production areas mining sites and more. Sound isn't necessary, but action pays off. Any videos that Abanaki uses on its Web site will earn the "director" a pocket knife. When you have your video file prepared, please click here to upload the file to us:

http://www.abanaki.com/adcontest02

Eco-Tip: Communicate Green

It's almost overlooked during the workday, but email is a great way to save on paper. Read those digital messages onscreen. Decide whether they need to be printed. Being environmentally friendly can be contagious, even by way of computer. Communicate green.