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If you are running your skimmer 24/7 and the tank or pit runs out of oil, your skimmer will pick up whatever is remaining in the tank, and most of the time that will be water or coolant. There is a way to prevent this and that is by utilizing an oil water separator/concentrator in conjunction with your oil skimmer.

Oil Water Concentrator

The oil water concentrator attaches to the skimmer and helps in further separating the water/coolant from your oil. This unit is placed on the back of the skimmer. The skimmed material is drained into the concentrator and then it separates the water from oil. You can then drain the water back into the tank or well through one hose, and the oil drains from another. So, next time you’re wondering how to increase the efficiency of your oil skimmer, take a look at the oil water concentrator to help solve your dilemma. M8tankConcentrator

How Oil Water Concentrator works?

The Oil Concentrator is non-electrical and contains no moving parts — it simply receives liquid directly from the skimmer. Based on the principle of gravity separation, the Concentrator tank is sized so that there is adequate dwell time for the oil and water to separate. Water discharge is through a tube that has an open end near the bottom of the Concentrator, while oil flow is through a separate drain port near the top. As additional liquid enters the Concentrator, water and oil are forced out through their respective discharge tubes and ports. A sludge screen provides additional dwell time for separation while preventing debris from contaminating either the water or the oil.

Abanaki Oil Concentrator

The Abanaki Oil Concentrator provides virtually complete oil/ water separation for recycling or disposal of either liquid. Under most operating conditions, Abanaki skimmers pick up oil with only small traces of water. However, as surface oil is reduced to a thin layer (1/16 inch thick or less), more water (or coolant) may be picked up along with the oil. When used in tandem with an oil skimmer, the Oil Concentrator solves this problem by providing final phase separation. The result is water (or coolant) available for recycling, and virtually water-free oil for disposal.Oil Concentrator

Installed at the discharge end of the oil skimmer, the Concentrator comes complete with mounting bracket, removable sludge screen and drain plug for easy cleaning. An optional thermostatically controlled heater is available for use with thick oils, or when the application is in freezing temperatures. (A heater should not be used in environments where explosive fumes might be present.)

Abanaki recommends the use of the Concentrator with all oil skimmers. It increases the efficiency of the skimmer and reduces costs associated with oil disposal.



To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com



HOW TO TELL WHAT SKIMMER YOU NEED FOR YOUR MACHINE COOLANT

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Choosing the right oil skimmer for machine coolant involves considering several factors to ensure that the skimmer is effective and efficient in removing oil and other contaminants from the coolant. Here are some steps to follow when choosing an oil skimmer for machine coolant:ABA Blog Apr

  1. Determine the type and amount of contaminants: Machine coolant can contain a variety of contaminants, including oil, grease, and metal shavings. Understanding the type and amount of contaminants in the coolant will help you choose the right type of oil skimmer.

  2. Consider the operating conditions: The operating conditions of the machine coolant system will also play a role in selecting the right oil skimmer. Factors to consider include the size of the coolant tank, the fluid viscosity, and the fluid temperature.

  3. Evaluate different types of oil skimmers: There are several types of oil skimmers that can be used to remove oil and other contaminants from machine coolant, including belt, tube, and disk skimmers. Each type of skimmer has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to consider which type of skimmer will be most effective in your specific application.

  4. Look for additional features: Some oil skimmers may have additional features that can enhance their performance, such as oil concentrators or timers that can be used to automate the skimming process.

  5. Consult with a skimming expert: Consulting with an oil skimming expert or the manufacturer of the skimmer can help ensure that the right skimmer is selected for the specific application. These experts can provide guidance on the most effective skimming methods and can help with the installation and maintenance of the skimmer.

By following these steps, you can choose an oil skimmer for machine coolant that is effective, efficient, and customized to meet the specific needs of your application.


How Do Industrial Belt Oil Skimmers Work?


To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com



You are just one step away from downloading Abanaki’s most detailed resource on our oil skimming equipment. Simply click at the button to get your ultimate guide now.

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Choosing a high-quality belt oil skimmer for removing tramp oil from machine tool coolant is challenging.

Belt oil skimmers use an endless belt of corrosion resistant steel or synthetic medium, which is lowered into the tank or vessel to be skimmed. The belt passes through resilient wiper blades where the oil is removed from both sides of the medium.

Despite many belt oil skimmers looking similar, quality and versatility can vary. This video shows what to look for. 

 

How Do Belt Oil Skimmers Work?

Belt oil skimmers utilize the differing specific gravities between oil and coolant/water to remove tramp oils. A motor driven belt that is typically constructed of an oleophilic, or oil attractant material, is placed into a coolant sump or reservoir. As the belt moves through the coolant, it attracts tramp oils. The oil is scraped off by a wiper and deposited into a container.

Belt oil skimmers provide a simple, dependable and cost-effective method for removing oil, grease and other hydrocarbons from water.

Check out our Oil Skimming Guide to learn more.

Mighty-Mini Belt Oil Skimmer

Belt oil skimmers can really help in extending the life of your costly coolant. Belt oil skimmers help remove oils that leak from machines or parts to keep your coolant clean. By removing the oil with coolant skimmer, you can significantly increase the life of your coolant.Abanaki August 2020 Blog-1

The stainless-steel Mighty Mini is a compact belt oil skimmer designed for parts washers and machine tool coolant sumps. With its large discharge trough and small operating space, the Mighty Mini fits almost anywhere.

The stainless-steel construction resists rust and corrosion in harsh environments. It is lightweight and requires minimal assembly. With its durable stainless-steel construction, it is built to give long lasting performance. The removable trough makes cleanup fast and easy.


To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com



You are just one step away from downloading Abanaki’s most detailed resource on our oil skimming equipment. Simply click at the button to get your ultimate guide now.

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pexels-kateryna-babaieva-3361235Abanaki offers industrial wastewater skimmers specially designed for steel mills where plant maintenance engineers are looking for the lowest cost, most reliable method of removing greases and heavy oils from the steel-mill scale pit. Abanaki oil skimmers use the difference in specific gravity and surface tension between grease and water, allowing the belt to attract grease and oil as the belt passes through the surface of the water. The simple belt-and-motor approach is proven to operate unattended and reliably for decades with little maintenance.

Grease Grabber Oil Skimmer

gg_3To avoid fines from government and municipal sewer districts, steel mills must limit the amount of grease in wastewater discharged into the environment. The Grease Grabber® oil and grease skimmer provides a continuously operating belt and wiper that can remove up to 160 gallons per hour of heavy greases and oils. Depending on the characteristics of the liquid, the oil/grease skimmer is capable of reducing grease content to fewer than five parts-per-million in water. Reclaimed grease and oil can be re-used or used as furnace fuel, avoiding sucker truck disposal costs.

How Grease Skimmer Works?

Using a double drive roller and tail pulley system, the grease skimmer belt runs through wastewater to pick up grease and heavy oil from the surface. The belt travels over the head pulley and then passes through tandem wiper blades, from which oil is scraped off both sides and discharged. A heated hopper keeps grease flowing in cold outdoor temperatures.

The tail pulley features flanges that allow the pulley to roll freely on the inside of the belt without becoming dislodged in turbulent applications. No bearings are needed; the unit does not need to be fastened to the tank. An optional tether and cage assembly is offered to prevent the tail pulley from being dislodged. The Grease Grabber oil skimmer can be used in pits with depths as shallow as one foot or as deep as 100 feet.


To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com


Abanaki Model 8 Belt Skimmer in Operation

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Sometimes, an important technological advance begins with a small step-back! Such is the case with remediation of hydrocarbons from groundwater utilizing existing recovery and monitoring wells.

For the past few years, state government has based decisions on the amount of clean up that they require by the risk posed to the environment. Risk Based Corrective Action, commonly called “Rebecca” (RBCA), is a process that utilizes the principles of exposure assessment, toxicity and mobility to make corrective action decisions on sites that are cost effective while still protecting human health as well as that of the environment. Many times, all they require is removal of the free-phase product, allowing any emulsified contaminant to degrade with time. RBCA has saved many millions of dollars both for taxpayers and for businesses. With state regulatory agencies taking this approach, oil skimming devices have emerged as one of the most cost-effective groundwater remediation equipment choices.Groundwater_Remediation

Oil Skimmer is the Solution in Groundwater Remediation

Wastewater engineers in industrial settings have, for many years, understood the value of oil skimmers in the removal of hydrocarbons from water. Food processing plants, the metals industry, machining firms and utilities have all used oil skimmers with great success for wastewater treatment. Recently, oil skimmer manufacturers have modified their product as groundwater remediation equipment. The belt oil skimmer’s ability to get into tight spaces and remove relatively large amounts of hydrocarbons lends itself perfectly to groundwater remediation.

Since most oils, fuels and other hydrocarbon liquids have the tendency to float on water, oil skimmers are designed to remove only the top, free-phase, product layer. With only product being removed, the cost and maintenance of other down-well and water treatment equipment can be eliminated. Another cost advantage to oil skimming is that in many cases the product can be salvaged for reuse – further reducing the overall price by eliminating the disposal cost.

Belt Oil Skimmers are the Most Cost-Effective Method

The options for remediation equipment through recovery wells are practically unlimited since these wells come in a variety of sizes; any of the available technologies such as pump and treat of bio-remediation can be used in the correct size recovery well. Monitoring wells, however, are small, typically less than 4 inches in diameter. Initially installed for the monitoring of groundwater they are cheaper to construct and just large enough to allow a baling device or oil/water interface detector to pass through. As a cost savings measure, these small diameter wells are increasingly being used for product removal. With the increase in this new use, it is only natural that a number of devices are showing up claiming the ability to remove product through monitoring wells.

With the requirements for groundwater remediation systems becoming more reasonable, the use of skimming devices in lieu of pump and treat systems is increasing. The enormous expense involved with treating millions of gallons of water including the remediation equipment, monitoring and related maintenance is being replaced with a much more common-sense attitude. Oil skimmers, especially belt oil skimmers, as a means of remediation equipment, not only meet the challenge but, most times exceed. Pump and treat still has a place in this industry, but the small step “backward” to time proven skimming, a more reasonable and cost-effective method, cannot be overlooked.



To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com



How Does a Well Oil Skimmer Work? 

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Choosing an oil skimmer best suited for your application will maximize oil removal while minimizing capital outlay and oil skimmer operating costs. There are 5 crucial steps that need to be considered when purchasing a skimmer for your application. Skipping one or any of these concepts can result in having zero success in removing oil from your waste water. So, let’s keep that from happening and go over these 5 simple steps!

Operating Conditions

The first step in choosing an oil skimmer is to define the operating conditions in which the skimmer will be operating. All oil skimmers have a moving medium, and possibly other parts, immersed in the liquid. The performance and life of the pick-up medium, wiper blades, pulleys, etc. are affected by different conditions. These conditions include temperatures in and out of the liquid, pH of the solution, and the presence of solvents or other reactive chemicals.removal rate

Removal Capacity

The second step in selecting an oil skimmer is to know what you need or expect your removal capacity to be. Capacity should be based on the maximum amount of oil to be removed within the shortest available time. For instance, total oil influx may be 200 gallons in a 24-hour period, which averages about 8.3 gallons per hour. But if most of it comes during a single eight-hour plant shift, you will probably need a removal rate that is three times as high, especially if you are trying to prevent an unwanted discharge of contaminated water to a sewer system. As a rule-of-thumb, specify approximately twice the maximum capacity you anticipate needing for normal conditions.

Sump’s Characteristics

Understanding your tank or sump’s characteristics is the third thing you will want to consider when choosing an oil skimmer for your process. The location, shape, and capacity of a tank or water impoundment are major factors in choosing the right oil skimmer. Also consider fluctuations in water level, turbulence and possible emulsions. Although oil skimmers do not cause emulsions, they can have trouble removing certain types.IMG_0477

Oil Skimmer Media

The next step is determining which belt, tube, or disk to select for your skimmer. Obviously, you need the proper media on your skimmer in order to ensure the best results. And if you think all belt types or materials operate the same or that simply picking the cheapest option will suffice, you’re wrong and you’d be setting yourself up for failure. You can have a skimmer that is top of the line, but if you have the wrong belt, tube, or disc material on it then it won’t matter how great of a skimmer you have in that tank. Your results will be less than stellar.

Belt performance and durability depends on the nature of the liquid, its chemical composition, temperature, etc. For instance, high temperature increases a belt’s sensitivity to pH levels. So if the temperature of your application is above 160°F and you’re thinking of using a Polymer belt, then I would suggest you think again. It’s always best to share your application’s temp and pH levels with your sales person so they can select the right belt material for you.

In the same vein, choosing the right wiper blade is important, too. You’ll want something that can endure the temperatures and pH levels of your application so they don’t melt or warp or completely break during operation.

Oil Skimmer Accessories

Accessories are a skimmer’s best friend! Or so they say. The fifth step in choosing an oil skimmer is determining if your application requires any additional add-ons, such as specific motor types or additional skimmer equipment. Most oil skimmers are designed with standard, industrially rated, continuous duty motors and fully enclosed speed reducing drives. Most of these oil skimmers can be specified with the following motor options:

– Any standard or exceptional electrical requirement
– Explosion proof
– Drip proof
– Tropicalized
– Dirty duty
– Food service
– Wash down duty
– DC motors
– ATEX/European motors

Oil skimmer accessories make it easy to customize your oil skimming system for quick installation and optimal performance. These are the most commonly requested items. More specialized accessories are typically available on request such as solar oil skimming system, transfer package and underground oil skimmer system, concentrators, fluid monitoring accessories, and many more.

Choosing the right oil skimmer doesn’t have to be a disastrous process, but things can go sideways quickly if you don’t address certain aspects of your application. As always, make sure you are dealing with a reputable vendor. Companies that really know and understand how oil skimmers work will ask you all about the content above, if they don’t, RUN! Bottom line: know your application, choose a vendor you trust, and your oil skimming operation will be smooth sailing.



Video: How To Tell What Skimmer You Need For Your Machine Coolant


To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com


There is a skimming system for virtually any application. Simply fill up the form to your right or click at the button to get your ultimate guide now.

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