ATI (Allegheny Technologies Incorporated; previously Allegheny Ludlum) Uses Abanaki to Support World-Class Industrial Wastewater Treatment Standards
Continuous belt skimming improved oil removal efficiency, reducing manual labor and improving recycling performance
Allegheny Ludlum New Bedford, Massachusetts facility.
Industrial wastewater treatment systems play a critical role in manufacturing operations, especially when water is recycled and reused throughout production processes. However, oil contamination in collection sumps can reduce treatment efficiency, increase maintenance requirements, and create redundant labor costs.
Allegheny Technologies Incorporated is a world leader in the technology, production and marketing of specialty materials like stainless and silicon-electrical steels, titanium, nickel and other advanced alloys. Its customers represent diversified consumer and capital goods markets in more than 30 nations. In keeping with the company’s ISO 9001-certified quality system, they go well beyond traditional business measurements to balance bottom-line efficiency with service excellence and a commitment to quality. This is incredibly important at the company’s industrial wastewater treatment facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Chief Wastewater Recycling Operator George Bergman is responsible for managing restrictions on industrial wastewater treatments like regulation and corporate accountability practices, the need for quality water, and a mandate to contain treatment costs.
The Problem: Like most processing facilities, ATI employs a collection system in which rinse water is collected and transferred to the industrial wastewater treatment system. Within the tanks, chemical residues float on the surface, oil drops to the middle, and water stays near the bottom. Continuous fluid settling during the wastewater recycling process enables the company to reuse a high percentage of the liquid recovered from the production line – a critical factor as the necessary high-quality water for industrial processing becomes increasingly harder and more expensive to obtain.
Bergman knew that cutting costs started with effective removal of oil from wastewater sump stations prior to treatment. He and his three-man crew of wastewater operators soon discovered daily hand skimming with absorbent pads was time consuming, inefficient, and expensive.
The Solution and Measurable Results: Abanaki Model 4 and Tote-It® Oil Skimmers Revolutionize Oil Removal
To address these challenges, ATI installed two oil skimming systems from Abanaki Corporation:
- A Model 4 Oil Grabber in a sump collecting water from multiple furnace wash tanks
- A Tote-It® Portable Belt Oil Skimmer in a floor sump used to collect oil from floor washing operations
Both belt oil skimmers rely on the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water, which allow the oil skimmer belts to attract oil and other hydrocarbon liquids from the fluid surface quickly and efficiently with little water content. This proved to be key in reducing disposal costs and reducing the strain of wastewater discharge.
Each system also delivered unique benefits for specific areas in the treatment facility. Ideal as a pretreatment before filtration, Bergman requested the installation of the Model 4– capable of removing up to 20 gph– in a sump that collects water from several furnace wash tanks. He and his team “inspect the process daily to ensure that the Model 4 is working properly, check the condition of [the] waste oil drum, and [inspect] and [clean] the wiper blades.”
Bergman had Abanaki’s Tote It “installed in a floor sump to remove oil from floor washing” – an ideal setting for this 36 lb portable unit that requires no mounting modifications and maintains skimming efficiency at fluctuating fluid levels. Low maintenance and self-sufficiency were key reasons Bergman chose Abanaki; he explains, “I chose the Abanaki products for their simplicity of operation and automatic features, such as operation timer and shut off switch when the waste oil drum is full.” After six months in operation, Bergman reports that the two units have continued to yield benefits. “We have saved on labor and time by not having to apply and remove the oil absorbent pads every week,” he says.
ATI’s maintenance and industrial wastewater treatment operators are also impressed with the skimmers’ simple design and oil removal capabilities. Maintenance Technician Bob Zussy, who installed both units, commented that they were easy to install and delivered a high quality of workmanship.
Excellence in quality, price and delivery are key to Allegheny Technology Incorporated’s standing as a worldwide producer of specialty metals, and a commitment to world-class production standards necessarily involves operating a top-of-the-line industrial wastewater treatment facility. The company supports customer satisfaction and community stewardship by ensuring a residue-free product and taking proactive environmental protection measures—both of which are supported by Abanaki oil skimming technology.
Operational improvements and results included:
- Continuous oil removal from wastewater collection sumps
- Reduced dependence on absorbent pads for oil collection
- Lower labor requirements during routine wastewater inspections
- Improved efficiency within the wastewater recycling process
- Simplified operation through automatic controls, including timers and full-drum shutoff features
- Reliable operation with minimal maintenance requirements
Documented results:
- Eliminated weekly task of applying and removing absorbent pads for oil collection
- Reduced labor and maintenance time associated with wastewater sump management
- Improved oil removal consistency
- Reliable operation after six months of service with positive feedback from operators and maintenance personnel
