Oil contamination in steel mills process water

It can take between 10,000-75,000 gallons of water to produce one ton of steel, depending on the amount of recycled water that is used. Reusing water whenever possible is crucial to maintaining costs, and to be able to reuse water in the majority of steel mill processes it needs to be free of contamination, namely oil.

Tramp oils commonly contaminate steel mill process water and this can lead to a variety of problems. Water purity is obviously affected which means that the effectiveness of this water in its role as a coolant or lubricant is reduced. Additionally, water that is contaminated with oil cannot be discharged into a facility’s wastewater system, as this can potentially cause a hazard to the environment. Finally, the presence of some oils in water can provide an ideal media for bacteria growth that can present unsafe working conditions for workers. All of these factors contribute to a mill not being able to recycle water, which means increased production costs.

Abanaki Model 8 Oil Skimmer

What counter measures can be employed at a steel mill to limit or eliminate process water from becoming contaminated with oil? For one, the Abanaki Model 8 Belt Oil Skimmer is a dependable and effective means of removing oil from water and water-base solutions, such as those found in mills. Oil skimming makes use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the belt skimmer to attract oil and other hydrocarbon liquids from the surface of the fluid.

Depending on the characteristics of the liquid, it is possible for the Model 8 to reduce oil content to less than five parts per million in water. It utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 40 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface. The unit can be used as a pre-treatment before filtration, and in conjunction with coalescing systems. The versatility of the Model 8 allows it to be used in a wide array of applications in addition to steel mills, such as:

• Wastewater sumps
• Parts washers
• Coolant systems
• Heat treating fluids
• Food processing plants
• Parking lots, garages, and service facilities
• Outdoor ponds, lakes, and basins
• Underground tanks
• Ships’ bilges
• Aircraft service areas and tarmac runoff
• Truck, locomotive, and other mobile equipment washing facilities

Abanaki Model 8 Oil Skimmer Specifications

The Model 8 can be used in tanks with depths as shallow as one foot, or as deep as 100 feet, and is built to last. With the proper configuration it can handle liquid temperatures up to 212°F, and the pH of the fluid can range from 3 to 13. The skimmer drive includes an oil filled gear reducer with bronze gears and ball bearings. The motor, reducer, and powder coated finish of the housing give the Model 8 exceptionally long life, even under the harshest conditions.

Refineries are capable of producing gasoline, jet fuel, or even asphalt and, like most large-scale high capacity plants, require process optimization and advanced process controls.

Oil skimming is a popular method for capturing and removing oil from wastewater in plant treatment systems. This process is mandatory to avoid fines and to produce fuel as economically and environmentally friendly as possible. Abanaki Corporation has successfully specialized in refinery oil skimmer technology for over 40 years. Oil skimmers work by making use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the belts to attract oil and other hydrocarbon liquids from the surface of the fluid. Abanaki belt skimmers can be used in applications as deep as 100 feet.

By implementing an oil skimming solution, the goal to recapture 100% of all hydrocarbons before they go down the drain, can be achieved. The oil skimmer collects the bulk of the hydrocarbons and sends them back to a crude tank. Any residual oils can be removed through filtration or chemical treatment. The oil skimmer is operated 24 hours a day 7 days a week. A refinery oil skimmer requires very little oversight, no maintenance, and the time saved more than offsets the electrical costs.

The Model 8 oil skimmer is the most widely used Abanaki oil skimmer. Its size and removal capacity make it suitable for most applications. From a mere shimmer on top of water to a heavy oil slick, the Model 8 oil skimmer performs efficiently, removing up to 40 gallons of oil per hour.

The new solar-powered version of Abanaki’s popular Model 8 Oil Skimmer is available. It removes oil at up to 40 gph, where electrical power is unavailable or inconvenient.

The Abanaki Model MB oil skimmer is a dependable and effective means of removing oil from water and water-base solutions. Often, oil skimming by itself will reduce oil to an acceptable level of water purity. Depending on the characteristics of the liquid, it is possible for the Model MB alone to reduce oil content to less than five parts per million in water. The unit can be used as a pretreatment before filtration, and in conjunction with a coalescing system.

The Model 4 oil skimmer utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 20 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface.

Depending on the application, a belt skimmer such as the units described above can be used or a tube skimmer like the Oil Viper would be another viable solution.  The Abanaki Oil Viper tube skimmer is a surface oil skimmer that effectively removes floating surface oils by means of an oleophilic (oil attracting) 3/4 inch diameter continuous looped tube. The tube extends out over the surface of the tank or pit and collects the free floating oils.

The Oil Viper has a specially designed method for removing the oil from the tube. It has a unique wiper combination attached to the tube itself in addition to the ceramic wiper on the skimmer. The result is a virtually oil free tube as it leaves the oil skimmer for quicker oil removal. Removal rates can be as high as one hundred gallons per hour. It can be used in either shallow tanks or reservoirs.

There are over 25,000 plating companies in the USA operating under challenging manufacturing conditions. Facing high temperatures, abrasives, extreme pH and chemicals in parts washers and holding tanks, effective oil skimming seems like a nearly hopeless task.

Some companies know a solution. A select group of plating companies and metal finishers across the country are extending the life of their parts washer and eliminating recontamination of their parts.   These companies recognized that removing oil from their parts washers and holding tanks would enhance manufacturing efficiencies and provide cost-savings. They found the solution with the trusted the leader in oil skimming over the past 70 years — Abanaki Corporation.   

By working with the oil skimming experts at Abanaki, each of these customers have been able to determine the most appropriate skimmer for their own specific application — the Mighty-Mini, the Tote-It, the Model 4 and the Model 8.

And, rest assured, when all of the other plating companies and metal finishers are ready to address their “hopeless” manufacturing conditions, they’ll dial Abanaki Corporation at 440-543-7400 to find their solution.

Implementing an oil skimming solution makes it possible for refineries to achieve the goal of recapturing 100% of all hydrocarbons before they go down the drain. A refinery oil skimmer collects the bulk of the hydrocarbons and sends them back to a crude tank. Filtration or chemical treatment can remove any residual oils. Refinery oil skimmers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and require very little oversight and no maintenance. The time they save more than offsets the cost of the electricity needed to operate them.

To find out which of our skimmers would suit your refinery application the best, click here to launch our E-Book guide.

For information on how our skimmers work in refinery applications, refinery case studies, and more, click here.

We have simplified the process of selecting an oil skimmer with our new interactive chart. Click here to access the easy to use guide and find your skimmer today!

Abanaki was recently consulted about the use of oil skimmers in a fracking operation in PA. Fracking, also known has hydraulic fracturing, is a procedure widely used by natural gas drillers in which water, sand and chemicals are forced at high pressure into the ground to break up shale rock formations, thereby causing the discharge of trapped natural gas.

A typical fracture treatment normally consists of 98.0-99.5 percent water and sand while the balance is made up of chemical additives that depend on the components of the water and the shale formation being fractured. In order to fracture one producing well, millions of gallons of water are used. There has been growing concern with the disposition of the 20-40 percent of flowback that picks up other contaminants as it returns to the surface.

Our salesman, John, told the operations manager that the Model 8 oil skimmer would help remove the trace amounts of oil that was found in the wastewater before they disposed of it. Abanaki’s oil skimmers provide an environmentally responsible way of removing oil from water. Oil skimmers work by making use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the belts to attract oil and other floating hydrocarbon liquids from the surface of the fracking wastewater. The contaminants are then scraped off the sides of the belt and discharged into a collection container. Abanaki belt oil skimmers can be used in applications as deep as 100 feet and can be operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An oil skimmer requires very little oversight, no maintenance, and is very cost effective due to low energy requirements.

The operations manager decided on using 4 Model 8 oil skimmers at the different wells on the site and has reported that they are working efficiently and helping to get the job done.

To learn more about how oil skimmers work in fracking applications and the different types of oil skimmers than can be used, click the photo below.

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Click here to receive a copy of our Solutions Sourcebook. This 43-page handbook offers application notes on more than 40 real-world implementations of oil skimming.

Recently, Abanaki salesman John visited a customer that’s been utilizing the Model 8 Oil Skimmer as its wastewater skimmer for 3 years. The customer uses the skimmer at its rail yard facility. The Model 8 oil skimmers are placed on the tops of holding tanks where the wastewater is collected. It is crucial for this customer to remove the hydrocarbons from the wastewater before it is discharged into the sewer system. Without the use of the skimmer, the facility would face many fines and penalties from the government, as it has many EPA regulations in place to keep the water systems clean.

The Model 8 is the perfect wastewater oil skimmer for this job. It utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 40 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface. The belt, operating on a motor and pulley system, 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 Model 8 is a dependable wastewater skimmer that lasts for years and always gets the job done. To find out how this oil skimmer will improve your application click the photo below.

A large Northwest manufacturing company was having issues reaching its discharge compliance levels. The facility tried exploring different options to lower its PPM of oil discharge, but none of them produced the necessary results. The company reached out to Abanaki Corporation for help. Abanaki suggested that the facility try utilizing the Model 8 Oil Grabber to assist in removing the oil in its wastewater. For two years now the Model 8 has helped the company maintain its compliance levels the city had set forth. Call an Abanaki sales representative today for more information about the Model 8, or any of the other products from the Abanaki line, for a cost effective and low maintenance solution to removing unwanted oils.

Abanaki’s Model 8 Oil Skimmer helps a large manufacturing firm save coolant and reclamation costs. The company came to Abanaki trying to find a way to lower their coolant cost in their 2,000 gallon centralized system. They had been replacing their coolant on a semi-monthly basis and had to dispose of their old coolant, which was costly and time consuming. Since Abanaki’s Model 8 Oil Skimmer has been in place, they have been able to limit the need to change their coolant to once a year and have been able to sell the tramp oil they removed.