Blog Elements | Abanaki Oil Skimmers

How Do You Know What Size of Oil Skimmer You Should Purchase?

Oil skimmers operate with a very basic principle. That basic principle is the breaking of surface tension to attract oil to the belt or tube. Because of this design, it is critical to size the oil skimmer according to the surface area being skimmed rather than the amount of oil in the tank. Abanaki September 2020 Blogs#2

For example, you could have a tank or pit that measure 144 square feet but only contains 2-4 gallons of oil at any particular time. Sizing the oil skimmer according to 2-4 gallons versus the surface area would yield unproductive results. Yes, you may only have small amounts of oil, but if your oil skimmer is undersized, that oil skimmer will not have enough power to break the surface tension with enough force to bring oil from the other side of the tank.

Therefore, you could run the oil skimmer for days and never retrieve the oil from the far side of your collection point. Always take into account how large of an area you want to skim oil from when determining what oil skimmer will work best for your application.

What are the general questions you need to know about your application?

EastSump There are a few things to consider when choosing an oil skimmer for any application. The most important thing is to pick an oil skimmer that is suited for the size of the application and the correct belt type. The questions below will help narrow it down:

What is the size of the tank or sump you wish to skim from?
What is the type of oil you are looking to remove?
What amount of oil do you need to remove?
What is the point of access on the tank or sump?

From here you can either use our oil skimmer selection guide or call your Abanaki representative at (440) 543-7400 to help point you in the right direction.

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

Learn how Abanaki oil skimmers help you save by “taking just a little off the top.”

Selecting and sizing your next oil skimmer correctly is important – the wrong decision can cost your facility thousands over the long term.

Watch this webinar.

When properly selected and applied, oil skimmers are highly economical solutions for separating oil from water to allow its reuse or safe disposal. However, there are certain applications that can expect optimal results. Typical applications best suited for oil skimmers encompass: Introduction

Wastewater Sumps

Wastewater sumps where removing floating hydrocarbons can reduce the cost of disposal and lower the contingent liabilities of wastewater discharge.

Most manufacturing or processing facilities have water systems where waste oil collects in a central tank or sump. Skimming the floating oils with little water content can reduce the cost of disposal and lower the contingent liabilities of wastewater discharge.

Coolant and Cutting Fluids

Coolants and cutting fluids where skimming tramp oils extends coolant life, improves the quality of machined parts, reduces irritating smoke that forms during machining, lessens the chance of dermatitis and helps prevent the fluid from developing a “rotten egg” odor. Oil Boss After - Kirsan

Oil skimmers utilize the differing specific gravity 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.

Heat Treating

Heat treating operations where trench oils must be removed from heat-treated parts, and can be captured with a skimmer for re-use or disposal. This reduces oil purchases, prolongs wash water life and lowers disposal costs.

Parts Washers

multi belt 5 x 8 ak steel Parts washers where removing floating oils from a wash tank prevents re-contamination of the parts as they are removed from the fluid and extends fluid life.

Industrial parts washers, paint lines, and machine shops all have a need to remove oil from water. Abanaki oil skimmers are trusted throughout the automotive industry to extend coolant life, reduce disposal costs, and avoid fines from municipal sewer districts.

Food Processing

Food processing facilities where the removal of vegetable oils, greases and animal fats from a plant’s wastewater stream reduces processing and disposal costs.

Oil skimming is the most reliable and lowest cost method of removing food greases and oils from process wastewater. An oil skimmer uses the difference in specific gravity between oil and water, allowing the oil skimmer belt to attract frying oils, vegetable oils, greases, and animal fats 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.

Parking Lots, Garage and Service Facilities

Parking lots, garages and service facilities where waste oil from leaks, spills and other sources must be retrieved from sumps before water can be discharged to storm or sanitary sewers.

Outdoor Ponds, Lakes and Basins

Outdoor ponds, lakes and basins where floating oils are present, skimmers provide inexpensive and effective removal, solving a serious environmental problem.

Recovery/Monitoring Wells

Recovery/monitoring wells where a belt skimmer can be used instead of a down well pump to remove oil, fuel and other hydrocarbons. Generally, this is more cost-effective and reduces maintenance headaches. Skimmers can reach depths of 200 feet or more and remove floating products despite fluctuating water tables.

The PetroXtractor is a well oil skimmer that makes use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the unit’s continuous belt to attract floating oil in the well. After picking up the oil, the belt travels over the head pulley on the drive unit and through tandem wiper blades. The oil is then scraped off both sides of the belt and discharged through a 1-1/4″ ID hose. The unique bearing-less design of the tail pulley (immersed in the well water) with its tethered frame allows it to perform three important functions: it keeps proper tension on the belt, prevents accidental loss down the well, and keeps the belt centered in the casing.

Remediation Processes

Remediation processes where skimmers can be used effectively in tandem with other means and reduce the overall cost and increase the speed of the cleanup. For example, when using bio-remediation techniques, skimmers can be used to first remove the bulk of the oil from the groundwater. Then more biological agents may be used to clean up the remaining contamination. The remaining oil will clean up faster, as there will be less of it.

Sometimes called pump-less groundwater remediation systems, oil skimming is the lowest cost way to remove hydrocarbon contamination from groundwater. Oil skimming alone may clean water to acceptable levels or be used as a pre-filter treatment. It is the most inexpensive way to remove LNAPLs or DNAPLs.

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

Oil Skimmers Get the Dirty Jobs Done

In the video, oil skimmer is shown removing spent lubricant from a collection tank in a steel production facility. Due to the extreme heat resulting from the steel making process, lubricant used for conveyor bearings often leaks into the cooling water, creating a floating goop that can foul filters further upstream.

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