Blog Elements

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. remediationpump-medthumb

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.

industries-environmental Wastewater engineers in industrial settings have, for many years, understood the value of skimmers in the removal of hydrocarbons from water. Food processing plants, the metals industry, machining firms and utilities have all used skimmers with great success for wastewater treatment. Recently, skimmer manufacturers have modified their product as groundwater remediation equipment. The belt 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, 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 skimming is that in many cases the product can be salvaged for reuse – further reducing the overall price by eliminating the disposal cost.

PX-solar-UK-app-2-225x300 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. PETRX1_hi_res

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. Skimmers, especially belt 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 find out which of our skimmers would suit your application the best, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400, or click the button below to get our whitepaper, DNAPL A Threat? 9 Ways to Treat DNAPLs!

December 17, 2018

Benefits of oil skimmer, grease grabber, oil skimmers

Removing Grease from Steel Manufacturing Wastewater: Oil Skimmer is Lowest-Cost Method

industries-steel-2 Abanaki 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.

To 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. WCI-Steel-195x300

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 find out which of our skimmers would suit your application the best, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400, or click the button below to get more information about Grease Grabber.

December 7, 2018