Oil Skimmer Blog

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.

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.

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.

Tube oil skimmers offer an inexpensive, efficient solution for removing tramp oil from coolant especially if limited overhead space is an issue. Tube oil skimmers can be used on machining centers with little or no access to the coolant sump from above. Plus, tube oil skimmers can remove oil from chip conveyors or enclosed machining centers.

However, finding the best tube oil skimmer for an application can be difficult. This video shows how to use this type-skimmer correctly along with seven features of a high-quality tube skimmer for coolant maintenance.

Why Tube Oil Skimmer?

Tube oil skimmers are great for some specific applications where oil needs to be removed from water or coolant. The basic principle is that the tube will reach into the water and break the oil’s surface tension. This is the same way that the belt skimmers work.

The tube oil skimmer can be easily mounted on the side of virtually any machining center coolant sump. By use of an existing opening or by making a small access cutout, the collector tube runs through the surface of the coolant and collects the unwanted oils. The oil then flows out the discharge tube into any waste oil container for easy disposal.

Many people prefer the belt skimmers when there is direct access overhead, but this is often not the case. Some applications will not have vertical access to the liquid. Tube oil skimmers allow the unit to reach in a side access point and go down to the surface. The tube oil skimmer can be an easy solution to a troubling problem.

Oil Concentrator (Oil Water Separator)

Under most operating conditions, tube oil skimmer picks up oil with only small traces of water or coolant. 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 the tube 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.

This oil concentrator is non-electrical and contains no moving parts — it simply receives liquid directly from the tube oil skimmer. Water discharge is through a tube that has an open end near the bottom of it, while oil flow is through a separate drain port near the top. As additional liquid enters it, water and oil are forced out through their respective disposal tubes.

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.

Disk oil skimmers offer an efficient option for removing tramp oil from coolant yet finding a high-quality unit offering durability can be tough. When properly selected and applied, disk oil skimmers are highly economical solutions for separating oil from water to allow its reuse or safe disposal.

How Do Disk Oil Skimmers Work?

Disk oil skimmers rotate a disk-shaped medium through the liquid. Oil is wiped off and discharged into a collection container in a manner similar to belt oil skimmers.

When specifying disk diameter, it is important to consider reach, the portion of the disk that actually gets immersed. Less disk area in the fluid means less oil removed. Obviously, fluctuating fluid levels can be a real problem.

Also, it is important to look at how much of the disk the wipers are actually wiping. If they wipe only 2 inches from the edge, then any reach into the fluid beyond 2 inches is wasted. As a result, removal capacities for disks can be relatively low.

Are You Buying High-Quality Disk Oil Skimmer?

Abanaki, the recognized leader in oil skimming, offers a low-cost disk skimmer for removing tramp oil from CNC machine coolant maintaining a high-quality product standard. The Abanaki Mighty Disk™ Oil Skimmer offers versatility while extending coolant life in machine tools.

This video demonstrates the important features on how to differentiate the high-quality disk oil skimmer from the regular disk oil skimmer. Watch the details on this small but mighty solution to extending coolant life.

The Abanaki Mighty Disk oil skimmer:

• Effectively removes 1-1/2 gallons of medium weight oil per hour
• Compact size allows for installation on almost any flat surface
• Portable design weighs less than 10 pounds, so one skimmer can be used for multiple locations
• Comes complete out of the box and ready to 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.

Removing oil from water is a crucial step in many processes across numerous industries. From extending tool life to staying in compliance with government agencies, oil skimmers provide a cost-effective solution to removing oil from water or coolant.

Understanding How Skimmers Work

Despite the various designs that oil skimmers have, all of them rely on the same basic principles: Specific gravity and Surface tension and affinity.

Specific Gravity: Most hydrocarbons have a lower specific gravity than water. Without agitation, oil separates from the water and floats to the surface.

Surface Tension and Affinity: Normally, oil bonds more tightly to itself and other materials than to water. This affinity, and differences in surface tension between oil and water, cause oils to adhere to a skimming medium.

Understanding The Different Types of Skimmers

Not All Skimmers Are Alike!

• Belt-type oil skimmers use an endless belt of corrosion resistant steel or synthetic medium, which is lowered into the tank or vessel to be skimmed.
• Tube oil skimmers use a floating plastic hose that snakes out over the surface of the liquid and is then drawn back through the drive unit where oil is removed.
• Disk-type oil skimmers rotate a disk-shaped medium through the liquid. Oil is wiped off and discharged into a collection container in a manner similar to belt-type oil skimmers.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better & Smaller Isn’t Always Cheaper

Choosing a skimmer based on size speculation can be a costly mistake. Buying the smallest skimmer available because it is the cheapest or purchasing the biggest skimmer because you think it will work faster will not lead to successful skimming results.

Make A Plan Before Buying Oil Skimmer

Planning is important! Before spending money on a concrete pad and mounting arrangements, check where the oil actually collects in your process.

• Oil skimmers should be located opposite from the inflow and the tail pulley should be submerged two inches below the surface of the liquid in order to be as effective as possible.
• Using a tank that does not allow enough time for the oil to rise and float will not permit successful oil skimming.
• Always make sure your tank gives enough residence time for the oil to float.

Selecting an oil skimmer can be a complex decision-making process. There are various factors you have to consider about your application when choosing the right skimmer. However, Abanaki oil skimmers are durable and built to last, even in harsh applications. They have been proven in thousands of applications and are an environmental solution to unwanted oil in water.

Selecting and sizing your next oil skimmer correctly is important – the wrong decision can cost your facility thousands over the long term. Learn how Abanaki oil skimmers help you save by "taking just a little off the top." by watching the webinar below.

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.

Oil skimming is a dirty job. However, it is an important part of numerous industries. Some industries utilize oil skimmers to help stay in compliance with EPA regulations and to keep hydrocarbons out of the environment. Other industries need oil skimmers to help prolong tool life or keep the work place a healthy place for the plant operators. Regardless of the reason, oil skimmers offer a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally sound solution to removing hydrocarbons from any application.

Oil Skimmers Get the Dirty Jobs Done

Model 8 Belt Oil Skimmer

The Model 8 belt oil skimmer is the perfect wastewater oil skimmer for this job. It utilizes a continuous belt and wiper system 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.

Oil skimming can be a tough and dirty job, however with the help of oil skimmers the job can get completely efficiently. Would an oil skimmer help with your application? Need help determining which oil skimmer would work best? Use our new interactive oil skimmer selection guide and find the perfect skimmer for your dirty job!

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.

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.

Abanaki Grease Grabber® Belt Oil Skimmer

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.

How Does Grease Grabber® Belt Oil Skimmer work?

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.

Removing Grease and Oil from Water | Grease Oil Skimmer

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.

Coolant maintenance should always be a top priority in shops. Dirty machine coolant can cause a multitude of problems for manufacturing facilities and CNC machines. Not using clean coolant can cause health issues in the workplace, reduce the life of the equipment used, and can significantly slow a process down.

All of these factors lead to loss in production which leads to loss in profit for companies. And while recycling steel, aluminum, paper, and glass is readily accessible, recycling coolant is not. Additionally, the cost of recycling used coolant can be very expensive.

Is Coolant Maintenance necessary

Companies look for effective ways to remove oil from water or coolant to reduce costs and the liability of proper disposal. Another reason for removing the oil is a better work environment. Letting oil remain in the coolant tank allows anaerobic bacteria to grow. Anaerobic bacteria break down the components of coolant, causing it to need changing more frequently. Oil-laden coolant with a high anaerobic bacteria content has two other drawbacks as well.

The first drawback is an unpleasant odor caused by the bacteria. The second drawback the smoke generated from the oil-laden coolant coming in contact with the operating cutting tool. One of the easiest ways to remove hydrocarbons from water or coolant is by using a belt oil skimmer. It is a low maintenance, easy to use tool for removing oil from water or coolant.

Coolant Maintenance Solutions

There are a wide range of coolant maintenance products including oil skimmers to help keep your coolant fresh and extend its life. Does your shop smell like rotten eggs? Has the quality of your products been compromised? If so, you probably have dirty coolant to blame.

From belt oil skimmers to tube skimmers and coolescers, having the right tools and products can make keeping your coolant working properly a breeze. Putting the proper oil skimmer on your machine will cut down on the way lube and floating oils are left in your tank.

These oil skimmer units do a great job of removing the oil from your machine coolant tanks, leaving you fresh coolant to run quality production parts. There are also other products that can help in your quest, items like oil eating microbes, coolescers, and coolant deodorizers can all be added to your maintenance plan along with an oil skimmer so you can rest assured you are getting every dollar worth of your machine coolant life.

Abanaki is Here to Help

There are a multitude of oil skimmers on the market today. One of the most important things to be considered is the quality of the unit to be purchased. Points of interest should include construction materials, motor design, and the type of warranty that is offered. Is the skimmer housing made of metal or plastic? Is the motor fan-cooled? Does the motor use needle bearings or bronze bearings? How long does the warranty last and what does it cover? Most oil skimmers will perform as advertised, but remember the old adage that “you get what you pay for”.

Learn more about the cost-effective oil skimming solutions Abanaki offers by visiting www.abanaki.com. Our website offers a wide range of product info, video tutorials, detailed handbooks, and more. To speak to a representative call (440) 543-7400.

How to Successfully Implement Oil Skimmers

There are many reasons why so many facilities use the Model 4 oil skimmer as part of their industrial wastewater treatment. The Model 4 oil skimmer is designed to last for many years. 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. Belts are specifically selected for your application (see Belt Selection page). The skimmer drive includes an oil filled gear reducer with bronze gears and ball bearings. The motor, reducer, and powder coated finish of the weldments give the Model 4 exceptionally long life, even under the harshest conditions. 

Our belt oil skimmers are used in industrial wastewater treatment applications quite frequently. An international manufacturer in the power transmission industry has been using our Model 4 belt oil skimmer as part of its manufacturing process for many years. The facility utilizes a poly belt on the Model 4 that is used in the parts washer, and it runs at roughly 140°F. The skimmer runs 8 hours a day and efficiently skims the oil out of the parts washer and helps to eliminate the company’s disposal costs.

The Oil Grabber Model 4 Belt Oil Skimmer

The Oil Grabber Model 4 Belt Oil Skimmer provides a continuously operating belt and wiper that can remove up to 20 gallons per hour. Depending on the characteristics of the liquid, it is possible for the Model 4 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 coalescing systems as part of an industrial wastewater treatment plan. Reclaimed grease and oil can be re-used or used as furnace fuel, avoiding sucker truck disposal costs.

The Model 4 belt oil skimmer utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 20 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.

Oil Skimmers Get the Dirty Jobs Done

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.

A common misconception is that you can buy a smaller skimmer based on gallons-per-hour skimming capacity for a big job to save money. However, purchasing a small or mini unit instead of an industrial sized skimmer can be an ineffective method of oil skimming.

Oil Skimmers Selected by Size of the Area

Oil skimmers should be selected by the size of the area that needs to be skimmed, not just by the amount of oil needing to be removed. Choosing an oil skimmer that has the capacity to remove at least 2 times the capacity needed by the application should be the deciding factor.

Oil Skimmer Capacities

Oil skimmer capacities are based on optimum conditions and homogeneity of oil. Viscosity, temperature of the water, and other factors can affect the amount of oil picked up by an oil skimmer. It is impossible to accurately predict how fast your oil will be picked up. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, purchase an oil skimmer that is rated at least twice the capacity needed.

Make the Right Decision

Paying a cheap price up front might result in you paying more in the long run. It’s best to invest in a quality skimmer that is from a reputable vendor from the start. Oil skimmers are simple in design, but you will still be better off with a skimmer that is manufactured with the highest quality. It will operate efficiently and consistently for a longer period of time. Removing oil from water is a necessary practice in most industrial applications. Spend your money wisely to get the job done right.

Remember…

Selecting an oil skimmer can be a complex decision-making process. There are various factors you have to consider about your application when choosing the right skimmer. Abanaki oil skimmers are durable and built to last, even in harsh applications. They have been proven in thousands of applications and are an environmental solution to unwanted oil in water. Abanaki sales reps have a vast knowledge on a wide variety of industrial applications. They are always available for phone calls, emails, or on-site consultations to help you find the right skimmer for your application.

Oil Skimmers Get the Dirty Jobs Done

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.

A typical industrial oil skimmer will offer units in single or triple phase.  When you need more performance, Abanaki specialized motors run our Oil Grabber oil skimmer in most environments: