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.
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?
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.
