Oil Skimmer Blog

Multiple options exist for the collection of tramp oils. Two of the most common are oil skimmers and coalescers. Both offer unique advantages and disadvantages in certain applications.

Coolant Coalescers

Coalescers focus on collecting oil into larger droplets. Using a filter medium, the oil is gathered into one place and combines into a larger oil droplet. heightening the differing densities of oil and water. The oil then floats to the top of the coalescer, allowing removal by other means. 

Coalescers have an advantage in specific coolant-related applications. Coalescers cover a bigger collection area than oil skimmers, speeding recovery and reducing need for moving the oil collection device.

Unlike skimmers, coalescers have no need for a collection container, preventing the potential for spillage. Abanaki's Oil Boss can also be hung from a metallic surface, preventing the floor space footprint of other coalescers and skimmers.

Oil Skimmers

Oil skimmers focus on removing tramp oils using oleophilic belts. These belts attract the tramp oils and drag them up to a trough where they are scraped off, removing them from the water or coolant. Different belts have different specialties, such as steel belts being suited for LNAPLs and tramp oils.  

Oil skimmers have an advantage in more varied conditions. Able to be used in high temperature applications where plastic coalescers might face pump failures, skimmers can withstand more extreme environments.

In addition, oil skimmers do not have to worry about pumps clogged by shavings or solid byproducts like coalescers might. Dirty oil can also go back into the sump in coalescers, while oil is completely removed by a skimmer.

Oil skimmers also have more applications than coalescers, such as environmental remediation. 

For more information about our line of coalescers and skimmers, take a look at our product catalog, or contact us via phone at (440) 543-7400 or via e-mail at skimmers@abanaki.com.

Recently, one of our sales team attended CARS Complete Automotive Recycling and Secondary Materials show. Focused on the waste and oil byproducts from old cars, Abanaki made a strong impression with their oil skimmers.

Abanaki recently evaluated what it holds near and dear. The answer: our Core Values. Our four pillars of No Waste, Trust & Respect, Can Do, and 3D define Abanaki’s methods and interactions with customers, which are now being released to the public.

Abanaki Corporation, the world leader in oil skimming technologies, announces the addition of the Oil Boss® Oil Skimmer to its extensive coolant maintenance product line. The Oil Boss solves problems that have plagued regular skimmers in machine shops.

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A belt is to a skimmer like wheels to a car’s chassis: although the latter is the most identifiable part, it needs the former to actually run. Just like tires, belts are not one size fits all. Just as there are snow tires, street tires, year-round tires, and more, so too are there a variety of belt materials. So what purpose does each serve?

Here at Abanaki, we take our core tenets seriously. Abanaki’s day-to-day processes involve cleaning our world, often in small, sustainable ways that can be adopted by multiple businesses. Today, I’d like to share a few ideas that your company can implement to make our world a little cleaner.

Choosing an oil skimmer best suited for your application will maximize oil removal while minimizing capital outlay and oil skimmer operating costs. There are 5 crucial steps that need to be considered when purchasing a skimmer for your application. Skipping one or any of these concepts can result in having zero success in removing oil from your waste water. So let’s keep that from happening and go over these 5 simple steps!

You buy an oil skimmer that will get the job done the first time around!