As large generators of oily wastewater tighten effluent controls, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is targeting smaller generators. Some of the firms receiving their attention are smaller manufacturing plants, automotive garages, mobile equipment service shops and truck farms. Many of these firms do not have access to a sanitary sewer system that will accept oily wastewater.

Because disposal in storm sewers also is prohibited, they frequently use injection wells, septic system drain-fields, dry wells and ground pits to dispose of oily wastewater; one EPA concern is that oily wastewater will find its way into an underground aquifer that is a source of drinking water.

Many oily wastes contain organic and inorganic chemicals in concentrations that exceed the primary drinking water standards established by the Safe Drinking Water Act. So, the focus of one EPA program is aimed at preventing contamination of groundwater by controlling oily wastewater recycling at the generator’s site.

Getting Rid of Oily Wastewater

If oily wastewater isn’t recycled, it must be disposed of safely. One option is to have it collected and hauled away by a licensed disposal firm. The annual volume of oily wastewater generated by many shops and plants makes hauling too costly.

Even firms connected to sanitary or industrial wastewater sewer systems have limitations on the oil content in their effluent. When oil concentration exceeds a certain level, usually 100 ppm or less, the generator can get hit with hefty surcharges by the local government providing wastewater treatment.

At some level of oil concentration, the oily water effluent is prohibited from entering the sanitary sewer line.

Wastewater Recycling

With wastewater recycling, the most common methods of oil/water separation include decanting tanks, oil skimming, coalescing, membrane separation and various chemical treatments. Any of these methods can be effective. Selection should be based on economic as well as technical considerations.

Although it is a cost-effective method of reducing contamination, oil skimming often is overlooked as a primary technique. Frequently, this results from the misperception that skimming is only suitable as a pretreatment ahead of other oil/water separation devices.

Certainly, skimming is a retreatment method used to prevent oil overloads in downstream membranes, coalescers and sand bed filters. But it can stand alone as an oil removal method in many applications, reducing oil to only a few parts per million concentrations, depending on conditions. In many locales, this is good enough to allow the water to enter a sanitary sewer system without paying connection surcharges.

More exotic methods of oil removal, such as membrane filtration and chemical treatment, are most often required when tight emulsions and other chemicals must be removed. If an emulsion is the water-in-oil type, a skimmer may do the job.

Types of Oil Skimmers

Oil skimmers usually incur a low initial cost, install easily, offer rugged construction, reliable operation and minimal upkeep. Training personnel for operation, monitoring and routine maintenance is nil.

Still, there are different types of skimmers, and each application requires some analysis to make the best selection. Also, the water collection system must be set up properly in order to get maximum performance from the skimmer.

The six major skimmer configurations for industrial plants and service shops are belt, disk, drum, mop, tube and floating suction types. For all types, the oil or other hydrocarbon liquids must be floating on top of the water. For all but the floating suction type, a moving skimmer medium is pulled through or across the surface to attract the oil.

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 skimmers typically don’t come attached to CNC machines when they are newly bought. This is because nobody wants to admit that the brand-new machine is eventually going to leak oil into the coolant. This looks good on paper, but there is a reason why so many coolant skimmers are bought annually. CNC machines are bound to have at least a small amount of oil leaking into the coolant at some point. The skimmer will remove this oil from the top of the coolant for disposal. Without some type of coolant skimmer, the coolant life will be dramatically decreased. These small coolant skimmers will save you money throughout the operational life of your CNC machine. 

Coolant skimmers can really help in extending the life of your costly coolant. Coolant 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. 

So, is your product quality being affected by floating oil? Have you asked yourself how you remove oil from water effectively and efficiently?

Abanaki’s Oil Boss Oil Skimmer

One of the best coolant skimmers of Abanaki coolant maintenance line is Abanaki’s Oil Boss Oil Skimmer. This high-capacity unit constantly removes and discharges unwanted oil from the coolant that is compromising your product quality, reducing your coolant life, and stinking up the shop. The unit uses a specially designed “Constant Flow Facilitator” that automatically discharges the tramp oil skimmed from the coolant. The “Constant Flow Facilitator” eliminates the need to manually remove the collect oil. 

Benefits of Oil Boss Oil Skimmer

We have been providing oil skimmers for years to machine shops and manufacturers across the globe and they have proven to be both reliable and cost-effective. Abanaki's Oil Boss is an innovative tool for keeping coolant free of oil. The patent-pending design allows for easy visual inspection of your coolant’s condition; and will also help extend tool and coolant life. It will decrease loss of production and maintenance time. And it will allow for easy cleaning of various sumps or tanks around any plant or shop due to its portability and magnetic base. The Oil Boss has a small footprint that reduces the amount of clutter and equipment on the shop floor.

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

Watch this video to see how to remove a higher amount of tramp oil.

If you are running your skimmer 24/7 and the tank or pit runs out of oil, your skimmer will pick up whatever is remaining in the tank, and most of the time that will be water or coolant. There is a way to prevent this and that is by utilizing an oil water separator/concentrator in conjunction with your oil skimmer.

Oil Water Concentrator

The oil water concentrator attaches to the skimmer and helps in further separating the water/coolant from your oil. This unit is placed on the back of the skimmer. The skimmed material is drained into the concentrator and then it separates the water from oil. You can then drain the water back into the tank or well through one hose, and the oil drains from another. So, next time you’re wondering how to increase the efficiency of your oil skimmer, take a look at the oil water concentrator to help solve your dilemma. 

How Oil Water Concentrator works?

The Oil Concentrator is non-electrical and contains no moving parts — it simply receives liquid directly from the skimmer. Based on the principle of gravity separation, the Concentrator tank is sized so that there is adequate dwell time for the oil and water to separate. Water discharge is through a tube that has an open end near the bottom of the Concentrator, while oil flow is through a separate drain port near the top. As additional liquid enters the Concentrator, water and oil are forced out through their respective discharge tubes and ports. A sludge screen provides additional dwell time for separation while preventing debris from contaminating either the water or the oil.

Abanaki Oil Concentrator

Installed at the discharge end of the oil skimmer, the Concentrator comes complete with mounting bracket, removable sludge screen and drain plug for easy cleaning. An optional thermostatically controlled heater is available for use with thick oils, or when the application is in freezing temperatures. (A heater should not be used in environments where explosive fumes might be present.)

Abanaki recommends the use of the Concentrator with all oil skimmers. It increases the efficiency of the skimmer and reduces costs associated with oil disposal.

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

HOW TO TELL WHAT SKIMMER YOU NEED FOR YOUR MACHINE COOLANT

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.

Grease Grabber 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 Grease Skimmer Works?

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

Abanaki Model 8 Belt Skimmer in Operation

Refineries are capable of producing gasoline, jet fuel, or even asphalt and, like most large-scale high-capacity plants, require process optimization and advanced process controls.

Oil Skimming Solution

Oil skimming is a popular method for capturing and removing oil from wastewater in plant treatment systems. This process is mandatory to avoid fines and to produce fuel as economically and environmentally friendly as possible. Oil skimmers work by making use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the belts to attract oil and other hydrocarbon liquids from the surface of the fluid.

By implementing an oil skimming solution, the goal to recapture 100% of all hydrocarbons before they go down the drain, can be achieved. The oil skimmer collects the bulk of the hydrocarbons and sends them back to a crude tank. Any residual oils can be removed through filtration or chemical treatment. The oil skimmer is operated 24 hours a day 7 days a week. A refinery oil skimmer requires very little oversight, no maintenance, and the time saved more than offsets the electrical costs.

Abanaki Oil Skimmers

The Model 8 oil skimmer is the most widely used Abanaki oil skimmer. Its size and removal capacity make it suitable for most applications. From a mere shimmer on top of water to a heavy oil slick, the Model 8 oil skimmer performs efficiently, removing up to 40 gallons of oil per hour.

The Abanaki Model MB oil skimmer is a dependable and effective means of removing oil from water and water-base solutions. Often, oil skimming by itself will reduce oil to an acceptable level of water purity. Depending on the characteristics of the liquid, it is possible for the Model MB 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 a coalescing system.

The Model 4 oil skimmer utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 20 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface. 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 Abanaki Oil Viper tube skimmer is a surface oil skimmer that effectively removes floating surface oils by means of an oleophilic (oil attracting) 3/4 inch diameter continuous looped tube. The tube extends out over the surface of the tank or pit and collects the free-floating oils. The Oil Viper has a specially designed method for removing the oil from the tube. It has a unique wiper combination attached to the tube itself in addition to the ceramic wiper on the skimmer.

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

Small leaks of hydraulic oil from turbines at hydroelectric plants are common and can end up in the facility’s sump or in its water resource. Oil skimming cost-effectively removes the oil before the water is discharged into the environment.

Typically, the utility is charged with environmental stewardship of the adjacent reservoir or river that is vital to hydro power generation. Often the reservoir or river also provides a public recreation, and it may be a source for drinking water and irrigation. Hydraulic oil leaks cannot be tolerated.

Utilities may employ absorbents and other manual methods of oil skimming. These methods are messy and inefficient, and take maintenance personnel away from more important work. In contrast, Abanaki oil skimmers are proven in thousands of applications to be the lowest maintenance and most reliable means of oil removal.

Oil Grabber® Model 8 Oil Skimmer

The Oil Grabber® Model 8 oil skimmer is a dependable and cost-effective tool for removing oil from sumps in hydroelectric plants. With its rugged construction it is made to last many years with little or no maintenance. The Model 8 oil skimmer utilizes continuous belt and wipers to remove oil from existing sumps. With its specially designed belts, it can collect virtually all oils present in sumps, and with the optional oil concentrator it can virtually eliminate any residual water that may be picked up.

Oil skimming makes use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the belt skimmer to attract oil and other hydrocarbon liquids from the surface of the fluid. The Model 8 can be used in tanks with depths as shallow as one foot, or as deep as 100 feet.

The Model 8 Oil Skimmer may be part of an emergency oil spill system, in which wastewater flows through a coalescer tank, is skimmed, and then passes though filters. These systems satisfy the requirements of government standards intended to prevent oil spills from entering the environment. Abanaki has experience in designing and installing complete emergency oil spill systems for the power generation industry.

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

Abanaki Model 8 Belt Skimmer in Operation

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.

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.

Oil Skimmer is the Solution in Groundwater Remediation

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

Belt Oil Skimmers are the Most Cost-Effective Method

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.

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

How Does a Well Oil Skimmer Work? 

Tramp oil got you down? Is your product quality being affected by floating oil? Have you asked yourself how you remove oil from water effectively and efficiently?

Coolant Maintenance

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.

Coolant Skimmers Help Reduce Costs for Machine Shops

Coolant skimmers typically don’t come attached to CNC machines when they are newly bought. This is because nobody wants to admit that the brand-new machine is eventually going to leak oil into the coolant. This looks good on paper, but there is a reason why so many coolant skimmers are bought annually. CNC machines are bound to have at least a small amount of oil leaking into the coolant at some point. The skimmer will remove this oil from the top of the coolant for disposal. Without some type of coolant skimmer, the coolant life will be dramatically decreased. These small coolant skimmers will save you money throughout the operational life of your CNC machine.

Coolant skimmers help machine shops extend the life of their coolant by removing free floating oils. In today’s economic conditions every company is trying to look at ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Coolant can be a major expense but is a necessary evil. Abanaki offers a complete line of coolant maintenance products that go beyond coolant skimmers to offer various solutions for other coolant problems. The coolant maintenance line addresses concerns about coolant life as well as that rotten egg smell and small spills. If you have coolant in your machine shop, you need a coolant skimmer. See our full line of coolant skimmers here.

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

Abanaki has a new reference that can help you choose the right skimmer and the right size to ensure years of worry-free operation.

Click button below to access our “How to Successfully Implement Oil Skimmers” webinar to learn how to get the most out of your skimmer.

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!

Operating Conditions

The first step in choosing an oil skimmer is to define the operating conditions in which the skimmer will be operating. All oil skimmers have a moving medium, and possibly other parts, immersed in the liquid. The performance and life of the pick-up medium, wiper blades, pulleys, etc. are affected by different conditions. These conditions include temperatures in and out of the liquid, pH of the solution, and the presence of solvents or other reactive chemicals.

Removal Capacity

The second step in selecting an oil skimmer is to know what you need or expect your removal capacity to be. Capacity should be based on the maximum amount of oil to be removed within the shortest available time. For instance, total oil influx may be 200 gallons in a 24-hour period, which averages about 8.3 gallons per hour. But if most of it comes during a single eight-hour plant shift, you will probably need a removal rate that is three times as high, especially if you are trying to prevent an unwanted discharge of contaminated water to a sewer system. As a rule-of-thumb, specify approximately twice the maximum capacity you anticipate needing for normal conditions.

Sump’s Characteristics

Understanding your tank or sump’s characteristics is the third thing you will want to consider when choosing an oil skimmer for your process. The location, shape, and capacity of a tank or water impoundment are major factors in choosing the right oil skimmer. Also consider fluctuations in water level, turbulence and possible emulsions. Although oil skimmers do not cause emulsions, they can have trouble removing certain types.

Oil Skimmer Media

The next step is determining which belt, tube, or disk to select for your skimmer. Obviously, you need the proper media on your skimmer in order to ensure the best results. And if you think all belt types or materials operate the same or that simply picking the cheapest option will suffice, you’re wrong and you’d be setting yourself up for failure. You can have a skimmer that is top of the line, but if you have the wrong belt, tube, or disc material on it then it won’t matter how great of a skimmer you have in that tank. Your results will be less than stellar.

Belt performance and durability depends on the nature of the liquid, its chemical composition, temperature, etc. For instance, high temperature increases a belt’s sensitivity to pH levels. So if the temperature of your application is above 160°F and you’re thinking of using a Polymer belt, then I would suggest you think again. It’s always best to share your application’s temp and pH levels with your sales person so they can select the right belt material for you.

In the same vein, choosing the right wiper blade is important, too. You’ll want something that can endure the temperatures and pH levels of your application so they don’t melt or warp or completely break during operation.

Oil Skimmer Accessories

Accessories are a skimmer’s best friend! Or so they say. The fifth step in choosing an oil skimmer is determining if your application requires any additional add-ons, such as specific motor types or additional skimmer equipment. Most oil skimmers are designed with standard, industrially rated, continuous duty motors and fully enclosed speed reducing drives. Most of these oil skimmers can be specified with the following motor options:

- Any standard or exceptional electrical requirement
- Explosion proof
- Drip proof
- Tropicalized
- Dirty duty
- Food service
- Wash down duty
- DC motors
- ATEX/European motors

Oil skimmer accessories make it easy to customize your oil skimming system for quick installation and optimal performance. These are the most commonly requested items. More specialized accessories are typically available on request such as solar oil skimming system, transfer package and underground oil skimmer system, concentrators, fluid monitoring accessories, and many more.

Choosing the right oil skimmer doesn't have to be a disastrous process, but things can go sideways quickly if you don't address certain aspects of your application. As always, make sure you are dealing with a reputable vendor. Companies that really know and understand how oil skimmers work will ask you all about the content above, if they don't, RUN! Bottom line: know your application, choose a vendor you trust, and your oil skimming operation will be smooth sailing.

Video: How To Tell What Skimmer You Need For Your Machine Coolant

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

There is a skimming system for virtually any application. Simply fill up the form to your right or click at the button to get your ultimate guide now.

A coolant skimmer is a machine that removes floating oil and grease from liquid. The floating oil adheres to skimming media, such as a belt, tube, or disk. The media then runs back to the machine to be wiped clean.

Coolant skimmers are simple, dependable and effective tools for removing oil, grease and other hydrocarbons from water and coolants. Often, a coolant skimmer by itself can achieve the desired level of water purity.

In more demanding situations, coolant skimming is a cost-effective means of removing most of the oil before using more complicated and costly treatments such as coalescers, membrane filters and chemical processes.

Coolants And Cutting Fluids

When machine coolants become contaminated with tramp oils, four things usually occur:

• coolant life is reduced;
• quality of machined parts is reduced;
• in many cases, a smoke will begin to appear in the shop, causing irritation to the workers on the job; and
• the fluid takes on a “rotten egg” odor.

Oil skimmers that remove tramp oils solve these problems and typically pay for themselves within a few months. Therefore, these are the coolant skimmers you should remember to extend the life of your coolant.

Oil Boss (New Generation Oil Skimmer)

Abanaki's Oil Boss is an innovative tool for keeping coolant free of oil. The patent-pending design allows for easy visual inspection of your coolant’s condition; and will also help extend tool and coolant life. It will decrease loss of production and maintenance time. And it will allow for easy cleaning of various sumps or tanks around any plant or shop due to its portability and magnetic base. The Oil Boss has a small footprint that reduces the amount of clutter and equipment on the shop floor.

Mighty Disk (Disk oil Skimmer)

Mighty Disk is the inexpensive way to remove unwanted tramp oils from coolants and parts washers, but with all the quality that you expect from Abanaki! Removes up to 1 ½ gallons of oil or more of medium weight oil per hour. Use it almost anywhere a flat surface is available for mounting. Weighs less than 10 pounds, installs in no time, and runs on 110v power.

TubeTastic (Tube Oil Skimmer)

The Abanaki TubeTastic! oil skimmer can be used on machining centers with little or no access to the coolant sump from above. This unit can skim oil from chip conveyors or even totally enclosed machining centers. The TubeTastic! 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.

Mighty Mini (Belt Oil Skimmer)

The stainless steel Mighty Mini is a compact belt 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

HOW TO TELL WHAT SKIMMER YOU NEED FOR YOUR MACHINE COOLANT

Have you ever looked at your coolant and wondered what type skimmer would work best in your machine sump? In this video, we talk about what oil skimmer works well in various coolant applications.