I have numerous totes that only need oil skimmed out every once in a while. Do you have oil skimmer that easily movable?

A good fit for this application usually ends up being our Tote-It belt oil skimmer. At about 40 pounds, this unit is easy to carry from one tote to the next. This belt oil skimmer comes in different belt widths and lengths to help customize how much oil will need removed and the tank dimensions.

This level of mobility can eliminate the need for having one belt oil skimmer for every tote or trying to carry around a more cumbersome unit to each tank.

When should I use a belt skimmer and when should I use a tube skimmer?

Belt Skimmers provide the highest pickup rates because belts have more surface area than tubes. Belt skimmers may be mounted on a frame over a sump, pit, or pond, or they may be mounted directly to the top or side of a tank. The pulley is located near the bottom and the belt extends above the fluid surface, accommodating fluctuating fluid levels. Belts are easier to manufacture than tubes and therefore come in a wider variety of materials to meet the specific requirements of the application and the type of oil to be removed. The belt-and-pulley design is simple and reliable, enabling belt skimmers to be used in harsh applications with little maintenance, even in high or low temperatures.

The Tubetastic line of Tube Skimmers can be used in the same applications as belt skimmers, however they have certain advantages. Tubes are useful in applications where there is no top access to the coolant sump. The tube breaks the surface of the oil laden coolant causing oil to stick to the tube. The oil is then wiped off and discharged into the oil collection container.

The Oil Viper Tube Skimmers use a tube that floats on the fluid surface and collects free floating oils in water depths as shallow as a few inches. Increased removal rates over other tube skimmers are achieved because its clean-wipe system ensures the tube is oil-free when it returns to the tank.

My oil skimmer isn’t picking up oil from my coolant sump like it did a few days ago. What is going on?

Your coolant may contain rust inhibitors that are coating  the metal belt causing a barrier between the the belt and the  oil. Try changing to a synthetic belt material such as Elastomer  or Polymer. Rust inhibitors do not affect them.

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

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.

Reservoir Design

Because skimming acts on floating oil, the water must be in a reservoir where separation can occur. The reservoir should be designed with quiet areas, weirs and sufficient volume to allow adequate residence time for oil/water separation. Avoid turbulence by having water return to the reservoir below the liquid surface at as low a velocity as practical. Tanks without nooks and crannies for oil to accumulate in are best.

If you have an irregular shape, put the skimmer where the largest amount of oil accumulates. Consider a means of directing oil toward the skimmer medium to improve removal efficiency.

Turbulence

All skimmers work more efficiently in quiet water with a relatively thick oil layer. The greater the turbulence, the lower their efficiency due to emulsification. Turbulence also affects the physical performance of a skimmer. For example, a tube-shaped medium may get kinked due to turbulence, which could cause damage or impair its drive mechanism.

Mop type oil skimmers may require a tail pulley with its axle secured to the side of the tank. Belt types may be fitted with a tether or stabilizer bar assembly to resist twisting of the tail pulley.

Skimmer Reliability and Maintenance

Skimmers require a certain amount of routine maintenance, primarily periodic cleaning and checking wiper blade adjustment. Easy removal of safety covers shielding the moving medium and its pulleys will reduce maintenance time.

In terms of drive designs, those with separate gear reducers tend to be somewhat more robust than unitary gear motor drives. Chain drives, which are found on a few models, need to be lubricated regularly and the chain should be protected from debris and other impediments.

Installing an Oil Skimmer

The biggest installation issues are the amount of space required and cost. With regards to space, there are two areas that need to be considered: mounting area and water surface area. Installation of a suction skimmer also may involve sensors and a control box.

Moving medium skimmers require some sort of rigid mount on or near the reservoir. Some require the drilling of holes into the tank, which can be costly, depending on the reservoir design. Because of drive design, drum types tend to require more elaborate mounting methods and space. Belt, disk, tube and mop drive units consume a moderate amount of space.

An advantage of some belt skimmer drives is the use of a flat surface mount or bracket, neither of which require tank modifications. Mounting stands, brackets and adapters help make skimmer installations easier and faster.

Portability is a plus in some applications. For example, in plants and mobile equipment service shops, a portable skimmer can sometimes service both a parts washer and a drain water retention sump.

Belt and disk type skimmers tend to be the best designs for portability, and can be made small enough to weigh only a few pounds.

As most hydrocarbons spread fairly quickly over the top of water, it is not necessary to use more of the surface than the skimmer medium contact area. However, a skimmer’s design may actually take up more of the surface than the minimum required. A drum skimmer may require up to five square feet depending on drum size.

A tube skimmer requires four to five square feet due to the tube snaking out over the surface of the liquid. Unless a mop medium is constrained by a tail pulley, it moves around and takes up surface real estate. This is particularly true when there is turbulence.

Disk skimmers generally require from one-half to one square foot of liquid area.

Belt skimmers require from a few square inches to about one square foot, which is determined by the belt width and diameter of the tail pulley.

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

Choosing an oil skimmer best suited for your application will maximize oil removal while minimizing capital outlay and oil skimming operation costs. 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.

Rating

Oil skimmers usually have an oil removal rate expressed in gallons per hour. The rate varies with oil viscosity, so Abanaki rates skimmers using SAE 30 weight motor oil at 65°F (18°C). When specifying removal capacity, it is better to err on the high side to allow for peaks in the oil influx.

Water Content

All oil skimmers pick up some water with the oil they remove. Some designs, particularly suction skimmers, pick up more water than others. High water content increases oil recycling and disposal costs. Generally, the ratio of water-to-oil decreases with thicker films of floating oil and slower moving pick-up media. An Oil Concentrator® or decanter installed at the oil skimmer discharge port provides secondary oil/ water separation that can reduce water content to nearly zero.

Residual Oil

An oil skimmer continues to remove oils as long as they are present. Depending on oil influx rate and the oil skimmer's removal rate, residual oil in the water may be as low as a few parts per million. When residual oil reaches this level and further reduction is required, it may be more practical to use a secondary removal method following skimming, such as membrane filtration.

Portability

Oil skimmer portability is a plus in some applications. For example, in plants, mobile equipment service shops, and at remediation sites, a portable oil skimmer can sometimes service multiple machines, sumps, or wells.

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.

How exactly does an oil skimmer work? Do I have to place the skimmer directly where the oil is collecting?

An oil skimmer is a device that uses a belt, tube, or disk placed directly into the product containing oil. The belt, tube, or disk attracts the oil by breaking the surface tension of the water and then runs back to the machine to be wiped clean. If your skimmer is sized right, it will be able to pull the free-floating oil from anywhere in the tank or pit. Oil skimmers should be purchased more by size than by the volume of oil to ensure you are able to skim from the whole surface area.

How can I fix the slipping belt on belt skimmer?

Check to make sure there are no obstructions on the belt as it passes through the wipers. Check to make sure that the tail pulley (bottom roller) turns freely and is free from obstruction. Sometimes the coolant/oil combination in the application can be extremely slippery, making the belt slip. Try adding a ½˝ spacer between the stabilizer bar spring and the mounting base plate to provide extra tension on the belt. The added resistance should keep the belt from slipping.

How many parts per million (ppm) will the oil skimmer get my oil level down to?

Abanaki oil skimmers have satisfied EPA requirements of leaving less than 5 ppm of oil in water. In addition, with an Abanaki Oil Concentrator, the oil skimmer will pick up less than 1% water with the removed product.

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

What is the best belt for oil skimmer?

There is a great deal of variance in applications where belt skimmers are present. Figuring out what would be the best belt material for your belt skimmer will depend on a few factors. For the most part, belts pick up the oil in the same fashion so the big difference is finding what will give you the longest operating life. 

The two factors that play into your belt choice the most is your combination of temperature and pH levels. This will typically dictate the use of a steel, elastomer, or polymer belt. When rust inhibitors are present in your application, you will want to stay away from steel because the belt can get coated in the inhibitors reducing the pick-up rate. It is best to call with details of the application and ask your Abanaki representative what will work best with your belt skimmer.

Is it too much water in your oil skimmers?

Sometimes there are situations where your oil skimmer will collect water. 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. 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.

Is there a test that I can do to see if a skimmer will pick up my oil?

Yes. The simplest way to test if your oils will be picked up by the skimmer is to stick a PVC pipe or steel rule in the water where the contaminated oil is located and pull it out. The oil that sticks to the pipe or rule indicates that an Abanaki oil skimmer will work in the application.

Call 440-543-7400 to speak with one of our technical sales representatives to specify the proper oil skimmer for your particular application.

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. 

Watch this webinar.

There are several things to consider when choosing a belt or tube material for your oil skimmer. Some plastics will not stand up to heat or strong chemicals. Certain metal belts will not skim coolants effectively. Smooth belts do no pick up floating emulsified oils. Specific plastic belts do not last in heated applications, while other types of plastic belts will.

What is the maximum amount of oil to be removed, and the shortest period of time available to do it? 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 8-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.

Oil Skimmer Belt, Tube, and Disk type

Capacity is not affected by length. Choose a length that: assures contact with the liquid at its lowest level; allows easy mounting of the oil skimmer where oil discharge is convenient; and has good access for routine service. Abanaki’s ability to supply oil skimmers with long belts, and lift skimmed oil well over 100 feet with no loss in capacity or efficiency, is important to many users.

The chart below indicates the appropriate belt for the most common applications. The guidelines below are general, actual performance of the belts will depend on the variables of each application. Heat, for example, increases a belt’s sensitivity to pH levels.

Wiper Blades

Abanaki offers different materials to suit a variety of operating conditions. The standard is Nitrile (also known as Buna-N), which is appropriate for about 80% of all applications. Optional materials are designed for applications with harsh operating conditions. The materials include: CRV (very high chemical resistance), ceramic hybrid (excellent lubricity and moderate chemical resistance), and stainless steel wipers.

What type of wiper blades are the best? The charts below illustrate characteristics of each material.

Motor Types

All Abanaki 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

What type of motor do you require? The following are the standard motors available with Abanaki belt oil skimmers:

Optional Components

Abanaki offers various options to adapt to different applications. Some of the most common options are listed below:

• Mounting Stands
• Concentrators
• Heated Decanter
• Yokes and Chains
• Heater Hood for Outdoor
• Belt Retainer

Understanding and choosing the appropriate oil skimmers components can be difficult. If you are faced with an unusual requirement, contact us about the availability of special motors, controls and drive components.

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

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. 

Watch this webinar.

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. Here is a guide to help you avoid the 7 common mistakes that are made when purchasing an oil skimmer.

Under-Sizing Your Skimmer

Improper Placement of Oil Skimmers

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.

Paying for a Complicated Solution

Oil skimming usually beats ultra-filtration systems in many applications. More often than not, installing large, complicated systems to remedy oil problems will not provide ideal results. You can save costs by using a relatively inexpensive oil skimming system to handle the free-floating oil and then a smaller treatment system to handle the oil that has remained suspended in the wastewater.

Not Telling Your Consultant or Vendor Everything

Oil skimmer selection can be a very complex process. There are numerous factors that go into selecting the right oil skimmer for your particular application. If the oil skimmer vendor does not know what chemicals or heat you have in your application, the wrong oil skimmer and belt materials could be selected, and the job will not get done correctly.

Choosing the Wrong Oil Skimming Material

There are several things to consider when choosing a belt or tube material for your oil skimmer. Some plastics will not stand up to heat or strong chemicals. Certain metal belts will not skim coolants effectively. Smooth belts do no pick up floating emulsified oils. Specific plastic belts do not last in heated applications, while other types of plastic belts will.

Lack of Maintenance and Basic Care

An oil skimmer will only remove oil if it is properly maintained. There are basic maintenance tasks that should be done regularly to keep your oil skimmer up to snuff. Are the wipers contacting the belt smoothly? Is the belt riding away from the sides of the pulley? Are the troughs and wipers clear of debris?

Buying from an Unknown Vendor Based on Price

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Buying from small, unheard of oil skimmer manufacturers will probably result in no customer support when maintenance issues pop up and little to no knowledge of how to resolve those issues. Furthermore, parts will need to be replaced over time, units might have to be changed or upgraded, or different belt materials need to be used. Disreputable vendors typically do not have a selection of materials or parts to choose from.

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.

When properly selected and applied, oil skimmers are highly economical solutions for separating oil from water to allow its reuse or safe disposal. However, there are certain applications that can expect optimal results. Typical applications best suited for oil skimmers encompass:

Wastewater Sumps

Wastewater sumps where removing floating hydrocarbons can reduce the cost of disposal and lower the contingent liabilities of wastewater discharge.

Most manufacturing or processing facilities have water systems where waste oil collects in a central tank or sump. Skimming the floating oils with little water content can reduce the cost of disposal and lower the contingent liabilities of wastewater discharge.

Coolant and Cutting Fluids

Coolants and cutting fluids where skimming tramp oils extends coolant life, improves the quality of machined parts, reduces irritating smoke that forms during machining, lessens the chance of dermatitis and helps prevent the fluid from developing a "rotten egg" odor. 

Oil skimmers utilize the differing specific gravity 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.

Heat Treating

Heat treating operations where trench oils must be removed from heat-treated parts, and can be captured with a skimmer for re-use or disposal. This reduces oil purchases, prolongs wash water life and lowers disposal costs.

Parts Washers

Parts washers where removing floating oils from a wash tank prevents re-contamination of the parts as they are removed from the fluid and extends fluid life.

Industrial parts washers, paint lines, and machine shops all have a need to remove oil from water. Abanaki oil skimmers are trusted throughout the automotive industry to extend coolant life, reduce disposal costs, and avoid fines from municipal sewer districts.

Food Processing

Food processing facilities where the removal of vegetable oils, greases and animal fats from a plant's wastewater stream reduces processing and disposal costs.

Oil skimming is the most reliable and lowest cost method of removing food greases and oils from process wastewater. An oil skimmer uses the difference in specific gravity between oil and water, allowing the oil skimmer belt to attract frying oils, vegetable oils, greases, and animal fats 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.

Parking Lots, Garage and Service Facilities

Parking lots, garages and service facilities where waste oil from leaks, spills and other sources must be retrieved from sumps before water can be discharged to storm or sanitary sewers.

Outdoor Ponds, Lakes and Basins

Outdoor ponds, lakes and basins where floating oils are present, skimmers provide inexpensive and effective removal, solving a serious environmental problem.

Recovery/Monitoring Wells

Recovery/monitoring wells where a belt skimmer can be used instead of a down well pump to remove oil, fuel and other hydrocarbons. Generally, this is more cost-effective and reduces maintenance headaches. Skimmers can reach depths of 200 feet or more and remove floating products despite fluctuating water tables.

The PetroXtractor is a well oil skimmer that makes use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water. These physical characteristics allow the unit’s continuous belt to attract floating oil in the well. After picking up the oil, the belt travels over the head pulley on the drive unit and through tandem wiper blades. The oil is then scraped off both sides of the belt and discharged through a 1-1/4″ ID hose. The unique bearing-less design of the tail pulley (immersed in the well water) with its tethered frame allows it to perform three important functions: it keeps proper tension on the belt, prevents accidental loss down the well, and keeps the belt centered in the casing.

Remediation Processes

Remediation processes where skimmers can be used effectively in tandem with other means and reduce the overall cost and increase the speed of the cleanup. For example, when using bio-remediation techniques, skimmers can be used to first remove the bulk of the oil from the groundwater. Then more biological agents may be used to clean up the remaining contamination. The remaining oil will clean up faster, as there will be less of it.

Sometimes called pump-less groundwater remediation systems, oil skimming is the lowest cost way to remove hydrocarbon contamination from groundwater. Oil skimming alone may clean water to acceptable levels or be used as a pre-filter treatment. It is the most inexpensive way to remove LNAPLs or DNAPLs.

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

In the video, oil skimmer is shown removing spent lubricant from a collection tank in a steel production facility.  Due to the extreme heat resulting from the steel making process, lubricant used for conveyor bearings often leaks into the cooling water, creating a floating goop that can foul filters further upstream.