Oil and water: a classic combination that spells trouble for many industries if not managed properly. The need to separate oil from water in manufacturing processes is not just a matter of regulatory compliance; it's a crucial step in preserving the environment and reducing operational costs. Abanaki oil skimming technologies have emerged as a game-changer in this regard, offering a cost-effective solution to tackle oily wastewater. Here are six compelling reasons why manufacturers need to prioritize the removal of oil from water and how oil skimmers provide an effective remedy:

1. Environmental Protection:

The consequences of oil contamination in water bodies can be devastating. Just one gallon of used motor oil has the potential to contaminate up to a million gallons of fresh water. This staggering statistic underscores the urgent need for effective oil removal techniques to safeguard precious water resources and protect ecosystems.

2. Waste Management Challenges:

The United States alone generates billions of gallons of waste oil annually, with millions of gallons improperly disposed of. Without proper management, this waste poses significant environmental risks and legal liabilities. Oil skimming technologies offer a proactive approach to managing oily wastewater, mitigating the threat of pollution and regulatory non-compliance.

3. Diverse Sources of Contamination:

Oily wastewater can originate from various industrial processes, including machine tool operations, coolant usage, parts washing, and food processing. The diverse sources of contamination underscore the widespread relevance of oil skimming technologies across different sectors, providing a versatile solution to a common problem.

4. Legal Ramifications:

Dumping oily wastewater into storm sewers or natural water bodies is not just environmentally irresponsible; it can also lead to severe legal consequences. Violators may face hefty fines and even imprisonment, highlighting the importance of adopting responsible waste management practices, such as oil skimming, to ensure compliance with regulations.

5. Cost Considerations:

For larger manufacturers, outsourcing the disposal and treatment of oily wastewater to licensed firms can incur substantial monthly expenses running into thousands of dollars. By implementing oil skimmer technology, companies can significantly reduce the volume of waste oil requiring disposal or recycling, thereby trimming down operational costs and enhancing financial sustainability.

6. Efficiency and Resource Optimization:

Oil skimmers excel in efficiently removing oil from water, thereby reducing the water content of waste oil. This not only facilitates easier disposal or recycling but also maximizes the recovery of valuable resources. By optimizing resource utilization and minimizing waste, oil skimming technologies contribute to a more sustainable and efficient manufacturing process.

In summary, the imperative to remove oil from water extends far beyond regulatory compliance—it's about safeguarding the environment, mitigating legal risks, and optimizing operational efficiency. Abanaki oil skimming technologies offer a practical and cost-effective solution to address these challenges, empowering industries to uphold environmental stewardship while enhancing their bottom line.

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.

Companies always look for effective ways to remove oil from water or coolant. Here are few more easy tips to skim oil from water or coolant.

If the skimmer must be run when little or no oil is present, use an oil concentrator

Under most operating conditions, skimmers pick up oil with only small traces of water. 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 an oil skimmer, the oil concentrator solves this problem by providing final phase separation. The result of this is optimal levels of water or coolant becoming available for recycling, and virtually water-free oil for is collected by the skimmer.

Choose the right belt for your application

Take the time to study which belt best fits your application – it will maximize the life of the skimmer belt and optimize the efficiency of skimmer. This applies to both length of the belt and the material of which it is constructed. As mentioned previously, choose a belt length that assures contact with the liquid at its lowest level. Belt materials are wide ranging and need to be selected based on variables such as the type of oil being collected, the liquid media that the oil is being collected from, and whether the skimmer is being used in an interior or exterior application. Any good skimmer dealer should be able to offer assistance when it comes to belt selection. Testing different belt materials prior to final selection is always a wise course of action.

Choose the optimal location for the skimmer to be mounted

Power availability and accessibility for routine maintenance need to be considered when selecting the location of the unit. Once that locale has been narrowed down, the skimmer should be mounted so that the down stroke of the belt is facing the bulk of the floating oil and is not within 2 feet of a wall or a tank side. This will ensure that the belt will be positioned to attract the maximum amount of oil, without allowing any dead zones where oil can be allowed to become stagnant.

Always remember that the friendly support staff of Abanaki Corporation is just a phone call away to help you with any of your skimming needs. Abanaki has emerged as the world leader in oil skimming solutions, serving industries as diverse as iron and steel, wastewater, paper, food processing, automotive, environmental remediation and recycling. With a guiding principle that has become a corporate motto, “Clean Our World” is the philosophy we have in mind when servicing our customers. If you have any questions about your oil skimming application, please call us. We are here to help!

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

In more demanding situations, oil 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.

As with any piece of industrial equipment, there are guidelines that should be followed to promote optimal efficiency, as well as a long, trouble free operational life. Let’s take a look at a few tips that will help you get the most out your oil skimmer.

A skimmer is most effective when there is no turbulence in the media

Skimmers rely on the differences in specific gravities between oil and coolant or water that causes oil to float on top of water. In applications where turbulence is present, the process of oil rising to the top will be prolonged, with some oil remaining below the water until conditions allow gravity to ultimately prevail. Operating the skimmer predominantly during quiet times will give oil the chance to rise to surface and allow the unit to operate more effectively.

Keep a spare belt and wiper blades on hand

Being prepared for the unexpected is always good practice. While blades and belt are typically very durable and trouble free, you never want to be in a situation where the skimmer must be taken out of service until a new belt or wiper blades arrive from halfway across the country.

Choose a belt that is long enough so that the tail pulley is submerged when the liquid level is at its lowest point

Water and coolant levels can vary over time. Therefore, the skimmer needs to be capable of collecting oil when the levels are at their lowest. Taking the time to correctly size the belt prior to purchasing the unit will save a lot of headaches down the road.

Properly size the skimmer to the size of tank

Skimmers operate by breaking surface tension which allows oil to be attracted to the belt. If a unit is undersized, it will not have the strength to disrupt the surface tension of the liquid, meaning that oil will never make it to the belt. Sizing of the unit should always be based on the overall area of the tank, not the volume of oil that is expected in the tank. This will guarantee that the skimmer will be capable of overcoming the surface tension that is present for the given tank area.

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 skimmers are tremendously versatile, especially when the wide range of venues where they are called upon to operate is considered. Basically, anywhere oil and water have the potential to mix presents an opportunity for a skimmer to be put to good use, keeping oil out of water or coolant so that it can be recycled, re-used, or safely discharged.

The applications where these unsung workhorses perform are numerous, with skimmers being called upon to keep oil out of the places it does not belong, such as machinery coolant, bilge tanks, and wastewater that is discharged from parking garages. While there are differences in design from one skimmer vendor to the next or variations based upon their application, all skimmers ultimately rely on the differences in specific gravity and surface tension in oil and water to allow them to attract and capture oil. A rotating disc or belt is then used to collect the oil, where it can then be recycled or reused.

Make sure the skimmer is mounted level

It is strongly recommended to take the time during the initial installation to check that the skimmer is mounted and fastened securely in an orientation that is level. This is especially critical for skimmers with free-hanging belts to ensure proper tracking over the pulleys. This will promote better performance and reduce premature wear on the belt, wipers, pulleys, and motor.

Proper positioning of wiper blades is essential

Maintaining the proper amount of tension on the wiper blades is key to optimizing skimmer performance. Striking a balance that allows the blades to contact the belt in a manner that allows them to remove the majority, if not all of the oil from the belt is ideal. Over tightened wiper blades will cause premature wear on blades. Under-tightening leads to poor recovery results, as the oil collected by the belt is not fully removed as the belt passes over the wipers.

Run the skimmer when oil is present

While this may seem like a rather obvious point, running a skimmer constantly may actually be counterproductive, because it increases the likelihood that coolant or water will be picked up by the belt. A timer or an oil in water sensor can be employed to optimize skimmer operating efficiency by controlling the times when the unit is running.

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.

Disk oil skimmer provides an inexpensive way to remove unwanted tramp oils from CNC coolants and parts washers.

Disk Oil Skimmer Operation

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.

When properly selected and applied, disk oil skimmers are highly economical solutions for separating oil from water to allow its reuse or safe disposal.

Find out more about Abanaki Mighty Disk™ oil skimmer that cuts cost and can be used almost anywhere.

Video: How To Tell If You Are Buying A High Quality Disk  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.

Have you ever had your clean parts rejected from your customer? Parts that have been cleaned in your parts washers, yet they still have residual oils on them? This happened to one of my customers recently, and it’s not uncommon. Fortunately, there is a simple solution that will save you time, money, and embarrassment of having parts rejected.

Tote-It Belt Oil Skimmer

Abanaki Tote-It Belt Oil Skimmer will remove the oil that is floating on the surface of the parts washer and is being reintroduced onto the clean parts when they are removed from the parts washer. The Tote-It belt oil skimmer removes up to 12 gallons per hour of oil from water, and it is made to withstand the high temperatures and pH levels that can be associated with parts washers.

With its patented design, the Tote-It belt oil skimmer is a dependable and effective means of removing oil from water. The single assembly unit can be used in any application where 115 VAC, 60 Hz power is available.

Belt Oil Skimmer Specifications

The Tote-It belt oil skimmer utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 12 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface. The belt operates on a motor and pulley system attached to a stabilizer bar that is immersed in the contaminated liquid. 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 through a 1-1/4 in. ID hose. The tail pulley has flanges which allow it to roll freely on the inside of the belt without becoming dislodged. It does not need to be fastened to the tank.

Advantages of Belt Oil Skimmer

The Tote-It belt oil skimmer is especially well suited for parts washing and machining center applications. By removing surface oil from a wash tank, the parts will not be re-contaminated as they are withdrawn. Removing tramp oil from a coolant tank prevents excessive smoke and fumes due to oil burning during cutting operations. It also reduces bacteria growth in the tank, along with the resulting odor.

Video: How Does a Portable Oil Skimmer 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 the most dependable and effective Tote-It Belt Oil Skimmer brochure. Simply click at the button to get your brochure now.

Oil Skimmers are simple, dependable and effective tools for removing oil, grease and other hydrocarbons from water and can pay for themselves within a few months.

When properly selected and applied, oil skimmers are a highly economical solutions for separating oil from water to allow its reuse or safe disposal.

All oil skimmers rely on the fluid properties of specific gravity and surface tension although designs may vary. Most use a moving medium to remove floating oil from a liquid surface. Floating oil and grease cling to skimming media more readily than the water. This allows media (in the shape of a belt, disk, drum, etc.) to pass through the fluid surface to pick up floating oil and grease while leaving most of the water behind. The oily material is subsequently removed from the media with wiper blades or pinch rollers.

Grease Skimming

Grease skimming involves higher viscosity hydrocarbons. These skimmers must be operated at higher temperatures to keep the grease fluid. This may require heating elements in the reservoir and skimmer unit to keep the grease in a liquid state for easier pick-up and discharge. If the floating grease forms solid clumps or mats in the reservoir, a spray bar, aerator or other mechanical apparatus can be used to break up the grease and facilitate skimming.

Often, a skimmer by itself can achieve the required level of water purity. For more demanding situations, skimming is a cost-effective pretreatment before more complicated and costly treatments, such as coalescers, membrane filters and chemical processes are employed.

Video: Removing Grease and Oil from Water

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 skimmers are simple, dependable and effective tools for removing oil, grease and other hydrocarbons from water. They usually pay for themselves within a few months. In order to ensure the oil skimmer you choose is right for your operation, there are certain steps you can follow.

Understand the Basics

First, understand that while designs vary, all oil skimmers rely on the fluid properties of specific gravity and surface tension. Most use a moving medium to remove floating oil from the fluid's surface. Floating oil and grease cling to skimming media more readily than water. This allows media in the shape of a belt, disk, drum, etc. to pass through the fluid surface and pick up floating oil and grease while rejecting most of the water. The oily material is subsequently removed from the media with wiper blades or pinch rollers.

Ensure Your Application Applies

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, coolants and cutting fluids, heat treating operations, parts washers, food processing facilities, parking lots, garages, service facilities, outdoor ponds/lakes/basins, recovery/monitoring wells, remediation processes, and many more.

Select by Application

There are several types of industrial oil skimmers. Choosing one best suited for your application will maximize oil removal while minimizing capital outlay and skimmer operating costs. You may define the application in terms of the following characteristics: operating Conditions, hazardous materials, temperature/viscosity, skimmed water content, residual oil, portability, tank or sump characteristics, size/design, shape, and location/installation.

Determine the Right Design

For industrial oil skimming, there are six basic designs commonly used in moving media skimmers. (Suction skimmers are excluded, as they are generally unsuitable except for relatively thick (1/4 inch) layers of oil; otherwise they tend to ingest large amounts of water.) In more demanding situations, 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.

Consider All the Options

All moving media skimmers use motors to move the belt, tube, disk, etc. While many are designed with standard, industrially rated, continuous-duty motors and also may use fully enclosed speed reducing drives, some can be specified with a number of motor options. Consider also any optional equipment that may be available with the skimmer you are evaluating. Accessories allow customized systems that can ease installation and optimize performance. Some of the more common options include: special drive components, mounting stands and adapters, shelters/ enclosures, controls/accessories, concentrator, and heaters.

Get free white paper to help you avoid the common mistakes that are made when purchasing an oil skimmer.

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

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.

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.

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.

Wastewater Sumps

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.

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.
• 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.

Heat Treating

Quench oils that must be removed from heat treated parts can be captured for re-use or disposal. The results are lower quench oil costs, prolonged wash water life and lower disposal costs.

Parts Washers

Floating oils re-contaminate parts as they are removed from a wash tank. Oil skimmers can remove this oil. The benefits of using an oil skimmer are oil free parts and extended fluid life.

Food Processing Facilities

Removal of vegetable oils, greases, and animal fats from a plant’s wastewater stream reduces the costs of processing and disposal.

Steel Mills/Scale Pits

Most steel mills have scale pits in which grease and heavy oils accumulate. In order to avoid fines from the government and expensive sand bed filters, steel mills must limit the amount of grease in wastewater discharged into the environment. Reclaimed grease and oil can be re-used or used as furnace fuel, avoiding sucker truck disposal costs.

Parking Lots, Garages and Service Facilities

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, Basins, Etc.

Where floating oils are present, oil skimmers provide inexpensive and effective removal, solving a serious environmental problem.

Recovery/Monitoring Wells

Removing oil, fuel and other hydrocarbon liquid from wells can be more cost-effective using a belt skimmer instead of a down well pump. Oil skimmers don’t have nearly the maintenance issues and can reach depths of 100 feet or more, removing product despite fluctuating water tables. Oil skimmers can handle very thick fluids effortlessly and some (like the Abanaki PetroXtractor®) can remove sinking DNAPL’s such as coal tar and creosote from water.

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

Find out which Abanaki oil skimmers are suitable for your application.

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