The relationship between oil and water in a mixture is well-known and governed by two physical properties:

Specific Gravity

Most hydrocarbons have a lower specific gravity than water. Without agitation, oil separates from the water and floats to the surface. These oils are known as LNAPL’s, Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid. Oils (and other compounds) that sink in water have a higher specific gravity and are known as DNAPL’s, Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid.

Surface Tension and Affinity

Normally, oil bonds more tightly to itself and other materials than to water. This affinity, and differences in surface tension between oil and water, cause oils to adhere to a skimming medium.

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.

Parking Lots, Garages and Service Facilities

Waste oil leaks, spills and other sources must be retrieved from sumps before water can be discharged to storm or sanitary sewers.

Solution: 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 Model 4 utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 20 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface.

Alternative: Tote It

Outdoor Ponds, Lakes, Basins, Etc.

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

Solution: The Abanaki Oil Viper tube skimmer effectively removes floating surface oils by means of a oleophilic (oil attracting) ¾” diameter continuous looped tube. The tube extends out over the surface of the tank or pit and collects the free-floating oils.

Alternative: Model 8, Model 4

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

In this video, you will see how do different sizes Abanaki oil skimmers work with different media types. 

There are several types of industrial oil skimmers. Choosing one best suited for your application will maximize oil removal while minimizing capital outlay and oil skimmer operating costs. First, define the application in terms of the following characteristics:

Operating Conditions

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

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.

Tank or Sump Characteristics

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.

Food Processing Facilities

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

Solution: The heart of the system features a patented design grease skimmer. Unlike oil skimmers this system was designed and developed specifically to pick up heavy grease and oil. The Grease Grabber® makes use of the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between grease and water.

Alternative: Model 4, Model 8

Steel Mills/Scale Pits

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

Solution: The Model 8 utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 40 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface. The unit can be used as a pre-treatment before filtration, and in conjunction with coalescing systems.

Alternative:Grease Grabber

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

Click button below to access our video directly.

Although designs vary, all oil skimmers rely on specific gravity, surface tension and a moving medium to remove floating oil from a fluid’s surface.

Floating oil and grease cling to skimming media more readily than water, and water has little affinity for the media. This allows skimming media in the shape of the belt, disk, drum, etc. to pass through a fluid surface to pick up floating oil and grease with very little water. This oily material is subsequently removed from the media with wiper blades or pinch rollers.

Oil skimmers offers a simple, dependable and effective solution for removing oil, grease and other hydrocarbons from water and coolant. In some cases, operating an oil skimmer alone can achieve the desired level of water purity. In more demanding applications, oil skimming is a cost-effective means of removing the worst of the oil contamination while protecting more sophisticated methods such as coalescers, membrane filters and chemical processes.

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.

Solution: 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.

Alternative: Tote It, Model 4, Model 8

Heat Treating

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

 Solution: The Tote-It’s patented design is a dependable and effective means of removing free floating oil from water.  The single assembly unit can be used in any application where 115 VAC, 60 or 220V, 50 Hz power is available. The Tote-It utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 12 gallons of oil per hour from the fluid surface.

Alternative: Model 4, Mighty Mini

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.

There are many oil skimmer choices available but, how do you determine the best for the application? Two things should be considered at the start of the search. First, how much volume of contaminated oil requires removing? Every skimmer offers an oil removal yardstick measured in gallons per hour. Second, what are the dimensions of tank where skimmer will be operating? Some skimmers remove oil more efficiently than others based on the size of tank.   Even if there is a low volume of floating oil in an application, a smaller skimmer may not be the ideal solution if the surface area is too large. 

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.

Solution: Model MB is designed for those applications where other skimmers do not provide adequate removal capacity. Multiple of two, three, or five belts are available. From a mere shimmer on top of water to a heavy oil slick, the Model MB performs efficiently, removing up to 200 gallons of oil per hour.

Alternative: Model 8, Model 4

Coolants and Cutting Fluids

When machine coolants become contaminated with tramp oils, four things usually occur: 1) coolant life is reduced; 2) quality of machined parts is reduced; 3) in many cases, a smoke will begin to appear in the shop, causing irritation to the workers on jobs; and 4) 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.

Solution: The Oil Boss clings to the side of the machine tool above the sump at approximately eye level. The small SurfaceSucker™ floats in the sump and draws in the top fluid layer. The coolant is pumped to the Oil Boss, where it passes through its special coalescing media causes the oil to separate from the coolant. The oil is held in the oil containment area, until the operator opens the disposal tap and drains the oil. The filtered fluid then travels into the clean chamber where is automatically pumped back to the sump.

Alternative: Mighty Mini, Tubetastic, Mighty Disk, Lil Blue

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

In this video, you will see how do different sizes Abanaki oil skimmers work with different media types. 

Oil skimmers are very simple pieces of equipment that can help you tackle a very serious wastewater issue. They are a low-cost and environmentally sound solution to waste oil recovery. They are by no means high-maintenance or difficult to use, but do require some routine work every now and then and a little tinkering here or there.

So how do you know when it is time to show your oil skimmer some TLC? Here are some things to look out for:

Are the wiper blades on your oil skimmer making smooth contact with the belt?

Somewhat of a common sense point but still worth mentioning. In order to successfully skim away the hydrocarbon, the wipers on the skimmer need to hit the belt perfectly. And this applies to any type or brand of skimmer. If the wiper blades are covered in goop, covered in debris, or if they are old and worn down, the skimmer will not be able to operate as intended. If you think something is amok with the way your oil skimmer is skimming, start with the wiper blades. They are an easy fix and new blades can make a world of a difference.

Is the belt riding away from the sides of the pulley?

Is the oil skimmer wobbly? Does the whole operation seem wonky? If things appear off, then they probably are. Double check to make sure that the oil skimmer is level in the tank, pit, sump, or well. If things still seem off, then see common sense point 1 about making sure the wipers are clean and not warped.

Has the belt seen better days?

Then replace it! Belts will typically last a long time, but as the great Robert Frost so poetically said, “Nothing gold can stay”. Belts will operate even past the point that they should. However, if you notice any fraying or tears, even if it is slight, it would be in your best interest if you replaced the belt. And going back to bullet point one, if your wipers are sketchy then they are going to mess your belt up.

All of our coolant skimmers are rugged, reliable and low maintenance. Removal capacities range from 1 to 200 gallons per hour. Browse the types of oil skimmers and oil skimming accessories in our website www.abanaki.com or contact our experts at 440-543-7400 to find the right solution for your application.

Unfamiliar with our Oil Skimming products? Go to the Skimmer Selection page to view the types of oil skimmers for every application.

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

If you’re not reclaiming your used oil than you are awarded no points, may not collect $200, or pass Go. If you are, you get all of the points. However, if you are doing this but NOT taking care of the equipment that is helping you reclaim that used oil, then you are just as much a part of the losing team.

Maintenance Needed?

Just like any piece of equipment; cars, computers, those 5-in-1 breakfast sandwich maker machines, all of them need tinkering and routine maintenance in order to keep the gears turning and the eggs fluffy. With that being said, oil skimmer maintenance is crucial in not only ensuring proper waste oil recovery, but overall success of your entire operation.

Over the years we have seen some troubling scenes. The things people do to oil skimmers…it is horrific. Years upon years of oil and incalculable layers of gunk encrusted all over the machine. Discharge valves clogged to the point where the skimmed content barely drips out. THE ORIGINAL BELT. For shame. All of you.

Quick Overview of How Oil Skimmers Work

If you’re not familiar with how oil skimmers work, here’s a quick overview: Although designs vary, all oil skimmers rely on specific gravity, surface tension and a moving medium to remove floating oil from a fluid's surface.

Floating oil and grease cling to skimming media more readily than water, and water has little affinity for the media. This allows skimming media in the shape of a belt, disk, drum, etc. to pass through a fluid surface to pick up floating oil and grease with very little water. This oily material is subsequently removed from the media with wiper blades or pinch rollers.

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.

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.

Tramp oil is a term that describes any unwanted hydrocarbon-based substance that contaminates machine coolant. This issue occurs mostly metalworking and manufacturing industries. Tramp oils can lead to numerous problems that affect work environment safety, production efficiency, and the cost control abilities.

What causes Tramp Oil?

How do these hydrocarbon-based substances find their way into a coolant sump?

There are a few different avenues.

Machining centers employ various linear motion and rotary motion components such as bearings, slides, ball screws, and spindles that require lubrication to function efficiently. Over time, these lubricants can find their way to the machining center platform where they mix with cutting fluid or coolant.

Another source of contamination is from the materials being processed in the machining center. Most stock metals have a corrosion prevention coating which is typically oil based. If the oil based coating is not removed prior to machining, it will end up mixing with the coolant.

Problems Associated with Tramp Oils

Tramp oil contaminated coolant causes a variety of problems if not separated and removed.

First, the coolant’s performance ability suffers. This is because oil in coolant reduces the coolant fluid’s ability to reduce temperatures effectively. Any oil that is present in the cutting fluid will promote heat generated by the tool, which can shorten tool life considerably.

Another consequence of oil coming in contact with a hot cutting tool is smoke. At high temperatures, the oil can become hot enough to burn. This can create unsafe working conditions.

When left alone, tramp oils that settle in coolant become breeding grounds for anaerobic bacteria. The oil essentially prevents oxygen from mixing with the coolant, which can promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Workers who come in contact with these bacteria are susceptible to contact dermatitis. The bacteria can also generate hydrogen sulfide gas, which emits an unpleasant rotten egg odor.

Removal & Separation Solutions

There are two common methods for removing tramp oils from coolant. These are coalescers and oil skimmers.

Coalescers consolidate small oil particles into larger droplets. Filters or baffles are then gather larger droplets for removal. Coalescers are a good option for larger area applications as they have greater collection area than skimmers.

Skimmers utilize the differing specific gravities 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.

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.

Waste oil recovery is critical to any application for a multitude of reasons. Many companies try, or should be trying (tsk tsk if you’re not), to recover their used oil in order to stay in compliance with government standards and regulations. No one wants to pay a massive fine or even worse, donning the orange jump suit with silver bracelets, when complying with the law and keeping our environment clean is a simple enough task.

Additionally, recovering used oil has its monetary perks. Reclaimed hydrocarbons can be sold for profit and removing it properly can help extend the life of equipment, waste water, or coolant. All while Mother Earth smiles and the people rejoice. Everybody wins.

Here are the seven advantages of using oil skimmers.

Reduction of Disposal Costs:

The cost of disposing oil laden coolant is more expensive than the disposing of oil.

Recycling Opportunities:

In some instances, companies may be able to re-use the skimmed oil elsewhere or sell it for recycling, choosing to keep their part of the world cleaner.

Extend Coolant Life:

Having oil free coolant can also extend its usefulness and effectiveness, reducing the expense on maintenance and coolant replacement.

Esthetic Benefits:

Removing the oil from a machine coolant tank will cut down on the amount of smoke generated from the cutting tool coming into contact with oil laden  coolant thereby creating a visibly cleaner workplace.

Extend Tool Life:

Removing floating surface oils while aerating and refreshing coolant will extend tool life as well.

Avoid EPA Violations:

Many machining and metal working shops turn to aqueous parts cleaning because of limits imposed by the EPA on the discharge of emissions and wastes.

Hygienic Benefits:

Keeping coolant oxygenated and oil-free reduces the "rotten egg" odor and bacterial levels are lowered resulting in a cleaner work environment.

Oil Skimmers: Simple Solution to Serious Issue

Oil skimmers are very simple pieces of equipment that can help you tackle a very serious wastewater issue. They are a low-cost and environmentally sound solution to waste oil recovery. They are by no means high-maintenance or difficult to use, but do require some routine work every now and then and a little tinkering here or there. Bottom line is, replacing a wiper blade system or belt on an oil skimmer beats having to pay a fine to your respective government environmental agency. If you are not sure about the laws are regarding wastewater in your area, we have a handy database of environmental links indexed by location for you to use. 

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

Our newest generation of products continues to set the industry standard for performance, productivity, and pollution control for oil removal.

To learn more about the Abanaki oil skimmers, please access and view the attached video.

Anyone that works with coolant knows about the potential foul stench that looms around the corner. When a machine is shut down for the weekend, oil has a chance to come to the surface of the coolant tank. Bacteria that are living in the coolant tank use up the dissolved oxygen in the coolant mix, a process that is sped up by having a layer of oil on the surface. This allows odor causing anaerobic bacteria to thrive, giving off that familiar "rotten egg" smell.

Coolant Mints

Abanaki offers a wide range of coolant maintenance products. One of these items is our Coolant Mints. These tablets are safe to handle and eliminates odors by neutralizing them, not covering them with perfumes or fragrances. The Coolant Mints contain zero formaldehyde and causes zero issues with disposal. 1 tablet per week can maintain 25 gallons of coolant! 

Coolant Skimmers or Tramp Oil Skimmers

The presence of a coolant skimmer or tramp oil skimmer in a machine shop holds many benefits. One of the benefits is to drop in “rotten egg” smell from bacteria reacting with oil on the top of coolant tanks.

Coolant skimmers or tramp oil skimmers remove tramp oil to extend the life of coolant, prevent hazardous conditions, and subsequently, get rid of the “rotten egg” smell. Depending on the applications, coolant skimmer will also bring your tool shop an improved working environment, extended tool life and reduced maintenance costs.

All of our coolant skimmers are rugged, reliable and low maintenance. Removal capacities range from 1 to 200 gallons per hour. Browse the types of oil skimmers and oil skimming accessories in our website www.abanaki.com or contact our experts at 440-543-7400 to find the right solution for your application.

Unfamiliar with our Oil Skimming products? Go to the Skimmer Selection page to view the types of oil skimmers for every application.

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

Here are six reasons why manufacturers need to remove oil from water and how Abanaki oil skimming technologies offer a cost-effective solution.

• Gallon of used motor oil can contaminate million gallons of fresh water.
• The U.S. generates billion gallons of waste oil each year and million gallons are not disposed properly.
• Sources of oily wastewater include exhausted oil emulsion from machine tools, used coolants, water used in parts washing and grease from food processing, etc
• Dumping oily wastewater into a storm sewer could lead to years in prison and/or hefty fines.
• Hiring a licensed disposal firm to haul away and treat oily wastewater or coolant can cost larger manufacturers thousands of dollars per month!
• Oil skimmer technology can dramatically reduce the water content of waste oil that must be disposed of or recycled.

“Oil and water don’t mix,” a statement that manufacturers in a variety of industries have come to learn the hard way. Oil skimming technologies offer an environmentally safe, highly economical approach to separating oil and water prior to disposal.

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

In this video, you will see how do different sizes Abanaki oil skimmers work with different media types.