Problem:
A fabricated steel manufacturer used belt oil skimmers to remove oil at the discharge mouth of two outdoor wastewater retention ponds. Debris such as sticks and rubbish ended up in the ponds and would get caught in a screen covering the intake of the belt skimmer.
If workers didn’t clean the screen daily, a dam of debris would form and prevent the oil from reaching the belt skimmer. Also, the belts needed to be changed every two months, and the machine’s drive mechanism required regular repair.
Solution:
The customer installed an oil removal solution that incorporates three Model 6V Brill® Tube Oil Skimmers (sometimes called rope mop skimmers or snake skimmers). The Model 6V has a specially formulated plastic tube that attracts and collects the waste oil as it floats on top of wastewater.
The free-floating action of the collector tube enables it to snake over, under and through the debris as it collects oil. The oil sticks to the outside of the tube, which then passes through a scraper system that removes the oil. The separated oil flows by gravity into a storage drum. The machine then returns the tube to the wastewater for another round of collection.
The Model 6V oil skimmer operates independently and, if needed, can run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even outside under adverse weather conditions. Its internal components are made of high-strength steel and bronze for durability. External wear parts are made from abrasion-resistant ceramic. The machine has a lifespan of more than 30 years.
Results:
More than three years after the belt skimmers were replaced, the only maintenance the steel plant’s crew has to perform on the tube oil skimmers is to occasionally replace the collection tubes. Normal collector tube life is 12 to 18 months. The Model 6V proved to be the ideal solution.
However, in applications where there’s not enough time or space for the remaining oil and water to separate naturally, an SAS® Tank Oil Water Separator from Oil Skimmers, Inc. is recommended. It accelerates the separation process in a smaller space and utilizes the Model 6V Brill® Tube Oil Skimmer as its active oil removal component.
About Oil Skimmers, Inc.
Oil Skimmers, Inc. has been providing oil removal solutions to a variety of industries around the world since 1967. We continue to grow our capabilities through innovation, new product development, and engineering capabilities to serve the unique challenges that each oily water application presents. For more information about oil skimmers, fully-integrated oil removal systems, oil water separators, and custom-engineering capabilities, visit www.oilskim.com, email info@oilskim.com or call +1 (440) 237-4600 to speak to one of our applications specialists.
