Separating oil from water is an extremely common requirement across many industries, and there are many different ways of achieving this, from using cyclones and centrifuges, to specific gravity weirs or osmosis. Oil skimmers, sometimes called oil separators, provide a cost effective way of removing ‘free’ or ‘tramp’ oils from the surface of solution tanks.
The three main types of oil skimmer are belt skimmer, rope skimmer and disk skimmer and each type of skimmer has its place in the market. Rope skimmers and belt skimmers are well suited to installations where fluid levels are liable to fluctuate.
When choosing a method of oil skimming, care should be taken to ensure that both the oil skimmer and the belt or rope selected is able to withstand the chemicals and temperatures that they are likely to be subjected to in service. Some applications are not too arduous, such as the removal of tramp oil from machine coolant trays, where attack from the coolant solution is the only real consideration. Applications such as aqueous degreasing and plating equipment however can provide a very tough environment for oil skimmers, with temperatures typically around 75 degrees c with acid etching fumes, caustic solutions, detergents as well as oils, all potentially taking their toll. Careful product selection is vital to ensure reliable operation of your chosen oil skimmer, as well as low ongoing costs of consumables, i.e. skimmer belts, which can be very costly.
Sudraker oil skimmers have been designed specifically to work reliably in more hostile environments, and are fitted with our unique fatigue-free tank track skimming belt, which boasts an impressive 5 year warranty.
Be aware that not all oils float! We are currently in the process of developing a new product which is specifically designed to remove heavy or sinking oils from a wide range of working environments where oils are likely to collect in the bottom of process or cooling tanks
If you require more details about this new product then please contact us for more details
