An oil skimmer is a machine that removes floating oil and grease from liquid. Specifically, the floating oil adheres to skimming media, such as a belt, tube, rope, mop, or disk. Then, the media runs back to the machine to be wiped clean. Additionally, weir style skimmers use a pump to collect floating oils.
An oil skimmer is a mechanical device designed to remove floating oil from the surface of water or other liquids. Because oil is lighter than water, it rises to the surface — and that’s where skimmers do their job.
Whether in an industrial sump, a coolant tank, or an open body of water after a spill, oil skimmers help separate and recover this surface oil for reuse or disposal. Consequently, this process not only keeps systems clean but also prevents environmental contamination and regulatory violations.
Oil and water mixtures derived from manufacturing processes and food processing facilities that are held in large holding tanks or pits. In these applications, oil is usually removed by an oil skimmer or it can be pumped out for disposal. Skimming the floating oils with little water content can reduce the cost of disposal and lower the contingent liabilities of industrial wastewater discharge.
Tote-It Portable Belt Skimmer Type And Installation
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. 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. The Tote-It is especially well suited for parts washing and machining center applications. By removing surface oil from a wash tank, the parts will not be recontaminated as they are withdrawn.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.
Tote-It Portable Belt Skimmer Advantages
- Multiple site usage – easily moved from one place to another.
- 6 gph removal rate.
- Can be used in tanks as shallow as a few inches.
- Requires no tank modifications in most applications.
- Maintains skimming efficiency in fluctuating fluid levels.
- Prevents plugging of spray heads and filters.
- Conserves parts wash water and prevents recontamination of parts as they are removed from wash tank.
- Saves coolants by removing tramp oil.
Tote-It Portable Belt Skimmer Installation
Tote-It Portable Belt Skimmer Specifications
| Oil Removal Rate : | 12gph (45.6 lph) with 4 in.( 10 cm) wide belt |
| 6 gph (22.8 lph) with 2 in.( 5 cm) wide belt | |
| (Removal rate is based on 30 weight oil in water.) | |
| Motor : | Fractional hp gear motor, 115VAC, 60 Hz |
| Belt Width : | Specify 4 in. (10 cm), or 2 in. (5 cm) |
| Belt Length : | Standard lengths from 18″ to 5′ center to center (maximum length 10′) |
| Belt Material : | Specifically selected for your application |
| Wiper : | Nitrile standard; CRV rubber, Ceramic/UHMW hybrid and Stainless steel optional. Specify wiper material based on temperature and fluid compatibility. |
| Mounting Method : | Flat base mount with oil discharge through a 1-1/4 in. I.D. hose. See installation drawing. |
| Mounting Area : | See installation drawing. |
| Weights : | Complete assembly with stabilizer bar, tail pulley, and steel belt: |
| 2 in. : average 34 lbs. (15.4 kg) | |
| 4 in. : average 36 lbs. (16.3 kg) | |
| (Note: optional hose w/clamp and adapter weighs 2 lbs. (0.9 kg).) | |
| Options (Specify) : | Discharge hose kit |
| Oil Concentrator™ for virtually water-free oil discharge (See description next page.) | |
| Storage stand | |
| Special belt lengths, over 5 ft. center to center | |
| 304 stainless steel construction | |
| Timer | |
| Level switch | |
| Pneumatic or special electric motors |
Tote-It Portable Belt Skimmer Operation Limits
Wipers
| Temperature of Liquid | pH 3-5 (acidic) | pH 6-8 (neutral) | pH 9-13 (alkaline) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F-180°(0.5°C – 82°C) | CRV | nitrile | CRV |
| 181°F-212°F(83°C-100°C) | CRV | CRV | CRV |
Belts
| Temperature of Liquid | pH 3-5 (acidic) | pH 6-8 (neutral) | pH 9-13 (alkaline) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F-180°(0.5°C – 82°C) | CR steel, elastomer, polymer | CR steel, polymer, HT polymer | polymer, HT polymer |
| 181°F-212°F(83°C-100°C) | CR steel | CR steel | CR steel |
Standard Configuration : The standard Model 4 is supplied with a motor belt guard, spring-loaded adjustable wiper blade assembly, skimmer belt, tail pulley, and assembly instructions.
Specification Notes : The Model 4 is UPS shippable. Consult factory for recommendations covering operating conditions not listed here.
Belt Skimmer Improves Quality Control
To a precision metal tubing manufacturer producing a product that meets precise tolerances is not good enough. Keeping customers satisfied also means the tubing must be free of any residue from various chemical solutions used during fabrication.
Having a wide variety of customers, their products can be found in many applications. From automobile rocker arms and cam shafts, to lawn and garden equipment, and as magazine tubes on rifles and shotguns. For each application, a close tolerance, clean, residue-free tube is delivered.
Keeping the tubes free of chemical residue is challenging.
After arriving at the plant, the stock is degreased and placed in a dip tank containing sulfuric acid. It is then coated with zinc phosphate, drawn, machined and degreased a second time in a sodium hydroxide solution. Finally it is neutralized in an alkali bath and protected with a synthetic oil coating to prevent rust.
The combination of oil, water and chemical residue presented a unique challenge. It is critical that the chemical residue does not move downstream from one dip tank to another. During the process, chemical residue floats on the surface of the tanks, oil is in the middle and water on the bottom.
To remove the residue, employees would hand skim the tanks when the plant was shutdown on weekends. Hand skimming was messy, time-consuming, costly and inefficient. It never allowed for an effective separation of the oil and the chemicals. It was not possible to recycle “clean” oil back into the process.
Looking for an alternative, the decision was made to install the Tote-It® Portable Oil Skimmer from Abanaki Corporation on a trial basis. The oil skimming Tote-It utilizes a continuous belt and wiper to remove up to 12 gallons of oil per hour from a liquid’s surface.
The 4″ wide oil skimming belt operates on a motor and pulley system. The system is attached to a stabilizer bar that is immersed in the liquid. After traveling over the head pulley, the belt passes through tandem wiper blades where oil is scraped off both sides of the oil skimming belt. The oil is discharged through a 1-1/4″ ID hose.
Mounted in a wastewater recovery tank
The oil skimming effectiveness rests in the differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil and water.
These characteristics allow the belt to attract oil and other hydrocarbon liquids from the fluid surface.
Because of the Tote-It Portable Skimmer’s success, the decision was made to buy two of Abanaki’s Oil Grabber® Model 8 Skimmers with 8″ wide belts. These units operate on the same principle as the Tote-It Portable Skimmer, but have the capacity to remove up to 40 gallons of oil per hour.
The switch from manual to mechanical oil skimming resulted in immediate benefits. Dip tanks were cleaner with much less residue carry-over from tank to tank. This eliminated the need for weekend overtime for hand skimming. Material costs and downtime also reduced, since the oil is recycled longer and tanks need to be drained and refilled much less often. Finished product quality has improved, resulting in greater customer satisfaction.
Today the tube manufacturer has earned ISO 9000 certification. The mechanical oil skimmers have played a key role. The skimmers have become an important part of the plant’s quality control process.
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