Oil Removal Solutions Blog

Oil plays a part in just about every industrial process on earth. While oil can play crucial and beneficial role in industrial operations, it can also cause many challenges once it has served its purpose and ends up in the wastewater stream. 

To increase the efficiency of wastewater treatment processes and maintain environmental compliance, organizations must first remove the oil before repurposing it or the water, before discharging water to the municipality, and before chemical treatment or filtration of the water. 

If not removed continuously and effectively, oil in wastewater can cause equipment malfunction, process inefficiencies, undesirable working environments, fines from the municipality and/or the EPA, and increase downtime and maintenance.

Whether your power plant is coal-fired, gas-fired, hydroelectric or nuclear, petroleum-based products like fuel, hydraulic fluid and lubricating greases and oils are critical to operational success.

Supporting numerous lubricant connections, bearings, hydraulic seals and moving equipment parts, such as pumps, conveyors, feeders, scrubbers, cranes, turbines and more—it’s inevitable that these petroleum-based products will find their way into the process, cooling, or cleaning water that flows throughout a plant—posing operational challenges. 

Typically, this oily or greasy water flows to one of four places within a power plant:

Removing oil from any industrial process is important. Animal fats, grease and petroleum-based oils all have a significant impact on both overall maintenance and environmental compliance of an operation.

Hence why oil refineries, chemical plants, steel mills and many other types of companies throughout the world use oil/water separators. This flow-through device takes advantage of the fact that oil has a lower density than water, causing it to float on the water’s surface, to separate oil from the wastewater.

But isolating the waste oil is only part of the wastewater treatment equation. An area where oil/water separators commonly fall short is efficient removal of the oil after the separation occurs.

This is where oil skimming comes in.

After learning about the benefits of oil skimming and deciding to remove oil from water in your application, you’re faced with a decision: which type of skimmer is best for your particular application?

Companies that install an oil skimming solution reap immediate benefits—lowering their ecological footprint, reducing maintenance requirements and an improving their overall wastewater treatment process, all while increasing profits. But in order to maximize these benefits, choosing an appropriate system is key.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Power Magazine.

Oil skimmers are very effective in removing oil from wastewater before discharge but are also perhaps the most efficient and economical approach.

Despite these advantages, oil skimmers are not found in every power plant. Some plants rely on less-efficient oil removal procedures, failing to recognize that even a single release could cost more money than upgrading a facility to modern oil-skimming equipment.

So, you’re thinking about installing an oil skimmer to remove oil from water in your application. What more should you know before deciding which skimmer manufacturer or vendor to use?

As with any technology, quality of equipment, level of service, capabilities, and expertise vary greatly among vendors. Hence the importance of choosing the right provider.

If you have a shortlist of potential oil removal solution providers but aren’t sure which is best, we can help. Read on for seven questions to ask potential partners.

In just about every industrial process on earth, whether it’s making steel or cosmetics, food processing, mining, railroads, or construction, water plays an important role in a company’s operations.

Railroads are among the world’s most environmentally conscious companies. In an industry that re-fuels hundreds of locomotives every day and can use up to 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel for just one re-fuel, railroad yards must both prevent and properly manage spills when they occur. When it comes to storm water and wastewater treatment, fuel spills and oil leaks can pose significant challenges.

Spilled fuel or leaked oil at a railroad yard typically ends up in a collection pit along with wastewater, wash water or storm water. To meet municipality requirements and ensure environmental responsibility, the fuel and oil needs to be removed from the water. One proven way railroads can achieve effective removal is by installing an oil skimming system.

Our line of Brill^® tube type oil skimmers feature our free-floating oil collector tube, made from our unique formula which creates a tube that loves oil. The tube is designed to be able to withstand the most abusive industrial environments involving changes in shape, movement, temperature, and chemical interaction. Upon placing your order, we select, cut, and weld the tube, at the length specific to your application.

To ensure your skimmer continues to perform as designed, always order your replacement tubes directly from Oil Skimmers, Inc.

Small Spills = Large Problems: A Look into Fueling Best Practices for the Railroad Industry

Fact – fuel contains toxic substances. Thus, fuel spills can have a decidedly negative impact on the environment. Specifically, with regard to diesel fuel use in the transportation industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has strict regulations in place to help prevent the contamination of water and soil during fueling.

Companies that encounter frequent or consistent refueling, like those in the railroad industry, need to take precautionary measures to both minimize and manage spills when they occur. According to the Transportation Environmental Resource Center (TERC), these companies should consider the following three-pronged approach: