Oil Removal Solutions Blog

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.

Now, more than ever, we are aware of the environmental consequences of our actions. Both individuals and organizations are dedicated to adhering to ecological rules and regulations designed to mitigate environmental damage.

One of the many problems that environmentalists face is waste oil recycling and disposal.

According to the EPA, “...used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water — a years’ supply for 50 people!”

Problems mainly arise when used oil isn't properly disposed. Such oil can pollute rivers, harm plants, affect wildlife and seep through the ground, potentially contaminating drinking water. That is why processes that remove excess oil from wastewater, like oil skimming, are so important for running an ecologically friendly business.

Water plays an important role in most industrial processes and is often mixed with oil as a result. Removing oil from water early and often by way of skimming is key in maintaining a healthy process. In fact, if ignored, oily water could be detrimental to your productivity, reputation, and ultimately, your bottom-line.

In this post, we’ll present six potential consequences if oil is not separated and removed from water early in the water treatment process.

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.

AS PUBLISHED IN MANUFACTURING TODAY MAGAZINE | VOLUME 18, ISSUE 1

When some think about oil on water, they think only of oil spills in open water. “But mixing oil and water is quite common in the manufacturing world,” Jim Petrucci says. “People who use water to any degree in manufacturing are going to get oil in it, whether it’s on purpose or by accident,” he explains.

When manufacturers want to remove the oil from the surface of the water, they turn to Oil Skimmers Inc. Petrucci is the vice president of the Cleveland-based company, which provides oil skimmers and oil removal systems to manufacturers, as well as power plants, food plants, mines and military bases.

Oil skimmer reduces cost, increases performance and decreases material waste

Food manufacturers are tasked with managing oil in the wastewater from their manufacturing processes on an ongoing basis. 

Recently, a privately-held snack food manufacturer that produces potato chips established a goal to increase chip production by 20 percent. However, increasing production also meant increasing the amount of cooking oil discharged into the wastewater from washing the fryers used to cook the chips. As one of the largest water consumers within its municipality—discharging an average of 180,000 gallons per day—the potato chip plant needed to cost-effectively and efficiently remove the cooking oil from its wastewater to remain compliant with the municipality’s wastewater regulations.