Annual Maintenance Cost Fell
from €3,068 to €0
A chemical plant replaced a belt skimmer with a FRIESS tube oil skimmer, extending oil removal from one quarter of the basin to the entire surface. During the 12 months documented in the case study, the unit operated without faults or maintenance. Maintenance cost fell from the former system’s annual €3,068 to €0 for that period.
Background
At the chemical plant, various wastewater streams are collected in a small tank measuring 1.5 m × 1.5 m and installed below ground level. A pump transfers the wastewater from the underground collection basin to the wastewater treatment plant.
The Challenge
Various oils and greases float on the tank surface. In addition to waste lubricating oil, the water contains chemical products manufactured by the company. A belt skimmer with a stainless-steel belt was used to remove the oil, grease and chemical sludge. Because of its high annual maintenance cost (€3,068) and limited capacity, the maintenance department looked for a better solution.
The Solution: FRIESS Oil Skimmer
A FRIESS oil skimmer with an oil-collecting tube replaced the belt skimmer. The oil-collecting tube removes floating oil, grease and chemical sludge from across the entire surface. The separated material then flows through an open drain channel into a second tank, where the oil, grease and sludge are collected.
Even very sticky products can be separated with the skimmer. These products occasionally block the open channel, but the channel is easy to clean and, unlike a pipe, cannot become inaccessible through internal clogging.
The skimmer is powered by ATEX-certified motors and constructed from stainless steel to withstand the various chemicals in the wastewater. All seals are chemically resistant, allowing the maintenance team to clean the unit with a high-pressure cleaner. During the documented 12-month period, the FRIESS skimmer operated without faults or maintenance.
Results
Compared with the previous belt-skimmer system, the FRIESS oil-water separation system operates more precisely. Instead of covering only one quarter of the tank surface, the FRIESS skimmer sweeps the entire surface and removes oil from the full basin. During the documented 12-month period, maintenance costs fell from the former belt-skimmer system’s annual €3,068 to €0 for the FRIESS skimmer.
Difficulty continuously removing floating oil, grease and sludge from chemical wastewater?
Please share your collection-basin dimensions, wastewater flow rate, oil and chemical types, fluid viscosity and temperature, explosion-protection requirements, current oil removal method and treatment targets. Our China engineering team can recommend a suitable collection-tube material, ATEX configuration and open-channel oil discharge arrangement for your operating conditions.