Managing Tramp Oil with Mechanical Skimmers
We usually don’t think of coolant maintenance as mechanical, but this is the most important aspect, which keeps the the chemistry and biology in proper order. There is a direct link between what we do (or don’t do) at the mechanical level to what goes on at the microscopic level.
By mechanics we are specifically referring to keeping the fluids moving and removing foreign contaminants. These contaminants include tramp oils, emulsified oils, particulates created from the machining process, and any other thing that may end up in the sump.
Remove the Oil Layer
This layer is what seals off the air supply to the sump and provides nutrients for the bacteria. By keeping oxygen from the coolant, anaerobic bacteria will thrive. These types of bacteria are more dangerous to the chemical components of the coolant than any other types.
The oil acts as their food source and they combine with it to create a biofilm, which forms somewhat of a skin on the surface. These biofilms are difficult to remove, and once they are formed, only lead to contamination of the entire machine.
The simplest method to remove floating oils are a variety of mechanical skimmers, which mount to the sump, pull off the oil layer with some type of media (disk, belt, or tube), and drain it to a collection container.
Some of this variety are also equipped with a mini separation tank so there is no wasted coolant, as it may be picked up during the process since most coolant contains some mineral oil.
There are also coalescers, which pull the oil off via a collection apparatus, and transfer it to a drum or tank for separation. The de-oiled coolant then is introduced back the sump. This type of unit is the best type, since it requires very little maintenance and keeps the fluid in circulation. Some of this variety also incorporate additional aeration devices and can filter small floating particulates.
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About Zebra Skimmers:
Our mission has always been simple. It is to provide the metal working industry with the oil skimmers and metalworking fluid management systems they need to complete jobs quickly and efficiently. Innovative and affordable solutions have gained us many accolades. Our continued growth is due in no small part to our excellent customer service… Not to mention our satisfaction guarantees and the performance of our tools.
Among our diverse options of oil skimmers and metal working fluid management systems, you can expect to find:
- Coolant management equipment, which includes coolant mixers, proportioning pumps, and also coolant automation systems to mix and deliver fluid solutions at the desired concentrations.
- Industrial oil skimmers, including tramp oil belt skimmers, disk skimmers, tube oil skimmers, and individual sump coalescers as well for the removal of surface and tramp oils from fluids.
- Aeration or circulation equipment and sump odor control tablets to control fluid odor and overall machine shop smell
- Industrial fluid monitoring equipment, including brix refractometers to verify fluid solution concentrations, pH test strips and also water hardness testing sticks.