In steel mills of all
types, removing oil from water is a key consideration. The choice you make can help your plant run better
and, in some cases, the reclaimed oil can provide a new source of revenue.
Tramp oil, lubricants, hydraulic fluid – all these can spell trouble in terms of time and cost. Given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to avoid problems before they have a chance to start? Selecting the appropriate oil removal method can help you do that. To trim water and wastewater treatment bills, avoid rework and keep your machines running smoothly, oil removal has to be efficient.
The typical industrial method of collecting oil in tanks and pumping it through a wastewater system gets complicated fast in steel mills. Skim oil “early” -- meaning as close to the source as possible -- and your water issues start to evaporate. With the right skimmer at work, there's less wastewater and that means you're using less water. Skimming early can improve overall operational efficiency, leading to fewer maintenance labor hours. For example, installing an oil skimmer at the cooling or cleaning phases can keep oil and suspended debris out of filters, off the product, and off plant machinery and dies. If you can remove oil before it “emulsifies,” you can save yourself from all kinds of headaches down the line.
Look at the big picture when assessing oil removal solutions. Past problems with skimming equipment or disposal, staffing and scheduling trends, product quality issues and your water consumption levels over time will help you drill down to what's going to work best for your situation. Drum and disc skimmers, vacuum trucks and belt skimmers are commonly used in steel mills and each has benefits and drawbacks. Whether you’re a plant manager or in charge of maintenance, you may be asking yourself how often it makes sense to switch plant personnel from maintaining production equipment to maintaining oil skimming equipment. And these days, everybody is thinking of how to best manage water and wastewater costs. So, add cutting expenses to your list.
Is your oil removal method as efficient today as it was in the beginning? If not, then it’s time to look at alternatives.
Learn more about the different types of oil skimmers and compare them based on your situation. Download our free white paper, “How Oil Removal Helps Steel Mills Improve the Bottom Line” today!
