The History of the Oil Skimmer

 With the rise of industrialization, it became increasingly important in the last century to implement measures for environmental protection and solutions for resource-efficient management of auxiliary and raw materials. This led to the development of techniques for separating oils and fats from other liquids, especially in the field of light liquids.

There isn’t really a “history” of the oil skimmer. However, there are various mechanical methods that allow floating liquids to be removed, thereby separating substances such as oils from water or coolants. This separation is made possible by oil separators or oil skimmers. In industry, this brings several advantages:

Economic Benefits

By reusing substances like coolants, their lifespan and usage duration are extended, which leads to cost reductions and is also a desirable goal in terms of sustainability. With the rising costs of disposal and the purchase of these liquids, both new and old treatment methods became relevant as they became more economically viable.

Ecological Benefits

In recent decades, the environmental protection regulations have been significantly tightened. As a result, companies are required to take measures to reduce or minimize their harmful impact on the environment. This not only includes the emission of CO2 but also the consumption of raw materials. The longer something can be used, the less often it needs to be disposed of and replaced. Liquids that were previously simply disposed of once the oil content became too high are now treated, not just from an economic standpoint, but also in terms of environmental protection and the “green” goals a company may have set.

Environmental Disasters

Special oil skimmers are also used during environmental disasters, such as tanker accidents that lead to oil spills in the oceans, or in smaller incidents where they are used by the fire department. Due to stricter regulations and better monitoring measures, these types of environmental pollution occur less frequently. On the other hand, it is now possible to react much more effectively in case of a disaster. Fortunately, larger catastrophes, such as tanker accidents, have decreased significantly in recent decades.

Nonetheless, German researchers have been working for several years on an oil skimmer that can operate independently of sea conditions (SOS).

For smaller or larger oil spills, the oil skimmer is an important tool in reducing damage and effectively breaking down an oil spill in case of an emergency. These oil skimmers, however, are not comparable to those used in industrial continuous operations. The type of oil skimmer used heavily depends on the specific circumstances at the site.

The key factors include:

• What is the medium to be cleaned (e.g., cooling water, wastewater, wash water, etc.)?
• Which medium should be removed (oil, fat, other light liquids)?
• How much should be removed per time unit?
• What are the installation conditions (tank size, shape, installation height)?
• What are the level fluctuations like?
• What are the physical influences, such as pH value, temperature?

Based on this information, the design of the oil skimmer is determined, as well as the required capacity and construction. Thanks to experience gained over the past decades, it has become possible to develop effective standard products depending on the application, something that was not possible in the earlier history of oil skimmers.

The following types of oil skimmers have become established:

• Belt skimmers
• Disc skimmers
• Hose skimmers
• Band skimmers

To learn more about the differences between these types of oil skimmers, please click on the respective skimmer! From the history, it can be said that the hose skimmer is considered the most recent development and offers many advantages compared to other variants (with a few exceptions) that other designs do not have.

Conclusion

The oil skimmer has secured a solid place in various areas and stands for sustainability, environmental protection, and cost savings. These key points have likely been weighted differently in history compared to today, but it can be predicted that the oil skimmer will continue to stand for these criteria in the future.