Belt Skimmer

 Oil Skimmer as a Belt Skimmer

The belt skimmer consists of a motor with a drive wheel, a frame with a deflection pulley, and one or more circulating belts or O-rings. The deflection wheel and the lower part of the belt dip into the liquid. The floating oil adheres to the belt and is transported by the belt to the plastic wipers, where the foreign oils or other contaminants are removed. This helps clean expensive cooling lubricants, leading to a reduction in operating costs.

Installation

Due to its design, this compact type of oil skimmer can be installed either from the top or from the side of the tank. This allows it to serve even very tight and confined tanks. The skimmer is easy to install and can be put into operation after just a few steps.

Applications

The belt skimmer is only suitable for smaller tanks, as the belt covers only a small area. Unlike the hose skimmer, the belt does not float across the entire surface of the tank, so it can primarily collect the oil that is directly in the vicinity of the belt’s immersion area. Therefore, this type of skimmer works effectively only in small tanks with a limited surface area. In tanks with larger surfaces, so-called dead zones may occur, which the belt cannot reach, leaving the oil in those areas untreated. Under these conditions, a hose skimmer would be more effective, as this type of oil skimmer does not leave dead zones. The concept of the hose skimmer, which covers the entire surface of the tank with a floating hose, is the most effective method when the appropriate tank size is available.

Since these skimmers are so affordable, the build quality is often lower, and the parts tend to wear out quickly, especially the wipers, which are quickly worn down by particles in the oil.

Alternative Skimmers

The construction and thus the disadvantages of the belt skimmer are conceptually similar to those of the band skimmer. The only difference is that one skimmer uses a belt while the other uses a strap. Depending on the size of the skimmer belt and the number of straps, the surface area on which oil can adhere differs, making the respective variant more effective and able to remove more oil per unit of time.

Advantages:

• Small and compact device
• Affordable
• Can be installed from both the top and side

Disadvantages:

• Low flow capacity
• Does not create surface flow
• Only covers a very small area of the surface
• The oil level may only fluctuate by a maximum of 10 cm
• Wipers are damaged by particles
• Sludge can clog the outlet

Summary:

The belt skimmer is intended for smaller tanks where only a small flow capacity is required. Belt skimmers are often used in small coolant tanks and help extend the operational life of cooling lubricants, just like other types of skimmers.

Since belt skimmers are used only in smaller tanks, the purchase price in some cases is just a few hundred euros. Due to the extended operational life of the cooling lubricants and the associated savings, this investment pays off in a short period and helps reduce operating costs.

Learn more about the different types of oil skimmers:

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