The Role of Tube Skimmers in Wastewater Treatment

The tube skimmer is an oleophilic, closed-loop oil skimmer. This skimmer efficiently removes oil from wastewater. Oil removal is challenging and a critical parameter of wastewater treatment. A tube skimmer is a preferred choice for oil removal in wastewater treatment because of its design, features, and advantages.

The design and working are the key reasons the tube skimmer is an effective oil-water separator. The design and working are highly suitable for wastewater treatment, which gives it an edge over other industrial oil skimmers.

Design

A tube skimmer comprises an oleophilic tube, wipers, and a collection tray/tank. The design of the tube skimmer is simple and efficient. Some of the key design features of tube skimmers are:

• • Floating tube
• • Compact & adaptive design
• • Oleophilic surface
• • Self-adjusting to water levels

Working

In a tube skimmer, a tube floats on the surface of wastewater. The tube is a closed-loop oleophilic tube. Free-floating oils, grease, and fats present in the wastewater adhere to the periphery of the floating tube when it is slowly drawn across the surface. The oil-covered tube is passed through a scrapper that cleans the tube laden with contaminants – oils, grease, and fats. The waste oil is collected in a tray or tank. The clean tube portion returns to the tank/pit for further oil removal.

The simple design of the tube skimmer has proved to be effective in wastewater treatment with floating debris and delivers high oil recovery. The other advantages of tube skimmer are:

• • Efficiency: The tube skimmer is superior in oil recovery in a given time duration compared to other oil skimmers.
• • Versatile: The tube skimmer is suitable for a large number of applications. It can remove oils, grease, fats, and floating sludge from wastewater.
• • Adaptable: The tube skimmer can cover a large area. The length of the tube can be extended to suit specific site requirements.
• • Working: The tube skimmer can work 24 x 7.
• • Design: The tube skimmer can be mounted on the floor or a cantilever pole, as per the site conditions. It does not require an expensive foundation.
• • Installation: The tube skimmer is easy to install as they are provided with pre-fabricated mounting systems.
• • Maintenance: The robust tube skimmer has a simple design and working which ensures minimal clogging and maintenance costs.
• • Self-adjusting: The tube of the tube skimmer floats on the surface of wastewater, it is unaffected by water level fluctuations. It self-adjusts as per changing water levels.
• • Parts: The tube skimmer has no moving parts that come in contact with the wastewater/liquid, except for the tube. The moving parts are away from the liquid ensuring safety and ease of access for maintenance.
• • MOC: The material of construction (MOC) of a tube skimmer is robust. The tube skimmer is offered in a variety of MOCs, as per the specific requirements.
• • Manpower: The tube skimmer is easy to operate and does not require continuous operator intervention.
• • Cost: The tube skimmer is cost-effective. It has a high recovery rate, does not require continuous intervention, is easy to maintain, and has minimal moving parts. All of these contribute to low operation and maintenance costs.

The tube skimmer is ideal for oil removal in wastewater treatment because it is versatile, reliable, and efficient. It can operate in continuous loops in fluctuating water levels. It can navigate its way through floating debris. It is easy to mount on a manhole, tank, or pit. The length of the tube can be adjusted to suit the wastewater treatment tank dimensions. The tube skimmer can operate 24 x 7 without operator intervention ensuring continuous oil removal with a high recovery rate. At the same time, it is cost-effective and helps adhere to wastewater discharge norms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1 What industries can benefit most from using a drum type oil skimmer?

A. Industries such as manufacturing, automotive, food processing, and wastewater treatment can benefit most from using a drum type oil skimmer to efficiently remove oil from water surfaces.

Q.2 What specific pollutants can tube skimmers effectively remove from wastewater?

A. Tube skimmers can effectively remove pollutants such as oil, grease, and hydrocarbons from wastewater, enhancing overall treatment efficiency.