Industrial Processing Equipment

Removing Oil

Removing human-released oil from the planet’s water bodies is important for protecting birds, marine mammals and marine ecosystems. When oil is released into water bodies through human activity it can prevent birds flying and their digestion, while marine mammals can dehydrate and lose their insulation ability often leading to hypothermia. Oil can also affect the marine food chain, as oil floats on top of water impeding the penetration of light. As a result, photosynthesis of marine plants phytoplankton is limited, decreasing fauna populations.

Although oil spills from tankers are the most publicised of human activities that introduce oil into the marine ecosystem, these disasters only make up about 5% of ocean oil pollution. Other sources include road, load and industrial runoff, ship maintenance and operations, seepage from the ocean floor and the erosion of sedimentary rocks. Land-based runoff has been estimated to release 363 million gallons of oil into the ocean each year, in comparison with 37 million gallons from oil tanker spills. Bilge cleaning and other routine ship operations release about 363 million gallons into the water per year, while offshore drilling releases about 15 million gallons and natural seepage contributes approximately 62 million gallons.

Solutions

There are different ways to remove oil from water, from oil recovery ships to bioremediation. The former collect oil-polluted seawater, separate it from the oil, then release the clean water back into the ocean, such as the Bottsand class ships of the German Navy. Bioremediation involves breaking down hydrocarbon and organic waste products through using enzymes, then using bacteria to eat the resulting simple molecules.

Another solution is the use of oil skimmers, which are machines that separate liquid from the oil particles floating on top. Steel belt oil skimmers remove oil from water without the use of detergents or toxic chemicals, and is constructed out of stainless steel to prolong durability. It can be used for aviation fuel, white spirits, fish oil, engine oil and other heavy oils and crudes.

Steel Belts

Steel belts are used by Process Systems Pty Ltd in many of their conveyor systems because they are easy to clean and maintain, which is essential for most industries but especially for food processing. Steel is an alloy of iron and other elements, depending on the properties that are required. Changing the type of elements used in the alloy can affect the grade of castability, tensile strength, ductility and hardness. Common elements that are combined with iron include manganese, chromium, vanadium and tungsten.

Steel belts are used in two main classes of industrial applications- general material handling and bulk material handling. For example, general material handling could include moving boxes along inside a factory. By contrast, bulk material handling may be used to transport materials in outdoor locations, whether agricultural products (e.g. wheat, cotton) or industrial products (e.g. coal, iron ore).

Process Systems uses steel belts in industrial process systems such as cooling tunnels, roasting tunnels, industrial ovens, driers, oil skimmers and trim removal.

Conveyor Systems

Conveyor systems are used in industrial applications to save labour and time transporting materials, conveying them from one place to another in a safe and efficient manner. Conveyor systems are used in a variety of industries, such as computer and electronics assembly, pharmaceutical production, bottling and food processing. Conveyor systems are also used for transporting people, such as escalators and passenger conveyor systems found in airports and train stations.

Conveyor systems can be hydraulic, mechanical or fully automated, with conveyor belts made out of steel, rubber or plastic. Conveyor belts are usually made up of one or more layers of material- an under layer called the carcass and an over layer called the cover. The materials that are used usually depend on what the conveyor belt will be used for. For example, food processing lines need systems that will be hygienic and easily cleaned, so steel belts are used.

Oil Removal

Oil spills are one of the most well-known forms of pollution, where oil is released into the ocean accidentally by oil tankers. Most oil pollution actually comes from land-based activity, but tanker spills are more publicised and therefore more regulated. An oil skimmer is one way of remediating oil spills, however there are many other methods such as bioremediation (use of microorganisms to break down oil), oleophilic methods which chemically and physically bonds to the oil, controlled burning, dispersants or dreging.

Oil spills are a major concern because of their environmental effects. It affects birds who land on the oil by impairing flight ability (reducing ability to forage), insulating ability, damage of the kidneys, liver and digestive tract when ingested through preening…eventually these effects eventually will lead to the bird’s death. It also affects marine mammals and flora, affecting the whole food chain in the ecosystem.

Oil Skimmers

An oil skimmer is a machine  that separates liquid from oil particles floating on top of it. They are usually used in industrial applications, but can also be used to clean up oil spills. There are three main types of oil skimmers: weir skimmers, drum skimmers and oleophilic skimmers. The first is a small overflow-type dam, which works by allowing the oil to flow over the weir leaving the water behind. The second uses a rotating drum to which the oil adheres, is then wiped off and collected. The last uses ropes, discs or drums treated with a substance which will attract the oil to adhere to its surfaces.

Process Systems Services Pty Ltd offers a steel belt oil skimmer to remove the oil contaminating water. It is fully mechanical so there are no detergents or toxic chemicals, designed according to a simple concept to increase reliability, constructed out of stainless steel to prolong durability, and approved by the Water Board and E.P.A. It can be used for aviation fuel (kerosene), white spirits, fish oil (and other light oils), engine oil (fuel oil), heavy oils and crudes.