Skimming Away Fluid Contamination

By Tom Hobson

Machine coolant or cutting fluid contaminated with tramp oil causes major problems. For instance, contamination reduces fluid life and deteriorates the quality of machined parts. At the problem worsens, the tramp oil accelerates bacterial growth, and the cutting fluid eventually produces a rotten-egg odor. But more detrimental, is bacteria-contaminated coolant causing dermatitis.

However, there is a solution. Oil skimmers remove contamination. They are inexpensive, highly dependable, and typically pay for themselves within a few months. Although designs vary, most use moving media and rely on differences in specific gravity and surface tension between oil, water, and the skimmer medium.

Skimmer media comes in various shapes, and the most common are belts, disks, or tubes. As the medium moves through the cutting fluid, it picks up non-emulsified oil, which subsequently enters a removal section of the skimmer. Wiper blades or pinch rollers remove oil from the medium and routes it into a container for reclamation or disposal.