How Do Oil Water Separators Work?

Oil-water separators are used in many differentallowed to float to the surface. This oil is then gently
commercial applications and are often a necessarypushed off of the surface of the water into
piece of technology on many construction and facilities.appropriate storage containers. After this process the
These devices skillfully remove harmful chemicalwater is further drained through filters before it is sent
elements, like oil but others as well, which allows thethe proper treatment facilities or delivered back into the
remaining water to be returned back into the watersewer system to be further treated. Usually, water
system, usually after further treatment. Both large andused in industrial capacities is not only dirty with oil, but
small-scale units are often required by law to preventalso other substances as well. Larger machines allow
harm to the environment and so many companiesthe heavy particles (dirt, grime, etc.) to settle at the
may use these products as a matter of course whenbottom as the oil rises to the surface. This material is
doing business. Regardless of the actual size of thethen siphoned off with a pump without disturbing the
unit, these products all work using essentially the samewater. These two processes provide a general
principles.cleaning of the water to make it environmentally safe
As the old saying implies, oil and water do not mix.for further treatment.
Fortunately, companies and other industrial facilities canMany different sizes are available depending upon the
use this to their advantage to remove oil from water.application needed. Large industrial sites that mix oil and
Though they may not mix, oil can become wellwater, like refineries use these machines regularly.
distributed in water and unlike other debris, it cannot beHowever, smaller construction sites may use these
simply filtered out like dirt and other substances. Insteadmachines to help cleanse run-off water that occurs
a process that takes advantage of the differentnear heavy machinery. Specialized pumps and other
viscosities is necessary to perform the separation. Thispressure devices are often used in conjunction with
requires both time and skillful agitation of the water isthese products in order to speed up the process.
required in order ensure a high cleansing of the water.Different manner of filters are also used to greatly
To remove oil, the water is rested and the oil isimprove the quality of the outgoing water.