Oil Water Separators

Effective Removal Of Condensate For Environmental Protection

• What is condensate, and what are the BCAS guidelines for the disposal of waste?
• How do oil water separators ensure the effective removal of condensate?
• What oil water separators do we offer at AirCare?

What Is Condensate, And What Are The BCAS Guidelines For The Disposal Of Waste?

Condensate is a natural liquid by-product of the air-compression process. It is basically oil-contaminated water, or an oil water mix that is comprised of oil droplets, water, and other contaminants, that forms when compressed air cools. Whilst an inevitable by-product of any industrial application that requires compressed air, condensate needs to be removed from your air compressor set-up because it is considered hazardous industrial waste. Not only is its removal essential for environmental protection, but it also prevents equipment degradation and substandard compressed air.

The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) offer guidelines on how to correctly dispose of condensate, for example:

• The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005: ‘affects all owners of compressed air systems with respect to disposal of untreated condensate and associated materials (e.g. used filters, bulk oil, rags or mats used to contain spillage, etc.) since this is usually contaminated with oil’.
• The Water Resources Act 1991: states that ‘it is an offence to knowingly permit entry of toxic waste to surface or ground water’.
• The Water Industry Act 1991: declares that ‘under no circumstances can treated condensate water be discharged to open waters’. It also provides other advice about the safe disposal of condensate to ensure environmental protection.

To view their complete fact sheet on ‘Hazardous Waste and Compressed Air Condensate’, please click here to visit their document library. Ensuring you understand what is required of your particular application or operation is crucial to make certain you are adhering to legislation.

How Do Oil Water Separators Ensure The Effective Removal Of Condensate?

There are different separation techniques that may suit a particular application, or different industrial facilities and flow rates, but typically, oil-water separators utilise a working principle of gravitational separation. This is an industrial process used to separate two components in a mixture, based on their different densities. Gravitational separation is accompanied by a multi-stage process that involves slowing down the condensate, or oily water, in an expansion chamber. Due to their higher density, oil droplets will naturally separate from the water. Filtration then occurs to absorb any remaining oil. Finally, the water passes through a bed of activated carbon, which absorbs the final microscopic traces of oil. This ensures that the water discharged by the oil-water separator is clean water that meets legal requirements.

What Oil Water Separators Do We Offer At AirCare?

At AirCare, we stock the elite CompAir CSEP Oil/Water Separators, an efficient, reliable, and sustainable solution for condensate management. With flexible sizing options, optimal performance through three-stage treatment, and tried-and-tested condensate drains, these are market-leading oil water separators. They boast a small footprint, cost-effective, environmentally friendly operation, quick, easy sectional draining, and help ensure optimal air quality for your applications.

We also offer BEKO’s flagship offering, the BEKOMAT, a reliable, energy-efficient condensate drain known for its durability. BEKOMAT ensures optimal air quality by removing condensate from your compressed air system. After condensate removal, BEKO offers a wide variety of innovative condensate processing solutions to ensure easy, efficient disposal. Regarding oil-water separators, their newly launched QWIK-PURE oil-water separation and BEKOSPIT reaction separation are the perfect solution for efficient, safe condensate management. As with CompAir’s, all BEKO products ensure you are managing and disposing of condensate in an environmentally friendly way that is compliant with the above guidelines.

To find out about our full range of condensate management, please click here.

From design and installation to system maintenance and monitoring, Aircare offers the complete compressed air package! Interested in any of our oil water separators, or want to discuss with our team which type may be best for your application? Why not give us a call and partner with our team today? For more information on any of our solutions or to arrange an appointment, please call 01536 403808 or email us at sales@aircarecompressors.co.uk. Alternatively, you can click here to contact us, and one of our team will be happy to help and answer any questions or queries you may have!