General

The Ecotop oil/water separator is designed to separate non-emulsified light liquids or low-water-soluble fluids with a specific gravity below 0.95 (gasoline, diesel, heating oils and other mineral oils) from effluent discharge. The residual hydrocarbon concentration in the effluent will not exceed 5 ppm. The Ecotop Oil/Water Separator meets all of the requirements of strict European separation standards (DIN 1999 and EN-858).

A two-step separation process, gravity separation and removal of small oil particles by coalescing media elements, produce high removal efficiencies. The separated oil is automatically removed from the water surface and collected in an internal or external oil recipient.

Purification Step 1: Gravity Separation

The sediment and solids pre-treated run-off, is gravity fed or pumped (typically with a positive displacement or diaphragm type pump) to the gravity separator through a submerged inlet pipe.
The separation process relies on the fact, that light fluids have a lower specific gravity than water and thus float on the water surface

Purification Step 2: Coalescing Media

In the residual oil media, fine droplets, that are too small to be separated by gravity alone are accumulated into bigger drops that rise to the surface. This coalescing media is made of reticular (i.e. "net-like") soft polyurethane foam. The media-cartridge is very easy to lift out and reinstall once it is cleaned/rinsed with a garden hose. The separated water that leaves the Ecotop has a residual contamination of free petroleum content to less than 5 ppm.

Automatic oil draw-off device:

The system includes an automatic draw-off device (ADD) for maximum environmental protection. The light fluids are constantly being removed from the water surface and collected in an integrated or external oil recipient. No stable emulsions can be formed. A large amount of the separated light liquid can be recovered without any interrupting the collection cycle of the Ecotop. The automatic drawoff device will collect the pure petroleum product, and not an oil-water mixture. The costly disposal of large quantities of oil and water mixtures is then eliminated. Facilities that have the ADD actually are paid by waste oil companies that service their Ecotop systems.