Slotted Pipe Oil Skimmers: Passive Oil Recovery for Settling Tanks and Basins

What Are Slotted Pipe Oil Skimmers?

A slotted pipe oil skimmer from Vens Hydroluft uses a rotating pipe with precision-machined slots to skim oil from the surface of settling tanks, API separators, and clarifiers. As the pipe rotates, the slots create a controlled weir that draws in the oil layer while leaving water behind. This passive approach requires minimal energy, produces high-concentration recovered oil, and operates reliably with almost no maintenance.

Operating Principle and Benefits

The slotted pipe is mounted across the width of a tank or separator, floating at the water surface. By rotating the pipe, the operator adjusts the slot opening to control the oil intake rate. When the slots face upward and are partially submerged, only the surface oil layer flows into the pipe and is collected. This gives operators precise control over the skimming depth, minimizing water content in the recovered oil.

Applications and System Integration

Slotted pipe skimmers are commonly installed on API oil-water separators, gravity settling tanks, equalization basins, and primary clarifiers in wastewater treatment plants. They integrate well with downstream oil water separators and coalescer systems. For active oil recovery from smaller tanks, compare with our disc oil skimmers or Vens ORBIS Pro multi-disc skimmers. Watch our slotted pipe skimmers at work on the Vens Hydroluft YouTube channel.