Abstract
Abstract
Investigation of a novel parameter that considerably enhances the performance of disk oil skimmers is introduced. This is of a great significance for the contingency plans of removing oil spills from aquatic environments and deciding their scenarios. Efficiency of a conventional disk oil skimmer could be nearly doubled by careful optimization of the angle between the plane of the disk and the vertical plane. Therefore, this parameter is particularly significant as it requires only a minimum effort to modify existing disk skimmers. Results revealed the presence of a minimum immersed area required for the offset angle to be effective. An optimum rotational speed of around 80 rpm was found, regardless of the design or operating parameters applied. For each disk diameter studied, an optimum offset angle was found. These optimum values were independent of the oil film thickness and oil type. A maximum improvement of ∼204% in oil recovery rate was obtained for the largest disk diameter studied and oil film thickness of 20 mm.
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