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Solutions for the cleaning of cooling lubricants Treatment of cooling lubricants in the metal processing industry

In the metal processing industry, cooling lubricants such as emulsions, grinding oils or solutions are used in many areas. Depending on the application, we provide different filtration and separation techniques for cleaning these fluids in order to circulate them and increase their service life.

Our program ranges from small decentralized solutions to turnkey central systems.

Pilot plants of Leiblein

Our products are available to rent for pilot tests. Due to our extensive rental park, we can put together complete test systems individually for your task.

Versatile applications References in the metal processing industry

Replacement of an outdated cooling lubricant treatment plant
The project

The existing central plant could not cope anymore with the high throughput rates required in a metal processing factory. The plant was renewed from scratch and partly outdated components removed.

The plant should consist of two parts as both, grinding and milling machines have to be fed with cooling lubricant and therefore swarfs of different sizes are to be separated.

Impressions
Functional description

The required plant was implemented as follows:

At first, ferromagnetic particles are separated by two magnetic separators from the cooling lubricant. The residual particles are removed afterwards by a lamella separator and a fine filter. The cooling lubricant for the milling machine is only treated by a continuous belt filter as the swarfs are relatively large. A further fine filtration is not necessary.

Clean gearings through cooling lubricant treatment
The project

Leiblein GmbH manufactures central plants for the treatment of cooling lubricants for many years. Special solutions are nearly essential due to the requirements and limited space. For a renowned gearbox manufacturer a central plant for the treatment of viscous grinding emulsion with a throughput of 3500 l/min at 5 bar had to be installed. The product line was comprised mainly of steel shafts and gear wheels, which had to be smoothed.

To solve the problem, two pressure belt filters each with a filter area of 4 m² were installed. In coordination with the customer the filters operate redundantly. If one filter causes troubles or has to be shut down for maintenance, the second filter is able to treat the whole grinding emulsion. In order to complement this independent system, the filter and charge pumps were equipped with a stand-by pump, so that an availability of at least 98% for the entire system can be guaranteed. The amount of coolant is limited to the actual need of the machines through frequency controlled charge pumps. Thus, the energy consumption is reduced, the pumps service-life prolonged and the noise reduced.

Impressions

The plant is controlled by a Siemens S7-300 controller which is visualised by a touch panel TP270. The tank level is monitored by ultrasonic probes and visually shown on the touch panel. An automatic replenishment system compensates for coolant loss. Due to the filtration rate a filter cake of 5-6cm builds up, which is blown dry before it gets exported. The plant concept of Leiblein largely exceeded the required cleanliness of the grinding emulsion.

Washing water treatment plant automotive supplier
The projekt

In order to reduce operational costs of a parts-washing plant of a automotive supplier a treatment system for the washing water was to be designed. The short lifetime of the washing water caused high costs for disposal and detergents. Due to fast accumulation of sludge in the washing machine required high efforts for cleaning and maintenance of the plant.

Impressions
Functional description

The washing water is continuously filtered by a lamella separator. The separated sludge is automatically exported into a sludge container. The filtrated medium is collected in a tank and gets pumped back to the washing system. A part of the washing water is led into an inclined plate coalescer, where floating oils, fine, sedimentable particles and heavy oils are separated and led into a disposal container.

The whole plant is made of stainless steel. In order to reduce heat loss several components were insulated. A container was fitted to comply with the Federal Water Act (WHG).

Everything from a single source – new ways of central plant design
The project

Leiblein GmbH developed several special plants / central plants for the coolant lubricant treatment in recent years. Those custom made solutions had one thing in common: There was no accumulation of mud in the pipes. Fine sludge particles are continuously removed from the tank.

Well known systems as for example the inclined filter or the magnetic separator were optimally adjusted with one another. Due to the special construction of the plant and the gentle treatment of the emulsion a holistic plant concept could be realised. The main focus during the design process was not only the requirements in relation to the machining process but also a gentle treatment of the cooling lubricants.

Impressions

This philosophy has been realised in a compact system for grinding gearing-components during the manufacturing of prototypes with a throughput of 60 m³/h at Getrag in Untergruppenbach. The system is characterised by clean low-foaming emulsions, separation of tramp oils and pressure independent replenishment. Only regulated feed pumps are used for the transport of the cooling lubricants. Energy is consumed only as much as absolutely necessary, reducing costs and preserving the environment. In addition to the central plant, the disposal system and the shavings transport were delivered to the ground floor. A coalescer with a rate of 1,5 m³/h separates oil and dirt particles from the medium to be disposed, preventing offensive smell and accumulation of mud in the 20 m³ effluent tanks. The shavings are transport by two automatically swiveling slides from the first to the ground floor. Probes monitor the level of the containers. The containers are filled on the sides as well due to the swiveling slides.

Leiblein GmbH impresses with its overall solution from the preparation of cooling lubricants / washing water to the purification and disposal. Leiblein GmbH meets the customer’s requirement of a single-source solution without interface problems.

Customer
Getrag B.V. & Co. KG

 

Clean pipes through a custom made central plant
The project

At a pipe factory pipes had to be cooled or respectively flushed with clean emulsion. After an inspection on site it turned out, that a custom solution was needed.

On the one hand side the space for the plant was narrow (L x W x H =10 m x 1,60 m x 4,50 m), on the other hand a throughput of 70 m³/h was to be realised. However, the dirt particles had to be separated reliably.

Impressions

SolutionLeiblein GmbH solved this task by using the proven inclined lamella technology. Only 1,40 m in width the plant with a capacity of70 m³/h could be installed directly behind the pipe production line. Lifting station, lamella separator, clean water tank, coalescence separator and inclined filter were optimised to perform highly efficient with each other.

The plant design convinced as wellSludge and tramp oil are reliably removed from the water contained in the slim tank. The sludge is continuously dewatered by a Leiblein inclined filter and exported into a dirt container. The tramp oil is continuously sucked off the emulsion’s surface by a Leiblein coalescence separator and transported into an oil barrel. The emulsion is cooled down in the clean tank. Two alternately working system pumps deliver the required pressure to the system.

ResultThrough the use of a Leiblein central plant it was possible for the customer to increase the quality of their pipes production caused by the now cooler and cleaner emulsion.

Central plant helps to save production space
The project

A central plant was to be delivered for a factory with 30 aluminium processing machines. The aim was to save as much of the costly production space as possible. Therefore, the Leiblein GmbH set the central plant outside of the production hall and delivered the foundation plan for the WHG (Federal Water Act)-tank. The complete plant was delivered ready for operation and inserted in the prepared WHG-tank by a crane. After the installation of the plant was finished the container was imposed like a dome on the plant. The whole plant was ready for production within 36 hours!

Impressions

Finally the pump-systems were integrated into the machine tanks. The central plant working in bypass purifies and cools the emulsion. A steady temperature of 21°C is used to increase the production and the quality. Without the cooling system the production machine’s temperature would differ up to 25°C. Two oil separators remove tramp oil from the emulsion. The clean tank was adjusted to optimally handle the fine sludge, so that the sludge can be exported reliably and the pumps don’t silt up. With the aluminium shavings lots of emulsion is discharged as well which is regained through a shavings press.

Leiblein Gmbh increases the profit of the customer Thanks to the Leiblein central plant, the company now saves approx. 5 to 7 m³ of emulsion which reduces the disposal-costs. The payback period was incredible 2 month.

The trade association is satisfied!Besides the benefits for the production, the employees also took advance: Allergic skin reactions already decreased. Once again the holistic concept of Leiblein succeeded.

Pre-treatment of oil containing effluents
The project

To increase the lifetime of the membrane modules a pre-treatment system clarifying oil containing effluents was to be installed.

Functional descriptionThe dirt-water is pumped to a lamella separator. The free oils float to the surface and the solids settle into the sludge-funnel. The clarified water flows into the pump receiver / filter tank and is pumped back into the supply tank of the UF-appliance. The sludge is exported from time to time and dewatered by a inclined filter. The floating particles, as for example free oils are separated by a coalescence separator and the clarified emulsion is led into the filter tank.

Cooling lubricant treatment for the production of surgical tools
The project

At a major surgical tool manufacturer a cooling lubricant treatment plant was needed to supply 18 machines with cooling lubricant. Therefore 500l per minute hat to be filtered with a filter finesse of approx. 50 µm. The total volume of the cooling lubricant is approx. 10000 l, the fat content is about 5 - 8 %, but some machines had to be supplied with cooling lubricants with higher fat contents.

Impressions
Functional description

Leiblein GmbH used a central plant consisting of the main components a coalescence separator Type SPKA 600, a inclined filter Type SF 1000 L, a 5000 l clean tank and a dewatering container. The soiled cooling lubricant flows through the inclined filter into the storage tank. The solids content of the filter-cake is increased by the dewatering container which saves cooling lubricant and reduces disposal-costs. The coalescence separator removes unwanted tramp oil and other liquid impurities from the cooling lubricant.

Capacity expansion of a cooling lubricant treatment plant
The project

An existing cooling lubricant treatment plant of a metal processing company could not deliver the required throughput anymore. The central plant was renewed from scratch and several outdated components removed.

Impressions
Functional description

The outdated components were replaced with a Leiblein magnet separator type MAG 1000, three inclined filters type SF 1000 L and a coalescence separator type SPKA 600 and the tank was rebuilt. The polluted cooling lubricant is firstly treated by the magnetic separator, which removes the metallic particles. The inclined filters separate residual solids from the cooling lubricant, afterwards. The tramp oil is separated by the coalescence separator and the purified cooling lubricant is led back to the processing machines.

Cleaning and treatment of cooling lubricants Leiblein products for the metal processing industry

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