Archiwa Separators - Ecol-Unicon

Water purification devices, such as separators or settling tanks, require regular inspection, cleaning, servicing and sometimes even upgrading or reconstruction of the water supply network. The legal regulations in this area are clear and obvious, yet reality shows that the unsatisfactory condition of the equipment or repeated failures are the result of many years of neglect of their proper operation.

Proper maintenance and efficient operation
Obligations according to the Construction Code
Proper maintenance and the requirements of the Environmental Law
Protecting water against pollution
Waste management obligations
Ecol-Unicon – the partner with passion and experience

Proper maintenance is a prerequisite for smooth and efficient operation

Separators and settling tanks are most commonly used in the food industry (grease separators) and at petrol stations, car washes, airports, car parks or road construction sites (oil separators). Direct contact with water and pollutants makes them subject to corrosion, harmful compounds and clogging much faster and more frequently. Sedimentation and flotation processes also occur during treatment, resulting in contaminants deposited on individual components and impeding their proper functioning.

Therefore, in order to ensure the good condition of the devices, special attention must be paid to maintenance principles. Regular inspections and sludge removal are the basis for their correct, trouble-free and efficient operation. The frequency of such measures is usually determined by the capacity of the unit, the volume and the nature of the incoming wastewater.

Apart from cleaning, hazardous waste collection and the neutralisation of petroleum waste must also be taken care of. This type of devices also require periodic maintenance and repair in order to rectify any faults and defects in good time and ultimately avoid more serious failures. In the event of major problems, it may be necessary to upgrade the water and sewage infrastructure.

Obligations according to the Construction Code

The legal act that imposes the obligation to inspect buildings during their use is the Act of 7 July 1994. – Construction Code[1]. This type of periodic inspection should take place at least once a year, and in the case of buildings with a larger volume – twice a year. It involves checking the technical condition of building elements, structures and installations exposed to harmful atmospheric influences and destructive factors occurring during the use of the facility.

In addition, the owner or manager is obliged to keep a building book. This is a document designed to record examinations and inspections carried out, as well as renovations and alterations. It should be kept regularly and with care, as it will need to be made available to the authorities in the event of an inspection.

In the event of an inadequate technical condition endangering human life or health, the safety of property or the environment, the supervising authority may prohibit the use of the facility until the observed deficiencies have been rectified.

Proper maintenance and the requirements of the Environmental Law

The most important act on environmental protection in Poland is the Act of 27 April 2001. – Environmental Protection Law[2]. According to its articles, facility must not exceed emission standards affecting the quality of the environment. Any activities that go beyond the so-called ordinary use of the environment, i.e. emission of gases or dust, discharge of sewage, production of large quantities of waste or significant water abstraction, require appropriate permits.

Improper operation, posing a threat of significant environmental deterioration or a threat to human life or health, may result in a limitation or revocation of the issued permit.

Also relevant is the Decree of the Minister of the Environment of 24 July 2006 on the conditions to be met when discharging wastewater into waters or into the ground and on the definition of substances that are particularly harmful to the aquatic environment. It defines the necessity to use specific devices for specific types of catchment areas and to carry out operational inspections of the treatment facilities at least twice a year.

Protecting water against pollution

Declared effective 3 December 2021. The Water Law[3] allows the discharge of rainwater or snowmelt into water or ground. Provided, of course, that this does not interfere with environmental objectives or water quality requirements. The maintenance of water facilities is the responsibility of their owners and consists of operation, maintenance and repair in order to maintain their proper function. Therefore, when discharging wastewater into waters or ground, they are obliged to ensure that the waters are protected against pollution.

Waste management obligations

The Waste Management Act of 14 December 2012[4] sets out measures to protect the environment, human life and health. The aim is to prevent negative impacts on the environment and human health resulting from the generation and management of waste. The classification of waste is based on the source of its generation, the properties that cause the waste to be hazardous waste and the components of the waste for which exceeding the concentration limits of hazardous substances may cause it to become hazardous waste.

The Decree of the Minister of Climate of 2 January 2020 on the waste catalogue imposes an obligation on the waste generator to manage the waste they produce. It is also possible to outsource the waste management obligation to entities with the relevant permit.

Control bodies and consequences of infringements

The institutions authorised to inspect the condition of water investments are: Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, General Office of Construction Supervision and State Water Management – Wody Polskie.

Particularly noteworthy is the close cooperation between the Polish Waters, the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and the Voivodeship Inspectorates for Environmental Protection, which is expected to increase the effectiveness of the activities of these institutions.

The supervisory authorities have announced more effective water monitoring and intervention in crisis situations or cases of violation of the law. They want not only to prevent, but also to severely punish those who violate the law. Wody Polskie informs the environmental inspectorates of actions taken and reports identified violations to them, and in more serious situations requiring intervention, the police are notified. Continuous inspections have been carried out since the beginning of this year and can result in fines of up to several hundred thousand PLN.

Ecol-Unicon – the partner with passion and experience

As can be seen from the regulations outlined, periodic maintenance and cleaning are extremely important tasks. They should be carried out by specialist companies with not only the right equipment and the necessary permits, but also knowledge and experience.

Poland’s leading manufacturer of water protection solutions – Ecol-Unicon is a company with extensive experience. For years it has been offering solutions for municipal infrastructure, roads and private companies.

The 25 years of operation have resulted in the installation of around 10,000 sewage pumping stations, 28,000 oil separators, 420 sewage treatment plants and the construction of 520 retention tanks.

The company also offers maintenance, modernization and contracting services for the operation and cleaning of separators, such as:

In addition to typical operational activities, Ecol-Unicon also offers extensive support in the form of technology consulting during the creation and implementation of the Long-Term Investment Plan in the water and wastewater sector and providing opinions on technology projects. All water treatment solutions are supported by the innovative BUMERANG SMART system for effective management and ongoing monitoring of equipment operation in water and wastewater systems.

Grease separators are required in the sewer system by the Environmental Protection Act. Water contaminated with oils or fats must not be discharged into the public sewage system. Wastewater containing oils and fats easily clogs pipes if the fat hardens upon cooling. Corrosive vapours and fatty acids also attack cast iron pipes and quickly lead to damage.

Where does this need occur and how does it work?

The mandatory installation of fat separators applies to catering facilities, kitchens in mass catering facilities, butchers, meat and sausage factories, oil presses, canneries, abattoirs, fish processing plants, dairies and catering companies. Grease separators are essential because introducing fat into sewer systems causes many operational problems and has a negative impact on the operation of sewage treatment plants.

These problems are due to the fact that fat is not soluble in water, but rather is present in form of hardly decomposable, sticky lumps. Fat separators are therefore used to separate fats from waste water.

This is achieved by flotation, i.e. according to the gravity principle. Lighter, lipophilic substances move upwards inside the separator as a result of density differences. Lipophilic substances are those that tend to dissolve in fats and oils. The sludge is collected in the lower part or in a separate chamber upstream of the separator and the grease-treated effluent is discharged further.

*Before the water is treated, fat must be separated from it*

How often should the grease trap be cleaned?

The frequency of cleaning depends on the amount of inflowing wastewater and its characteristics (concentration of grease and suspended solids). The recommended frequency of inspection and removal of pollutants is once every two weeks. According to EN 1825-2, fat separators should be drained and washed at least once a month, but it is safer to do it every 14 days.

When deciding on the type of separator, the most important factor to bear in mind is that emptying the separator should be as safe as possible for the environment. Below-ground separators are the most popular due to their price and practicality during emptying. After opening the covers of the device, the tank truck pumps out the contents of the separator. If there is not enough space outside to place the separator or if it is necessary to run a long waste water pipe, the separator should be placed inside the building. Otherwise a pipe that is too long will become overgrown.

It is best to consider installing two devices at the same time: a settling tank and a separator, or to choose a device integrated in one chamber. The advantage of the latter solution is, besides saving space necessary for installation, a faster and simpler assembly. Ecol Unicon grease separator EST-H has these exact advantages and is designed to treat wastewater with a hydraulic flow from 1 m³/s to 25 m³/s.

*Never forget about checking the operation and cleaning of the existing separators*

Scope of inspection

When emptying the unit each time, pay attention to:

visual assessment of technical condition of components,
checking the amount of accumulated fat and sludge layer (also in devices without a sludge section).

Current operations do not require going inside the manholes and can be carried out from the ground level. Removal of accumulated pollutants should be performed by a licensed company with appropriate equipment for collection, transport and disposal of pollutants and holding relevant permits. In order to ensure full comfort of users, together with the grease trap we also recommend using of sub-manhole odour neutralisers.

When it rains, residues of fuels and other environmentally hazardous petroleum substances run off with rainwater into surface waters (streams, rivers, lakes) and can pollute them. Separators are used to prevent this from happening. By using separators, hydrocarbons are removed from water and stored, which helps to ensure that our activities are environmentally friendly.

Separator – a legal requirement?

Treatment rainwater from oil-based substances is a legal requirement, as stated in the Regulation of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Inland Navigation of 12 July 2019. (Journal of Laws 2019, item 1311) on substances particularly harmful to the aquatic environment and conditions to be met when discharging wastewater into waters or into the ground, and when discharging rainwater or snowmelt into waters or into water facilities: § 17. 1. According to the regulations, rainwater must be treated to remove oil-based substances if the concentration of these substances is higher than 15 mg/l.

Such substances and harmful suspensions run off from large paved surfaces, on roads, motorways, car parks, petrol stations, car washes, bus depots, industrial plants, railway areas – wherever there are even small oil spills from internal combustion engines or diesel-powered machines.

*Treating rainwater to remove oil-based substances is a legal requirement*

Two technologies to choose from

Ecol-Unicon, and other companies in the market, offer two technologies that have found their application in oil separators. These are lamella technology, used in the ESL-Z separator and the coalescence technology, used in the ESK separator. Both solutions guarantee high efficiency and both can be installed in traffic zones as well as in green areas.

They are easy to install and operate. Separators can be hooked up to a sampling device. For full water protection separator should be complemented by a settling tank. We also offer devices combined in one chamber, i.e. a separator integrated with a settling tank.

When to choose a lamella separator?

Lamella separators enable rainwater treatment in larger catchment areas. They are recommended for use at the outlets of urban rainwater collectors, in large car parks, to protect surface waters at industrial plants, logistics centres, airports. They are also suitable for draining rainwater from motorways and roads with heavy traffic. They are designed in such a way as to be able to treat water with flows greater than nominal, and this is their greatest advantage.

The pretreatment efficiency is 5 mg/m³ for the nominal flow rate, and it decreases as the flow rate increases, but water treatment still takes place. This is extremely important when dealing with large and very large surfaces from which rainwater flows. The use of lamella separators is then the only effective solution.

*Lamella separators are suitable, among others, in the proximity of roads with heavy traffic*

Their design allows separation and retention of both oil-derived substances and mineral suspended solids (sands, slurries) contained in rainwater and snowmelt runoff from any type of catchment area.

Lamella separators are recommended for large catchments where more or less rainwater may flow at different times, i.e. where there is a varied load of flow and different loads of oil and suspended solids.

When to choose a coalescence separator?

Coalescence separators provide rainwater treatment only for the nominal flow. The parameters of the device should be selected so that the nominal capacity of the separator is greater than the maximum flow of rainwater entering the device.

Coalescence separators are recommended for smaller catchments and catchments where pollutants are present in low concentrations, so they are suitable for garages and car washes, petrol stations, transport depots, smaller industrial plants, medium and small car parks, drainage of water from bridges and road overpasses.

*Coalescence separators are a good solution for smaller catchment areas, such as garages and car washes*

What to consider when choosing a separator?

In summary, when choosing the right type of separator, special consideration should be given to:

the size of the area from which rainwater run-off occurs, which influences the volume of rainwater run-off,
amount of suspended solids contained in rainwater,
operation of the device during storm flow,
the degree of protection of surface water into which rainwater flows – whether it is a protected zone, whether the body of water is enclosed, what the current velocity is and how long it takes for the river or stream to clean itself

Rainwater and process wastewater may contain oil-derived substances (such as oils, petrol or grease), which pose a serious threat to the environment. However, there is a way to significantly reduce the risk of such problems occurring – the use of oil separators. These are devices that separate mineral suspended solids and oil-derived substances before the water enters the reservoir or sewage system.

Oil separators and how they work

Oil separators, or otherwise known as hydrocarbon separators, are used for treating rainwater and process wastewater. They are used for separating and storing accumulated and separated light liquids with a density no greater than 0.95 g/cm3.

Devices of this type take advantage of difference in density of hydrocarbons in relation to water. Hydrocarbons accumulate on the surface of wastewater, increase their volume and form a suspension which is then filtered out. Depending on the size of the catchment area and the type of facility, sedimentation, flotation or coalescence is used to achieve this purpose.

When choosing a particular model of oil separator, it is worth taking into account not only its features and specifics of operation, but also its suitability for the current needs. Selecting a device which ensures efficient filtration is a guarantee of adequate water treatment.

Coalescence separators – what are they and how do they work?

Coalescence separators are free-standing flow-through or in-soil devices for separating and storing light liquids or oils from wastewater. To increase efficiency, unlike conventional oil/water separators, they are additionally equipped with a coalescing insert.

Separators of this type isolate oil-derived pollutants in the separation part due to the gravitational phenomenon, further assisted by the coalescence phenomenon. As a result of sedimentation, suspension is settled and then filtered.

Larger oil particles float upwards thanks to the floatation phenomenon, and those that have been broken down several times by adsorption are deposited on the surface of the coalescing filter, combined into larger particles, and then float to the surface.

The treated water flows out of the separator through an outlet equipped with a float shut-off, which closes as soon as the accumulated oil substances overflow. This prevents contamination of the sewage system or the natural waters.

Coalescence separators are typically used for treating rainwater and snowmelt originating from roads, motorways, car parks, fuel distribution points, storage depots. They are also used for process water from car washes and garages.

*Coalescence separators are used wherever there are lots of cars*

Lamella separators instead of coalescence separators?

How do lamella separators, frequently used instead of coalescence separators, work? In this type of device, rainwater is directed to the first part of the device, which is an inlet chamber with a deflector. This calms the flow and directs the effluent stream to the filtration chamber.

Separation of pollutants takes place during the flow of contaminated water through the specially constructed lamella sections.

Inserts contained in lamella separators force a multi-stream flow, which results in a reduction of the wastewater flow velocity. Oil-derived substances are then separated using the flotation and sedimentation processes.

The treated wastewater is then directed to an outlet chamber fitted with a lid, which prevents the contents of the separation chamber from overflowing into it when the wastewater is backpressured into the unit.

Oil separators with lamella insert can be used to treat rainwater run-off from industrial areas, municipal catchment areas, roads, car parks, forecourts and other paved areas.

What is the role of settling tanks?

Settling tanks are devices for treating wastewater of easily settling suspended solids with a density greater than 1 kg/dm3, which can provide further assistance for the operation of oil separators.

They work by releasing suspended solids when the flow is slowed down, which is achieved by increasing the surface area per unit of wastewater received.

Depending on the type of catchment area and the required level of wastewater treatment, two types of settling tanks are used: horizontal or vortex ones.

How do horizontal settling tanks work?

Horizontal settling tanks use the phenomenon of sedimentation for retaining suspended particles and solids. The efficiency of the device is additionally increased by the installed deflector.

How do vortex settling tanks work?

Vortex settling tanks are most often installed in urbanised areas, where it is recommended to use devices with high suspended solids removal efficiency and a small footprint.

This type of device uses centrifugal force, which aids the separation of fine suspended particles and improves the efficiency of separation at high hydraulic loads.

Additional support, as in the case of a horizontal settling tank, is provided by a deflector which ensures better distribution of wastewater over the surface of the device and reduces the so-called dead zones. Ecol-Unicon offers both single- and double-chamber devices of this type.

The full range of oil separators and the associated settling tanks can naturally be obtained from Ecol-Unicon!