Equipment Spotlight | JUNE 2020 Fluid Removal

by MARY M. THORNTON

The removal of fluids in scrap vehicles is important, not only for adhering to environmental compliance guidelines, but also to improve profits.

With over 25 years of authorized treatment facility (ATF) industry knowledge and experience, AutoDrain is a market leader in delivering vehicle depollution equipment and solutions. Paul Dixon, owner, stated, “We assist our clients using a cost effective, common sense approach because we offer a true understanding of the end-of-life-vehicle (ELV) industry. Each of our depollution products have been designed for optimal performance, whether as a stand-alone item or as part of a full depollution process. We take pride in offering premium depollution equipment to our customers and we know that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to ELV equipment. That’s why we offer comprehensive service, tailoring all of our equipment and installation options to the exact needs of your business. You can be sure that we’ll provide you with the correct range of equipment to ensure that you’ll maximize profit from your ELVs and increase productivity—while being fully compliant with all relevant legislation.

“As part of our consultancy service, our expert staff can discuss your equipment needs with you, and then provide precise drawings of the vehicle depollution system that will serve you best. Detailed quotations in a ‘menu’ format will be included, to assist you choosing a plan according to your budget and requirements. You can rely on AutoDrain to provide exactly what you need, when you need it. Visit our website to view our wide range of products. Most of our customers have worked with us for years.”

Crow Environmental offers single bay, between lift rack systems and custom built, complete fluid extraction stations. “Our single bay system uses a scissor lift, so the vehicle is safely loaded at a low level. From there, all fluid removal both under the hood and under the vehicle can be performed by one person and the process takes about 13 to 15 minutes. We also offer the MIDI system, which can fit between two post lifts, or stationary rack systems. We offer a split system for racks, our systems can work with your racks or we can build a custom system to meet your needs,” explained Mason Smith, vice president, U.S. sales.

All Crow Environmental systems include ATEX compliant gasoline extraction, and all fluids are pumped directly into storage tanks. Smith noted, “The vehicle can remain in one place for this safe, clean and efficient process, which virtually eliminates fluid leakage. Our systems are also efficient because the operator can remain under the vehicle and perform all functions within arm’s length. There are always new regulations relative to the handling of vehicle fluids and current European standards will likely apply to the U.S. as well. Of course, adherence to these regulations is key and proper storage of these fluids is important. UL-approved tanks should be used and automatic over-fill protection helps prevent spillage.” Established in 2001, other Crow products include tire removal machines, CAT shears, CAT De-Canners, copper wire granulators and an engine breaking line. All equipment can be purchased individually or as a complete package, including installation.

Iron Ax has manufactured the Enviro Rack for almost 20 years. John Kitchens, president, said “We produce a wide range of products used in scrap metal and dismantling operations and we developed the Enviro Rack for use in our own scrap yards. After we were satisfied with the product, we introduced it to the marketplace. It is an essential tool when it comes to fluid recovery and it is 100 percent air powered for safety. A fully self-contained unit that features secondary containment, it is designed for either one or two person operation. All vehicle fluids can be captured while keeping the operator safe and clean. The Enviro Rack is portable, EPA and state level compliant and available with or without a gas separation system. Without the gas separation system, all gas is captured, but it will be mixed. Using the gas separation option, the operator can easily separate the good gas from the bad. Approximately 90 percent of our customers purchase the latter option. The Enviro Rack requires very little maintenance because it will never require a pump replacement and a car can be processed in an average of five minutes. Upon delivery, the Enviro Rack can be fully operational and ready to use in as few as 15 minutes!”
Kitchens also mentioned that groundwater contamination can be a daily concern for yard owners and operators. “One of the biggest sources of contamination can be from ELV fluid removal. If a company doesn’t use equipment designed for this task, they will usually have a homemade system. Those systems may get the job done, but does that mean they are compliant? No it doesn’t. It seems that now even in remote areas, inspections are being increased. Compliance with EPA and state level regulations is a must if you are going to stay in business. Businesses should be proactive in how the issue is managed—not wait until a compliance citation is issued.”

Vortex manufactures over 30 different options for draining fluids from ELVs, “with combinations to suit every requirement a customer may have. We have been making this equipment for over 16 years, and our equipment is fast, safe, reliable and easy to use. Our systems transfer fluids from vehicles directly to storage tanks, reducing the risk of spills and fires. Equipment ranges from a single fuel draining tool all the way to multiple vehicle and full catwalk systems,” Nigel Dove, chief executive officer, stated.

He said the firm’s customers typically fall into one of these three groups: full service auto recyclers who mainly buy Vortex mobile fuel tools and oil/coolant systems, which can move between multiple lifts and use a system of plumbing to pump fluids to outside storage tanks; self-service auto recyclers, who favor the Vortex Combi rack system or their catwalk systems, which allow users to process the whole vehicle on the rack without moving it. This is a very time efficient option because a user can remove other refuse items as well as the wheels, catalytic converters, etc.; metal recyclers that will drain vehicles themselves, to ensure they achieve comprehensive vehicle salvage, including removal of the engine and valuable catalytic converters. This is all done with by far the most popular Vortex option in the industry, the Combi system. It has a small footprint but is tough enough to withstand the scrap yard environment and it is capable of processing up to 40 cars per day.

Vortex also makes and supplies equipment designed to increase the value from scrap vehicles. “Our catalytic converter de-canning systems are very popular now, especially with the high price of cats; this is a great time to process your own cans. Our engine cracker can increase revenue from scrap engines by separating the A380 aluminum from the steel and our cable granulation systems can process your wire harnesses,” Dove concluded.

Published in the June 2020 Edition