EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT | MAY 2015 FLUID RECOVERY

by MARY M. COX

Any company involved with end of life vehicles is concerned with the removal of auto fluids. It is one thing to remove fluid and a totally different thing to remove it in a compliant manner. Compliance is a weighty topic, industry-wide. If inspectors make frequent visits to an operation, productivity may suffer. So, it is prudent to acquire the equipment needed to properly manage auto fluid removal.

The staff at AutoDrain believes that every aspect of fuel recovery should be fast, safe and efficient. “We have specifically designed a range of fuel recovery equipment that ensures the best possible practice from start to finish – from removal of the fuel from a vehicle to how to best store refuse oil on-site. With over 25 years of experience, AutoDrain proudly supplies some of the biggest names in the fuel recovery and end of life vehicle industries,” Paul Dixon, managing director, commented.
Dixon noted that the company’s Fuel Scavenger is a very popular product with their clients. “It provides easy removal of fuels from all makes and models of vehicles, is efficient in both time and labor and is capable of holding just over 30 gallons. With a unique vapor removal system, the Fuel Scavenger removes gasoline vapors from the depollution bay to create a safe working atmosphere for employees,” he said. The large AutoDrain product line also includes a Mobile Fuel Scavenger.

Their VapourSafe storage tank is a sealed unit which stores fuels safely and eliminates any escape of fuel vapors that could pose potential danger. Made from strong, fire-resistant steel and a lockable, secure dispensing cabinet, the unit’s 261+ gallon capacity provides a secure, vapor-tight storage solution for on-site fuel.

David Pinner is chief executive officer of Crow Environmental and he said the firm’s product range includes their simple fuel extraction unit, which safely extracts fuel and pumps it directly to a storage tank; and the Crow Midi System, which can extract all vehicle fluids before pumping them to storage tanks. Both systems can be used between two ramps or frames and are particularly useful when parts will also be stripped from a vehicle. “The top of our product range is our dedicated high volume system, which also extracts all fluids and pumps them to the storage tanks, but the unit can drain 50 cars per day, per station. As with all of our equipment, there is no limit on the number of stations which can be connected to common tanks. Our units can be used with fixed stands or any type of vehicle ramp. We provide individual components through to turn key installations, including tanks, piping commissioning and operative training. Our Virginia-based manufacturing and sales operation can provide all pre- and post-sale support,” Pinner stated.

He added, “Although vehicle drainage is essentially aimed at cleaning up the industry, our customers find that the filtered fuel they recover also more than pays for their equipment investment. The simple design of Crow Environmental products was developed in a recycling yard. We’ve noticed that an increased number of clients also de-can the catalytic convertor and strip out and granulate car wire. Both of these activities can be done adjacent to the drainage bay and our state-of-the-art equipment helps in making this a safe and profitable process.”

Iron Ax, Inc. produces a wide range of products that are used in scrap metal yards and dismantling operations around the globe. “The Enviro Rack is an essential tool when it comes to fluid recovery. It was designed by a scrap industry veteran with 45 years of experience. We own and operate scrap yards and have to meet the same fluid removal requirements that our customers do. The Enviro Rack is 100 percent air powered for safety. It is a fully self-contained unit and features secondary containment. It is designed for one or two man operation and all vehicle fluids can be captured while keeping an operator safe and clean. We have many customers that purchase one rack and then immediately order more. The Enviro Rack’s popularity is attributed to the ease of operation and the effectiveness. The product does exactly what it is designed to do: remove fluid from a vehicle while keeping the operator clean and dry, with zero spills. The Enviro Rack is also fast. A car can be processed in an average of five minutes. The fact that it is EPA and state level compliant is also a selling factor,” explained John Kitchens, vice president.

Iron Ax owns and operates scrap yards. Each piece of equipment the company produces is tested for a minimum of two years in their operation before it is sold to the public. So, they’re familiar with concerns like groundwater contamination – something that yard owners and operators have to deal with on a daily basis. One of the biggest sources of contamination in the past usually involved fluid removal from end of life vehicles.

Kitchens said, “If a company doesn’t have a piece of equipment like the Enviro Rack, they will usually have a homemade system. Those systems may get the job done, but does that mean they are complaint? No it doesn’t. It seems that now even in rural areas, inspections are being increased. Compliance with EPA and state level regulations is a must if you are going to stay in business. It just makes sense to be proactive in managing the issue. Don’t wait until there is a problem with fluid removal before attending to the matter.”

According to Nigel Dove, chief executive officer of Vortex De-pollution, the company has the largest range of vehicle draining equipment designed specifically for the U.S. market. “We offer 25 different systems, all built in Colorado. We can also build solutions to meet a customer’s specific requirements, regardless of the industry involved, whether for scrap processors or self- or full-service vehicle dismantlers. By selling ancillary products such as storage tanks, compressors, cat cutters, air conditioning recovery equipment, wheel and tire separators, and engine breakers and copper granulators for processing your wire harnesses, we offer a complete turnkey solution to our customers. Our complete recycling equipment range runs to 140 product lines and we have been in business since 1998,” Dove said.

He also explained that Vortex equipment is modular, with fuel recovery heads (punch or drill), engine, differential and transmission oil drainers, coolant recovery and under hood fluid suction tools, either as individual tools or combined with stands or vehicle lift systems, depending on customer specifications. He said most clients now seem to favor a single, combined system which allows all fluids to be recovered safely in one place with only one fork lift movement. “Our high throughput Midi Catwalk System includes a vehicle stand, your choice of fuel tool, oil drainers, coolant recovery and under hood fluid recovery tools. The system allows the vehicle to be placed on the stand and fully drained of all fluids in one place. Also, the purpose-designed tools minimize spillage and eliminate the need for dangerous ‘catch trays’ in the work space, which collect gasoline and oil and create a potentially explosive situation. Their system limits the operator’s exposure to gasoline and dangerous fumes – and thus a safer environment for employees,” stated Dove.

Wen Industries has over 50 years of experience in designing and manufacturing fluid removal equipment. Originally famous for their Gas Buggy, which siphons fuel in, filters it and then makes it available for re-use; Wen Industries today has a full line of Gas Buggies, fuel tank drills, pump units for oils and antifreeze, and freon recovery machines.

James Hyde, president of Wen Industries said, “We design our equipment to be of the highest quality and effective under the most adverse conditions. We are the company to call if you’re looking for a reliable and practical solution to recover fluids from your vehicles.”

Published in the May 2015 Edition of American Recycler News