Light liquid separators and coalescence separators

Do you run a gas station, a car repair shop, a car wash or a similar business that handles gasoline and oil? According to DIN 1999-100 of the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Agriculture, you are obliged to install and operate a light liquid separator. This is because mineral light liquids such as oils and petrol, which heavily pollute wastewater, must be separated by this before they reach the sewer system. For operators of automotive workshops, petrol stations or car washes, it is therefore necessary to collect and dispose of these light liquids via a petrol separator or oil separator and, if necessary, a coalescence separator.

To comply with legal obligations and avoid expensive cleanups, hire a professional with more than 100 years of experience: Nehlsen takes care of your separator from planning to cleaning and emptying to maintenance and cleanup, so you can avoid bureaucratic problems and keep your day-to-day business running.

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[Translate to English:] Geoeffneter Schachtdeckel

Our full range of services for you

We take care of it, so you don't have to! From the planning of your light liquid separator, to dealing with authorities, operation, emptying and inspection, to renovation: Nehlsen takes care of it, so you don't have to. Nehlsen offers you a full service as part of an annual subscription, but is also available on call.
 

We offer:

  • Installation of a light liquid separator according to DIN 1999 and DIN EN 858
  • Regular disposal, cleaning and monitoring of your separator
  • Environmentally friendly treatment and recycling of the contents
  • Maintenance and repair of the separators
  • Remediation of old separators with special coating systems
  • Professional customer advice on all technical and legal matters
  • Checking the functionality of the built-in parts
  • General inspection with leak test every five years
  • Confirmation of the disposed contents with a certificate of receipt
  • Professional cleaning of the pipe network
  • 24-hour emergency service

As a certified specialist disposal company (EfbV), Nehlsen maintains a quality and environmental management system according to ISO 9001/14001. We are among the top ten companies in the German disposal industry – many thousands of customers place their trust in us.

 

 

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When do you need a light liquid separator?

The installation and operation of a light liquid separator is mandatory for all areas where water-polluting substances in the form of light liquids are present. Light liquids are liquids with a lower density than water, which are only slightly soluble, unsaponifiable and non-polar. These include, among others, petrol, diesel and oils such as heating oil, mineral oil or lubricating oil. The legal requirements for the operation and inspection of light liquid separators and the disposal of the contents of the separator are laid down in the German standard DIN 1999-100 and the European standard DIN EN 858.
The light liquid separator, also known as a petrol or oil separator, is a system that receives the wastewater from the above-mentioned companies before it enters the sewer system. In the separator system, dirt is held back in the sludge trap and light liquids such as oil and petrol are separated from the water. The system thus helps to protect our water, preventing pollutants from entering the wastewater and, potentially, the groundwater or other bodies of water and contaminating them.

light liquid
separators

Inspection

To ensure that your separator system works smoothly and in accordance with regulations, you must check it at regular intervals. In addition to a monthly self-check, a semi-annual maintenance and a 5-year general inspection are mandatory. Any defects must be remedied immediately and the tests recorded in the operating log.
 

At Nehlsen, our experts will be happy to regularly inspect your light liquid separators and coalescence separators for you on request.

At least once a month, an expert must inspect your separator system by carrying out the following measures:
 

  • Inspecting the inlet and outlet areas of the sludge trap and separator, as well as the technical equipment, for abnormalities, e.g. signs of accumulation
  • Measuring the layer thickness or determining the volume of the separated light liquid in the separator
  • Measuring the position of the sludge level in the sludge trap
  • Checking the automatic sealing device in the separator and any warning systems for functionality and contamination
  • Coalescence separator: visual inspection for permeability (e.g. by visually checking the water level before and after the coalescence separator when water is flowing) or inspection according to manufacturer's specifications, if visual inspection is not possible due to the design

Your light liquid and coalescence separator is to be serviced every six months by an expert in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and the official notice.

In addition to the self-monitoring measures, the following work is to be carried out:

  • Check for damage in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and replace if necessary
  • Checking the visible interior areas, built-in parts and coatings for visible damage and abnormalities
  • Cleaning the automatic closure device
  • Cleaning the probes of existing warning systems and testing by triggering them according to the manufacturer's operating and maintenance instructions
  • Emptying and cleaning of the separator in the event of exceptional contamination
  • Cleaning of the sampling system or the sampling shaft as required

As part of our full service, Nehlsen will expertly maintain your separator system for you, so you don't have to worry about a thing. Please contact us for a non-binding, individual offer.

Before commissioning and then at regular intervals of no more than five years, your separator system must be inspected by an expert as part of the general inspection to ensure that it is in proper condition and operating properly. Before the general inspection is carried out, the separator system must be completely emptied and cleaned.
 

The inspection includes a comprehensive assessment of whether the separator is in proper condition and being operated properly. In addition, damage risks are assessed and appropriate concepts for remedying defects are created. If defects that preclude a successful leak test are already detected during the assessment of the structural condition, further need for remediation should be determined by means of partial tests. The identified defects must be remedied before a final leak test is carried out.


At Nehlsen, our experts not only take care of the planning, installation, maintenance and cleaning of your separator for you, but also, on request, the general inspection that is required every five years.

This is how a light liquid separator works

The way light liquid separators work is based on the proven principle of gravity separation. The separator system consists of an inlet and outlet, a sludge trap, the gasoline separator for separating light liquids, a coalescing separator if necessary, and a sampling shaft.
First, the wastewater is directed into a sand or mud trap, which has a baffle plate installed in the inlet. The baffle plate slows down the water so that mud, sand and dirt can settle at the bottom of the mud trap. In the downstream petrol or oil separator, petrol, oil and other light liquids settle due to their lower density above the calmed wastewater and form a floating layer there. If necessary, the water can then be cleaned even more thoroughly in a coalescence separator.
Many separators have a sampling shaft for taking water samples from the separated water flow. Alternatively, there may be a sampling option directly on the separator.

[Translate to English:] Querschnitt eines Leichtfluessigkeitabscheiders

What is a coalescence separator?

A coalescing separator extends the functionality of the conventional separator (oil separator or petrol separator) and enables even better cleaning performance. The use of a coalescing separator is always necessary when oil or petrol is atomized under high pressure together with water. The resulting petrol or oil droplets can be cleanly separated from the water by coalescence.

While the petrol separator works on the principle of gravity, the processes of adsorption and coalescence are also used in coalescence separators. With the help of special components, dispersed (microscopically small) droplets can also be effectively separated. Typical areas of application for the coalescence separator are petrol stations and car washes.

To avoid endangering your operations and the environment, Nehlsen offers all separator services from a single source: We not only take care of disposal, but also the construction, maintenance, inspection, cleaning and renovation of your separator.

We can do even more

We not only offer first-class separator services, but also a wide range of other solutions. Our expertise extends to comprehensive sewer services, as well as efficient waste collection, recycling, treatment and recovery. Whether you are a business, industry, municipality, city or private individual, we are your reliable partner for sustainable and environmentally conscious wastewater and waste management.