Separator rehabilitation – coating of oil, grease and light liquid separators

Separator rehabilitation – coating of oil, grease and light liquid separators

Separators are permanently exposed to aggressive media: fatty acids, mineral oils, cleaning agents and biogenic sulphuric acid attack concrete and joints. Leaking separators endanger soil and groundwater; leaks can be detected during the general inspection including the leak test. We organise the rehabilitation with chemical- and acid-resistant coating systems – from a single grease separator to an industrial plant.

Applications

• Light liquid separators (mineral oil, fuels) at filling stations, workshops and wash bays
• Grease separators in commercial kitchens, food plants and abattoirs
• Neutralisation and acid separators in chemicals, electroplating and metalworking
• Sludge traps, sampling chambers and inlet channels
• Starch and coalescence separators in production plants

Scope of services

• Cleaning and surface preparation (e.g. high-pressure water jetting)
• Reprofiling of spalling and corrosion damage with mineral or resin-bound mortars
• Crack injection and sealing of connections and pipe penetrations
• Acid- and chemical-resistant coating or lining
• Coordination with the leak test or general inspection by qualified experts

General inspection, deadlines and signs of damage

In Germany, grease and light liquid separators undergo a general inspection by qualified experts before commissioning and then usually at least every five years (DIN 4040-100 and DIN 1999-100). Defects must be remedied according to their severity and the applicable official, statutory and testing requirements.

Typical signs: blistering or delaminated internal coating, spalling and exposed reinforcement, corroded fittings, leaking pipe penetrations and anomalies during the leak test.

The rehabilitation system must resist the actual wastewater constituents, be compatible with the substrate and tight at all connections. Depending on the damage, partial repair or full rehabilitation with a complete new coating makes sense: empty and clean, seal inlets and outlets, prepare the substrate, close cracks and joints, apply the coating, seal connections, cure, leak-test and recommission.

How your project works

1. Review the general inspection or leak test report and photos
2. Take the separator out of service, empty it, close inlets and outlets with suitable, secured shut-off devices, clean; define confined-space safety measures
3. Remove the old coating, grind or blast the substrate, close cracks and joints
4. Apply the coating, seal pipe connections, allow to cure
5. Leak test, documentation and recommissioning

Information for your quotation

• Separator type, manufacturer/year, nominal size and internal dimensions
• Material (concrete, steel, plastic) and damage pattern with photos
• Wastewater composition, pH value and temperature
• Latest inspection or test report
• Possible period for taking the separator out of service

Frequently asked questions

When does a grease separator need rehabilitation?
At the latest when the general inspection or leak test reveals defects. The inspection report is the basis for the rehabilitation concept and the deadline.

How long is the separator out of service?
That depends on size, damage and coating system. For commercial kitchens and plants we plan the work to keep the downtime as short as possible.

Is a partial repair sufficient?
For local damage, yes. If the coating is undermined over large areas, full rehabilitation is usually more economical and durable.

Related services

• Wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation – concrete protection against biogenic sulphuric acid corrosion in tanks, pumping stations and digesters
• Bund coating and acid-resistant lining for chemical tanks, basins and bunds
• Repair Spill Containment Pallets
• Pipe and sewer rehabilitation for industry and municipalities

Send inspection report, photos and documents by e-mail

Price on request – you receive an individual quotation after technical review. Use the “Request a quote” button or our contact form.