K. J. Poisson, COT-Puritech, Canton, OH

Summary: An on-site quench oil reclamation program can be an effective method to address many of the concerns of the modern day heat treat facility. These concerns include the need for cost-savings to counteract rising oil prices, the demand for ISO-14000 compliance and waste minimization, and the avoidance of the liability and costs associated with used quench oil disposal. This paper provides an overview of how quench oil collected off a post washer with an efficient skimming apparatus can be reclaimed on-site via advanced technology and reused in a quench furnace. An overview of the logistics used in evaluating a quench oil reclamation program’s viability from early investigative stages through successful implementation will be highlighted. Actual case studies at commercial and captive heat treat facilities will be used to demonstrate resulting benefits including waste minimization, ISO-14000 compliance and hard dollar cost savings.