Thermal Deoiler Replaces Liquid Based Degreaser for Automotive Parts Supplier
Executive Summary
Epcon replaced a traditional solvent- or water-based degreasing line with a custom thermal-deoiler + oxidizer + heat-recovery system — eliminating liquid solvents and wastewater, drastically cutting chemical and disposal costs, and delivering a safer, more sustainable parts-cleaning process. The new system relies on hot, dry air and thermal oxidation of oil residues, resulting in clean, dry parts ready for further processing — while removing regulatory, environmental, and disposal burdens associated with liquid degreasing.
Project Overview
The client — a manufacturer of metal components and assemblies — formerly relied on a conveyorized, solvent-based vapor degreasing line to remove oil and lubricant residues prior to further processing (e.g. brazing, coating, finishing). With increasing regulatory pressure on solvent use and wastewater disposal, the existing cleaning line became untenable, due to high chemical cost, hazardous-waste generation, and complex waste-water treatment requirements.
Epcon was contracted to design, fabricate, and install a turnkey thermal deoiling system to fully replace the liquid-based degreasing line — matching existing production throughput and parts-carrier configuration, while eliminating solvent use and hazardous-waste generation.
The Challenge
- Regulatory and environmental pressure: Use of chlorinated solvents or aqueous degreasing leads to hazardous waste, wastewater treatment costs, and environmental compliance issues — which became unacceptable under stricter regulations.
- High operational and disposal costs: Solvent purchase, handling, storage, waste disposal, and wastewater treatment represented millions in annual costs, as well as significant administrative and compliance burden.
- Need to maintain throughput and part-carrier compatibility: Any replacement solution needed to match the degreasing line’s throughput, part size, and carrier configuration to avoid disruption of manufacturing flow.
- Desire for safer, more sustainable cleaning: Reducing chemical handling, eliminating hazardous waste/water, improving worker safety and environmental footprint.
The Solution
Epcon delivered a fully engineered, integrated Thermal Deoiler + Thermal Oxidizer + Heat-Recovery System, with the following characteristics:
- Indirect-heated, dry-air deoiling chamber — parts are cleaned using hot air rather than solvents or water. Oil and lubricant residues volatilize and are carried out with the exhaust air. This “dry cleaning” avoids chemical handling, wastewater, and solvent disposal.
- Thermal oxidizer that combusts oil vapors — the volatilized oil and organics are combusted safely; the oxidation converts contaminants to CO₂ and H₂O, preventing VOC emissions and ensuring environmental compliance.
- Heat-recovery via shell-and-tube heat exchangers — the heat from combustion exhaust is recovered to reheat the deoiler chamber air, reducing or eliminating the need for additional fuel energy, improving energy efficiency and lowering operating costs.
- Turnkey replacement design — the system was engineered to match the original degreasing line’s part carriers and throughput, enabling a seamless swap without downtime or retooling of the production line.
Technical Specifications
Cleaning Method: Thermal deoiling — indirect-heated, dry-air cleaning (no water, no solvents).
Emission Control: Thermal oxidizer to destroy oil vapor / volatile organics — ensuring clean emissions and no solvent VOC release.
Heat Recovery: Shell-and-tube heat exchangers recover combustion heat to preheat deoiler air — improving energy efficiency and reducing external fuel consumption.
Waste Generation: Zero wastewater or solvent waste — eliminates hazardous-waste and disposal streams entirely.
Environmental & Safety Benefits: Eliminates chemical handling/storage risks, reduces fugitive emissions, lowers air- and water-pollution burden.
Operational Integration: Designed to match existing part-carrier and throughput requirements — enabling direct replacement of solvent/vapor degreasing line.
The Results
After commissioning, the thermal-deoiling system delivered:
- Elimination of liquid-based degreasing waste — no more solvent use, hazardous waste disposal, or wastewater generation.
- Significant cost savings — major reduction in chemical purchasing, chemical waste disposal, wastewater treatment, and regulatory compliance costs (compared with millions per year under the old system).
- Improved environmental performance and regulatory compliance — elimination of solvent/VOC emissions and water discharge, improving plant sustainability and reducing environmental liability.
- Lower operating and maintenance burden — reduced chemical handling, simpler safety & hygiene management, decreased maintenance compared with solvent degreasing lines.
- Sustained or improved throughput without disruption — because the system was designed as a one-to-one replacement with matching part-carriers and production capacity, the transition did not disrupt manufacturing output.
Long-term sustainability and future-proofing — thermal deoiling is a solvent-free, water-free cleaning method that aligns with tightening environmental regulations and corporate sustainability goals, reducing future compliance risk.
Why Thermal Deoiling Is Superior to Liquid Degreasing
- Chemical-free & water-free cleaning: avoids hazardous chemicals, wastewater, solvent storage and disposal — improving safety, compliance, and environmental footprint.
- Energy-efficient and cost-effective: with heat recovery, the system recycles energy that would otherwise be wasted — reducing fuel consumption and operational cost versus dual-system (oven + scrubber) or solvent-based degreasing.
- Cleaner, dryer parts ready for finishing: thermal deoiling leaves parts free of oil, water, and solvent residues — ideal for subsequent processing (brazing, coating, painting), ensuring product quality and reliability.
- Regulatory resilience and sustainability: with increasing restrictions on solvents and wastewater discharge, thermal deoiling offers a future-proof, regulation-compliant cleaning solution.
