Design and Smart Automation of an IOT-Enabled Solar Oil Skimmer and Surface Waste Cleaning System for Industrial Effluent Treatment Units

Abstract

The continuous generation of tramp oils, fine particulates, and metal debris within industrial wastewater reservoirs and effluent collection tanks severely deteriorates water treatment efficacy, accelerates system blockage, and introduces acute environmental compliance vulnerabilities. Conventional static mechanical extraction systems incur substantial baseline power usage and demand persistent human operation. This study presents the mechanical configuration, architectural optimization, and deployment parameters of an autonomous, photovoltaic-driven oil skimming module paired directly with a surface scrub and particulate suction assembly integrated over an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) control loop. The device utilizes a hydrophobic-oleophilic multi-disc or belt matrix to capture oil phases from contaminated aqueous media continuously. Simultaneously, a high-velocity suction impeller cleans floating dust and airborne soot from the surrounding environment. An array of multi-node sensors continuously registers oil slick thickness, dust volume indexes, and motor operational strains, feeding into an online cloud dashboard for real-time monitoring and anomaly detection. Experimental analysis validates that the integrated platform serves as an efficient framework for sustainable wastewater handling and proactive industrial resource management.

Introduction

The text presents a solar-powered, IoT-enabled automated skimmer system designed for wastewater treatment plants (ETPs) to remove floating oil, grease, debris, and dust from industrial wastewater. Rapid industrial growth has increased wastewater generation, and untreated surface oil can block oxygen transfer, cause foul odors, promote anaerobic microbial growth, and damage downstream treatment processes. Traditional skimmers often require manual monitoring and continuous grid power, creating a need for smarter, self-sustaining solutions.

The proposed system combines three main functions:

• Automated oil separation using an oleophilic (oil-attracting) belt or disc skimmer.
• Surface cleaning through suction fans and brushes that remove dust and floating debris.
• IoT-based monitoring that provides real-time data and remote control through cloud connectivity.

The architecture consists of a photovoltaic power system, mechanical separation unit, and cloud telemetry framework. Solar panels charge a 12V battery through a charge controller, while relays manage power distribution. Oil adheres to the moving skimmer surface and is scraped into a collection chamber, while dust and debris are removed simultaneously.

The mechanical system uses durable, corrosion-resistant components, including a high-torque 12V DC motor, chain-and-sprocket transmission, and mild steel structural frame. Engineering calculations were performed to optimize motor power, torque, and chain-drive performance for reliable operation.

The IoT framework uses an ESP8266/ESP32 microcontroller connected to sensors that monitor oil levels, dust concentration, and motor current. The system can automatically adjust operation, prevent overflow, detect blockages, and send maintenance alerts to a cloud dashboard.

Experimental results showed that the skimmer could recover approximately 2.4 liters of oil per hour and remove about 89% of floating debris and soot. The solar-powered system operated reliably even during low-light conditions using battery backup.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a multi-functional, automated cleaning platform for modern effluent treatment units. Integrating solar harvesting, automated mechanical skimming, and active dust suction reduces manual labor while protecting water processing assets. Supported by real-time IoT logging, this architecture replaces traditional reactive oversight with data-driven predictive maintenance, offering a reliable path toward sustainable and self-powered industrial water treatment.

References

[1] Awale, J. P., Mohite, A. V., & Shinde, S. (2025). Wireless Oil Skimmer System Based on IoT. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer and Communication Engineering (IJFMR). [2] Esakkiraja, M., Dinutony, G., Mariappan, A. C., & Packiaraj, G. P. (2025). Solar Oil Skimmer Mechanism for Marine Oil Spillage. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET). [3] Akash, D., Darshith, T. G., Muruli, T. B., Shivakumar, T. M., & Janardhan, L. K. (2025). Solar Panel Electrical Conductivity-Based Oil Detection and Skimming. International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology (IJIRSET). [4] Birdi, T. S., Salvi, P., Nehe, S., Patil, R., & Kothawade, S. (2025). Design and Manufacturing of Oil Skimmer. Journal of Mechanical Design and Production Fundamentals.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 S. Elanchiyan , A. Gowtham, A. Vignesh, R. Dineshkumar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.