TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a biofuel product having fat, oil and/or grease components. In its preferred forms, the product is densely contained within a container that is itself combustible and therefore may comprise an integral part of the biofuel product.

BACKGROUND

The National Pretreatment Program implements Clean Water Act requirements to control pollutants that are introduced into publically-owned treatment works (“POTWs”). As part of this program, EPA has promulgated General Pretreatment Regulations that require the establishment of State and local pretreatment programs to control pollutants which pass through or interfere with POTW treatment processes or may contaminate POTW sewage sludge. Meeting these requirements may require elimination of interference caused by the discharge to POTWs of Fat, Oil, and Grease (FOG) from food service establishments (FSE). More specifically, the Pretreatment Program regulations at 40 CFR § 403.5(b)(3) prohibit “solid or viscous pollutants in amounts which will cause obstruction” in the POTW and its collection system. EPA's Report to Congress on combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) identified that “grease from restaurants, homes, and industrial sources are the most common cause (47%) of reported blockages. Grease is problematic because it solidifies, reduces conveyance capacity, and blocks flow.”

Controlling FOG discharges will help POTWs prevent blockages that impact CSOs and SSOs, which cause public health and water quality problems.

FOG wastes are generated at food service establishments as byproducts from food preparation, and cleaning activities for pans, dishes, utensils and other surfaces. FOG captured on site is generally classified into two broad categories. The first type is yellow grease that is the byproduct of deep frying, and often captured in large containers, then ultimately sold into the reuse market. The second type of FOG, focus of this application, are the fat, oil and grease that are washed down the sink and floor drains into the Grease Trap. These fats, oils and grease are a result of cleaning pans, plates, utensils and other grease-laden surfaces in the food service establishment. The annual production of grease trap waste is massive. Currently the EPA estimates between 23,000 and 75,000 Sanitary Sewer Overflows per year. Food service establishments create volumes of FOG that run from 800 to 1,700 pounds per year. Furthermore one source indicates that Americans produce 13 pounds of F.O.G. per capita per year.

Food service establishments can adopt a variety of best management practices or install interceptor/collector devices to control and capture the FOG material before discharge to the POTW collection system. For example, instead of discharging yellow grease to POTWs, food service establishments often accumulate this material for pick up by consolidation service companies for re-sale or re-use in the manufacture of tallow, animal feed supplements, fuels, or other products.

Additionally, food service establishments can install interceptor/collector devices (e.g., grease traps) in order to accumulate FOG on-site and prevent it from entering the POTW collection system. In many cases, an establishment that implements best management practices will realize financial benefit through a reduction in their required grease interceptor and trap maintenance frequency.

Likewise, more and more POTWs are addressing FOG discharges by imposing mandatory measures of various types, including inspections, periodic grease pumping, stiff penalties, and even criminal citations for violators, along with ‘strong waste’ monthly surcharges added to restaurant sewer bills.

As a separate matter, large quantities of motor vehicle oils and lubricants also end up in water supplies for various reasons. Motor vehicle oils and lubricants thus fall within the definition of fats, oils and/or grease as used in this application.

Pretreatment programs are developing and using inspection checklists for both food service establishments and POTW pretreatment inspectors to control FOG discharges. Additionally, EPA identified typical numeric local limits controlling oil and grease in the range of 50 mg/L to 450 mg/L with 100 mg/L as the most commonly reported numeric pretreatment limit.

With this information in mind, it is apparent that while there has been some progress in collecting and disposing of FOG, much more needs to be done. In particular, there is a need for a biofuel product composed largely of FOG and similar natural, biodegradable materials having high energy density and usable as fuel in a wide variety of applications and at low cost.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the invention of this application employs a specially-designed container, such as but not limited to an absorbent tube or mat into which FOG can be introduced for collection, transport and consumed as a fuel product. In one example, an elongate tube or absorbent mat geotextile product is used to contain sphagnum peat or mushroom compost materials, and to maximize contact surface area with the FOG materials in, for example, a grease trap. The sphagnum peat, mushroom compost, and/or orange peels is obtained from select locations in the United States or Canada known for this type of specialized product. As used in this application, peat, mushroom and similar materials into which the FOG is absorbed are referred to generally and broadly as “capture materials” or absorbent materials. In certain aspects, it is contemplated that orange peels may be used as a capture or absorbent material. Likewise, the absorbent material may be a polymeric material such as a polyolefinic material and more preferably a polypropylene having oleophilic and hydrophobic properties that are ideal to absorb fat, oil, and/or grease.

Several products suitable for use in the FOG tube described in this application are “Dry All” wood fiber, sphagnum peat moss processed and sold by Integrity Absorbent Products, or shredded mushrooms. In particular, the peat moss product is an all organic hydrocarbon absorbent, manufactured from large fiber sphagnum peat moss. The manufacturing process produces a product which becomes both oleophilic, absorbing hydrocarbons and hydrophobic, i.e., repelling water. Due to its fibrous structure and processing, peat absorbs hydrocarbons quickly on contact by virtue of its wicking capillary action and encapsulates oil on contact. This makes peat ideal for hydrocarbon cleanup both on open water and land applications. Peat absorbs up to eight times its weight. This volume will vary based on the hydrocarbon being absorbed and the temperature. In certain aspects, orange peels have the same oleophilic and hydrophobic characteristics as those mentioned above.

This type of natural cleansing and separation is one of the unique features of this invention and why it will be useful to restaurants, industrial facilities and car repair shops that struggle with the maintenance of grease traps and oil spills. Once trapped in the tube or mat, the product can be easily and compactly shipped to a location for disposal, incineration or further processing, including processing the materials for use as fuel.

Sewage Sludge Incineration (SSI) is becoming a safe and effective alternative around densely populated municipalities where land application of sewage sludge is less desirable. One of the benefits of the sphagnum peat FOG absorbent tubes and mats is that they comprise a high BTU fuel that can be used to increase the efficiency of SSI processes. In addition to providing a better and more efficient way for collecting and disposal of FOG, the product can separate the higher density grease and oil so that it can be disposed of in a landfill, and/or burned as fuel in a sludge incinerator or other furnace.

Moreover, it is another object of the invention to provide a biofuel product having fat, oil and/or grease constituents.

It is another object of the invention to provide a biofuel product having fat, oil and/or grease constituents that provide enhanced environmental remediation by avoiding the need to dispose of the materials in landfills or other geographical locations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a product having fat, oil and/or grease constituents that provide for the ability to utilize natural, renewable, biodegradable materials to produce a fuel suitable for a wide variety of uses.

It is another object of the invention to provide having fat, oil and/or grease constituents that burned as fuel in a sludge incinerator or in other facilities such as furnaces.

It is another object of the invention to utilize containers, such as tubes, mats and other configurations to capture spills of oil and other hydrocarbons at vehicle repair facilities that can then be burned along with the oil or other hydrocarbons as fuel.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved by providing a biofuel product having constituents selected from the group consisting of fat, oil and/or grease components, a container formed of a biodegradable material having a multiplicity of openings of a size and shape adapted for allowing the fat, oil and/or grease components to pass through the openings to an interior area of the container, an absorbent capture material positioned in the container and holding a quantity of the fat, oil and/or grease, the container, capture material and fat, oil and/or grease collectively comprising the biofuel product.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container is a biodegradable geotextile.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container is constructed of a biodegradable yarn selected from the group consisting of cotton, hemp, ramie and jute.

According to another aspect of the invention, the openings in the container have an apparent opening size (AOS) of 0.25 mm to 0.5 mm. In this aspect, the AOS of the container is smaller than the size(s) of the absorbent material positioned therein such that the absorbent material remains within the container until being released/removed from the container.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container is a tube.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container is a three-dimensional box-like mat.

In certain aspects, the grease absorbent material is oleophilic and hydrophobic material/matrix configured to absorb fats, oils, and/or greases while repelling and/or filtering out water from, for example, a mixture of water, fats, oils, and greases. According to another aspect of the invention, the fat, oil and/or grease absorbent capture material is selected from the group consisting of an organic material such as sphagnum peat, mushroom compost, and orange peels. According to another aspect of the invention, the fat, oil and/or grease capture material is selected from an absorbent porous, polymeric material that is preferably oleophilic and hydrophobic. In this aspect, the absorbent porous, polymeric material is a polyolefinic material and more preferably a polypropylene having oleophilic and hydrophobic properties that are ideal to absorb fat, oil, and/or grease.

According to another aspect of the invention, the fat, oil and/or grease is present in a range of between 88-75 percent and the capture material is present in a range of between 12 and 25 percent.

According to another aspect of the invention, the fat, oil and/or grease and the absorbent capture material is processed according to a process selected from the group of processes consisting of compressing the fat, oil and/or grease and the absorbent capture material into pellets, logs, cakes, shredding and granulating.

According to another aspect of the invention, the fat, oil and/or grease, the absorbent capture material and the container collectively comprise the biofuel product.

According to another aspect of the invention, the biofuel product contains between 88-75 percent FOG and between 12 and 25 percent capture material.

According to another aspect of the invention, the range of B.T.U. output of the biofuel product is 12,500 to 20,000 B.T.U. per pound.

According to another aspect of the invention, a biofuel product is provided having constituents selected from the group consisting of fat, oil and grease components, and including a container formed of a biodegradable geotextile having a multiplicity of openings have an apparent opening size (AOS) of 0.25 mm to 0.5 mm and adapted for allowing the fat, oil and/or grease components to pass through the openings to an interior area of the container. An absorbent capture material is positioned in the container and holds a quantity of the fat, oil and/or grease, the container, capture material and fat, oil and/or grease collectively comprising the biofuel product. In certain aspects, the grease absorbent material positioned in the container is oleophilic and hydrophobic wherein the absorbent material will absorb fats, oils, and/or greases while concurrently repelling water. The fat, oil and/or grease absorbent capture material is selected from naturally occurring products such as sphagnum peat, mushroom compost, and orange peels. Alternatively, the fat, oil and/or grease capture material is selected from an absorbent porous, polymeric material. In this aspect, the absorbent porous, polymeric material is a polyolefinic material and more preferably a polypropylene having oleophilic and hydrophobic properties that are ideal to absorb fat, oil, and/or grease. The fat, oil and/or grease present in a range of between 88-75 percent and the capture material present in a range of between 12 and 25 percent. The fat, oil and/or grease and the absorbent capture material can be presented in a multiplicity of forms including pellets, cakes, logs, or as shredded or granulated fuel.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container includes a tether for positioning the container at an influent end of a source of fat, oil and/or grease during absorption of the fat, oil or grease into the capture material.

According to another aspect of the invention, the fat, oil and/or grease is present in a range of between 88-75 percent and the capture material present in a range of between 12 and 25 percent, the fat, oil and/or grease and the absorbent capture material being in a multiple of forms including pellets, cakes, logs, or as shredded or granulated fuel and the range of B.T.U. output of the biofuel product is 12,500 to 20,000 B.T.U. per pound.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container includes one closed end and an open end adapted for being closed after being filled with the capture material.

In additional aspects, the FOG absorbent material may be used alone (i.e., excluding the previously mentioned container that contains the absorbent material and/or the absorbent material separated from the container) to absorb FOG when forming/producing the biofuel product (i.e., the absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein). When used in this manner, a user (e.g., technician) places a desired, predetermined amount of absorbent material within, for example, a grease trap (or other container having FOG therein). The user then allows an adequate time for the absorbent material to absorb and preferably become saturated with FOG thereby forming the biofuel product. Subsequently the user removes the biofuel product from, for example, the grease trap for subsequent use and/or processing steps to be used as the biofuel product. During the removal step of the biofuel product (i.e., absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein) in the above mentioned process, it is further envisioned that a positive pressure pump (e.g., a modified pool pump such as the Pentair line of pool pumps) and other removal aids will be used to further expedite the overall process to remove the biofuel from the grease trap in an expeditious and efficient manner.

In the above mentioned method, the technician arrives at the grease trap to be serviced and removes the grease trap's lid. (It is preferred that the grease trap is serviced at predetermined time intervals to maintain proper operability of the grease trap as well as to maintain manageable, efficient FOG removal during each servicing.) Next, the amount of absorbent material to be introduced into the grease trap will be determined by the technician visually inspecting and assessing the overall volume of the grease trap along with the ratio of FOG to brown water contained therein. The technician next introduces a sufficient amount of the loose absorbent material (e.g., 1 pound, 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds, etc. —termed the “first amount” or “initial amount”) into the trap to allow for the desirable amount of absorption of FOG into the absorbent material. For example, each pound of absorbent material should absorb between 5 pounds to 9 pounds of FOG per pound of absorbent material, and in preferred aspects, each pound of absorbent material should absorb between 7 pounds to 8 pounds of FOG per pound of absorbent material. In preferable aspects, the desirable amount of FOG absorption of FOG into the absorbent material is 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98%, or 100% of the FOG within the grease trap.

After a predetermined time period in which absorption of FOG into the absorbent material has occurred, the grease trap is again visually inspected and assessed to further determine whether any FOG remains, and if so, to further determine the ratio of FOG to brown water remaining in the grease trap. At that time, more absorbent material (a “second amount” of absorbent material) may be added to absorb the remaining FOG (i.e., FOG that was not absorbed by the previously provided absorbent material). Subsequent amounts of absorbent material (e.g., “third amount”, “fourth amount”, “fifth amount”, etc.) may be added by the technician until the desirable amount of FOG absorption (and desired FOG to brown water ratio) has been reached. After reaching the desired FOG absorption amount in the absorbent material (and the desired FOG to brown water ratio), the absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein (biofuel) may be subsequently removed all at once by the removal step/process discussed further below.

As an alternative to the above, an absorbing step followed by an immediate removal step may be used. In this aspect, the absorbent material (i.e., first amount or initial amount) is added to the grease trap and after a predetermined time period FOG is absorbed into the absorbent material forming the biofuel. Next, the biofuel (i.e., first amount of absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein) is removed from the grease trap. After removal of the absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein (i.e., biofuel) from the grease trap, the technician may again visually inspect and assess the grease trap to determine whether any additional FOG remains therein. If so, the technician may again, introduce the absorbent material (“second amount” of absorbent material) and allow for absorption of FOG into the second amount of absorbent material (biofuel). Subsequently, the second amount of absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein is removed from the grease trap. The above mentioned steps (i.e., absorbing FOG by the absorbent material followed by an immediate removing step until a desirable FOG to brown water ratio and/or FOG absorption amount in the absorbent material has been reached) may be repeated as desired by the technician.

To further aid in the removing/removal steps (i.e., removing the biofuel comprising the absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein), additional removal tools and aids may be used. For example, the technician may use a rake or rake-like device to actuate the absorbent material, FOG, and/or brown water in the grease trap and to spread the absorbent material more evenly on the surface of the FOG/water mixture within the grease trap. This step advantageously increases the rate of absorption into the absorbent material and further expedites the FOG capture and removal process from the grease trap. During this step, the absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein is hydrophobic and will continue to float even when saturated with FOG.

At this point, the technician may further utilize a positive pressure pump (a modified pool pump such as the Pentair line of pool pumps) to pump the biofuel (i.e., FOG laden absorbent material) from the top, or uppermost, portion of the grease trap and to remove the biofuel therefrom via a filter and/or physically remove (e.g., via a net or another similar removal device). During the removal process and while using the pump, the pump will beneficially circulate the brown water back into the grease trap thereby keeping the grease trap maximally efficient and effective. The maximum efficiency of the grease trap is achieved by keeping the grease trap full of water during the removal process.

While pumping the FOG. laden absorbent material out of the grease trap, the technician moves the end of the hose around the top and/or uppermost sections of the grease trap surface until all of the biofuel (i.e., absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein) has been removed from the grease trap. The same outcome can be achieved with a net, filter/filtration, or similar device.

After the biofuel (i.e., absorbent material laden with FOG and/or absorbent material having FOG absorbed therein) has been captured and removed from the grease trap and the unencumbered water drained from the positive pressure pump hoses into the grease trap, the grease trap lid is closed securely. Then the technician either transports the biofuel to another location, or leaves the biofuel in a secure area for subsequent removal and processing.

In certain aspects, the method of forming a biofuel by capturing fats, oil and/or grease in a grease trap are disclosed. In view of the above disclosures, this method may include comprising the steps of: (a) adding an absorbent material to the grease trap that has a mixture of water, fats, oil, and grease therein; the absorbent material comprising a hydrophobic and oleophilic material configured to absorb between two to eight times its weight of fats, oil, and/or grease; (b) forming a biofuel by absorbing over a predetermined period of time fats, oil, and/or grease within the absorbent material such that the absorbed fats, oil, and/or grease within the absorbent material are separated from the water within the grease trap; (c) removing the biofuel from the grease trap while the separated water of step (b) remains in the grease trap; and (d) optionally transporting the biofuel to a secure location for storage and/or incineration. In certain aspects, step (d) is included in the above method. Within the above method, the absorbent material is loose, contained within a container comprising a tube adapted to receive and securely hold the absorbent material therein, and/or formed as a mat. Within the above method, the absorbent material consists of at least one of sphagnum peat, mushroom compost, orange peels, and polypropylene. Within the above method, the absorbent material is configured to absorb between four to eight times its weight of the fats, oil, and/or grease. Within the above method, before step (a) the volume of a grease trap and fats, oil, and/or grease relative to the water therein are visually assessed to determine an amount of absorbent material to be added to the grease trap. In certain aspects, the above method further includes after step (c), repeating steps (a)-(c) until a desired amount of fats, oils, and/or grease have been absorbed and removed from the grease trap or until all fats, oils, and/or grease have been absorbed and removed from the grease trap. In certain aspects, the above method further includes after step (b), repeating steps (a) and (b) until a desired amount of fats, oils, and/or grease has been absorbed by the absorbent material in the grease trap or until all fats, oils, and/or grease has been absorbed by the absorbent material. In certain aspects, the above method further includes pumping air by a positive pressure pump into the mixture of water, fats, oil, and grease to increase absorption, coagulation, and/or flocculation of the absorbent material during steps (a) and (b) and to aid and facilitate removing the biofuel from the grease trap during step (c) by maintaining the biofuel on an uppermost surface of the separated water that remains in the grease trap.

