BE1028715B1 - PROCEDURE AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING USED OIL AND FATS IN SMALL PACKS - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for processing used oil and/or fats from the food industry into recyclable fractions, the method comprising the following steps: - Collecting small packages comprising used oil and/or fats; - Processing the small packages to a shredder, in which the packages are crushed; - Heating the crushed packages with oil and/or fats in a melting vessel provided with a sieve wall, whereby the oil and/or fats present are heated; - Separating the crushed packages and heated oil and/or fats into two fractions, being a fraction with crushed packages and a fraction with heated oil and/or fats, whereby the fraction with crushed packages is cleaned; - Filtering the fraction of heated oil and/or fats; and - Collecting the heated oil and/or fats in a conical decantation tank, wherein residual material is separated from the oil and/or fats by means of a gravity settling process; and - Pumping the clarified oil and/or fat fraction into one or more storage tanks. In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a device for processing used oil and fats in small packages.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING USED OILS AND FATS IN SMALL PACKAGING

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention is situated in the field of the circular economy and relates to a method and device for processing used oil and sheets in flake packaging. The invention provides raw materials for producing, inter alia, biogas and biodiesel by means of recycling the aforementioned oil and sheets.

BACKGROUND ART Every year, all households together produce an enormous volume of used food oil and/or fats, such as frying oil. These oils and fats are often stored in small packaging such as ash, to be subsequently delivered to a collection point such as a container park or one of the many collection containers that are provided here and there in public places.

These oils and fats can be recycled, for example into biodiesel. However, this process is complicated by the diversity of packaging that is supplied, as well as by the contaminants that are present in the oils and fats.

Processes for recycling used ole and/or sheets from the food industry have already been described in the prior art. For example, US 2014 199 453 describes a process for processing used cooking oil into a raw material for biodiesel. The oil is supplied by tankers, after which it undergoes a first filtration, heating, centrifuge and a second filtration. Typically such oil comes from e.g. chip shops, restaurants, caterers, care centers and industrial kitchens; these are also referred to as “suppliers” of used oil. EP 1 180 492 Bi describes another stationary used oil collection container. For example, such a container can be set up at a restaurant owner. The container has an inlet and an outlet for the used oil. The introduced oil remains in the collection vessel at room temperature, in a solidified state. However, this collecting vessel must be emptied from time to time.

© BE2020/5730 The oil is previously melted to a temperature of approximately 30°C. For this purpose, the collecting vessel is internally provided with a heating element. The emptying itself is carried out on site by a specialized company.

Finally, BE1026127 describes a method for processing used frituvrolis, in which the recyclable fraction is determined by a measurement of the electrical conductivity.

However, the above-mentioned methods do not offer a solution for oil or oil in a multiplicity of different small packages. There is therefore a need for an improved method of recycling, which makes it possible to separate and subsequently recycle all components, i.e. both the oil/fats and the packaging material, as well as any residual fractions. .

The present invention now seeks to provide an improved method and system, and an improved apparatus, for processing used oils and sheets supplied in small packages. An attempt is made to solve one or more of the above problems,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To this end, the invention provides a method according to claim 1. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for processing small packages provided with oil and/or fats into reusable residual creams. More specifically, the method comprises the following steps: - Collecting small packages comprising used oil and/or fats: - Processing the small packages to a shredder, in which the packages are crushed: - Heating the crushed packages with oil and/or fats in a melting vessel provided with a sieve wall, wherein the oil and/or sheets present are heated; - Separating the crushed packages and heated oil and/or sheets into two fractions, being a fraction with crushed packages and a fraction with heated oil and/or fats, whereby the fraction with crushed packages is cleaned; - Filtering the fraction of heated oil and/or fats; and - Collecting the heated oil and/or fats in a conical decantation tank, wherein residual material is separated from the oil and/or sheets by means of a gravity settling process; and - Pumping the clarified oil and/or fat fraction into one or more opsiagianks.

By performing the above steps, both the packaging material and its content (oil and/or auctioning} can be recycled and reused as raw materials for other industries.

Preferred forms of the device are set forth in claims 2 to 10.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device according to claim

11. In particular, the installation comprises: - a shredder for crushing used oils and/or fats falling over small packages, - a melting vessel in connection with the shredder, the melting vessel being provided for circulating heated oil and the melting vessel being provided with a sieve wall comprises and is furthermore provided with a discharge screw for the removal of crushed packaging; - wherein the melting vessel is in connection with a flushing installation, suitable for rinsing the crushed packages, and - the melting vessel furthermore also discharges onto a vibrating screen for sieving heated oil and/or the fats, wherein the vibrating screen has a screen size of maximum 5 mm, more preferably 1 mm, and - the vibrating screen communicates with a conical decantation tank.

The device ensures maximum separation of the different product flows, so that they are reusable. In this way, the design ensures that what are essentially waste streams is revalued.

Preferred forms of the method are described in dependent claims 11 to 14.

In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a use according to claim 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a device according to an Embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing small packages containing used oil and/or sheets, preferably products used in household kitchens.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the description of the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art of the invention. For a better assessment of the description of the invention, the following terms are explicitly explained. “A”, the” and “the” in this document refer to both the singular and the plural unless the context clearly implies otherwise. For example, “a segment” means one or more than one segment. When "about" or "around" in this document is used with a measurable quantity, a parameter, a duration or moment, etc., variations of +/-20% or less, preferably +/-10% or less, more preferably +/-5% or less, even more preferably +/-1% or less, and even more preferably +/-0.1% or less than and of the stated value, to the extent that such variations of are applicable in the described invention. However, this should be understood to mean that the value of the quantity using the term “approximately” or “around” is itself specifically disclosed.

The terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “consist of”, “consisting of”, “includes”, “contain”, “containing”, “contents”, “includes” are synonyms and are

> BE2020/5730 inclusive or open terms indicating the presence of the following, and which do not exclude or preclude the presence of other components, features, elements, members, steps known from or described in the prior art.

Citing numerical intervals through the end points includes all integers, fractions and/or real numbers between the end points, including these sin points. The terms "oil", "cooking oil" and afgelside terms, as used herein, are to be understood very broadly. i.e. these terms may refer to any edible fats, edibles and/or mixtures thereof, which have been used or at least are useful in the preparation of food, including by baking, frying, grilling and/or deep-frying the food therein. According to a possible Embodiment, "used frying oil" may refer to so-called "Used Deep-Frying Fats and Oils (GFVOs}). Incidentally, the oil can be of vegetable and/or animal origin. Preferably, it is of vegetable origin. Incidentally, the oil can be stored at room temperature ( 20°C) are substantially solid or substantially liquid Preferably, it is substantially solid Alternatively, the oil may fall over one or more solid and liquid phases.

Preferably, the used cooking oil is at least partially suitable for further processing into fuel slips for combustion engines (e.g. into biodiesel). However, the invention is by no means limited to this specific application. Typically, the cooking oil used includes a "recyclable traction", specifically the actual oil, supplemented with a "non-recyclable fraction" of contaminants. Some non-limiting examples of contaminants are: water, breadcrumbs, bits of snacks, meal, glass and plastics. Typically, these contaminants are difficult to recycle, hence the designation of this fraction as non-recyclable. Incidentally, both fractions will typically occur in at least partially mixed form. For example, the recyclable fraction may also comprise small proportions of water and/or solid contaminants.

The terms "fats" refer to an organic compound consisting of triglycerides. These are insoluble in water because their density (0.9 g/cm} is less than that of water (1.0 a/em°), which causes sheets to float on water.

There are both animal and vegetable fats with the difference that the latter has a lower melting point. If fats are liquid at room temperature, they are oils.

The term 'small packaging' refers to all types of packaging, receptacles or containers that can be closed and are able to store (used) oil and fats, preferably with a volume less than or equal to 10 L.

The packaging can consist of all kinds of materials, such as plastic materials such as PET, PVC, PP, PE; tetrapackaging, glass, cardboard, aluminum and mixtures thereof.

It goes without saying that this list is not exhaustive. in a first aspect, the invention describes a method for processing used oil and/or fats from the food industry into recyclable fractions, the method comprising the following juices:

- Collecting small packages of falling used oil and/or fats;

- Processing the small packages to a shredder, in which the packages are crushed;

- Heating the crushed packages with oil and/or fat in a melting trap provided with a sieve wall, wherein the oil and/or sheets present are heated;

- Separating the crushed packaging and heated material and/or sheets into two fractions, being a fraction with crushed packaging and a fraction with heated oil and/or fats, whereby the fraction with crushed packaging is cleaned;

- Filtering the fraction of heated oil and/or sheets; and - Collecting the heated oil and/or sheets in a conical decantation lanyard, wherein resimalerial is separated from the oil and/or sheets by means of a gravitational settling process: and

- Pumping the clarified oil and/or fat fraction into one or more storage tanks.

In particular, the collection of small packages takes place via collection points such as, for example, container parks or containers specifically designed for this purpose, such as the Olio boxes.

This has the advantage that the small packages do not have to be actively collected from households at home, but can be collected in a simple manner.

This eliminates the need for self-collection.

In a preferred form, the collection points are clearly marked containers.

Once full, these containers will be collected or emptied on site and returned empty.

Once collected, the small packages are collected in the processing unit, which is a device for processing them. In the first step, the small packages will be put through a shredder. In this way, the packages are ground into smaller pieces, preferably up to a maximum size of 50 mm (average diameter). The contents of the packages, being the oil and/or sheets with even contaminants such as food residues, are released. After grinding comes! the contents of the shredder in a melting vessel. The contents of the melting vessel will be heated so that oil and sheets would melt into a liquid substance. In one embodiment, the melting trap will be heated to a temperature between 50 and 95°C, more preferably 55 and 80°C, more preferably 60 and 75°C, more preferably 65 and 75°C. At this temperature, all fats will melt into a liquid mass.

In a preferred form, the heating of the oil and/or fats in the melting vessel will take place by means of circulation of warm oil in the melting vessel, so that any solid particles melt. In this way, a greater return on recyclable material is obtained. In a preferred form, the heated oil is fresh oil supplied. In another preferred form, the heated oil originates from the recycling process, for example from the flotation tank located downstream in the process. in a preferred form, the smelivalis comprises a screen wall through which the heated oil and the melted fats can migrate. In this way, the melting vessel also serves as a separator for separating the liquid fraction (the oil and molten sheets) and the solid fraction (just crushed packaging material). Consequently, a solid fraction and liquid fraction are obtained, each of which will undergo a further specific treatment.

The heated oil and fats that come out of the melting vessel are passed over a vibrating screen in a subsequent step for further cleaning. In one embodiment, the screen has a maximum screen capacity of 5 mm. More preferably, the screen capacity is 1 mm. Possible contaminants in the liquid fraction, such as food residues and/or residues of the packaging material, are hereby removed. In this way a thorough cleaning of the liquid fraction is obtained.

After sieving, the heated oil is pumped to a decantation tank. Further purification of the oil takes place in the decantation tank. Oil will float to the top in the tank, while any contaminants still present will sediment. Preferably, the decantation tank is conical. This shape achieves a good gravitational separation. Due to gravitational forces za! Discharge a sludge in the decantation tank. The supernatant oil can be drained, preferably by means of taps and pipes provided thereto, and will be sent to a storage tank. Preferably, the recovered oil is suitable for further processing into combustion engine fuels (e.g. into biodiesel). The formed residual material or siib from the decantation tank will be pumped in an embodiment to a shibtank and heated there. By means of centrifuging the siib, any oil still present can be recovered from the sludge. This oil recovered from the sludge can be returned to the decantation tank for ultimate storage in a storage tank. The oil-free sludge is preferably discharged to a fermentation installation for the production of biogas. Consequently, the above method provides an extremely efficient method for recovering used oil and/or sheets from small packages, and to upgrade these soil streams.

The crushed seed packaging is also further processed to serve as raw material. In a preferred form, the crushed small packages are removed from the melting vessel provided that an output screw is provided in the melting vessel and taken to a flushing installation. In one embodiment, the fraction of crushed packages is cleaned with water by means of a sponging installation. Remaining sheets and contaminants are rinsed from the packaging during this process. In a preferred form, the rinse water will be sieved, preferably by means of a sea bend. Subsequently, the sieved rinse water can be collected in a flotation tank. In a preferred form, the flotation tank will be provided with means for heating the flushing water. In the flotation tank a further separation of water and any oil still present in the water can take place.

Oil will form a floating layer in the tank while the water will form the bottom layer in the tank.

The water, heated or not, can be reused for rinsing other packaging.

To this end, a pipeline will be provided in the flotation tank which returns the screened rinsing machine to the rinsing installation.

The oil, which is in the floating layer in the flotatis tank, can be recycled in an emulsion form to the vibrating screen or the melting vessel, where it is again purified.

In this way an optimal recovery of the oil from the supplied material takes place.

The washed packages will be further processed in a preferred form in a press container.

In a second aspect, the present invention comprises an apparatus for the handling of clay packages falling over used oil and/or sheets. in particular, the establishment comprises: - a shredder for crushing small packages of used oil and/or fats falling over,

- a melting vessel in connection with the shredder, wherein the melting vessel is provided for circulating heated oil and wherein the melting vessel comprises a sieve wall and is further provided with a discharge screw for discharging crushed packages;

- where the melting vessel is connected to a rinsing installation, suitable for rinsing the crushed packaging, and

- the melting vessel also extends onto a vibrating screen for screening heated oil and/or the fats, wherein the vibrating screen has a maximum screen size of 5 mm, more preferably 1 mm, and

- the vibrating screen is connected to a conical decantation tank.

The above arrangement allows ive to convert a waste stream into reusable raw materials in a very efficient way and in this way reduce the waste mountain.

This is made possible by a targeted coupling of specific elements that ensure optimal processing of the input.

In a preferred form, the decantation tank will be in fluid communication with one or more storage tanks for the storage of clarified oil and/or fats, and will furthermore also be in fluid communication with a sludge tank, wherein the sludge tank is provided with means for measuring the contents of the siib tank. ie heating to a temperature above 60 °C.

In a further preferred form, the device will comprise a centrifuge, wherein the centrifuge is in fluid connection with the sludge blank and with a fermentation installation.

In a preferred form, the centrifuge will further be in liquid composition with the ice screen and/or the melting vessel.

In a final aspect, the invention relates to the use of the device as described above for carrying out the method as described above. More in particular, the invention also describes a process and device for supplying raw materials for the production of biodiesel and/or biogas.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to figures which are not limiting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE Figure 1 shows a device (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In what follows, the device of figure 1 is described in operative condition.

1. Unloading the supplied frying oil of a domestic nature. Used frying oil and/or fats come from container parks and shops that have a return point or collection point for this. The used frying oil and/or fats are collected in pallet boxes or roll containers. The containers are emptied into the body of the truck on collection, The driver carries out a visual check a BE2020/5730 during loading.On arrival at the processing site, the small packages are removed from the truck unloaded in gene siort bunker (2).

2. Emptying the packaging The small packaging consists of all kinds of materials such as plastic bottles, tetrabrik, plastic bags, glass, etc. From the receiving hopper (2) the used (frying) oil and/or fat, including packaging, is transported via screw to a shredder (3 ) fed. The broken small packages end up in a melting trap (4) with a perforated wall (sieve) and an internal screw. Warm oil is circulated in the melting vessel (4) so that evenly vascularized fat parts melt. Once the selival (4) is full, run! transfer the warm oil through the sieve wall {10 mm) to a vibrating sieve (5}.

3. Disposal and rinsing of the small packages The melting vessel (4) is equipped with an extraction screw that discharges the emptied and crushed packaging materials. skin and coarse dirt are rinsed out of the packaging. The rinse water passes over a fine sea bend where the coarse pieces of glass and loose labels are removed from the rinse water. The rinsing machine enters a Tflotation tank (6) and is additionally heated to be recycled in circulation to wash the packaging. The rinsed deep-frying oil, which forms a floating layer in the flotation tank (6), is taken to the outlet of the melting vessel (4} for further purification. The washed packages are further dewatered in a press container (8).

4. Separation of fine impurities The oil from the sludge trap (4) and from the flotation tank (6) of the packaging washing is filtered through a vibrating sieve (5) (1 mm). All coarse particles (fry residue, glass, plastic, fine labels with glue.) that have been rinsed along by the sieve wall are removed.

The oil is then pumped to a conical decantation tank (9) for further removal of organic residues by gravity settling.

The cone is regularly unloaded.

The above clarified oil is pumped to storage tanks (12) for discharge to biodiesel production.

The bottom settled sludge and emulsion layer is pumped via the cone to a sludge tank (10) and is further heated to 75°C.

The oil still present in the siib is recovered by centrifugation.

The oil-free water and organic dirt (frying residues and tarpaulin) separated during this process are discharged to a fermentation installation (13) for the production of biogas (methane}. Figure elements 1: installation 2: receiving bunker 3: shredder 4: melting vessel 5: vibrating sieve 6: flotation tank 7 : washing screw 8: press container 9: decantization tank 10: sludge tank 11: centrifuge 12: storage tank 13: fermentation installation

Claims (15)

CONCLUSIONS A method for processing used oil and/or sheets from the food industry into recyclable fractions, the method comprises the following steps: - Collecting small packages comprising used oil and/or sheets; - Processing the kiein packaging to a shredder, in which the packaging is crushed; - Heating the crushed packages with oil and/or grease in a melting vessel provided with a sieve wall, wherein the oil and/or sheets present are heated; - Separating the crushed packages and heated oil and/or sheets into two fractions, being a fraction with crushed packages and a fraction with heated oil and/or fats, whereby the fraction with crushed packages is cleaned; - Filtering the fraction of heated oil and/or sheets; and - collecting the heated oil and/or sheets in a conical decantation tank, wherein residual material is separated from the oil and/or sheets by means of a gravity settling process; and - Pumping the clarified oil and/or fat fraction into one or more storage tanks. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the melt trap is heated to a temperature between 55 and 75°C. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oil and/or sheets in the melting vessel are heated by means of the circulation of preheated oil in the melting vessel. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fraction of crushed packages is cleaned by means of a flushing installation with water, the used flushing water being screened and collected in a centrifugation tank. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that oil and/or fats present in the flotation tank are separated from the used flushing water and returned to the melting trap. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heated oil and/or fats are filtered from the melting vessel over a vibrating screen with a maximum zesi capacity of 5 mm, more preferably 1 mm. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the residual material in the decantation tank is pumped to a sludge tank and heated there. 8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that any water present from the residual material! is removed by centrifugation, and transported to the vibrating screen or melting vessel. 3, Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the residual material is discharged to a fermentation installation for the production of biogas. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recyclable oil and/or fat fraction is used for the production of biodiesel. 11. device for processing used oil and/or fats from the food industry into recyclable fractions, the device comprising a shredder for grinding used oil and/or fats comprising small packages, a melting vessel in connection with the shredder, wherein the melting vessel is provided for circulating heated oil and comprises a screen wall and is provided with an output screw for the discharge of crushed packages and wherein the melting vessel is in connection with a flushing installation, suitable for flushing the crushed packages, and the melting trap also dispenses on a vibrating screen, for sieving heated oil and/or the sheets, the vibrating screen having a sieve size of maximum 5 mm, more preferably 1 mm, and the vibrating screen in connection with steel with a conical decantation tank. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the decantation tank is in liquid composite steel with one or more storage tanks for the storage of clarified oil and/or sheets, and furthermore also in liquid composite steel with a siphon tank, the siphon being provided. is of means for heating the contents of the sludge tank to a temperature above 60°C. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a centrifuge, the centrifuge being in liquid communication with the sludge tank and with a fermentation installation. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that the centrifuge is further in fluid communication with the irril screen and/or the melting vessel. Use of the device according to any one of claims 11 to 14 or the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.