WO2007029111A1 - Method and apparatus for separation and recovery of fruit, nut or vegetable oils from water, liquids and wastewater - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for separation and recovery of fruit, nut or vegetable oils from water, liquids and wastewater Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007029111A1
WO2007029111A1 PCT/IB2006/002482 IB2006002482W WO2007029111A1 WO 2007029111 A1 WO2007029111 A1 WO 2007029111A1 IB 2006002482 W IB2006002482 W IB 2006002482W WO 2007029111 A1 WO2007029111 A1 WO 2007029111A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
oil
wastewater
fat
liquid
water
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Application number
PCT/IB2006/002482
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French (fr)
Other versions
WO2007029111A8 (en
Inventor
Paul Stair Woodley
Original Assignee
Cyclonic Systems & Technologies Sdn Bhd
World Max Alliance Limited
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Publication date
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Publication of WO2007029111A1 publication Critical patent/WO2007029111A1/en
Publication of WO2007029111A8 publication Critical patent/WO2007029111A8/en

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11B—PRODUCING, e.g. BY PRESSING RAW MATERIALS OR BY EXTRACTION FROM WASTE MATERIALS, REFINING OR PRESERVING FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES, e.g. LANOLIN, FATTY OILS OR WAXES; ESSENTIAL OILS; PERFUMES
    • C11B1/00—Production of fats or fatty oils from raw materials
    • C11B1/10—Production of fats or fatty oils from raw materials by extracting
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/22—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by freezing
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/24—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by flotation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11B—PRODUCING, e.g. BY PRESSING RAW MATERIALS OR BY EXTRACTION FROM WASTE MATERIALS, REFINING OR PRESERVING FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES, e.g. LANOLIN, FATTY OILS OR WAXES; ESSENTIAL OILS; PERFUMES
    • C11B13/00—Recovery of fats, fatty oils or fatty acids from waste materials
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/40—Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F2103/00—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated
    • C02F2103/32—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated from the food or foodstuff industry, e.g. brewery waste waters
    • C02F2103/322—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated from the food or foodstuff industry, e.g. brewery waste waters from vegetable oil production, e.g. olive oil production
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F9/00—Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
    • Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
    • Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies
    • Y02W30/74—Recovery of fats, fatty oils, fatty acids or other fatty substances, e.g. lanolin or waxes

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating water, liquids or wastewater (herein also referred to collectively as just "wastewater”) containing fruit, nut or vegetable oils and fats to allow the recovery of valuable materials such as fruit, nut or vegetable oils and fats.
  • the anaerobic and aerobic in-ground ponds take up vast areas of land that could be better utilized to cultivate oil palm.
  • the earth ponds also pose a risk of seepage of wastewater contaminants into local water courses, streams, rivers and subterranean water deposits, thus causing harmful contamination.
  • bad odours are produced that affect surrounding areas with noxious smells.
  • the invention provides a method of separating and recovering remaining oil / fat from wastewater ' that is output from a principal process of extracting oil / fat from fruit, nut or vegetable material, the method comprising the steps of:
  • the invention provides apparatus for separating and recovering remaining oil / fat from wastewater that is output from a principal process of extracting oil / fat from fruit, nut or vegetable material, the apparatus comprising:
  • cooling means for cooling the wastewater down to a temperature at which the oil / fat acquires a semi-solid non-colloidal state
  • mixing means for mixing the semi-solid oil / fat particles with a liquid that has been ultra-saturated with a gas, so that the gas bubbles attach to the particles;
  • a floatation vessel arranged to receive the mixture from the mixing means and wherein, in use, the gas bubbles entrain the oil / fat particles to the mixture surface;
  • separating means for mechanically separating the oil / fat from said surface.
  • This invention has been shown to allow the recovery of more than 85 per cent of the valuable oils and fats, in the case of Oil Palm the recovery of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) from the above-mentioned water, liquid or wastewater.
  • CPO Crude Palm Oil
  • the hot wastewater is suitably reduced to a temperature of approximately 45 degrees Celsius that has been found to be appropriate to allow the oils and fats to become non-colloidal. Other temperatures may be determined empirically for oils and fats from different natural sources.
  • the semi-solid non-colloidal oils and fats are then separated from the water, liquid or wastewater and recovered continuously in an air and / or gas saturation and floatation / separation process.
  • the removal of the semi-solid particles of oils and fats within the floatation / separation vessel also allows beneficial reductions in BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and TSS (Total Suspended Solids) to be achieved.
  • a water, liquid or wastewater intake a water, liquid or wastewater intake; a water, liquid or wastewater cooling system from the intake to cause the colloidal and dissolved oils and fats within the water, liquid or wastewater to be cooled down to a temperature at which they become semi-solid particles which flow to a mixer device to encapsulate the semi-solid droplets of oils and fats with ultra-homogenised saturated air or gas from an ultra air or gas saturation device; a gas feed device located in a pipeline between the holding vessel and a high pressure pump which introduces air or other gas in the water, liquid or wastewater, the high pressure pump feeding the wastewater under high pressure to a fluid ultra homogeniser in which any air or gas components are highly saturated into the water, liquid or wastewater before the water, liquid or wastewater passes to a floatation / separation vessel comprising a distribution device, a separation chamber above the distribution device in which the floating semi-solid particles are removed by a scrapper means, an annulus area through which the treated oil, fat, material and contaminant free treated water, liquid or wastewater passes
  • the invention thus relates to an apparatus for, and method of, effectively recovering valuable oils and fats from hot water, liquids or wastewater, these products being fruit, nut and vegetable oils and fats, one such oil being Crude Palm Oil (CPO).
  • An advantage is the invention's ability within the same process to also reduce the BOD, COD and TSS within the water, liquid and wastewater by the use of equipment such as those the subject of the applicant's Australian patents AU 2002308420 B2 and AU 2002308419 B2 to ultra saturate air and other gases into the wastewater and recover oil, fats and remove other materials or contaminants.
  • the contents of these patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
  • the semi-solid oils, fats and other materials and contaminants are floated to the top of the floatation / separation vessel where they float in the oil / fat collection area before being removed from the surface by a mechanical scrapper system.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a waste treatment system that operates in accordance with the principles of the invention.
  • a flow of hot water, liquid or wastewater containing colloidal and dissolved oils and fats, such as the two waste streams mentioned above in the case of CPO production enters the plant inlet points 1, 2 at temperatures of typically about 80 degrees Celsius (for CPO production) for processing and is transferred to heat exchangers 3, 4 where the water, liquid or wastewater is cooled indirectly using a cooling fluid 5, 6 in the heat exchangers 3, 4.
  • liquid with ultra-saturated air or gas is mixed from pipeline 10.
  • the ultra air saturation process is carried out by the fitting of a suitably sized orifice device 15 between the treated water, liquid or wastewater outlet of floatation / separation vessel 19 treated liquid zone 34 and the suction line of a progressive cavity pump 13 and creates a partial vacuum in the pipeline 14.
  • Air or another gas is allowed to enter into the pipeline 18.
  • the air or other gas can be adjusted in flow by valve 17 and the volume read on air or gas flow meter 16.
  • Pump 13 discharges the liquid / air or gas mixture to device 12 that ultra saturates the air / gas into the liquid.
  • device 12 is the cyclonic mixer described in the applicant's
  • the device 12 can be a separate freestanding unit.
  • the treated liquid which has been ultra saturated with air or another gas discharges from the mixer 12 through a suitably sized back pressure orifice 11 and through pipeline 10 where it mixes with cooled water, liquid or wastewater from pipeline 7 in the in-line mixer 8.
  • the ultra air or gas saturated water, liquid or wastewater containing the semi-solid oils, fats and materials / contaminants flows through pipeline 9 to the distribution device 24 located in the lower area of floatation / separation vessel 19 and eventually enters the separation area 33 where the semi-solid oil and fat particles which have the ultra saturated air or gas attached are made to float to the top surface of the floatation / separation vessel 19.
  • the semi-solid oil and fat particles with the ultra saturated air or gas attached are removed from the top surface of the wastewater by scrapper 20 being rotated by slow speed gear motor 35 which moves the semi-solid oil and fat layer on the top surface of the water, liquid or wastewater into the internal overflow weir chamber 21 and passes out through the side wall of the floatation / separation vessel 19 to pipeline 22 where it can be collected.
  • the treated clarified water, liquid or wastewater now flows downwards in the annulus area 36 created by the wall of the floatation / separation vessel 19 and the distribution device 24 to the treated clarified water, liquid or wastewater zone 34.
  • the wastewater level within the floatation / separation vessel chamber 34 is achieved as follows. Treated clarified wastewater exits the chamber 34 through a pipeline 26 and valve 25 which is adjustable from a preset control signal from level controller 37 mounted on the side wall of the floatation / separation vessel 19 at chamber 33 to maintain a constant level in chamber 33. Heavy non-floatable sludge and solid-like materials are removed from chamber 34 through valve 28 and pipeline 29 to a suitable sludge pump 30 and discharged through pipeline 32.
  • the system and method are broadly characterized by the steps of reducing the temperature of the input wastewater to one at which the oils / fats change from a colloidal state to a non-colloidal state, and then mixing the cooled down oil / fat particles with a liquid that is ultra-saturated with gas so that the particles become entrained with the gas bubbles and will float to the top of a floatation / separation vessel for mechanical removal of the oil / fat.
  • the invention has obvious industrial applicability in the treatment of wastewater.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Physical Water Treatments (AREA)
  • Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)

Abstract

Generally in the edible oils and fats processing industries globally, a small percentage of oil and fat is not recoverable and is lost to water, liquid or wastewater. The value of lost oils and fats is substantial, the oil and fat in the water, liquid and in particular wastewater creates many problems. Especially, the treatment of the wastewater in many cases creates environmental pollution and adds substantially to the cost of treating the wastewater. The process and apparatus described increase yields in the edible oil and fat processing industries, as well as considerably reducing the environmental impact and problems associated with the treatment of wastewater from the edible oil industries. Broadly, the invention resides in reducing the temperature of hot process wastewaters to one at which the oil / fat acquires a semi-solid or crystalline state, that is non-colloidal. The semi-solid particles are then mixed with a liquid that is ultra-saturated with gas so that the oil / fat particles are entrained with the gas and can be floated and mechanically separated.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATION AND
RECOVERY OF FRUIT, NUT OR VEGETABLE OILS
FROM WATER, LIQUIDS OR WASTEWATER
TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating water, liquids or wastewater (herein also referred to collectively as just "wastewater") containing fruit, nut or vegetable oils and fats to allow the recovery of valuable materials such as fruit, nut or vegetable oils and fats.
BACKGROUND ART In the case of manufacturers that process fruit, nut or vegetable materials for the extraction and processing of oils and fats, there is inevitably some loss of oil and fat to the wastewater generated during the extraction and processing of the raw material. For instance, a situation exists in the processing of Oil Palm fruits where it is generally accepted within this particular industry that, in the two types of hot wastewater generated (typically at around 80 degrees Celsius) during extraction, cooking and processing, losses to centrifuge and / or decanter wastewater referred to as "sludge", are typically about 0.8% of Crude Palm Oil (CPO). Condensate wastewater from the Oil Palm fruit sterilisation and cooking process also contains typically about 0.8% Crude Palm Oil (CPO). Other types of fruit, nut or vegetable oils have similar losses to water, liquid or wastewater. Indeed, the invention is not limited to the recovery of any particular natural oils or fats, although it was developed in particular consideration of problems associated with CPO production, which is an example of an edible oil.
Conventionally, the two wastewater streams from the stages of pressure cooking / sterilization and centrifugal extraction in oil palm fruit processing are combined and sent to a very large area in-ground oil trap. Here attempts are made to retain the small yet economically and environmentally significant percentage of crude palm oil. However, due to the length of time spent in the oil trap, the trapped crude palm oil becomes of a commercially unacceptable quality, and poses a disposal problem as well as a significant loss of revenue for the oil mill owner. Moreover, a quantity of the oil is not trapped and finds its way into the numerous anaerobic and aerobic in-ground ponds that are currently used to treat the wastewater.
The anaerobic and aerobic in-ground ponds take up vast areas of land that could be better utilized to cultivate oil palm. The earth ponds also pose a risk of seepage of wastewater contaminants into local water courses, streams, rivers and subterranean water deposits, thus causing harmful contamination. During the anaerobic / aerobic process, bad odours are produced that affect surrounding areas with noxious smells.
There is thus a need in the industry for a better way of dealing with such wastewater, that allows recovery of as much as possible of the valuable oils and fats, requires a smaller land area for implementation, and minimizes the risk of serious contamination of the surrounding environment. The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems and serves to meet this need.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of separating and recovering remaining oil / fat from wastewater' that is output from a principal process of extracting oil / fat from fruit, nut or vegetable material, the method comprising the steps of:
cooling the wastewater down to a temperature at which the oil / fat acquires a semi-solid non-colloidal state;
mixing the semi-solid oil / fat particles with a liquid that has been ultra-saturated with a gas, so that the gas bubbles attach to the particles;
passing the mixture into a floatation vessel whereby the gas bubbles entrain the oil / fat particles to the mixture surface; and mechanically separating the oil / fat from said surface.
In another aspect, the invention provides apparatus for separating and recovering remaining oil / fat from wastewater that is output from a principal process of extracting oil / fat from fruit, nut or vegetable material, the apparatus comprising:
cooling means for cooling the wastewater down to a temperature at which the oil / fat acquires a semi-solid non-colloidal state;
mixing means for mixing the semi-solid oil / fat particles with a liquid that has been ultra-saturated with a gas, so that the gas bubbles attach to the particles;
a floatation vessel arranged to receive the mixture from the mixing means and wherein, in use, the gas bubbles entrain the oil / fat particles to the mixture surface; and
separating means for mechanically separating the oil / fat from said surface.
This invention has been shown to allow the recovery of more than 85 per cent of the valuable oils and fats, in the case of Oil Palm the recovery of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) from the above-mentioned water, liquid or wastewater.
For CPO recovery, the hot wastewater is suitably reduced to a temperature of approximately 45 degrees Celsius that has been found to be appropriate to allow the oils and fats to become non-colloidal. Other temperatures may be determined empirically for oils and fats from different natural sources. The semi-solid non-colloidal oils and fats are then separated from the water, liquid or wastewater and recovered continuously in an air and / or gas saturation and floatation / separation process. The removal of the semi-solid particles of oils and fats within the floatation / separation vessel also allows beneficial reductions in BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and TSS (Total Suspended Solids) to be achieved.
In a detailed embodiment, there is provided : a water, liquid or wastewater intake; a water, liquid or wastewater cooling system from the intake to cause the colloidal and dissolved oils and fats within the water, liquid or wastewater to be cooled down to a temperature at which they become semi-solid particles which flow to a mixer device to encapsulate the semi-solid droplets of oils and fats with ultra-homogenised saturated air or gas from an ultra air or gas saturation device; a gas feed device located in a pipeline between the holding vessel and a high pressure pump which introduces air or other gas in the water, liquid or wastewater, the high pressure pump feeding the wastewater under high pressure to a fluid ultra homogeniser in which any air or gas components are highly saturated into the water, liquid or wastewater before the water, liquid or wastewater passes to a floatation / separation vessel comprising a distribution device, a separation chamber above the distribution device in which the floating semi-solid particles are removed by a scrapper means, an annulus area through which the treated oil, fat, material and contaminant free treated water, liquid or wastewater passes to a lower chamber for exit of oil, fat and contaminant free treated water, liquid or wastewater through a level-controlled valve controlled by a level sensor / controller positioned in the chamber above the distribution device and sedimentation of heavy solids, a valve and extraction pump for removal of heavy sludge / solids.
The invention thus relates to an apparatus for, and method of, effectively recovering valuable oils and fats from hot water, liquids or wastewater, these products being fruit, nut and vegetable oils and fats, one such oil being Crude Palm Oil (CPO). An advantage is the invention's ability within the same process to also reduce the BOD, COD and TSS within the water, liquid and wastewater by the use of equipment such as those the subject of the applicant's Australian patents AU 2002308420 B2 and AU 2002308419 B2 to ultra saturate air and other gases into the wastewater and recover oil, fats and remove other materials or contaminants. The contents of these patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In the case of Crude Palm Oil processing, the wastewater exits the centrifuge / decanter and fruit cooking areas at a temperature of typically about 80 degrees Celsius. At these temperatures, the oils contained in the wastewater are colloidal and dissolved and are impossible to remove by conventional separation processes. By cooling the wastewater to about 45 degrees Celsius, the oils and fats change from a colloidal, dissolved state to minute semi-solid particle state. By use of the above-mentioned patented floatation / separation process, the semi-solid oils, fats and other materials and contaminants are floated to the top of the floatation / separation vessel where they float in the oil / fat collection area before being removed from the surface by a mechanical scrapper system. The oils / fats, other materials and contaminants fall into an angled internal weir where they accumulate against one side of the floatation / separation vessel and are removed through a side opening for collection and further processing as required.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment that illustrates, although does not limit, the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a waste treatment system that operates in accordance with the principles of the invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Fig. 1, a flow of hot water, liquid or wastewater containing colloidal and dissolved oils and fats, such as the two waste streams mentioned above in the case of CPO production, enters the plant inlet points 1, 2 at temperatures of typically about 80 degrees Celsius (for CPO production) for processing and is transferred to heat exchangers 3, 4 where the water, liquid or wastewater is cooled indirectly using a cooling fluid 5, 6 in the heat exchangers 3, 4.
The cooled water, liquid or wastewater at approximately 45 degrees Celsius now containing the semi-solid non-colloidal oils and fats particles, flows through pipeline 7 to an in-line mixer 8. Here, liquid with ultra-saturated air or gas is mixed from pipeline 10. The ultra air saturation process is carried out by the fitting of a suitably sized orifice device 15 between the treated water, liquid or wastewater outlet of floatation / separation vessel 19 treated liquid zone 34 and the suction line of a progressive cavity pump 13 and creates a partial vacuum in the pipeline 14. Air or another gas is allowed to enter into the pipeline 18. The air or other gas can be adjusted in flow by valve 17 and the volume read on air or gas flow meter 16.
Pump 13 discharges the liquid / air or gas mixture to device 12 that ultra saturates the air / gas into the liquid. One such device 12 is the cyclonic mixer described in the applicant's
Australian patent AU 2002308419 B2. The device 12 can be a separate freestanding unit.
The treated liquid which has been ultra saturated with air or another gas discharges from the mixer 12 through a suitably sized back pressure orifice 11 and through pipeline 10 where it mixes with cooled water, liquid or wastewater from pipeline 7 in the in-line mixer 8.
The ultra air or gas saturated water, liquid or wastewater containing the semi-solid oils, fats and materials / contaminants flows through pipeline 9 to the distribution device 24 located in the lower area of floatation / separation vessel 19 and eventually enters the separation area 33 where the semi-solid oil and fat particles which have the ultra saturated air or gas attached are made to float to the top surface of the floatation / separation vessel 19. The semi-solid oil and fat particles with the ultra saturated air or gas attached are removed from the top surface of the wastewater by scrapper 20 being rotated by slow speed gear motor 35 which moves the semi-solid oil and fat layer on the top surface of the water, liquid or wastewater into the internal overflow weir chamber 21 and passes out through the side wall of the floatation / separation vessel 19 to pipeline 22 where it can be collected.
The treated clarified water, liquid or wastewater now flows downwards in the annulus area 36 created by the wall of the floatation / separation vessel 19 and the distribution device 24 to the treated clarified water, liquid or wastewater zone 34. The wastewater level within the floatation / separation vessel chamber 34 is achieved as follows. Treated clarified wastewater exits the chamber 34 through a pipeline 26 and valve 25 which is adjustable from a preset control signal from level controller 37 mounted on the side wall of the floatation / separation vessel 19 at chamber 33 to maintain a constant level in chamber 33. Heavy non-floatable sludge and solid-like materials are removed from chamber 34 through valve 28 and pipeline 29 to a suitable sludge pump 30 and discharged through pipeline 32.
As will be understood from the above description, the system and method are broadly characterized by the steps of reducing the temperature of the input wastewater to one at which the oils / fats change from a colloidal state to a non-colloidal state, and then mixing the cooled down oil / fat particles with a liquid that is ultra-saturated with gas so that the particles become entrained with the gas bubbles and will float to the top of a floatation / separation vessel for mechanical removal of the oil / fat. These features allow the small, yet highly valuable percentage of remaining oils / fats in the wastewater to be recovered for sale or other use. Furthermore, the process is not only much faster than conventional treatment methods, but also requires minimal space and is environmentally-friendly.
It will be appreciated that the invention may be embodied and practised by means and in ways others than those specifically described hereinbefore, without departure from the scope of the invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The invention has obvious industrial applicability in the treatment of wastewater.

Claims

1. A method of separating and recovering remaining oil / fat from wastewater that is output from a principal process of extracting oil / fat from fruit, nut or vegetable material, the method comprising the steps of:
cooling the wastewater down to a temperature at which the oil / fat acquires a semi-solid non-colloidal state;
mixing the semi-solid oil / fat particles with a liquid that has been ultra-saturated with a gas, so that the gas bubbles attach to the particles;
passing the mixture into a floatation vessel whereby the gas bubbles entrain the oil / fat particles to the mixture surface; and
mechanically separating the oil / fat from said surface.
2. Apparatus for separating and recovering remaining oil / fat from wastewater that is output from a principal process of extracting oil / fat from fruit, nut or vegetable material, the apparatus comprising:
cooling means (3, 4) for cooling the wastewater down to a temperature at which the oil / fat acquires a semi-solid non-colloidal state;
mixing means (8) for mixing the semi-solid oil / fat particles with a liquid that has been ultra-saturated with a gas, so that the gas bubbles attach to the particles;
a floatation vessel (19) arranged to receive the mixture from the mixing means (8) and wherein, in use, the gas bubbles entrain the oil / fat particles to the mixture surface; and
separating means (20, 35) for mechanically separating the oil / fat from said surface.
PCT/IB2006/002482 2005-09-09 2006-09-06 Method and apparatus for separation and recovery of fruit, nut or vegetable oils from water, liquids and wastewater WO2007029111A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
MYPI20054256A MY157287A (en) 2005-09-09 2005-09-09 Method and apparatus for separation and recovery of fruit, nut or vegetable oils from water, liquids or wastewater
MYPI20054256 2005-09-09

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WO2007029111A1 true WO2007029111A1 (en) 2007-03-15
WO2007029111A8 WO2007029111A8 (en) 2007-08-30

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US7727404B2 (en) 2006-04-11 2010-06-01 Sorbwater Technology As Method for removal of materials from a liquid stream
CN107574882A (en) * 2017-09-20 2018-01-12 段小萍 A kind of sanitary sewage oil removing anti-block apparatus and its application method
WO2020035775A1 (en) * 2018-08-15 2020-02-20 Phina Biosoluciones S.A.S. System for recovering condensates with a high palm oil content, method for recovering said condensates and method for assembling the system
WO2021098034A1 (en) * 2019-11-22 2021-05-27 浙江海利环保科技股份有限公司 Salt floating equipment and method for removing lifting grip or handle of waste edible oil bottle (can)

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CN110479743B (en) * 2019-09-07 2021-02-02 山东农业大学 An energy-saving treatment method for demineralization and degreasing of kitchen waste for step-by-step reuse

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US4872997A (en) * 1988-08-12 1989-10-10 Monlan, Incorporated Coolant recycling system and method
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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7727404B2 (en) 2006-04-11 2010-06-01 Sorbwater Technology As Method for removal of materials from a liquid stream
CN107574882A (en) * 2017-09-20 2018-01-12 段小萍 A kind of sanitary sewage oil removing anti-block apparatus and its application method
CN107574882B (en) * 2017-09-20 2020-01-14 段小萍 Domestic sewage oil removal and anti-blocking device and using method thereof
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