Difference between revisions of "Filtering waste vegetable oil"

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(Filtration equipment)
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==Filtration equipment==
 
==Filtration equipment==
  
Home built filtration plants often use 10" filter cartridges, due to their low cost and easy availability.  Several are placed in series, with gradually reducing filtration grades.  These are often described as 50/10/5/1 or similar, denoting an initial 50 micron filter followed by 10 micro all the way down to 1 micron.  Such systems are driven by an electric pump such as the [[TAM105]].
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[[File:Filterfarm1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|An industrial filter farm, driven by an air-powered pump (source: Goat Industries; Filter Farm 750)]]
  
It is useful in such systems to have a pressure gauge on each filter cartridge in order to determine when a filter is starting to block.
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Home built filtration plants often use cylindrical 10" filter cartridges, due to their low cost and easy availability.  Several are placed in series, with gradually reducing micron filtration grades.  These are often described as 50/10/5/1 or similar, denoting an initial 50 micron filter followed by 10 micron all the way down to 1 micron.  Such systems are often driven by an electric pump such as the [[TAM105]].
  
{{Commercial}}
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Industrial systems use much larger filter cartridges and often bank many in parallel to improve throughput, using air driven pumps to run the system.
  
This is an example of a industrial filter farm using larger filters (courtesy of Goat Industries).
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The filter cartridges are typically rated at pressures between 0.8 - 6 bar, so thus care must be taken not to exceed the pressure rating for the cartridges used in the system.  This can be done by means of a bypass system on an electric pump, or direct control of air flow to an air driven pump.
  
<gallery caption="Filter Farm 750" widths="320px" heights="300px" perrow="2">
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The waste oil can be also heated to about 40 degrees C for faster flow, but again, care should be taken as cartridges are even more prone to failure when hot.  
 
 
File:Filterfarm1.jpg|The filtration unit itself can be composed of cylindrical cartridges of different micron ratings. The one shown, the Filter Farm 750, has four cartridges plumbed in parallel and served by an air operated pump. These systems are generally low pressure devices and it is important not to exceed the rated pressure of the cartridges, some of which are as low as 0.8 bar. The pressure can be regulated very easily with the type of pump used, ensuring that the cartridges do not become distorted and leaky.
 
 
 
File:Full view 1.jpg| The waste oil can be heated to about 40 degrees C for faster flow through the unit, but again, care should be taken as the cartridges are even more prone to failure when hot. A post filter is used in this design to filter out finer particles and as insurance that the main filters are working properly. The performance of the machine can be monitored by pressure gauges positioned at different points in the plumbing and the speed at which the pump is operating.</gallery>
 
  
 
[[Category:Vegetable Oil]]
 
[[Category:Vegetable Oil]]

Revision as of 12:28, 3 December 2010

Filtering waste vegetable oil

Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) contains many different contaminants including food particles, water, Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) and animal fats. Many of these contaminants can be separated before the actual filtration stage in a settling tank. Oil is generally pre-treated in this way for about three weeks. The animal fats and water and much of the food particle contamination will slowly sink to the bottom and the good oil can be extracted from the top of the tank and pumped into the filtration unit. Waste oil needs to be stored and handled carefully as it can attract vermin such as rats, which can carry life threatening diseases.

Note that filtration alone cannot remove Free Fatty Acids or other chemical or biological containments.

Filtration equipment

An industrial filter farm, driven by an air-powered pump (source: Goat Industries; Filter Farm 750)

Home built filtration plants often use cylindrical 10" filter cartridges, due to their low cost and easy availability. Several are placed in series, with gradually reducing micron filtration grades. These are often described as 50/10/5/1 or similar, denoting an initial 50 micron filter followed by 10 micron all the way down to 1 micron. Such systems are often driven by an electric pump such as the TAM105.

Industrial systems use much larger filter cartridges and often bank many in parallel to improve throughput, using air driven pumps to run the system.

The filter cartridges are typically rated at pressures between 0.8 - 6 bar, so thus care must be taken not to exceed the pressure rating for the cartridges used in the system. This can be done by means of a bypass system on an electric pump, or direct control of air flow to an air driven pump.

The waste oil can be also heated to about 40 degrees C for faster flow, but again, care should be taken as cartridges are even more prone to failure when hot.