Removing Heavy Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) from an Edible Oil Refinery.
The background
AAK is a Hull based refinery which imports many different plant based bulk oils. The site contains over 20 large oil silos, blenders and other plant, which process the oils into solutions for use in the food industry. From the manufacturing processes both fresh and hydrolysed FOG are washed into the wastewater catchment tanks.
The challenge
Previous trials with other FOG recovery technologies had not proved successful due to the very thick nature of the refinery’s FOG. The current wastewater effluent plant had been historically designed for a much smaller site and was not equipped to handle the increasing volume of production and resulting FOG levels. The existing method of collection recovered only very small amounts of FOG and large quantities of water which then had to be decanted before disposal. If the FOG isn’t removed, over time, the FOG residue blocks the pipework resulting in increased plant maintenance and costs.
The Solution
The complex nature of this type of FOG required a ‘Smart’ solution. By deploying Smart Storm’s unique mobile Greasebuster™ for FOG removal, over 4,000 litres of heavy fats, oils and grease was extracted per day. The Greasebuster™ uses a unique material to attract fats, oils and grease onto an extraction belt whilst rejecting water (SEE VIDEO).
Sited in a reception tank, The Greasebuster™ extracts the FOG from the wastewater tank and deposits to an IBC; the extracted FOG waste is a commodity that can be sold for conversion to Biodiesel.
Speed control and belt attack angle are also fully adjustable so that The Greasebuster™ can be customised to specific customer requirements for different effluent types and manufacturing sites.
The outcome
Smart Storm’s Greasebuster™ proved to be a complete solution to AAK’s need to remove FOG from their effluent stream.
Ibrahim Farrar, AAK’s Analytical Chemist, “ The GB worked extremely well for FOG removal in our plant. The GB is easy to use, and Smart Storm have been very helpful in addressing any queries we have had”.
