Process for converting banana tree stalk into fibers for absorption of hydrocarbons and corresponding system and product

• US 10,293,327 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geophia, LLC
• Original Assignee: Geophia, LLC
• Inventors: Hondroulis, Dimitrios, Vacher, Jr., Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Soliman, Haytham
• Application Number:
  US13/947,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20150024932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 435177, 502404
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/24 Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28023 Fibres or filaments fibres or filaments in the form of membranes B01J20/28038; B01J20/28007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3035 Compressing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/485 Plants or land vegetals, e.g. cereals, wheat, corn, rice, sphagnum, peat moss

Abstract

A process for producing absorbent materials includes reducing a banana tree stalk into separated fibers, pressing the separated fibers to generate pressed fibers having less than 50% moisture content by weight, reducing moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating to produce pre-dried fibers, and applying a non-thermal drying process to generate dried fibers having less than 10% moisture content by weight for employment in an absorbent material that absorbs hydrocarbons.

Claims

1. A process for producing absorbent materials, the process comprising:

reducing a banana tree stalk into separated fibers;

pressing the separated fibers to generate pressed fibers having less than 50% moisture content by weight;

reducing moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating to produce pre-dried fibers;

applying a non-thermal drying process to the pre-dried fibers to generate dried fibers having less than 10% moisture content by weight for employment in an absorbent material that absorbs hydrocarbons, wherein the non-thermal drying process is separate and subsequent to reducing moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating; and

employing a mesh to the dried fibers to generate processed dried fibers as the dried fibers pass through the mesh, wherein a size of the mesh dictates a corresponding size of the processed dried fibers allowed to pass through the mesh.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein pressing the separated fibers comprises pressing the separated fibers using a hydraulic press, a screw press or a belt press to remove water, latex, or natural juices.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein pressing the separated fibers comprises generating pressed fibers having opened capillaries for absorption of hydrocarbons.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising washing the fibers after the pressing.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein reducing moisture content of the pressed fibers comprises passing the pressed fibers proximate to a halogen lamp via a conveyor device.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein a conveyor device is employed to transport one or more of the separated fibers, the pressed fibers and the pre-dried fibers.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein applying a non-thermal drying process comprises employing non-thermal, kinetic disintegration, pulverization.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein applying a non-thermal drying process comprises employing a drying process that employs kinetic energy and airflow, without a heat source, to dry the pre-dried fibers.

9. The process of claim 1, further comprising providing the dried fibers for integration into one or more of a loose absorbent material, a wipe, a rag, a towel, a pillow or a boom.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the separated fibers are not washed prior to pressing.