Process for Converting Banana Tree Stalk Into Fibers for Absorption of Hydrocarbons and Corresponding System and Product

• US 20190308167A1
• Filed: 05/09/2019
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geophia, LLC
• Original Assignee: Geophia, LLC
• Inventors: Hondroulis, Dimitrios, Vacher, JR., Jean-Claude
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A system for producing absorbent materials, the system comprising:

a reducer configured to reduce a banana tree stalk into separated fibers;

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

an infrared heating device configured to reduce moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating to produce pre-dried fibers;

a non-thermal dryer configured 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 dryer is separate from the infrared heating device and is configured to generate dried fibers after the infrared heating device produces pre-dried fibers; and

a mesh configured to process dried fibers as the dried fibers pass therethrough, wherein a size of the mesh dictates a corresponding size of the processed dried fibers allowed to pass through the mesh.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the press comprises a hydraulic press, a screw press or a belt press configured to remove water, latex, or natural juices from the separated fibers.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the press is configured to generate pressed fibers having opened capillaries for absorption of hydrocarbons.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a wash assembly for washing the fibers after the separated fibers are pressed.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the infrared heating device comprises a halogen lamp and a conveyor device.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a conveyor device disposed between one or more of the reducer, the press, the infrared heating device and the non-thermal dryer.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the non-thermal dryer comprises a non-thermal, kinetic disintegration, pulverization device.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the non-thermal dryer is configured to generate the dried fibers using kinetic energy and airflow, without a heat source.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the processed dried fibers are integrated into one or more of a loose absorbent material, a wipe, a rag, a towel, a pillow or a boom.

19. An absorbent material for absorption of hydrocarbons, the absorbent material being prepared by operations comprising:

reducing 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.

20. The absorbent material of claim 19, wherein the processed dried fibers are integrated into one or more of a loose absorbent material, a wipe, a rag, a towel, a pillow or a boom.

21. The absorbent material of claim 19, 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.

22. The absorbent material of claim 19, wherein pressing the separated fibers comprises generating pressed fibers having opened capillaries for absorption of hydrocarbons.

23. The absorbent material of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise washing the fibers after the pressing.

24. The absorbent material of claim 19, wherein the separated fibers are not washed prior to pressing.

25. The absorbent material of claim 19, wherein reducing moisture content of the pressed fibers comprises passing the pressed fibers proximate to a halogen lamp via a conveyor device.

26. The absorbent material of claim 19, wherein applying a non-thermal drying process comprises employing non-thermal, kinetic disintegration, pulverization.

27. The absorbent material of claim 19, 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.