Grease trap construction

• US 4,940,539 A
• Filed: 05/08/1989
• Issued: 07/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semco Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Semco Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Weber, Myer M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, W. Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Upton, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US07/348,868
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 210/149, 210/187, 210/207, 210/220, 210/256, 210/521, 210/538, 210/539, 210/608, 210/632, 435/262, 435/264, 435/271, 435/839
• US Class Current: 210/149
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/047 with separation aids
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0012 Settling tanks making use of filters, e.g. by floating layers of particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/02 Settling tanks with single outlets for the separated liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/342 characterised by the enzymes used
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/343 for digestion of grease, fat, oil
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/16 Devices for separating oil, water or grease from sewage in drains leading to the main sewer

Abstract

A grease trap construction comprising a housing having an inlet to receive waste water containing grease and foreign material and having an outlet. An air conduit having a plurality of outlet ports spaced along its length is located in the lower end of the housing and is connected to a source of air under pressure, so that air will be discharged through the ports into contact with the waste water. The waste water within the housing is heated by an electric heating element which is immersed in the waste water and the heating element is controlled by a thermostat to maintain the temperature of the waste water within a given range. An aqueous composition containing a mixture of enzymes and bacterial spores is introduced into the housing into contact with the waste water. The enzymes and bacterial spores act on the grease, fats and other material in the waste water to provide a substantial reduction in total solids and an increase in soluble solids, as well as a substantial reduction in the BOD level of the waste water.

Claims

1. A grease trap construction, comprising a housing having an inlet to receive waste water containing grease and foreign material and having an outlet, a screen disposed in said housing between said inlet and said outlet in the flow path of said waste water, said screen being constructed and arranged to collect said grease and foreign material, air supply means for introducing air into the housing into contact with said waste water, heating means disposed in the housing for heating said waste water, temperature control means for operating said heating means and maintaining the temperature of the waste water within predetermined limits, an aqueous composition containing a mixture of enzymes and aerobic bacterial spores, and liquid supply means for supplying said composition into contact with said waste water in the housing.

2. The construction of claim 1, wherein said air supply means comprises a conduit disposed within the housing and having a plurality of outlet ports, and means for supplying air under pressure to said conduit.

3. The construction of claim 2, wherein said conduit is disposed on the bottom surface of said housing.

4. The construction of claim 1, wherein said inlet is located at the upper end of said housing and said outlet is located at the lower end of said housing.

5. The construction of claim 1, wherein said screen includes a pair of screen sections disposed at an acute angle with respect to each other and meeting at an apex, the lower portions of said sections being spaced apart, said outlet communicating with the space between said, sections.

6. The construction of claim 5, wherein said screen is removable from said housing.

7. The construction of claim 1, and including a vent pipe communicating with the upper end of said housing and extending upwardly from said housing, said liquid supply means communicating with said vent pipe whereby said composition is introduced into said housing through said vent pipe.

8. The construction of claim 7, wherein said liquid supply means includes a container containing said composition, and means for metering said liquid composition into said vent pipe.

9. The construction of claim 1, wherein said heating means comprises an electric heating element extending generally vertically of said housing, and an insulating layer disposed on the portion of said element that is located in the vicinity of the upper level of waste water in said housing.

10. A grease trap construction, comprising a housing having an open top, a cover to enclose said open top, said housing having an inlet at an upper portion thereof to receive waste water containing grease and foreign material and an outlet at a lower portion thereof, a screen disposed in said housing between said inlet and said outlet in the flow path of said waste water, said screen being constructed and arranged to collect said grease and foreign material, an air conduit disposed within the lower portion of said housing and containing a plurality of outlet ports spaced along the length of said conduit, means for supplying air under pressure to said conduit, said air being discharged through said ports into contact with the waste water therein, heating means disposed in the housing for heating said waste water, temperature control means for operating said heating means and maintaining the temperature of said waste water within predetermined limits, a liquid composition containing a mixture of enzymes and aerobic bacterial spores, and supply means for supplying said composition into contact with the waste water in said housing.

11. The construction of claim 10, wherein said inlet and outlet are disposed out of direct alignment.

12. The construction of claim 10, wherein said housing includes an inlet compartment and an outlet compartment and an intermediate compartment, said inlet communicating with said inlet compartment and said outlet communicating with said outlet compartment, said screen being disposed within said outlet compartment.

13. The construction of claim 10, and including a vent pipe communicating with the upper end said housing and extending upwardly from said housing, said supply means including a container to contain said liquid composition, a supply line connecting said container to said vent pipe, and means for metering said composition through said supply line to said vent pipe.

14. The construction of claim 10, wherein said enzymes are dissolved in said aqueous carrier and are selected from the group consisting of proteases, amylases, lipases, and cellulases.

15. The construction of claim 10, wherein said bacterial spores are a species of Bacillus subtilis.