Combinations of Containers and Purifying Materials Used in the Purification of Liquids

Abstract

A combination for purifying a liquid, such as used cooking oil, unrefined edible oil, biodiesel fuel, rendered fat, or dielectric fluids comprising a container comprising a holding portion having at least one wall portion and at least one portion that is designed to fail structurally upon heating of the liquid, such as at least one cap portion, which is connected detachably to the holding portion. The combination also comprises at least one purifying material, such as an adsorbent powder, contained in the holding portion of the container. Upon contact of the container with the liquid and heating of the liquid, at least one of the at least one portion(s) that is designed to fail structurally provides at least one opening in the container, whereby the liquid is contacted by the at least one purifying material, and the liquid is purified.

Claims

1. A combination for purifying a liquid, comprising: a container comprising a holding portion having at least one wall portion, and at least one portion that is designed to fail structurally upon heating of the liquid; and at least one purifying material contained in said holding portion of said container, wherein, upon contact of said container with said liquid, and heating of said liquid, at least one of said at least one portions(s) that is designed to fail structurally provides at least one opening in said container, whereby said liquid is contacted by said at least one purifying material, and whereby said liquid is purified.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said at least one purifying material is at least one adsorbent material.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said at least one adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of magnesium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, sodium silicates, activated carbon, silica gel, magnesium phosphate, metal hydroxides, metal oxides, metal carbonates, sodium sesquicarbonate, metal silicates, bleaching clays, bleaching earths, bentonite clay, alumina, and mixtures thereof.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said at least one adsorbent material comprises magnesium silicate.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said at least one adsorbent material has a water content of at least 5 wt. % to about 75 wt. %.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said at least one adsorbent material has a water content of from about 10 wt. % to about 25 wt. %.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said at least one portion that is designed to fail structurally is at least one cap portion.

8. A method of purifying a liquid, comprising: contacting said liquid with a combination comprising a container comprising a holding portion having at least one wall portion, and at least one portion that is designed to fail structurally upon heating of the liquid and at least one purifying material contained in said holding portion of said container; and heating said liquid to be purified to a temperature sufficient to effect at least one structural failure in said container, thereby providing at least one opening in said container, whereby said liquid is contacted by said at least one purifying material, and whereby said liquid is purified.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said at least one purifying material is at least one adsorbent material.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said at least one adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of magnesium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, sodium silicates, activated carbon, silica gel, magnesium phosphate, metal hydroxides, metal oxides, metal carbonates, sodium sesquicarbonate, metal silicates, bleaching clays, bleaching earths, bentonite clay, alumina, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one adsorbent material comprises magnesium silicate.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said at least one adsorbent material has a water content of at least 5 wt. % to about 75 wt. %.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said at least one adsorbent material has a water content of from about 10 wt. % to about 25 wt. %.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said at least one portion that is designed to fail structurally upon heating of the liquid is at least one cap portion.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid is heated to a temperature of at least 32° F. to about 500° F.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said liquid is heated to a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 425° F.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein said at least one adsorbent material is present in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, based on the weight of said liquid.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one adsorbent material is present in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, based on the weight of said liquid.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid is used cooking oil.

20. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid is an unrefined edible oil.

21. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid is biodiesel fuel.

22. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid is a dielectric fluid.

23. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid is a rendered fat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The invention now will be described with respect to the drawings, wherein:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first non-limiting embodiment of a container employed in accordance with the present invention, showing the cap of the container in the closed position;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 showing the cap of the container in the open position;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the container of FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the container of FIG. 1;

[0046] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 1 showing an adsorbent powder contained within;

[0047] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIGS. 1 and 5 placed in a fryer containing used cooking oil;

[0048] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIGS. 1, 5, and 6 placed in a fryer containing used cooking oil in which the cap of the container is in the open position;

[0049] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the container and fryer of FIG. 7 depicting the flow of used cooking oil into the container;

[0050] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the container and fryer of FIG. 7 depicting the flow of the adsorbent material out of the container and into the used cooking oil;

[0051] FIG. 10 is a side view of a second non-limiting embodiment of a container employed in accordance with the present invention, showing the cap of the container in the closed position;

[0052] FIG. 11 is a side view of the container of FIG. 10 showing the cap of the container in the open position;

[0053] FIG. 12 is a side view of a third non-limiting embodiment of a container employed in accordance with the present invention, showing the cap of the container in the closed position;

[0054] FIG. 13 is a side view of the container of FIG. 12 showing the cap of the container in the open positon;

[0055] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a fourth non-limiting embodiment of a container employed in accordance with the present invention, wherein such container has four sealed edges and is closed;

[0056] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 14 when opened;

[0057] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a fifth non-limiting embodiment of a container employed in accordance with the present invention, wherein said container has two sealed edges and is closed; and

[0058] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 16 when opened.

[0059] Referring now to the drawings, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention includes a container 10 that includes a cap 11, which is connected by means of hinge 13 to opening 17. Container 10 also includes a downwardly extending upper conical wall 12, an upwardly extending lower conical wall 14, and a bottom panel 16. Upper conical wall 12 and lower conical wall 14 meet at seam 15, and lower conical wall 14 and bottom panel 16 meet at seam 18.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 5, container 10 in general contains a predetermined amount of a purifying material 19. Purifying material 19 may be a purifying powder that contains water. The purifying powder may be an adsorbent powder such as a hydrous magnesium silicate powder, i.e., a magnesium silicate powder that contains water.

[0061] In general, container 10, which contains a purifying material 19, is placed into a liquid, such as used cooking oil, unrefined edible oil, biodiesel fuel, or a dielectric fluid, that is to be purified by the purifying material. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 through 9, container 10, which contains purifying material 19, is placed in a vat or fryer 20 that contains hot used cooking oil 21 and a filter means 22. The hot used cooking oil heats container 10 and the purifying material 19, which may be a hydrous adsorbent magnesium silicate powder, contained inside. As the purifying material contained inside container 10 is heated, the water contained in purifying material 19 is released from purifying material 19 as steam, whereby there is an increase in gas pressure inside container 10. As the gas pressure inside container 10 increases, cap 11 is forced open, whereby the hot used cooking oil 21 enters container 10 through opening 17, and the hot used cooking oil 21 contacts purifying material 19. Purifying material 19 also exits container 10 through opening 17, and is dispersed throughout the hot used cooking oil 21. As the purifying material 19 is dispersed throughout the used cooking oil 21, the purifying material removes impurities from the used cooking oil 21, including but not limited to, free fatty acids and oxidized fatty acids.

[0062] Purifying material 19 remains in contact with the hot used cooking oil 21 for a time sufficient to effect a satisfactory removal of the impurities from used cooking oil 21. After the impurities have been removed from used cooking oil 21, the purifying material 19 is separated from used cooking oil 21 by passing the used cooking oil through filter 22, whereby filter 22 retains the purifying material 19, but allows the used cooking oil 21 to pass through filter 22 and into pipe 23, through which the purified oil is recycled to the vat or fryer 20 by means known to those skilled in the art. Filter 22 may be any means for filtering used cooking oil known to those skilled in the art, such as filter screens, filter grids, filter pads, filter papers, filter envelopes, and combinations thereof. In a non-limiting embodiment, when filter 22 includes a filter pad and/or a filter paper, or a filter envelope, the filter pad, filter paper, or filter envelope also may be impregnated with the purifying material to provide further removal of impurities from the used cooking oil.

[0063] After the used cooking oil 21 has passed through filter 22 and into pipe 23, container 10 may be removed from fryer 20, and be cleaned and reused, and refilled with a predetermined amount of purifying material 19. Alternatively, container 10 may be discarded.

[0064] FIGS. 10 and 11 depict a second non-limiting embodiment of a container 110 that includes a sphere 112, having an opening 117, a cap 111, and a hinge 113 that connects cap 111 to opening 117.

[0065] FIGS. 12 and 13 depict a third non-limiting embodiment of a container 210 that includes a cap 211, a cylindrical wall 212, a bottom panel 214, and an opening 217. Cap 211 is connected to opening 217 by means of hinge 213.

[0066] FIGS. 14 and 15 depict a fourth non-limiting embodiment of a container 310, which may be made of foil, or filter paper, having a top panel 311 having a peripheral edge 313, side walls referred to collectively as 312, a bottom panel 314, and a flange 316 extended outwardly from the top of side walls 312. Peripheral edge 313 is sealed to flange 316 to form a seam 315. The sealing of edge 313 to flange 316 may be accomplished by means known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, heat sealing and/or sealing with at least one adhesive.

[0067] Container 310 contains a predetermined amount of at least one purifying material. When container 310 is placed in a liquid to be purified, and the liquid is heated, the seal of edge 313 to flange 316 along seam 315 is broken, and edge 313 separates from flange 316, thus forming an opening 317, through which the liquid to be purified enters container 310 and the at least one purifying material exits container 310, whereby the at least one purifying material contacts and purifies the liquid to be purified.

[0068] FIGS. 16 and 17 depict a fifth non-limiting embodiment of a container 410, which may be made of a thermoplastic polymer, having a top panel 411 having edge portions 412a and 412b, and a bottom panel 414 having edge portions 415a and 415b. Edge portion 412a is sealed to edge portion 415a along seam 413a, and edge portion 412b is sealed to edge portion 415b along seam 413b. Such sealing may be accomplished by means known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, heat sealing and/or sealing with at least one adhesive.

[0069] Container 410 contains a predetermined amount of at least one purifying material. When container 410 is placed in a liquid to be purified, and the liquid is heated, at least one of the seals of edge 412a to edge 415a along seam 413a and of edge 412b to edge 415b along seam 413b is broken, and edge 412a separates from edge 415a and/or edge 412b separates from edge 415b, thus forming at least one opening 417, through which the liquid to be purified enters container 410 and the at least one purifying material exits container 410, whereby the at least one purifying material contacts the liquid to be purified and purifies the liquid to be purified.

[0070] The disclosures of all patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each patent or publication were incorporated individually by reference.

[0071] It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments described above. The invention may be practiced other than as particularly described and still be within the scope of the accompanying claims.