Higher fuel prices hit liquid waste haulers right where it hurts — on the bottom line. They’re also finding it increasingly difficult to dispose of materials such as waste oil from frying grease.
Fergus Power Products tackles both issues with the SSI-250 Biodiesel Processor, which converts used fryer grease — or even virgin oil — into diesel fuel for about $1 cheaper per gallon than the cost of commercial fuel (under current prices).
“You can make biodiesel fuel for $2 to $2.50 a gallon, depending on whether you use virgin oil or used oil, your local electricity rates and other factors,” explains Jim Peterson, sales manager for Fergus Products. “This product is aimed at mom-and-pop outfits all the way to large corporations. Everyone is interested in an environmentally safe product that you can use in your vehicles, as well as reducing disposal costs.”
The stainless-steel, electric-powered processor consists of three tanks mounted on a custom-built, stainless-steel skid. The processor is available in three sizes: 50-, 100- and 250-gallon capacities.
Using a 100-gallon unit as an example, an operator fills a tank with 100 gallons of used or virgin oil, 10 gallons of racing fuel (methanol), and small amounts of lye (sodium hydroxide) and 93 percent pure sulfuric acid. Each unit comes with measuring cups, and it takes about an hour to add in all the “ingredients,” Peterson says.
The operator turns on the unit, which proceeds to pull the animal fats and proteins from the oil, producing glycerin. After that, the operator adds a granular silicone product, and during a subsequent wash cycle, a chemical reaction converts the waste oil into biodiesel fuel. The whole process takes about 24 hours, regardless of the unit’s size, Peterson notes.
Aside from the need to occasionally oil the motor, the units are basically maintenance-free, Peterson adds.
“The processor cleans itself during the process,” he explains.
The smallest unit has a footprint of about 4 feet by 4 feet, and the largest unit occupies about a 4- by 6-foot area. Each unit can be moved with pallet jacks, Peterson notes.
Currently, grease from grease traps cannot be used in the processors; it must be heated and filtered. But Fergus is working to develop a way to do that easily and cost effectively, Peterson points out.
For more information, visit www.ferguspowerproducts.com or call 218/736-6772.
