Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for vaporizing oil that involves applying heat to an oil-impregnated medium such that the oil therein is vaporized. In one embodiment the apparatus includes a chamber that is constructed to house used oil filters. In this embodiment, heat is applied to the outer surface of the chamber until substantially all the oil therein is vaporized. The resulting oil vapors can be condensed and/or incinerated.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to an apparatus and method for extracting oil from a substrate via vaporization.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Processes for extracting oil from a substrate via vaporization are known. In particular, many such apparatuses and methods have been used in the recycling of used oil filters and the oil therein.  
         [0003]     Due in part to environmental and economic factors, used oil filters and other oil laden products and materials are generally not buried in landfills; rather, they typically undergo a process whereby the used oil is separated from the used filter. Traditionally, the used oil filters are shredded and the oil is removed from the shredded metal via incineration or a washing process. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,176 to Barber; U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,844 to Schmidt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,165 to Jackman; U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,079 to Guymon; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,136 to McCarty et al. The washing process can result in large amounts of contaminated wastewater, while the incineration process can result in environmentally unfriendly exhaust gases and ash. Accordingly, both processes potentially raise complicated and expensive issues regarding compliance with state and federal environmental regulations.  
         [0004]     More environmentally friendly processes and, consequently, less regulated processes for recycling used oil filters involve the step of vaporizing the used oil in the filters and then subsequently condensing and/or incinerating the vapors. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,293 to Gardner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,034 to McRae et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,957 to McRae. Though oil vaporization processes are known, the currently known processes, including those described in the above-listed patents, are inefficient and typically involve managing an exhaust gas stream that is contaminated with oil vapors. Accordingly, streamlined oil vaporization apparatuses and methods that further decrease the energy and environmental impact associated with the oil vaporization process are needed.  
         [0005]     In addition, methods and apparatuses are needed that further decrease the requisite energy consumption and environmental impacts associated with vaporizing spent oil from used oil filters. More specifically, an apparatus and method that provides flexibility for use in other applications, such as to more efficiently extract oil from foods, is needed. For example, oil is typically extracted from soybeans via a relatively complicated chemical process. Accordingly, such a method should provide for simply vaporizing the oil to remove it from the soybeans and then later condense the oil, thereby decreasing production costs. More generally, an apparatus and method for separation of a substrate from a vaporizable material for purification is needed. The vaporizable material can be vaporized out of the substrate, leaving both a purer substrate and a purer vaporizable material. The present invention addresses these problems and others.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The invention relates to an apparatus and method for vaporizing a vaporizable material that involves indirectly heating a substance such that the vaporizable material therein is vaporized. For example, in one embodiment, the apparatus includes a chamber that is constructed to house oil-laden substrates such as filters. Heat is applied to the outer surface of the chamber such that the oil therein is vaporized. The vaporized oil escapes through a vent and is channeled to a condenser. Once the chamber is sufficiently cooled, it is opened and oil-free substrates are removed. The chamber is then recharged with oil-laden substrates and the process is restarted.  
         [0007]     These features of novelty and various other advantages that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings that form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference numbers indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an extraction apparatus according to the principles of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of an extraction system according to the principles of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an alternative embodiment of the extraction apparatus of  FIG. 1  according to the principles of the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of an extraction process according to the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a schematic representation of an extraction apparatus  10  is shown. The extraction apparatus  10  includes a chamber  12  for housing substrates, a heating arrangement  14  for heating the chamber  12 , and a support structure  42  for supporting the heating arrangement  14  and the chamber  12 .  
         [0014]     According to the invention, the heating arrangement  14  indirectly heats the chamber  12  causing the gases therein to expand and the vaporizable material therein to vaporize. The expansion of the gases combined with the constant flow of vapor out of the chamber  12  forces enough of the oxygen out of the chamber  12  to prevent combustion inside the chamber  12  even when the chamber  12  is heated to high temperatures. Accordingly, even after all the vaporizable material in the chamber  12  is vaporized, the contents within the chamber  12  remain unburned. In the depicted embodiment where the chamber  12  is filled with oil-laden substrates  30  such as used oil filters, the components of the oil filters (i.e., steel, paper filter media, plastic, rubber, glue and paint) remain essentially intact after the vaporization process. This feature of the invention can be beneficial because the unburned components can be used in a variety of ways including, for example, recycling components for use in the manufacture of other devices or used as fuel to run other processes or machinery. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the rubber gasket seals of the used oil filters can be crushed and used as solid fuel (note that rubber becomes more brittle after the oil therein is vaporized). It should also be understood that indirectly heating the contents in the chamber  12  according to the present invention can provide additional advantages. The term “indirectly heating” as used herein means that the exhaust stream  35  (gas or liquid) of the heating arrangement  14  does not mix with the oil vapors from the chamber  12 . This feature is advantageous because the exhaust stream  35  can be vented to the atmosphere or used in other processes without the need to separate the oil vapors  33  therefrom.  
         [0015]     In the embodiment shown, the chamber  12  is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a first opening  16  located at a first end  18  and a second opening  20  located at a second end  22 . The first opening  16  is commonly referred to as the top opening and the second opening  20  is commonly referred to as the bottom opening. In the depicted embodiment, the first opening  16  is sized and constructed to be used for loading used oil filters or other substrate materials into the chamber  12  and the second opening  20  is sized and configured to unload used oil filters once the vaporization process is completed. Lids  24  and  26  are shown that seal the first opening  16  and second opening  20 , respectively. In particular, the lid  26  is shown attached by a hinge  28  to the chamber  12  and the lid  24  is shown attached to the chamber  12  via standard bolts. Both the lids  24  and  26  can include a heat resistant sealing gasket (not shown). The sealing gasket can include, for example, a graphite construction. It should, however, be appreciated that the lids  24  and  26  are not necessarily connected to the chamber  12  via hinges or bolts. In well-known alternative embodiments, the lids  24  and  26  can, for example, be slidably received by the chamber  12  in tracks or grooves.  
         [0016]     The chamber  12  further includes a vapor vent  32  that is constructed to allow the oil vapors  33  to escape the chamber  12 . The vapor vent  32  is shown located at the first end  18  of the chamber. It should be appreciated that the vapor vent  32  can be disposed in many other locations on the chamber  12 . For example, in alternative embodiments, the vapor vent  32  could be disposed on the lid  24 . Now referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein in some embodiments, the vapor vent  32  leads to a condenser  50  that may be attached to the chamber  12 . In such embodiments, the oil vapors  33  can be converted back to a liquid form and stored in an oil tank  60 . The condensed oil can be later recycled as oil or used as fuel. The remaining gas stream  37  can be passed through the burner  34  or a secondary incinerator to combust the remaining light end vapors that are not condensed before venting the gas stream  37  to the environment.  
         [0017]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , liquids can be drained by partially opening the lid  26  at the second end  22  of the chamber  12 . In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  a chamber  15  includes a drain  13  to allow liquids to escape the chamber  15  and into the oil tank  60 . The drain  13  can be disposed, for example, at the second end  23  of the chamber  15 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the extraction apparatus  11  includes a chamber  15  having a number of sections  70 ,  72 , and  74  separated by wire meshes  71  and  73 , wherein each of the sections  70 ,  72 , and  74  includes at least one opening  24 ,  26  for loading and unloading the chamber  15 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , it should be understood that both the chambers  12  and  15  may be of many other configurations. Instead of having a generally cylindrical shape, the chambers  12  and  15  could have, for example, a rectangular or a circular shape. In addition, there could be less or more openings  24  and  26  to the chamber  12  or  15 . For example, in some embodiments, there is only one opening and the chamber  12  or  15  is constructed to rotate so that the substrates  30  can be easily loaded into the chamber  12  or  15  and also easily dumped out the chamber  12  or  15  once the vaporization process is completed  
         [0018]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a heating arrangement  14  is shown. As briefly discussed above, the heating arrangement  14  is constructed to elevate the temperature in the chamber  12  without directly contacting the heating medium (shown as a gas stream  35 ) with the oil-laden substrates  30  in the chamber  12 . In the depicted embodiment, the heating arrangement  14  includes a burner  34 , a hot gas jacket  36 , an exhaust vent  38 , and an insulator  40 . The burner  34  can be any conventional burner that is capable of producing temperatures sufficient to cause oil vaporization. In the embodiment shown, the burner  34  is capable of heating the air outside the chamber  12  to temperatures as high as 2400° F. However, to avoid melting or unnecessarily fatiguing components of the extraction apparatus  10 , the temperature within the chamber  12  is less than 1600° F. and, more preferably, less than 1000° F. It should, however, be understood that vapor from volatile materials including, for example, gas, diesel, which are commonly found on or in the oil filters may be generated at much lower temperatures.  
         [0019]     As referenced above, the heating arrangement  14  of the depicted embodiment includes a hot gas jacket  36  adjacent to the outer surface of the chamber  12 . The hot gas jacket  36  preferably surrounds a substantial portion or even the entire chamber  12  to provide a consistent temperature within the chamber  12 . An exhaust vent  38  is also provided that enables the exhaust stream  35  that passes over the exterior surface of the chamber  12  to escape and be replaced with fresher and hotter gas from the burner  34 . Disposed around the hot gas jacket  36  is an insulator  40 . The insulator  40  is constructed to maintain the temperature of the gases around the chamber  12  to prevent heat waste. In the depicted embodiment, the insulator  40  defines the shape of the hot gas jacket  36  and thereby aids in channeling the flow of the exhaust stream  35  so that the exhaust stream  35  is not mixed with the oil vapors  33 .  
         [0020]     Though in the depicted embodiment, the hot gas jacket  36  and the insulator  40  are show connected to the chamber  12 , it should be appreciated that many other configurations are possible. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the chamber  15  can be movable with respect to a heating arrangement  17 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , the hot gas jacket  39 , insulator  41 , and burner  34  together form an oven. The chamber  15  of the extraction apparatus  11  is constructed to be inserted into the oven for heating and removed from the oven for cooling. In some embodiments, water is sprayed on the chamber  15  once it is removed from the oven to facilitate cooling and decrease cycle time.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the extraction apparatuses  10  and  11  further include a support frame  42  for supporting the chambers  12  and  15  and the heating arrangements  14  and  17 . In the embodiment shown, the support frame  42  includes a beam  44  that mounts to the chamber  12  or  15 . The beam  44  can be anchored to the floor, wall, or any structure (not shown). In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the beam  44  holds the chamber  12  in a stationary position. Whereas in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the chamber  15  is movably supported by the beam  44 . According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the beam  44  can be connected to an arm (not shown) that indexes the chamber  15  into the oven and removes the chamber  15  from the oven after a particular set time period. In other alternative embodiments the support frame  42  supports the chamber  12  or  15  such that the chamber  12  or  15  can rotate about one or more axes.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the invention is also directed to a method of extraction via vaporization. The method involves the step of loading  1  substrates into a chamber  12  or  15 . The substrate can be anything with a vaporizable material therein. For example, the substrate can include used oil filters, rubber tires, soybean material, mercury contaminated materials, or lignite. The method further includes the step of heating  2  the chamber  12  or  15  to a sufficiently high temperature to cause the material in the substrates  30  to drain out and/or vaporize out. The step of heating  2  may include decreasing the oxygen concentration within the chamber  12  or  15  to prevent combustion within the chamber  12  or  15 .  
         [0023]     In some embodiments, the method also includes some additional steps. Some embodiments include the steps of collecting and condensing the vapors  3  and/or incinerating  4  the vapor stream  33 . Other embodiments include the steps of cooling  5  the chamber  12  or  15 , unloading  6  the chamber  12  or  15 , and recharging chamber  12  or  15  with new substrates having vaporizable material therein.  
         [0024]     The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.