Grease Trap Technology

A grease trap, also know as an interceptor, intercepts grease and solids (FOG or Food-Oil-Grease) from waste water before it enters a primary waste water disposal system.

Method

• Oil and grease will naturally separate out of water if allowed sufficient time to dwell. Grease, lighter than water, will rise to the top and form a scum layer. In a grease trap, waste water passes through the system while the scum layer remains trapped within the vessel where it's removed and disposed of.

Location

• A grease trap range from small units located inside the kitchen to large units installed below ground. Traps are typically plumbed between the primary waste water disposal system and the fixtures they serve.

Vault Type

• All grease traps are based on the basic vault design. The trapped grease is stored in a vault until it's ready for disposal. Vault type traps require regular maintenance. Typically an outside company will, with specialized equipment, evacuate the trapped grease and oil from the trap and transport it to an appropriate processing facility.

Automatic Removal Units

• Automatic grease removal units (AGRU) continually and automatically remove trapped grease and store it in a separate vessel for easy recycling. AGRU's are typically used in larger commercial kitchens. The traps contain an internal heater keeping the grease liquefied and have an internal strainer preventing solids from clogging the system.

Operational Considerations

• A grease trap should avoid waste water containing detergents, emulsifying agents and water containing large amounts of suspended solids. Long dwell times allow solids to precipitate out of suspension clogging the system. Detergents and emulsifying agents increase the amount of FOG that bypasses the grease trap.