New technology pioneered in Iowa could take the dangers of extreme heat treatment out of bio-grease production.
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and local manufacturer Environmental Lubricants Manufacturing Inc. (ELM) have pioneered and patented microwave technology which takes both the danger and time out of the production of soya-based and other bio greases.
Currently, temperatures of up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit and six to eight hours of production time are required to manufacture the vegetable-oil based greases. A fire at ELM's factory in 2007, caused by leaking transfer oil, prompted the company to look at lower-temperature alternatives.
Working with the National Ag-Based Lubricants Centre at UNI, the team discovered that microwaves could be used to heat the oil with greater efficiency and at lower temperatures. Starting with a small lab microwave of 1.75KW, the university team graduated to industrial-sized 150KW units with the same consistent results. As well as being safer, the process time is reduced by as much as two thirds.
The technology has now been patented and an 800-gallon microwave-based grease reactor installed at ELM's plant in Grundy Centre, Iowa.