Why Us?

We provide high precision, innovative and tailor-made manufacturing solutions, through our commitment towards superior quality work standards upheld by our expert group of skilled team members.

icon_widget_image Mon - Thurs 8:00 - 17:00, Fri 8:00 - 15:00, Sat & Sun - CLOSED icon_widget_image Cnr Driebergen & Drommedaris Roads, Paarl, 7645 icon_widget_image +27(0) 21 877 5000 info@fabrinox.com

Case Study: The Eco-Clarity Grease Trap Waste disposal hub

At the start of 2020 we were approached by Eco Clarity, a waste to energy service provider, to assist with the development of a patented modular and scalable technology, for the efficient and cost-effective disposal of Grease Trap Waste (GTW). The goal was to create a plant that would collect a certain amount of GTW via trucks, also named honeysuckers, from grease traps at local establishments in the Netherlands, where there is already an established practice of GTW collection from collection points in the catering industry.

 

As a company that has spent almost a decade developing breakthrough technology to transform the waste water handling process from one of disposal, into a focus of conversion into beneficial feedstocks and clean water, the Eco Clarity team’s goal was to ultimately collect and separate the significant portion of oils, fats and grease (FOG) in GTW, which can be sold separately and also used in the production of biodiesel in Europe.

In March 2020, just as lockdown was implemented worldwide and subsequently in South Africa, we began working on the layout and specifications of the trail plant, however with the Eco Clarity team stuck in England at the time, our work was done through online meetings, which came with its own set of challenges.

The Fabrinox team, under the leadership of our Sub-Assemblies and Projects Account Manager, Louw van Rooyen, was responsible for assembling the entire plant along with sourcing several components on the customers behalf. We also manufactured and adapted existing equipment to be used for this specific project. One such example is the shipping containers we modified in order to provide a protective shell around the system, better equipping the plant for travel. This system can collect and separate 50 tons of GTW daily.

Thanks to our teams wide range of capabilities, we also assisted with the manufacturing of the tank and pipe fitment, providing equipment support structures and build documents, liaising with suppliers and subcontractors and completing FAT factory acceptance testing. With the support of various specialist subcontractors we were also able to provide a solution which allowed automation and IOT. The plant can therefore be monitored and critical functions controlled via a remote internet portal.

Since certain equipment was not available in South Africa and had to be installed on site in the Netherlands, we spent a large amount of time ensuring that the plant and the missing equipment would integrate seamlessly. To this end, we also included spare parts and installation equipment with each container before shipping, to ensure the Eco Clarity team had everything required to complete the installation process. Towards the end of November 2020, the first containers were well on their way to their end destination.

Afterwards, Louw and our subcontractor’s Automation Engineer flew over to help with the final installation on site. And of course, as with any test, they had to handle a few challenges and technical surprises, which they were able to resolve, enabling the customer to run further tests in order to determine the system limits.

The Netherlands trial was a great success. The valuable lessons learned have enabled the team to develop an enhanced next generation plant scheduled for delivery to Argent Energy’s UK site during the first quarter of 2022.

To find out how we can assist you in bringing your project to life, please feel free to contact our team at info@fabrinox.com or call +27 (0)21 877 5000.