Apparatus for removal of fat, oil and grease from laundry wash water

An apparatus for removing impurities, including oil and grease droplets, held in association with a pH activated surfactant in an aqueous wash solution comprising:

• a surge basin adapted to receiving the aqueous wash solution;
• means for acidifying the wash solution to deactivate the surfactant and cause release of the impurities held in association with the surfactant, said acidifying means being operable in response to the pH of the wash solution;
• means for discharging the acidified wash solution into a second basin at a location adjacent the bottom of said basin, said bottom discharge enhancing quiescence of a top surface of the solution in said second basin;
• at least one submerged baffle plate extending at an angle from said discharge location and towards the top of said wash solution surface and across said discharge location, said at least one plate positioned to enhance capture of released oil and grease droplets on a lower surface of said at least one plate and coalescence of droplets thereon into a droplet size sufficient for buoyancy, said coalesced droplets forming a layer atop said wash solution;
• injector means in said second basin for infusing a gas into said acidified wash solution adjacent said second basin bottom to provide rising effervescent gas bubbles, said bubbles further coalescing with said coalesced droplets to increase droplet buoyancy and urge the same towards the layer atop said wash solution surface;
• means for skimming the oil and grease droplet layer from the surface of the wash solution;
• means for adjusting the pH of the wash solution to a relatively neutral pH;
• and
• means for discharge of the wash solution from said second basin.