Liquid storage and filtration system

Abstract

A design and method for using a filtration system is provided. The filtration system can include a container, an inner cup, and a filter pad. The filtration system can be configured to remove undesirable impurities from liquid. For example, the filtration system can be configured to remove total polar molecules and lovibond color red from used cooking oil.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for the gravity filtration of liquids comprising:
 pouring liquid into an upper chamber of a container, wherein the container includes a filter containing carbon; and   directing the fluid through the filter such that the average contact time between the liquid and the carbon is about 0.25 ml/hr/cm 2  to about 6.0 ml/hr/cm 2 .   
     
     
         22 . The method in  claim 21 , wherein the filter is capable of removing particles about 50 microns in diameter or larger. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the filter comprises two or more layers. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the container includes an inner cup positioned within the container to create an upper and a lower chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the inner cup further comprises a filter slot, and wherein the filter is removably positioned inside the filter slot. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the filter is affixed to the inner cup by a compression ring. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the inner cup comprises side walls that form a conical shape. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising a pour channel, wherein the orientation of the pour channel can be changed by rotating the inner cup in 90-degree intervals. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising a particulate-filter within the inner cup, wherein the particulate filter removes particles greater than about 50 or more microns in diameter from the liquid. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising a filter expander providing structural support to a particulate-filter disposed within the inner cup. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the container further comprises a removable lid. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the lid further comprises a gasket and wherein the gasket seals the internal volume of the inner cup when the lid is disposed on the container. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the lid further comprises a gasket wherein the gasket seals the internal volume of the inner cup and container when the lid is attached to the container. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the inner cup comprises an air hole to allow air flow between the inner up and outer chamber when the lid and gasket are attached to container. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the liquid is cooking oil. 
     
     
         36 . The method of filtration in  claim 35 , further comprising a particulate-filter, wherein used cooking oil is first filtered through the particulate-filter to provide a particulate-lean oil, and wherein the particulate-lean oil is filtered through the filter to produce the filtered oil. 
     
     
         37 . The method of filtration in  claim 35 , wherein the filter removes more than 50% of the TPMs from the used cooking oil. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the filter removes more than 40% Lovibond color “red” from the used cooking oil. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the filtered oil comprises a TPM concentration of about 4.0% wt % to about 14 wt %, wherein the filtered oil comprises an FFA concentration of about 0.05 wt % to about 4.0 wt %, a peroxide value concentration of about 1.0 to about 10.0, and wherein the filtered oil has a Lovibond color red value of about 0.5 to about 4.0. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the container includes an inner cup, and the filtered oil is removed from the container, without removing the inner cup, by means of a pour channel that circumvents the inner cup. 
     
     
         41 . A filtration system for filtering used cooking oil, comprising:
 a container comprising:
 an inner cup, and 
 a filter pad; 
   wherein used cooking oil is poured an upper chamber of the container, wherein the used cooking oil is filtered through a particulate filter to provide a particulate-lean oil; and   wherein the particulate-lean oil is filtered through the filter pad containing carbon such that the average contact time between the liquid and the carbon is about 0.25 ml/hr/cm 2  to about 6.0 ml/hr/cm 2  to provide a filtered oil.   
     
     
         42 . The filtration system of  claim 41 , further comprising:
 a container lid, wherein the container lid is removably attached to a top rim of the container;   a gasket disposed on the interior surface of the lid;   a connector disposed about the bottom surface of the inner cup;   a compression ring configured to secure a filter pad into the connector; and   a lower chamber disposed below the inner cup.   
     
     
         43 . The filtration system of  claim 41 , wherein the filtered oil comprises a TPM concentration of about 4% wt % to about 14 wt %, wherein the filtered oil comprises an FFA concentration of about 0.05 wt % to about 4.0 wt %, a peroxide value concentration of about 1.0 to about 10.0, and wherein the filtered oil has a Lovibond color “red” value of about 0.5 to about 4.0.