Grease Traps and Automated Grease Recovery Units (GRU) are one of the most common (Fats, Oils and Grease) FOG Control solutions. Manual or passive and automatic grease traps (GRU)being the most widely accepted devices for commercial kitchen operators. Both devices are marketed as performing essentially the same job of separating fat, oil and grease from kitchen wastewater. At first look automatic grease traps (GRU) seem very expensive compared to manual grease traps. There is more than meets the eye and additional factors should be consider than just the initial purchasing cost of the unit.
Grease Traps and Automated Grease Recovery units (GRU) are one of the most common (Fats, Oils and Grease) FOG Control solutions. Manual or passive and automatic grease traps being the most widely accepted devices for commercial kitchen operators.
Both devices are marketed as performing essentially the same job of separating fat, oil and grease from kitchen wastewater. At first look automatic grease traps seem very expensive compared to manual grease traps. There is more than meets the eye and additional factors should be consider than just the initial purchasing cost of the unit.
The two system types will be explained in this article, highligitng the main differences as well as the pros and cons of each system.
Hydromechanical grease interceptors / separators (most often referred to as grease traps) often sit inside the kitchen underneath the sink or in the floor. They passively trap grease over time and need to be pumped frequently, sometimes as often as every week. They may be less expensive up front, but they cost more overtime due to frequency cleaning. If not cleaned out regularly, they may become inefficient start to smell and block the drains.
Automatic grease recovery devices or automated grease traps are offer an alternative to hydromechanical grease interceptors in kitchens. While their tanks passively intercept grease, they have an automatic, motorised mechanism for removing the grease from the tank and isolating it in a container. These interceptors must meet the same efficiency standards as a passive HGI, but must also meet an additional standard that proves they are capable of skimming the grease effectively.They are often designed to be installed unobtrusively in your commercial kitchen, in a corner or underneath a sink. The upfront cost of these units is higher, but maintenance can be handled by the kitchen staff. That eliminates regular pumping charges and reduces operating costs.
Furthermore the recovered Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG) is to a quality that can be recycled to use in Bio-Diesel or other applications. Keeping your kitchen free from blockages.
There is more information on What Grease traps are and how they work
The previous section explained each of the Grease trap system, the next section will look closer at sustainability, cost, efficiency and performance
Often the purchasing decision is based on upfront cost or purchasing price between a manual or automatic grease trap. Neglecting that there are other costs consideration when buying any type of grease trap. Costs to consider are:
- Purchase Costs
- Running Costs
- Daily Maintenance Costs
- Grease Removal or pumping cost
The automatic grease trap can be 4-5 times higher than the purchase cost of a 100l passive trap. Manual traps also have no moving parts require no electricity, unlike a Big-Dipper automatic grease trap which need around 5 minutes of maintenance a day and require an electricity supply to function.
Therefore it is easy to assume that passive or manual trap is the cheaper more cost effective solution. However this does not include pump out costs swing the comparison in the favour of automatic grease traps. Manual traps require pumping out every 2-4 weeks at a cost of between £100 and £200, whereas automatic traps only require a clean out every 3-6 months at the same cost. Therefore over the course of 3 years, automatic traps will be much cheaper overall.
To compare to similar automatic and manual grease traps, the Big-Dipper W200 (automatic) and AGT100 (manual), so you can see which one will cost you less over a 3-year period.
The figures below are based on the following:
Daily maintenance costs = 5 minutes of labour @ £12 per hour
Running costs = £0.25 per day
Clean out costs = £150
Cleaning intervals for Big Dipper W200 Automatic Grease Trap = Every 3 months
Emptying intervals for AGT100 Manual Grease Trap = Every 4 weeks
Clearly the Big Dipper W200 automatic grease recovery units are more expensive than the manual grease trap in the first year, mainly due to the high equipment price. However, by the end of year 2, the much higher clean out costs of the manual unit mean the overall cost is higher its automatic counterpart. After 3 years, the cost difference between the 2 units is nearly £600 in favour of the automatic Big Dipper. If you also add potential income from selling recovered oil from the automatic unit, the cost difference increases even more. Not to mention reduction in odour, ease of maintenance, longevity and staff satisfaction.
Although automatic grease traps require a higher initial investment, the additional features gained by the extra investment offer increased performance, potential for additional revenue and reduced long term costs, making automatic grease removal units the best choice for grease management in commercial kitchens.
Capturing grease in commercial kitchens helps prevent FOG entering the sewerage system, therefore any kind of grease trap is beneficial. However, what happens to the recovered grease?
With passive grease traps, the grease contractor will empty and dispose of all substances removed from the trap. The grease will often not be recycled as it is of poor quality and full of impurities such as food waste.
GRUs such as Big Dipper remove grease automatically and deposit it into a crease collector without impurities . The recovered grease can be collected with used cooking by your relevant service provider. Potentially, if enough grease is collected, the removed grease from automatic grease traps can be sold.
Therefore the automatic grease recovery units have the upper hand on sustainability. Due to both extra revenue generated and better raw material (grease) recovered.
There are two key elements to efficiency and performance. First this needs to be measured to an accredited standard such as BS EN 1825, PDI 101 or ASME. Secondly the unit needs to be sized correctly for it to work and flows to the grease trap have too correspond to flows during the performance test to get to similar separation efficiencies.
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If you own a Fish and Chips shop or other business within the foodservice industry, chances are good that you are already using some sort of grease trap. If not, sooner or later you will likely face clogged pipes, back-ups into your kitchen and costly fines.
