1. A module for a green roof system comprising:
a tray thermoformed from a blanket of non-woven polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers, the tray comprising:
a bottom surface;
a sidewall extending upward from the bottom surface to a lip; and
one or more raised portions separating the bottom surface into a plurality of cells;
wherein the one or more raised portions form water drainage channels;
growing media comprising at least one of expanded shale, expanded clay, expanded slate, sand, wood fines, coir, compost, and biosolids;
a seed retaining mesh formed of the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers;
a plurality of seeds; and
a top cover formed of the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers, the top cover being attached to the lip of the tray;
wherein the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers used to make the tray, seed retaining mesh, and top cover are sourced entirely from recycled material;
wherein the tray is porous, allowing water to pass through at least a portion of the bottom surface while prohibiting passage of particles having an average diameter between about 0.02 mm to about 9.5 mm through the bottom surface.
2. The module according to claim 1, wherein the drainage channels are formed below the bottom surface of the tray.
3. The module according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the seeds and growing media is selected based on the climate of a geographic region where the module is installed.
4. The module according to claim 1, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers comprise fibers of at least three different sizes.
5. The module according to claim 4, wherein the first fiber size is about 2.5 to 4 denier, the second fiber size is about 5 to 8 denier, and the third fiber size is about 9 to 13 denier.
6. The module according to claim 4, wherein the first fiber size is about 2.5 denier, the second fiber size is about 6 denier, and the third fiber size is about 9 denier.
7. The module according to claim 5, wherein one third of the volume of the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers are a first fiber size, one third are a second fiber size, and one third are a third fiber size.
8. The module according to claim 1, wherein the gaps between the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers of the tray are about 0.01 mm to about 0.04 mm.
9. A tray for a module of a green roof system comprising:
a bottom surface;
a sidewall extending upward from the perimeter of the bottom surface to a lip; and
one or more raised portions of the bottom surface that divide the bottom surface into a plurality of cells;
wherein at least the bottom surface is porous and has a porosity of about 50 percent to about 80 percent; and
wherein the bottom surface prohibits the passage of particles larger than about 0.01 mm in diameter.
10. The tray according to claim 9, wherein at least the bottom surface of the tray is formed from a non-woven blanket of plastic fibers.
11. The tray according to claim 10, wherein the plastic fibers are polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers.
12. The tray according to claim 11, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate plastic is post-consumer plastic.
13. The tray according to claim 10, wherein the plastic fibers comprise at least three different sizes of plastic fibers.
14. The tray according to claim 13, wherein the first fiber size is about 2.5 to 4 denier, the second fiber size is about 5 to 8 denier, and the third fiber size is about 9 to 13 denier.
15. The tray according to claim 13, wherein the first fiber size is about 2.5 denier, the second fiber size is about 6 denier, and the third fiber size is about 9 denier.
16. The tray according to claim 14, wherein one third of the volume of the plastic fibers are a first fiber size, one third are a second fiber size, and one third are a third fiber size.
17. The tray according to claim 9, wherein the bottom surface prohibits passage of particles having an average diameter between about 0.02 mm to about 9.5 mm through the bottom surface.
18. A method of making a tray for a module of a green roof system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of plastic fibers;
forming a non-woven blanket from the plastic fibers;
cutting the non-woven blanket to a desired size; and
forming the non-woven blanket into a tray having:
a bottom surface;
a sidewall extending upward from the perimeter of the bottom surface to a lip; and
one or more raised portions of the bottom surface that divide the bottom surface into a plurality of cells.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the non-woven blanket into a tray involves heating the non-woven blanket to cause at least a portion of the plastic fibers to form connections through melting.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the plastic fibers are polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the plastic fibers comprise at least three different size plastic fibers.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein a first fiber size is about 2.5 to 4 denier, a second fiber size is about 5 to 8 denier, and a third fiber size is about 9 to 13 denier.
23. The method of claim 18, wherein a first fiber size is about 2.5 denier, a second fiber size is about 6 denier, and a third fiber size is about 9 denier.
24. A green roof system comprising:
a plurality of modules of claim 1;
wherein the plurality of modules are arranged on a roof top; and
wherein water drainage channels are formed between the tray and rooftop.
25. A module for a green roof system comprising:
a tray thermoformed from a blanket of non-woven polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers, the tray comprising:
a bottom surface;
a sidewall extending upward from the bottom surface to a lip; and
one or more raised portions separating the bottom surface into a plurality of cells;
wherein the one or more raised portions form water drainage channels;
growing media comprising at least one of expanded shale, expanded clay, expanded slate, sand, wood fines, coir, compost, and biosolids;
a seed retaining mesh; and
a plurality of seeds;
wherein the tray is porous, allowing water to pass through at least a portion of the bottom surface while prohibiting passage of particles having an average diameter between about 0.02 mm to about 9.5 mm through the bottom surface.
26. The module according to claim 25, wherein the gaps between the polyethylene terephthalate plastic fibers of the tray are about 0.01 mm to about 0.04 mm.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of preparation of a feed stock for a process comprising separating a formaldehyde-containing product from a formaldehyde solution comprising formaldehyde, water and methanol, wherein said formaldehyde-containing product contains substantially less water than said formaldehyde solution, comprising distilling said formaldehyde solution in the presence of a water entraining compound, wherein said water entraining compound and said formaldehyde-containing product form the basis of the feed stock for the said process.
2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said formaldehyde solution contains methanol at a molar ratio of methanol to formaldehyde of 0.3-1.5:1.
3. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the formaldehyde solution is pre-mixed with a quantity of methanol before the distillation process such that the molar ratio of methanol to formaldehyde is in the range 0.3-1.5:1.
4. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water entraining compound is selected from a group consisting of a saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acid, an ester and a carbonyl compound.
5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the water entraining compound is methyl propionate or methyl methacrylate.
6. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio of water entraining compound to formaldehyde in the base of the column is in the range 5:1-20:1 by mass.
7. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a liquid sidestream containing the greater part of the water contained in said formaldehyde solution is withdrawn from the distillation process.
8. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said process is integrated with a further process so that the formaldehyde-containing product is supplied directly to said further process.
9. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said further process is a process for the production of methyl methacrylate.
10. A process for the production of methyl methacrylate by the reaction of formaldehyde with methyl propionate in the presence of methanol and of a suitable catalyst, wherein said formaldehyde comprises a formaldehyde-containing product produced from a formaldehyde solution by means of distilling said formaldehyde solution in the presence of methyl propionate, wherein said formaldehyde solution contains methanol at a molar ratio of methanol to formaldehyde of 0.3-1.5:1 and wherein the formaldehyde-containing product contains substantially less water than said formaldehyde solution.
11. A formaldehyde containing product produced from an aqueous formaldehyde solution feedstock which contains a greater concentration of water than said formaldehyde containing product, said product being obtained by distilling said aqueous formaldehyde solution with a water entraining compound.
12. A formaldehyde containig product as claimed in claim 11, wherein the watrer entraining compound is selected from the group consisting of a saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acid, an ester and a carbonyl compound.
13. A formaldehyde containing product as claimed in claim 12, wherein the water entraining compound is methyl propionate or methyl methacrylate.