Final Report Summary - GREASOLINE (New Technology for Conversion of Waste Fats to High-Quality Fuels)
GREASOLINE was a process concept to convert waste fats to high-quality, fossil-fuel-like diesel and kerosene fuel. Based on a patent applied by one of the RTD performers, the GREASOLINE process generates hydrocarbons, which are known from fossil diesel fuel, from fatty acids.
As a basis for all practical examinations analytical methods especially for the characterisation of gaseous and fluid products were developed. On one hand an online gas chromatographic procedure for the analysis of gaseous hydrocarbons in the product stream was set up. On the other hand an off-line gas chromatographic method coupled with mass spectroscopy for the analysis of organic compounds in the fluid products was elaborated. In a first practical approach, a lab-scale plant was engineered and built to convert 55 g/h (60 ml/h) of waste fat. Mainly pre-homogenised and pre-filtrated waste fat, delivered by a professional waste fat collector, was used as feedstock. Results of lab-scale experiments were checked with respect to specific parameters on larger scale in the Teterow small technical scale (sts) plant. Process specific parameters like contact time, amount of activated carbon per amount of feed, temperature and process control settings, mixing and preheating evaporated feedstock, steam and inert gas were adjusted and fine-tuned to fit the larger scale. The same batch of waste fat as already employed in lab-scale experiments described was used.
Within the GREASOLINE project, catalytic pyrolysis of waste fats and oils into high-quality fossil-style gasoline- and diesel-type fuel was developed from a concept towards a small technical scale-process by theoretical and via experimental work on lab-scale and pilot-scale. A sts plant was improved and used to produce fuel samples for target clients. Liquid yields of up to 57 wt-% (crude product) (this is 77 % of the theoretical maximum) were achieved. Refining of the crude product via batch distillation led to a clear green, photo-insensitive product. A larger sts plant to convert up to 3 kg/h of waste fats was engineered and components were built and assembled. It is ready to be operated after preliminary testing of the control and emergency systems and other minor fine-tuning activities are finished up. Preliminary cost assessment indicates that GREASOLINE plants can be operated economically at a scale of some 1 000 - 10 000 tons per year. No risky scale up of unknown unit operations, not yet known to those skilled in the art, is required to be able to operate at larger scale. However, catalyst lifetime and cost, steam supply ratio and raw material feed ratio, in terms of kg feed per kg catalyst, may need adaptation and fine tuning to maintain an economical optimum or to even reach an economical viable operation.
Theory and experiments clearly showed that especially the waste fats and oils of poor quality, i.e. those displaying a high content of free fatty acids, are an ideal low-cost feedstock for GREASOLINE plants. Thus, the technology contributes to bio-based fuel supply without touching food resources. Apart from this ethics- and sustainability-impact, European SMEs will be enabled to engage themselves in the production of plants for a world-wide biofuels market as well as in advanced fuel production. A strong impact on Europe's ecology and SME competitiveness will be ensured, resulting even in an export of the technology beyond the EU's borders.
Far more than 60 different dissemination activities were performed, ranging from scientific journal articles to a TV-edutainment-sequence in national-wide broadcasted TV.
As a basis for all practical examinations analytical methods especially for the characterisation of gaseous and fluid products were developed. On one hand an online gas chromatographic procedure for the analysis of gaseous hydrocarbons in the product stream was set up. On the other hand an off-line gas chromatographic method coupled with mass spectroscopy for the analysis of organic compounds in the fluid products was elaborated. In a first practical approach, a lab-scale plant was engineered and built to convert 55 g/h (60 ml/h) of waste fat. Mainly pre-homogenised and pre-filtrated waste fat, delivered by a professional waste fat collector, was used as feedstock. Results of lab-scale experiments were checked with respect to specific parameters on larger scale in the Teterow small technical scale (sts) plant. Process specific parameters like contact time, amount of activated carbon per amount of feed, temperature and process control settings, mixing and preheating evaporated feedstock, steam and inert gas were adjusted and fine-tuned to fit the larger scale. The same batch of waste fat as already employed in lab-scale experiments described was used.
Within the GREASOLINE project, catalytic pyrolysis of waste fats and oils into high-quality fossil-style gasoline- and diesel-type fuel was developed from a concept towards a small technical scale-process by theoretical and via experimental work on lab-scale and pilot-scale. A sts plant was improved and used to produce fuel samples for target clients. Liquid yields of up to 57 wt-% (crude product) (this is 77 % of the theoretical maximum) were achieved. Refining of the crude product via batch distillation led to a clear green, photo-insensitive product. A larger sts plant to convert up to 3 kg/h of waste fats was engineered and components were built and assembled. It is ready to be operated after preliminary testing of the control and emergency systems and other minor fine-tuning activities are finished up. Preliminary cost assessment indicates that GREASOLINE plants can be operated economically at a scale of some 1 000 - 10 000 tons per year. No risky scale up of unknown unit operations, not yet known to those skilled in the art, is required to be able to operate at larger scale. However, catalyst lifetime and cost, steam supply ratio and raw material feed ratio, in terms of kg feed per kg catalyst, may need adaptation and fine tuning to maintain an economical optimum or to even reach an economical viable operation.
Theory and experiments clearly showed that especially the waste fats and oils of poor quality, i.e. those displaying a high content of free fatty acids, are an ideal low-cost feedstock for GREASOLINE plants. Thus, the technology contributes to bio-based fuel supply without touching food resources. Apart from this ethics- and sustainability-impact, European SMEs will be enabled to engage themselves in the production of plants for a world-wide biofuels market as well as in advanced fuel production. A strong impact on Europe's ecology and SME competitiveness will be ensured, resulting even in an export of the technology beyond the EU's borders.
Far more than 60 different dissemination activities were performed, ranging from scientific journal articles to a TV-edutainment-sequence in national-wide broadcasted TV.
