STT® Biodiesel Application Note

STT® Biodiesel Transesterification Application Note

We have designed and manufactured a complete, pipe-to-pipe biodiesel production unit that includes all of the components necessary to take low FFA feedstock in on one end and deliver ASTM-quality biodiesel out of the other end using the state of the art STT® Technology. The transesterification process takes only ½ second in the STT® reactor in just one pass. This allows the biodiesel and glycerin to be separated quickly and not allow the biodiesel that has been made time to be exposed to the catalyst for long periods of time and the catalyst subsequently converting some of the biodiesel product to soap. This gives the STT® system approximately 2% better yield than conventional systems. Like most chemical manufacturing processes where the feedstock is the majority of the operating cost, improving product yield is essential to profitability.

System Specifications:

• ASTM/EN-quality biodiesel in less than one second reactor residence time
• Only one reactor pass required to meet glyceride specification
• Capacity is 50 Million Gallons per Year
• Simple, waterless, continuous flow process
• Operates at low temperature
• Prebuilt modular skids for simplified placement

Advantages over conventional biodiesel production units:

• Faster time to market – less time to build plant
• Lower plant construction costs
• Smaller footprint providing more site options where space is an issue
• Lower biodiesel production and plant operating costs
• More efficient production technology that consumes less catalyst, uses less energy, produces less soap and requires less downstream processing
• Enables real-time production process monitoring

Full Service Provider

Four Rivers owns and operates a biodiesel plant in Northumberland, UK that processes both virgin oils and waste greases to EN biodiesel specifications. With Four River’s March 2009 acquisition from Kreido Biofuels of the STT® technology, multiple sized engineered specifications and P&IDs, a pre-fabricated 50 million gallon per year biodiesel processing plant, and key technical talent, Four River’s is in a unique position to be a full service provider of biodiesel plants.

• Designs ranging from 1 million gallons per year to 50 million gallons per year biodiesel production capacity
• Permitting expertise
• Program Management expertise in-house
• STT® technology for lower cost and easier operation
• Proprietary demonstrated knowledge and know-how to use waste greases as feedstocks and meet ASTM and EN biodiesel specifications
• Full turn-key solutions can be provided including planning, program management, site erection, and start-up

The STT® process and equipment are covered by multiple patents and patents pending worldwide. STT, Innovator and Magellan are registered trademarks with the USPTO, Hastelloy is a registered trademark of Haynes International, Inc.