FLOTTWEG SEPARATION TECHNOLOGYFOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL

Our separation technologyfor your successProfit from our long experience. We havebeen supporting our customers sincethe beginning of the biodiesel industry.We offer:

• Components to process raw materialswith complex compositions such as animal fats, used cooking oil etc.

• Components to process bypassstreams in biodiesel processes (glycerine processing, salt recovery,distillation residuals, etc.)

• Customized system solutions to increase yields, to optimize sub-processes, to increase productquality

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ALTERNATIVE FUELS HAVE GOOD PROSPECTSProfit from them, too!

Biodiesel is a fuel produced from natural fats and oils. Its raw materials

are mainly vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil,

jatropha oil, etc. Also by-products such as animal fats, used cooking

oil, and oil from grease separators are increasingly converted into pre-

cious biodiesel. In addition to an even better CO2 balance, also this fuel

can be refined with help from the right separation technology and thus

comply with the strictest quality standards.

Biodiesel is used in place of conventional diesel fuel, thus reducing our

dependency on fossil fuels. Depending on the origin and quality of the

raw material, there are different production processes. Biodiesel is

produced when triglyceride, which is a major component of natural fats

and oils, is converted into fatty acid ester. This transesterification

reaction takes place with the addition of alcohol (mostly methanol) with

a catalyst. The products from the transesterification reaction such as

fatty acid ester (=biodiesel, generally methyl ester) and glycerine water

are, through various process steps, brought into compliance with the

required purity.

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EFFICIENCY IN ALL PROCESS STEPS

Optimize yourprocess usingstate-of-the-artcentrifuge tech-nology

• Remove impurities be-fore transesterificationfor a better quality ofthe biodiesel and theby-products

• Increase separation ef-ficiency during glycer-ine clarification andbiodiesel washing

• Efficiently separatesterol glycosides inorder to avoid depositsand filter problems

OPTIO

NSU

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TREA

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PROC

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sterol glycoside separation

reaction (transesterification)

drying

BIOD

IESE

L TR

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glycerine separation

glycerine processing

glycerine & salts

methanol and catalyst

glycerine / water

biodiesel washing

biodiesel

final clarification

pre-clarification

TREA

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MAT

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RAW MATERIAL

BY-PRODUCTS

pre-treatment (e.g. oil refining)

wate

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Process steps during biodiesel production

® = registered trademark in various countriesThe picture shows rapeseed cultivation

MAXIMUM PROFITThe purer the raw material, the better the final product

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Raw materials from plants and animals may contain varying quantities

of undesired impurities depending on their origin, storage, and process-

ing. These impurities may result in disruptions during further treatment

and may constrain the efficiency of your system.

The right separation technology ensures that the impurities are already

removed during pre-treatment, before biodiesel transesterification, and

therefore your process runs optimally.

Your benefits

• Impurities are removed in order to im-prove the quality of biodiesel and itsby-products

• Optimal grease removal from the solids• Customized components are also

available to upgrade existing processes

®FLOTTWEG TRICANTER

FLOTTWEG DISC STACKCENTRIFUGES

greaves

water

clarified fat

buffer tank

water

M

solids

raw fat

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The processing of raw materials with used cooking fat/animal fat as an example

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THE BIODIESEL REACTION PROCESS

THE BIODIESEL GLYCERINESEPARATIONDuring the triglyceride transesterification, glycer-

ine is split off. In order to achieve maximum trans -

esterification efficiency, the glycerine generated

should be removed as quickly and as completely

as possible. Disc stack centrifuges have efficiently

proving themselves at this task for decades. The

separated glycerine water mixture can be

processed as raw material in the pharmaceutical

and cosmetic industries (see page 7).

BIODIESEL WASHINGDepending on the raw material and the catalyst

used, the biodiesel may still contain a consider-

able amount of impurities after transesterification.

These may be washed out with water and sub-

sequently removed using a disc stack centrifuge.

By means of this washing, product quality may

yet again be increased considerably.

Your benefits

• Highly efficient separation using the FLOTTWEG DISC STACK CENTRIFUGE

• Minimum power consumption• High purity and quality• Explosion-proof in accordance with area classification• All components have gas tight construction and are purged

with nitrogen

® = registered trademark in various countriesThe picture shows sunflower cultivation

reaction(transesterification)

glycerinebiodiesel for washing

solidimpurities

biodieselglycerine

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biodieselwashing

watersoap

biodiesel

solidimpurities

water

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THE BIODIESEL REACTION PROCESS

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BIODIESEL FINE CLARIFICATIONAfter biodiesel washing, one of the last steps is

to remove any remaining water by using, for

example, vacuum dryers. Depending on the raw

material and the process, it may be reasonable

to clean (“polish”) the dried biodiesel further using

a disc stack centrifuge. Remaining impurities are

removed and thus product quality is increased.

REMOVAL OF STEROL GLYCOSIDESUnder certain conditions, especially if palm or

soy oil is the raw material, sterol glycosides may

be precipitated in the biodiesel. If these kinds of

oils are processed, additional maintenance on

the production system may be necessary. In the

worst case these sediments may lead to expen-

sive breakdowns of the system. Disc stack cen-

trifuges can provide a substantial improvement,

by efficiently removing such sediments.

• “Polish” your final product• Remove the last traces of solids• Comply with strictest quality standards• Also available as a skid mounted unit

• Efficiently remove sterol glycosidesusing the FLOTTWEG DISC STACKCENTRIFUGE

• Highest product quality• Certainty in fulfilling quality standards

biodiesel

“polished”biodiesel

solids

drying

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Before and after fine clarification

Before and after removal of thesterol glycoside sediment

biodiesel containingsterol glycosides

purifiedbiodiesel

sterol glycosides

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The picture shows palm fruits

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TREATMENT OF BY-PRODUCTSGlycerine processing and salt washing

® = registered trademark in various countries

The reaction products and by-products from biodiesel production can

also be recovered with further processing. Besides glycerine it is also

possible to recover the used salt in high purity. This precious raw

material may later be used as fertilizer. Methanol and water are sepa-

rated thermally and can be re-introduced into the production process.

Features

• Efficient mechanical separation – high cake dryness in the recovered salt

• Protection of the drying systems – salt is efficiently removed

• Sturdy design, easy operation

Feed

Solids from the TRICANTER®

Solids from the DECANTER

free fatty acids(FFA)

raw glycerine

salt andimpurities

methanol

pure glycerine

water

purifiedsalt

glycerinewatermethanol

Salt Washing

Glycerine Processingacid

methanol

mixingtank

TRICANTER®FLOTTWEG

Glycerine Processingwashingdestillation / rectification

FLOTTWEG DECANTER

pre-purified glycerine

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Glycerine processing and salt washing

FLOTTWEG DECANTERS AND TRICANTERS®

A convincing technology

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Profit from our long experience in centrifuge

manufacturing. FLOTTWEG CENTRIFUGES are

well established with renowned biodiesel manu-

facturers and plant construction companies.

Profit from our reliable and innovative separation

technology!

Features

• FLOTTWEG adjustable impeller – quick and fine adjustmentto varying production conditions

• FLOTTWEG oil-air (oil mist) lubrication- Optimal quantity of fresh lubrication oil- Minimal bearing temperature and maximal lifetime- Minimal energy consumption- Simple and compact – nearly maintenance free

• FLOTTWEG SIMP-DRIVE® - automatic adjustment to varying feed loads

• Minimal power consumption• Product wetted parts in high quality stainless steel• High-quality wear protection

feed

solids discharge light liquid phase discharge by gravity

heavy liquid phasedischarge

under pressure

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FLOTTWEG TRICANTER®

feed

solids discharge

liquids dischargeunder pressure

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FLOTTWEG DECANTER

® = registered trademark in various countries

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TECHNICAL DATA

* The listed figures are to be understood as guidelines. Actual capacity will depend on the individual characteristics of the feed product.

TECHNICAL DATA OF FLOTTWEG DECANTERS AND TRICANTERS®

Model Z23-3 Z4E-3 Z4E-4 Z5E-4 Z6E-4Materials of construction All product wetted parts are made of high grade stainless steel such as DIN1,4463 (Duplex) and 1,4571 (AISI 316Ti)

Dimensions* (L x W x H) 1615 x 985 x 600 mm 3224 x 1000 x 1200 mm 3736 x 1000x 1200 mm 4524 x 1564 x 1200 5147 x 1705 x 1500 mm

Gross weight* 760 kg 2600 kg 3000 kg 6200 kg 9230 kg

Motor for bowl drive 11 kW 22 kW 22 kW 55 kW 75 kW

Motor for scroll drive – 7.5 kW 7.5 kW 15 kW 18.5 kWFLOTTWEG SIMP-DRIVE®

Flow rate* 1.0 m³/h 5.0 m³/h 7.5 m³/h 15.0 m³/h 20.0 m³/h

Optional Available also for installation in explosion hazard areas Class I, Division 2, Group D or ATEX 95 Zone I with inertization and Zone II (for Europe)

The FLOTTWEG CENTRIFUGES mentioned here are available as DECANTERS for two-phase separation or as TRICANTERS® for three-phase separation.

The picture shows a scroll in the decanter bowl

FLOTTWEG DISC STACK CENTRIFUGESEfficient and reliable

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Features

• Self-cleaning bowl – no need for manual cleaning • FLOTTWEG SoftShot® – unique bowl discharge system

- Precise partial discharges – minimum loss of liquids, high yields

- No discharge bang – reduced bowl charge, reduced wear• Modular, sturdy design –

high availability, easy maintenance, reduced operating costs

• Minimum energy consumption• Product wetted parts made out of stainless and

acid-proof steel

feed

solids discharge

liquid discharge

clarificationliquid discharge

light phase liquid dischargeheavy phase

feed

solids discharge

separation

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FLOTTWEG CLARIFIERS (two phase separation) and SEPARATORS (three phase separation)

* The listed figures are to be understood as guidelines. Actual capacity will depend on the individual characteristics of the feed product.

TECHNICAL DATA OF FLOTTWEG DISC STACK CENTRIFUGESModel AC1000 AC1500 AC2000 AC2500

Materials of construction All product wetted parts are made of high grade stainless steel such as1.4418, 1.4501, 1.4462 (Duplex), 1.4571 (AISI 316Ti) and 1.4404

Dimensions* (L x W x H) 900 x 500 x 1000 mm 1500 x 1000 x 1800 mm 1500 x 1000 x 1900 mm 2050 x 1260 x 1900 mm

Gross weight* 415 kg 1750 kg 2410 kg 3450 kg

Motor for bowl drive 5.5 kW 18.5 kW 37 kW 55 kW

Flow rate* 2000 l/h 8000 l/h 18000 l/h 32000 l/h

Optional Available also for installation in explosion hazard areas Class I, Division 2, Group D or ATEX 95 Zone I with inertization and Zone II (for Europe)

The FLOTTWEG CENTRIFUGES mentioned here are available as clarifiers for two-phase separation and as separators for three-phase separation.

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ATEX AND PURGING WITH INERT GASOur know-how for optimal safety

In process steps where methanol is present, explosion hazardous gas

suspensions may develop. The explosion risk can be eliminated by re-

placing air with inert gas, which is nitrogen in most cases. FLOTTWEG

CENTRIFUGES comply with ATEX 95 standards (for Europe) and IEC

for Class I, Division 2 and Group D.

Advantages

• DECANTERS, TRICANTERS®, and DISC STACK CENTRIFUGES may alsobe used in explosion hazardous areas

• Automatic centrifuge monitoring forsafe operation

• Quality “Made in Germany” FLOTTWEG premium products are andwill continue to be designed and manu-factured in Germany. All individualparts and components, as well as eachcomplete centrifuge are subject to ourstrict test criteria.

• Flottweg is ISO 9001 certified and manufactures its products in compliance with all current technicalstandards.

Inert gas purge unit

FLOTTWEG AFTER-SALES SUPPORTEven the best machinery needs to be maintained

and serviced. Over many decades, FLOTTWEG

has established a worldwide service network con-

sisting of representatives, branch offices and its

own subsidiaries to provide our customers with

localized service and spare parts. Our service

engineers and technicians are qualified for any

kind of installation, commissioning, repair and

maintenance.FLOTTWEG service technicians are always available for you

® = registered trademark in various countries

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11Flottweg SEIndustriestraße 6-884137 VilsbiburgDeutschland (Germany)

Tel.: + 49 8741 301-0Fax: + 49 8741 301-300

mail@flottweg.comwww.flottweg.com

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