TFA Reduction in Crude Glycerine
Scouting and ranking next-generation technologies for a global oleochemical refiner to upgrade crude glycerine into high-value feed- and pharma-grade products.
Client
Global Oleochemical Refiner
Objective
Drop TFA from 10% to <0.5%
Timeline
10-Week Program
Key Focus
Energy Efficiency & Purity
The Challenge: Upgrading a Low-Value Byproduct
Crude glycerine, a major byproduct of biodiesel production, is laden with contaminants like Total Free Fatty Acids (TFA). High TFA levels block this stream from higher-value markets.
Conventional purification methods like vacuum distillation are effective but consume enormous amounts of energy (>1,000 kWh/tonne) and can generate high-salinity waste. The objective was to find a more efficient and sustainable process.
The Outcome: Six Priority Technologies
Our 6-phase analysis, which included SME interviews and process modeling, identified six priority technologies that could meet the client's stringent purity and energy-reduction targets.
- Fixed-bed solid-acid esterification
- Heteropoly-acid catalysed reactive distillation
- Organic-solvent nanofiltration
- Clay-adsorbent polishing
- Enzymatic esterification with immobilised lipase
- Hybrid membrane-ion exchange train
Strategic Impact
The refiner selected the solid-acid reactive-distillation concept for pilot installation. Successful scale-up will upgrade 45% of its crude glycerine stream to feed-grade quality, capturing a higher-margin market and reducing wastewater treatment loads by 70%.
40%
Energy Reduction
Below current plant baseline, with a projected payback period of <3 years.