The better HVO and SAF pretreatment
GEA Pre2Fuel - Because less is more
HVOs (hydrated vegetable oils) and SAFs (sustainable aviation fuels) are direct fuel substitutes made from oils and fats of vegetable or animal origin. Through hydrotreatment, the original raw materials are transformed into hydrocarbons which can be blended to i.e. conventional diesel or kerosene to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions.
They can be produced in existing mineral oil or special vegetable oil refineries. Either way, a proper pretreatment is essential because the purity requirements for those biofuels are substantial.
From a sustainability perspective HVO and SAF are especially effective to reduce GHG emissions if waste oils are used as feedstock because they are there anyway. Waste oils can be UCO (used cooking oils), non-food animal fats or POME (palm oil mill effluent) from already existing palm oil productions.
A challenging pretreatment..
In reality, all kinds of feedstocks from side or waste streams are used, usually with a very poor quality due to all sorts and very high degrees of contaminants. At the same time, the specifications from HVO or SAF producers for the pretreatment are in most cases equal or even higher than in the food industry.
In short: we often have the worst oil qualities but the highest purity requirements.
Feedstocks for HVO can be all kinds of oils and fats that usually come in poor quality
... and a revolutionary solution
That’s why the Separation experts from GEA have investigated the conventional pretreatment process and tested a high number of different feedstocks in different qualities. Based on their findings and more than 90 years of experience in edible oil refining as well as biodiesel pretreatment and production, our Separation experts have improved the HVO and SAF pretreatment radically. The result: the new GEA Pre2Fuel process that works completely without bleaching.
No bleaching required
That means GEA Pre2Fuel makes do with only 2 process stages – PE-Filtration and degumming – instead of the conventional three: PE-Filtration, degumming and bleaching. Our process experts have improved the separation efficiency in the degumming stage so drastically that no matter which feedstock in which quality they have tested: GEA Pre2Fuel always showed better results than the conventional pretreatment process.
50 percent less OPEX, 12 percent less CO2
The omission of the bleaching stage brings enormous savings for our customers, not only in terms of OPEX but also in terms of GHG emissions. Pre2Fuel customers benefit from:
- No bleaching earth purchase
- No bleaching earth handling
- No bleaching earth disposal
- No oil losses in spent bleaching earth
- Less CO2 emissions
In short: you don’t have to buy it, you don’t have to deal with it, you don’t have to get rid of it and you don’t lose any valuable oil with it. And on top, it’s good for the environment, too.
Calculations have shown that GEA Pre2Fuel can save up to 50 percent in OPEX and up to 12 percent in CO2eq emissions.
Savings in OPEX and CO2 equivalents with GEA Pre2Fuel compared to conventional HVO / SAF pretreatment with bleaching
Interested?
Let's get in touch
Contact us and let us talk about how we can help you save money and reduce GHG emissions in your HVO or SAF pretreatment project.
Let us arrange tests to engineer the best solution for your GEA Pre2Fuel pretreatment plant.
HVO vs. SAF
Background
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO)
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a type of renewable diesel produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, and other renewable feedstocks through a process called hydrotreatment. A significant portion of HVO is also derived from waste products such as Used Cooking Oil (UCO). Unlike traditional biodiesel, HVO has a similar chemical structure to fossil diesel, making it a drop-in replacement that can be used in existing diesel engines without modification. HVO offers several advantages, including higher energy density, better cold flow properties, and a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional diesel.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an alternative to traditional jet fuel derived from renewable sources such as plant oils, waste fats, and other sustainable feedstocks. SAF is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to improve sustainability of the aviation industry. It can be blended with conventional jet fuel and used in existing aircraft engines, providing a seamless transition to more sustainable aviation practices.
Production Routes for SAF: There are multiple pathways to produce SAF, each utilizing different technologies and feedstocks. The most common are:
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Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Synthesis: Converts syngas derived from biomass or municipal solid waste into liquid hydrocarbons.
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Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ): Converts ethanol or butanol from biomass into jet fuel.
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Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA): Utilizes fats, oils, and greases, which are hydroprocessed to produce jet fuel
GEA Pre2Fuel is the right pretreatment for anyone who decides to produce SAF via the HEFA route.
