Pretreatment systems for biofuels
Demand for advanced biofuels from edible, inedible, and recycled fats and oils is rapidly increasing. Hydrotreated vegetable oil biofuel (HVO) now surpasses traditional biodiesel (FAME), delivering cleaner, higher-quality renewable diesel suitable even for jet fuel. Alfa Laval pretreatment for biofuels systems streamlines feedstock preparation, improves yields, minimizes impurities, and keeps your plant running efficiently – regardless of feedstock type.
Why choose Alfa Laval for biofuel production
- Decades of experience processing edible, inedible and recycled oils
- Flexible systems that handle diverse feedstocks
- Optimized yields and reduced energy consumption
From initial pretreatment to transesterification or HVO pathways, Alfa Laval supports every step of biofuel production. Our HVO pretreatment systems combine advanced separation and thermal technologies to remove impurities and ensure consistent quality, even with variable feedstocks.
For biodiesel production, Alfa Laval also provides key thermal and separation technologies for transesterification, washing, drying, and purification. For hydrotreated vegetable oil biofuel, Alfa Laval welded heat exchangers and high-efficiency equipment maximize energy efficiency during pretreatment and hydroprocessing. Explore Alfa Laval's key heat exchangers, separators, and mixers here.
What is the pretreatment process in a biofuels system?
It begins by heating and conditioning the feedstock, which then passes through Alfa Laval separators to remove phospholipids, metals, and water. Depending on the downstream process – transesterification for FAME or hydro processing for HVO – additional steps such as neutralization, adsorption, or deacidification may be applied to ensure a stable, clean feedstock.
Why choose Alfa Laval biofuels systems?
Our systems handle edible, inedible, and waste oils with maximum efficiency. Whether you need a modular solution or a custom pretreatment system, Alfa Laval helps remove phospholipids, chlorides, metals, water, and, if required, free fatty acids. Doing so ensures your feedstock meets the quality requirements for the production of HVO biofuels or biodiesels (FAME).
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Talk to us about pretreatment of vegetable oils prior to biodiesel production by filling in the form below.
For biofuel processing, our experts are delighted to assist you here.
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