Honeywell, an international licensor of processing technology and supplier of engineering services, catalysts and equipment for the global refining and gas processing industries, has introduced a single-stage UOP Ecofining technology offering for the production of renewable diesel fuel.
The company notes the new single-stage technology is a fast-to-market, low capital cost solution that is ideal for repurposing an underutilized hydrotreating or hydrocracking unit, producing higher yields of renewable diesel fuel than other single-stage technologies.
“Interest in renewable fuels production continues to grow as customers work to meet sustainability goals and find new uses for existing assets,” says Ben Owens, vice president and general manager of Honeywell. “The new single-stage Ecofining process can help a refiner meet stricter regulations for sustainable fuels production with significant revenue advantages and minimal equipment and space requirements.”
The single-stage Ecofining process produces Honeywell Green Diesel fuel which is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel and can be used as a drop-in replacement in vehicles with no modifications. It also features up to an 80% lifecycle reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with diesel made from petroleum.
The new process uses a combination of catalysts in a single unit to clean and remove oxygenates and other contaminants from the feedstock and then isomerize the feed to improve its cold-flow properties. Due to its simplified design, the single-stage Ecofining technology can be put into service quickly – with lower capital expense than other designs.
