A Real Catalyst vs. Reactants

Traditional biodiesel “catalysts” are better described as chemical “reactants,” rather than “catalysts,” because they are destroyed during the refining process. Sodium and potassium hydroxides – the most common substances used to transesterify oils and fats into methyl esters - are consumed during production and must be washed out of the biodiesel crude. In addition to being discarded after each batch, caustic reagents must be neutralized with acid before the biodiesel can be recovered and then contaminate the glycerin byproduct with waste salts, which dramatically degrades its commercial value, as well as add costs to the biodiesel process.

Benefuel’s unique dual metal catalyst (DMC) solves the problem of reactant waste and glycerin contamination. The solid catalyst is not consumed during transesterification, eliminating the need for fuel washing – and making Benefuel the first biodiesel company in the world that places no demand on limited water supplies. Typical biodiesel refineries can require up to five gallons of water per gallon of oil feedstock to wash out spent reactant. A Benefuel refinery requires no process water at all.

Due to the unique nature of the DMC, methyl esters produced in a Benefuel refinery can be immediately blended (without washing) with petrodiesel to make biodiesel blends or used directly as the best B100 in the market.

In addition to high-quality biodiesel, Benefuel’s proprietary refineries also produce a 98 to 99 percent pure, technical-grade glycerin that has a multiple number of uses.

An operator choosing to use long-chain alcohols (octane) will be able to make biolubricant base oils – all within the same refinery – which can be blended with petroleum base oils to make biodegradable lubricants for the ever-growing lubricant market. The DMC effectively refines a wide range of oil feedstocks, including both vegetable oils and animal fats with high free fatty acid (FFA) levels.

Continuous Flow, Fixed Bed Reactor

The DMC changes the fundamentals of the biodiesel refining equation, enabling a continuous flow fuel-processing model that is not possible in traditional stirred tank reactors (STRs). STRs convert feedstocks to methyl esters in “batches,” requiring significant labor inputs and stop-and-go production. The continuous flow model streamlines the production process and allows for constant output.

Because of this, a Benefuel refinery does not require manual batch testing for quality assurance. Each Benefuel refinery is continuously monitored cutting labor costs and eliminating down time.