Crown introduces new pretreatment system for renewable diesel industry

Oilseed processor Crown has introduced a new pretreatment system for renewable diesel, which doubles hydrotreater catalyst life, yields high output of pretreated product and guarantees product quality specifications with any feedstock.

Through maximising contaminant removal, the company’s renewable diesel pretreatment system delivers clean feedstock to renewable diesel hydrotreaters. The system’s design enables a doubling of the lifespan of hydrotreater catalyst, allowing operators to minimise the downtime associated with catalyst changeovers.

The system has been engineered to handle all contaminants in feedstocks and has been proven to reduce phosphorus to <1ppm for vegetable oil feedstocks and tallows, as well as ensuring the lowest possible levels of polyethylene, metals, chloride and other key contaminants.

Crown’s pretreatment system is backed by the construction of 50 biodiesel plants, the design of six renewable diesel pretreatment plants, in addition to a propriety database of feedstock specifications and results.

The system is additionally optimised to meet renewable diesel industry standards, can be built to API standards, and is adaptable to changing market requirements.

“Crown’s latest innovation is a slam dunk for renewable diesel operators seeking the cleanest possible feedstock for their hydrotreaters,” said Bill Antilla, general manager of Crown Global Companies. “With our expertise in process design engineering, we’ve developed a ‘future-proof’ pretreatment system that’s built to accommodate the widest variety of feedstocks and is easily adapted to suit industry and regulatory changes.

“Crown’s Renewable Diesel Pretreatment System is another shining example of how our Innovation Center is driving industry advancements and helping customers win big by leveraging Crown’s ingenuity to improve their operations.”

Crown’s Innovation Center is a fully functional plant offering controlled, confidential piloting to preparation, extraction, refining, biodiesel, renewable diesel, oleochemical and specialty extraction customers around the world.

The facility, which is the only one of its kind in North America, allows renewable diesel operators to evaluate complex feedstock inputs, test contaminant removal technologies and stay ahead of market shifts.