Choosing The Right Pump For Biofuels Processing

As the appreciation of the environmental and economic benefits of these ‘alternative’ fuels spreads, so does the need for a better understanding of how to improve and enhance the production processes associated with producing a range of biofuels.

Pumps are an essential component within all liquids processing applications and the same applies to the production of biodiesel. MICHAEL SMITH ENGINEERS, one of the UK’s leading fluids handling specialists, offer a wide range of suitable pumps and more importantly, first-hand experience from having supplied a number of biodiesel manufacturers with pumps. Many of the pumps they have supplied for biodiesel applications are of a sealless design, essentially due to the requirements for leak-free pumping by their customers. However, they have also supplied lower cost, mechanically sealed pumps to some small scale producers, with less stringent requirements.

The basis of biodiesel production involves mixing vegetable oil with methanol and a catalyst (for example, sodium methoxide) together with sulphuric acid, for pH correction, and a transesterification reaction to produce biodiesel and glycerine as a commercially viable bi-product.

On ‘packaged type’ plants many of the pumping duties involve the combination of low flow and relatively high pressures and gear pumps, such as the Liquiflo range, have been proven to be ideal for these applications. For transferring larger flows at lower pressures, centrifugal pumps, such as the Dickow KM Series, have been preferred.

Dickow pumps have proven effective in pumping vegetable oils, methanol, crude and refined biodiesel and hot bottoms liquor. Diaphragm dosing pumps have been supplied for accurate metering of sodium methoxide and sulphuric acid for pH correction.

The off-skid feedstock pumps, used for duties such as tanker loading and unloading, usually operate on much higher flows at relatively low pressures. Dickow pumps have proven successful as sealless leak free pumps for these duties, handling methanol, refined and unrefined oil, biodiesel, glycerine and water.

Smaller, lower cost biofuels process installations have been supplied with Thompson KC Series pumps in PVDF to ensure ATEX certification and these have successfully transferred vegetable oil, methanol and biodiesel at relatively low pressures and low flows.

About Michael Smith Engineers

Established in 1971, Michael Smith Engineers are one of the UK’s leading pump and pumping systems suppliers. Thanks to their specialist knowledge and experience in seal-less pump technology, they are in an ideal position to advise companies on choosing the best pump for a range of biofuel processing duties. They are ISO9000 accredited for the distribution of specialist pumping equipment which is supported by their extensive in-house design and engineering capability, fully equipped work shops, test-bed facilities, in-house and on-site repairs, servicing and trouble-shooting.