Hydrochloric Acid Metering Pump

Production of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester)

VANE-MAG^® MP/MPA - corrosion-resistant and magnetically coupled rotary vane pumps made of stainless steel or non-metallic materials for the conveying of biodiesel or catalysts.

TEF-MAG^® - corrosion-resistant and magnetically coupled external gear pumps made of non-metallic materials for the conveying of biodiesel or catalysts.

MARCH dosing pumps of the TEF-MAG^® and VANE-MAG^® series can be found in biodiesel plants of AirLiquide, formerly Lurgi AG, and JJ-Lurgi Engineering worldwide. Biodiesel is produced from animal or vegetable fats and oils. The process of producing biodiesel is called transesterification, where the triglycerides in the fats and oils are converted into biodiesel (fatty acid alkyl esters) and glycerol by reacting with an alcohol and a catalyst. The most common alcohols used in transesterification are methanol or ethanol. The catalyst can be either a basic catalyst such as sodium or potassium hydroxide or an acidic catalyst such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

The process of producing biodiesel consists of several steps. First, the fatty acids are separated from the oils or fats by adding caustic soda. Then, the alcohol (e.g. methanol) is mixed with the catalyst and then introduced into the oil. During the reaction, glycerol is separated and collected as a byproduct. The biodiesel is separated and cleaned from the remaining alcohol and catalyst by washing with water. The resulting biodiesel can then be used as fuel in diesel engines.

Pump design

For the injection of the catalyst into the reactor, dosing pumps are usually used as they allow for precise dosing of the catalyst. A differential pressure of up to 10 bar is required for the injection of the catalyst into the reactor. The required flow rate varies depending on the size of the biodiesel plant. Flow rates between 50 and 1000 l/h are usually required in larger industrial plants.

The VANE-MAG^® and TEF-MAG^® series from MARCH PUMPEN combines the good dosing ability of rotary displacement pumps, chemical resistance through the use of completely non-metallic materials, as well as leak-free operation through the use of magnetic coupling technology. All pumps in these series are also fully electrically conductive according to ATEX 2014/34/EU for the ATEX Zone 1 and/or 2.

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