Oleochemicals and Biochemicals Industry
Sulzer provides advanced separation technologies for the purification of oleochemicals, platform biochemicals, and lignocellulosic chemicals. Our unique expertise is combining superior product purity with exceptional heat-efficiency.
Through innovative methods like advanced heat integration and electrified distillation, we slash your energy consumption and costs, all while delivering the highest purity products. Achieve your most demanding performance and sustainability targets with our scalable and robust solutions.
Main applications of oleochemical & biochemical industry
Oleochemicals
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Fatty acids & fatty alcohols
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Fatty acids esters
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Specialty oleos
Platform chemicals
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Organic acids (lactic, succinic)
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Alcohols (BDO, butanol)
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Polyols (glycerol, ethylene glycol)
Lignocellulosic chemicals
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5-HMF
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Furfural
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Acetic acid
Enabling High-Purity, High-Value Oleochemical Production
Oleochemicals are the essential, bio-based building blocks for countless consumer and industrial products, where value is defined by purity, color, and stability. Sulzer is a global leader in providing advanced process solutions for the purification of the entire oleochemical value chain. From fatty acids and fatty alcohols to specialty esters, amines, and high-purity glycerol, our technologies are designed to deliver superior product quality while maximizing energy efficiency and operational reliability.
Mastering the Oleochemical Purification Challenge
Unrivaled Expertise in Fatty Acid & Fatty Alcohol Purification
We deliver superior purity for core oleochemicals like fatty acids and fatty alcohols, a capability proven in over 200 reference plants worldwide thanks to our state-of-the-art packing and column internals. Our flexible partnership models allow us to provide complete basic engineering packages and key equipment, or to work seamlessly alongside leading technology companies and EPCs to ensure your project's success.
A Full Spectrum of Technology for Specialty Esters & Oleos
Achieving colorless, odor-free, and highly stable specialty esters demands versatile and precise separation. Sulzer offers a full range of separation technologies from distillation and evaporation to liquid-liquid extraction and stripping to meet the most stringent product specifications. Our expertise extends to other complex oleochemicals, including amines, refined glycerol, and other specialty acids or alcohols.
Innovation with Licensed Reactive Distillation Technology
Pushing the boundaries of process intensification, we offer a licensed reactive distillation technology for the production of isopropyl myristate (IPM), isopropyl palmitate (IPP), and isopropyl laurate (IPL). This innovative process combines reaction and separation into a single, highly efficient step, significantly reducing capital investment and energy consumption while delivering exceptional product purity.
Tailored Process Solutions for a Competitive Edge in Oleochemicals
Sulzer offers tailored process solutions built around our proprietary separation equipment. Our unique strength lies in combining maximum product purity with outstanding energy efficiency, using advanced heat integration and robust designs that handle the specific challenges of oleochemical processing. Whether you are debottlenecking an existing plant or building a new state-of-the-art facility, our scalable and reliable solutions help you produce high-value oleochemicals that meet the strictest market demands for quality and sustainability.
Our solutions for oleochemical & biochemical industry
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Explore some of our references for oleochemical & biochemical industry
United States
Succeeding in bio‑based platform chemical manufacturing
Challenge:
Entering the fast‑growing market of bio‑based platform chemicals requires producing large volumes of high‑purity intermediates at competitive cost.
Solution:
Sulzer provided advanced separation and purification technologies tailored to bio‑based feedstocks, including flexible low‑temperature systems that prevent product degradation while maximizing energy efficiency.
Technology:
Results:
Enabled reliable production of high‑purity bio‑based platform chemicals, improved process economics, reduced operational costs, and accelerated market entry for biopolymers, organic acids, bio‑alcohols, and furans.
Portugal
Transforming cellulose waste into profitable resources
Challenge:
A cellulose producer needed to reduce the environmental impact of wastewater containing highly diluted acetic acid and furfural, while converting these byproducts into valuable resources for resale or biofuel use.
Solution:
Sulzer delivered a customized liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) solution based on a world-scale Kühni™ extraction column (3 m diameter), supported by seven skid-mounted distillation columns. The process was fully validated through extensive pilot testing using real wastewater at Sulzer’s Allschwil facility, enabling a guaranteed performance.
Technology:
Results:
Successfully recovered high-purity acetic acid and furfural from wastewater, significantly improving environmental performance while creating a new revenue stream.
150+ Years Experience
Proven track record in chemical process engineering and equipment manufacturing.
Global Presence
Worldwide support network with local expertise and rapid response capabilities.
Quality Assurance
ISO certified processes and rigorous quality control for reliable, safe operations.