Inside BioFlux™ TPT: The Thermal Chemistry That Makes FOGs Hydrotreating‑Ready
- cemnar0
- Sep 19
- 2 min read
Introduction — From Triglycerides to Hydrotreating-Ready Feed
FOGs are chemically complex. Conventional pretreatment struggles to make them uniform enough for hydrotreaters especially when metals, phosphorus, and chlorides are high. BioFlux™ TPT thermally converts these feeds: triglycerides become free fatty acids (FFAs) and PIONAs, contaminants are radically reduced, and oxygen is substantially removed before hydrotreating.
Core Mechanism — Thermal Cracking with Purpose
Triglyceride Conversion
BioFlux™ drives near‑complete conversion of triglycerides into FFAs and PIONAs. This improves feed uniformity, reduces coking risk, and preconditions molecules for hydrotreating reactions.
Oxygen Removal and Hydrogen Savings
Removing up to 50% of oxygen in pretreatment directly reduces hydrogen demand downstream. Less hydrogen consumption yields lower OPEX and lower carbon intensity, while maintaining hydrotreating throughput and reliability.
Contaminant Management — Protecting the Hydrotreater
Metals: Up to 96% reduction
Phosphorus: Up to 99% reduction
Chlorides: Up to 99.9% reduction
This protects catalysts, stabilizes operation, and reduces unplanned downtime risks in hydroprocessing.
Equipment & Materials — Designed for Refinery Reality
No catalyst required in pretreatment.
No exotic metallurgy—uses standard refinery equipment.
Seamless integration with hydrotreating and hydrogen generation.
Modular options accelerate deployment.
Performance Envelope — Hard Feedstocks, Real Results
BioFlux™ handles used cooking oil, distillers corn oil, soybean oil, palm by‑products, and high‑impurity animal fats, including Category 1 tallow which conventional pretreatment cannot reliably prepare for hydrotreating.
Why It Matters for SAF Quality and Yield
Cleaner, more uniform feed going into the hydrotreater.
Hydrogen consumption reductions support lower CI SAF.
Renewable naphtha by‑product enables additional revenue.
Coprocessing compatibility helps scale SAF volumes quickly.
FAQ
Q1: What reaction pathways are key?
A: Thermal cracking and deoxygenation dominate, converting triglycerides to FFAs and PIONAs and removing oxygen to ease hydrotreating.
Q2: How does contaminant removal protect assets?
A: Large drops in metals, phosphorus, and chlorides protect hydrotreating catalysts, exchangers, and reactors, maintaining on‑stream performance.
Q3: Does BioFlux™ need catalysts or exotic metallurgy?
A: No catalyst is required for pretreatment; the system uses standard refinery equipment—no exotic metallurgy.
Q4: What’s proven at scale?
A: A 10 kt/a demonstration plant in Jackson, Mississippi confirms technology readiness.
Q5: How does PIONA formation help?
A: Creating PIONAs and FFAs simplifies downstream reactions, reduces hydrogen requirements, and improves hydrotreater stability.
Ready to Optimize Your SAF Production?
Contact our engineering team today to discuss your project and learn how BioFlux™ Thermal Pretreatment can unlock low-cost feedstocks, reduce hydrogen consumption, and improve your economics.
