The increasing use of used cooking oils and waste animal fats as feedstocks gives the challenge of higher levels of soaps or phospholipids, glycerol and trace metals that need to be removed as part of the refining process.

Typically, this is done during a filtration stage via the addition of a synthetic amorphous silica gel or a magnesium silicate. These products have excellent adsorption characteristics but are poor filter aids, causing premature filter blockage and reduced refining capacity. Often, a diatomite filter aid is added to compensate and to keep the filter bed “open”. While this achieves the required increase in filtration capacity, it also adds process complexity and results in additionally spent filter cake and associated oil loss.

Our solution is CynerSorb diatomite, a two-in-one solution to replace silica gels and magnesium silicates in the refining process. CynerSorb diatomite uses a diatomite filter aid “base”, meaning it has all the filtration characteristics of a diatomite. However, our engineers have successfully surface-engineered the individual diatomite particles so they also provide the necessary adsorption functionality. As a result, CynerSorb diatomite can be used as a two-in-one solution fulfilling both the absorption and filtration functions.

Key benefits:

- Reduces oil losses

- High soaps removal

- Removes metals and polar contaminants

- Reduces filter aid usage vs. conventional materials

- Lengthens cycle times

- Increases flow rates

- Reduces spent filter cake disposal