Rentech, Inc Selects Honeywell UOP’s Fuel Processing Technology for Bio-diesel Production

UOP LLC, a Honeywell company engaged in the production of green fuel from natural feedstock, has declared the selection of its fuel processing technology by Rentech, Inc, for deployment in its Rialto Renewable Energy Center for converting biomass into fuel for use in transport vehicles.

The proposed renewable energy center at Rialto California will use the hydro processing technology developed by UOP to convert biomass products such as yard and tree trimmings into clean bio-diesel and renewable electric power. The technology will help in the conversion of hydrocarbons into clean bio-diesel. The planned technology will help the center to generate approximately 640 barrels of bio-diesel and 35 MW of base load electric energy to power around 30,000 households every day. Earlier during August 2009, eight airline companies jointly signed a multi year purchase accord with Rentech to procure 1.5 million gallons of bio-diesel from its Rialto Project for the purpose of using it in their ground service equipment used at the Los Angeles International Airport. The Rialto bio-diesel project is expected to commence its commercial production during last part of the year 2012.

The proposed Rentech-SilvaGas biomass gasification system is expected to produce synthesis gas (also called as syngas) from the biomass feedstock, which will be changed to pure hydrocarbons by utilizing a patented Fischer-Tropsch process of Rentech and a catalyst. The ultra clean hydrocarbons are then subjected to the patented Unionfining and Unicracking processes of UOP to improve the carbons into ultra-clean jet or diesel fuel and other by products such as specialty waxes and chemicals.