The process technology behind our plants.
Ultrasonic reactors and the MSA esterification process are IncBio's own. Our distillation systems and modular plant designs are engineered in-house. For HEFA/SAF hydrotreating we work on Axens process technology.
Ultrasonic reactors
IncBio has developed and built its own industrial ultrasonic reactors since 2008, in batch and continuous-flow configurations, ATEX-compliant for hazardous areas. Ultrasonic cavitation produces intense micro-mixing and emulsification at the point where two immiscible phases must react — which is exactly the limiting step in transesterification, esterification, degumming and neutralisation.
The reactors are plug-in units: they are designed into new plants, and retrofitted into existing ones without changing the plant's process concept.
Applications: biodiesel transesterification and esterification; degumming; neutralisation; oil extraction.
References
- Ultrasonic esterification plant in operation, Portugal
- 4 MT/h ultrasonic esterification plant under construction, Pakistan
- 120,000 t/yr ultrasonic reactor retrofit, South America (2014)
- Ultrasonic plants in Colombia, Greece and Tunisia
MSA ultrasonic esterification
A continuous esterification process using methanesulfonic acid catalysis, intensified in ultrasonic reactors, that converts any FFA blend to biodiesel in a single step. Fully containerised; from 2 MT/h. Described on the Biodiesel page →
Distillation and separation
- 01Tray and packed columns
Methanol recovery and rectification, fatty-acid distillation, solvent recovery.
- 02Multi-column distillation systems
Custom-engineered trains for complex liquid refining.
- 03Wiped film evaporators
Short-path, high-vacuum distillation for biodiesel and heat-sensitive products.
- 04Fatty-acid fractionation and hydrogenation
References: multi-column distillation refinery for BGW BioGreen Woods — engineering completed; methanol distillation column, Spain (commissioned 2024); methanol rectification column, Curaçao (2022); biodiesel distillation within the Colombia 80,000 t/yr plant.
Vacuum evaporation combined with fractional distillation — the figure that decides a biodiesel plant's methanol cost.
Built in the shop, connected on site
Our plants are built as skid-mounted modules, assembled and tested in the shop before shipment, with single-point utility and feed connections on site. The MSA biodiesel plant is fully containerised. Modular design shortens site work, keeps quality control in the shop, and lets a plant be expanded by adding modules rather than rebuilding.
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