Alfa Laval offers biofuel-ready separators

Alfa Laval said it is offering fuel separators and separator upgrades that are biofuel-ready for marine applications.

Biofuels are widely seen as a fuel option that can help marine customers decarbonize. Yet while biofuels reduce CO2 footprint, they also pose new operational challenges, Alfa Laval said.

Biofuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) can be used by diesel engines without major engine modifications. They can be a carbon-neutral alternative if produced from the right biomass, but they must still be cleaned effectively to prevent performance issues and expensive engine wear, the company said. In what the company said was a marine industry first, Alfa Laval high-speed separators are now compatible with HVO (EN15940) and with FAME (EN14214 or ASTM D6751) blends comprising residual fuel and/or distillate.

“We are proud to support our customers’ decarbonization journey, no matter which fuel path they take,” said Markus Hoffmann, global sales manager, Marine Separation & Heat Transfer Equipment, Alfa Laval. “Biofuels will be the choice for many marine vessels, but customers must be certain that their equipment is prepared for them. With biofuel-ready separators and cost-efficient biofuel upgrades, Alfa Laval can provide that certainty.”

Markus Hoffmann, Global Sales Manager, Marine Separation & Heat Transfer Equipment, Alfa Laval. (Image: Alfa Laval)

Biofuels are already in widespread use, and ISO is looking to incorporate them into the 2024 revision of ISO 8217, the company said in a news release. Nevertheless, they can be prepared in various ways and differ widely in their characteristics – both from conventional fuels and from each other. Because of differences in density, moisture absorption and more, they demand additional care when it comes to fuel storage and treatment.

To help ensure optimal biofuel separation, Alfa Laval has modified both internal bowl components and the separator software. This makes setting up for HVO, FAME blends or conventional fuels a simple parameter change, the company said.. Incorporated into new Alfa Laval separators for purchase, the developments are also available as upgrades for existing separators.

“Optimizing for biofuels is nothing that occurs overnight,” Hoffmann said. “Our biofuel-ready separators build on deep fuel insights, extensive research at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Center and long cooperation with ISO and CIMAC. As biofuels continue to evolve, customers can count on Alfa Laval for efficient engine protection, just as they have with conventional marine fuels.”