Emerson to Automate Renewable Diesel Plant

Dynamic Fuels (www.dynamicfuelsllc.com), a 50-50 venture of Tyson Foods Inc. (www.tyson.com) and Syntroleum Corporation (www.syntroleum.com), has awarded Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com) a contract to digitally automate North America’s first commercial-scale renewable diesel plant. The PlantWeb digital architecture will provide networking for Emerson smart devices, systems, and predictive maintenance software.

The $138 million facility in Geismar, La, is scheduled to begin operations in early 2010. It will use Syntroleum’s biofuels manufacturing process, with plans to convert animal fats and greases into 75 million gallons/year of ultra-clean, renewable diesel fuel. With some plant modifications, the Geismar facility can also produce renewable jet fuel.

Renewable diesel is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel, but produces lower emissions including lower nitrogen oxide, sulfur and aromatics. It also has a higher combustion quality (cetane level) than petroleum-based diesel or biodiesel.

The biofuels manufacturing process that will be used at the facility processes triglycerides and fatty acids from fats and vegetable oils with heat, hydrogen and proprietary catalysts to produce renewable diesel or jet fuel. This complex process is similar to petroleum refining.

Renewable diesel is compatible with existing fuel pipelines, storage facilities and other conventional fuel infrastructures. It can be blended with petroleum-based fuels to improve their emissions quality.

In addition to the PlantWeb architecture, the contract will include Emerson’s smart devices, such as Fisher digital control valves, Micro Motion flowmeters, and Rosemount temperature, pressure and level transmitters.

Emerson has provided products and services to Syntroleum since before 2000. This will be the first Emerson installation For Dynamic Fuels.