BLAINE, MINNESOTA, U.S.  — Crown has introduced Advanced Catalyst Reduction and Economization (ACRE), a new process upgrade for biodiesel manufacturers.

ACRE allows biodiesel processing plants to run at the lowest operating cost and highest efficiency by adding a third transesterification reaction step while also delivering an energy efficient design for reduced cooling load and steam use, Crown said. 

ACRE processing is already running in multiple plants and yielding results in multiple geographies, and with multiple feedstocks. Plants in production are achieving 40%+ catalyst reduction and experiencing 3 cents in savings per gallon. In addition, ACRE is designed to reduce acid usages, promote energy savings through economization, and increase manufacturing uptime.

As a system upgrade, ACRE can be retrofitted into any unmodified Crown plant. This upgrade also may be available for centrifuge operations. Greenfield installations can benefit greatly from including this technology in designs to improve performance and total cost of ownership, Crown said. In addition, with fewer moving parts to repair, Crown’s decanter-based biodiesel program supports a robust operation with proven reliability and increased uptime.

“ACRE is a great example of Crown’s long-standing reputation for innovation,” said Bill Antilla, general manager, Crown Global Companies. “Customers can expect more industry-leading solutions once our talented global team is up and running in our new Global Innovation Center next year.”

The 68,000-square-foot Crown Global Headquarters and World Class Innovation Center is now under construction in Blaine, Minnesota, U.S. This facility will include a 15,000-square-foot fully functional plant with preparation, extraction and refining equipment connected to a comprehensive data acquisition system. Customers will be able to simulate plant-processing operations within a controlled environment to support trials and customer trainings. The center will serve as a resource to global oilseed manufacturers, helping them optimize manufacturing capabilities by reducing energy and water usage, improving yields, and reducing capital and operating costs.