System and process for production of biofuel

A system for producing biofuel, said system comprising:

• at least one feed tank adapted for receiving and storing a feed;
• a low pressure pump adapted for:
• pressurizing said feed up to 100 bar to obtain a first pressurized feed;
• and
• recirculating at least a portion (a) of said first pressurized feed to and from said at least one feed tank;
• a high pressure pump adapted for:
• receiving said first pressurized feed from said low pressure pump;
• and
• increasing the pressure of said first pressurized feed up to 250 bar to obtain a second pressurized feed;
• a first heat exchanger adapted for:
• receiving said second pressurized feed from said high pressure pump;
• and
• pre-heating said second pressurized feed to a temperature in the range of 200° C. to 290° C. to obtain a pre-heated feed;
• a second heat exchanger adapted for:
• receiving said pre-heated feed from said first heat exchanger;
• and
• further heating said pre-heated feed to a temperature in the range of 291° C. to 400° C. to obtain a heated feed;
• a reaction vessel adapted for:
• receiving said heated feed from said second heat exchanger;
• and
• reforming said heated feed for a time period in the range of 10 minutes to 60 minutes to obtain a slurry comprising solids, biofuel, and non-reformed feed;
• a precipitation vessel adapted for:
• receiving said slurry from said reaction vessel;
• and
• separating the solids (b) from said slurry to obtain a liquid mixture comprising biofuel and non-reformed feed having a temperature greater than 300° C.,
• wherein said liquid mixture from said precipitation vessel is re-circulated to said first heat exchanger for pre-heating said second pressurized feed, thereby cooling said liquid mixture to a temperature below 300° C. to obtain an intermediate cooled liquid mixture;
• a first pressure let-down station, adapted for:
• receiving said intermediate cooled liquid mixture from said first heat exchanger;
• and
• reducing the pressure of said intermediate cooled liquid mixture in the range of 5 bar to 20 bar, to obtain a de-pressurized liquid mixture;
• a third heat exchanger adapted for:
• receiving said de-pressurized liquid mixture from said first pressure let-down station;
• and
• reducing the temperature of said de-pressurized liquid mixture to a temperature in the range of 30° C. to 100° C. to obtain a cooled liquid mixture having a pressure in the range of 5 bar to 20 bar;
• a second pressure let-down station adapted for
• receiving said cooled liquid mixture from said third heat exchanger;
• and
• reducing the pressure of said cooled liquid mixture below 5 bar, to obtain a gas-liquid mixture comprising gases and a mixture comprising biofuel and non-reformed feed;
• a gas-liquid separator adapted for:
• receiving said gas-liquid mixture from said second pressure let-down station;
• and
• separating gases from said gas-liquid mixture to obtain a mixture comprising biofuel and non-reformed feed;
• and
• a biofuel separator adapted for:
• receiving said mixture comprising biofuel and non-reformed feed from said gas-liquid separator;
• and
• separating the non-reformed feed from said mixture to obtain the biofuel.