Swiss corporation offers new diesel technology

Biotherm Technologie AG, a Swiss-based corporation, offers a process which produces diesel fuel and heating oil from used plastics, waste or bilge oil.

The diesel is gas station quality and meets Europe’s EN 590 norm. For this innovative technology, the company expects a major new market from Japan’s commercial shipping fleet, which is one of the world’s largest.

“Japan has to import most of its energy supplies and many raw materials - all by sea,” states Christopher Stampfli, director of Biotherm Technologie AG. “This is highly promising for our process. The bilge oil generated during shipping operations and at the ports no longer has to be disposed of at great cost. Instead it can cover part of Japan’s energy needs.”

The patented process, which was developed by Clyvia Technology GmbH from Wegberg, Germany, is based on fractionated depolymerization and is similar to the cracking of crude oil. At 400°C it breaks down long hydrocarbon chains, which then vaporize and condense as diesel oil.

In view of rising crude oil prices this process, which has been successfully tested in Europe, provides major advantages to businesses. In addition to shipping, it will benefit a range of industrial corporations and trades which generate waste plastics - from production scrap via foil and plastic bags to yogurt cartons or cable sleeves. All these materials can be used for the production of diesel fuel and heating oil.