Overview
PSF applies ARBOK deep-vacuum cold cracking to palm (and other vegetable) oils, fractionally separating them at ambient temperature to yield a stable, transportable solid fuel that substitutes for diesel, plus valuable by-products. It replaces multi-stage refining and transesterification with a single, non-chemical, low-energy physical separation — no catalysts, alcohols, hydrogenation, or water — preserving molecular integrity.
Applications
Solid fuel bars for military logistics, emergency services, remote/off-grid operations; export fuel for diesel-short regions; industrial fuel substitution; recovery of chemical/cosmetic/pharma raw materials (FFAs, phospholipids).
Users: defense logistics, off-grid operators, oleochemical and fuel industries.
Operating Principle
Same physics as ARBOK Cold Cracking / Vacuum Cracking: under deep vacuum and at ambient temperature, controlled phase behavior fractionally separates the oil without chemical conversion. Output fractions are combined in a controlled blend weighted toward the main oil component, with waxes and sterols making up the balance, producing a fuel solid at ambient handling temperatures that liquefies under moderate warming; by-products are split off cleanly.
Limitations: applied to palm-oil fuel production, this specific use case is unproven — performance/economics are claims requiring validation, even though the underlying CC physics is the platform's core.
Key Parameters
Process: deep-vacuum cold cracking / fractional separation, run under deep vacuum. Temperature: ambient — no heat supplied, no setpoint. Energy: 1–2 kWh/t (vs 10–20 kWh/t traditional refining). Capacity: 200 t/day per unit. Footprint: a compact, vertically configured containerized unit, no consumables/catalysts, one operator, 24/7 automated.
Fractions: fractional separation yields a dominant main-oil fraction alongside smaller streams of waxes and sterols, free fatty acids, volatiles and phospholipids, each drawn off at a distinct stage of the separation sequence.
Fuel: cetane 48–50 for the blended solid fuel, energy 39–40 MJ/kg (diesel ~45), melting range 28–30 °C.
Note: figures align with the CC platform anchors but are unvalidated for this palm-fuel application.
Architecture and Components
ARBOK cold-cracking vacuum unit (compact, vertically configured containerized module); feedstock intake (palm/soy/other oils); fractional separation stages; blending to solid-fuel bars; by-product collection (FFAs, phospholipids, waxes). No catalysts or consumables.
Advantages
Technical: single ambient-temperature physical step replaces refining + transesterification; no emulsions, no water, molecular integrity preserved. Economic: very low energy (1–2 kWh/t) and claimed ~$25/t total cost vs diesel ~$920/t. Environmental: zero emissions, zero wastewater, no chemical residues, full material utilization.
Integrations
Built on ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking) / Vacuum Cracking; by-products feed oleochemical, cosmetic, and pharma chains; complements ARBOK zero-waste and evaporation systems.
Deployment & Operation
Containerized modular unit with a compact footprint, 24/7 automated, one operator. Steps: feed oil → vacuum fractional separation → blend solid fuel + collect by-products. Remaining: validate fuel quality and economics for the palm-fuel use case at pilot scale.
TRL
TRL 3 (confirmed by Michael). Experimental proof-of-concept: ARBOK Cold Cracking is the mature platform, but its application to palm-oil solid-fuel production has not been demonstrated — fuel properties and economics remain claims. (Supersedes the legacy "TRL 8–9" claim.)
TRL scale:
- TRL 1 — basic principles observed
- TRL 2 — technology concept formulated
- TRL 3 — experimental proof-of-concept ← PSF
- TRL 4 — validated in lab
- TRL 5 — validated in relevant environment
- TRL 6 — demonstrated in relevant environment
- TRL 7 — prototype in operational environment
- TRL 8 — system complete and qualified
- TRL 9 — proven in operational environment
Market Potential
Palm-oil producing regions (e.g. Indonesia, claimed ~10 million t/year demand) face diesel cost and logistics burdens; a low-cost solid fuel from local oil — if validated — addresses military, off-grid, and export-fuel segments while monetizing oleochemical by-products.
Typical Project Economics
Claimed total cost ~$25/t, combining operating cost, capital amortization and logistics, vs diesel ~$920/t total; gross savings ~$895/t. Macro example: Indonesia ~$8.9 billion/year. Figures indicative; contingent on validated palm-fuel performance.
Risk Factors
Application unproven for palm-oil solid fuel despite mature CC platform. Solid fuel handling/combustion certification needed. Lower energy density than diesel (40 vs 45 MJ/kg). Cost and macro-savings claims aggressive and unvalidated. Feedstock (palm oil) sustainability/regulatory scrutiny. Legacy TRL overstated.
Related Technologies
ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking) · ARBOK-BF (Binary Fuel) · FermoFuel (Hexyl-Pentyl-Butyl Strains)