Research and Development
FFS has a proud history of in-house process development and new product development. Supporting this function is a full time R&D department with a well-equipped R&D Laboratory and various pilot plant unit operations.
The R&D team is integrated into the broader Process Engineering and Product Development team but, to ensure focus, is staffed with full time dedicated R&D personnel having both Applied Chemistry and Process Engineering qualifications.
New ideas and opportunities are first screened in the laboratory and if the opportunity can be demonstrated at laboratory scale it then progresses to small scale piloting.
FFS has several Pilot Plants available but also has the ability to build new ones or change configurations easily in-house through our SANS 3834 accredited Engineering Workshop.
Once the opportunity has proven itself at Pilot Plant Scale it is then handed over to the Process Engineering Team to design and implement either as a green field or brown field addition to one of the existing operations.
R&D remains involved during the implementation and typically does the commissioning and initial operation with the Branch Operators.
Some of the Pilot Plants that we have built and used over the years include:
- LNG demonstration unit,
- A High Pressure (85 Bar) catalytic hydrotreater,
- A High temperature (up to 450°C) Vacuum Flash Unit,
- A High temperature, high pressure viscosity breaker
- Supercritical CO2 extraction plant
- Vertical Leaf Filter
- Automatic Pigging Plant
- Creosote Plant, for testing treatment of wood poles
- Skid Mounted Centrifuge
- Packed bed canister filter
- Hydraulic Press
Our Innovations & Success Stories
With the LNG demonstration unit commissioned in 2020/21, FFS was the first company in South Africa to successfully import LNG via Isotainers and safely handle, store, vaporise and consume LNG. Before being decommissioned, the LNG Pilot plant successfully processed over 30 tons of LNG for Power Generation, Thermal Heating and Vehicular Fuel applications.
As part of the FFS bad actor program, an inhouse designed automatic pigging unit was installed at our Pietermaritzburg Facility to resolve a fouling issue on a specific heat exchanger on the Heat Soak unit. After installing and up until when the site was finally decommissioned the pigging system remained in operation and this specific heat exchanger was never again the reason for shutting the unit down.
The R&D team looked at ways of processing a low value waste stream from one of the refineries. After successful lab trials in early 2022, the R&D team together with Process Engineering used the data and designed a new plant for the Chloorkop Branch. This plant was then constructed and commissioned by the FFS Projects Team and has been in beneficial operation since June 2023 and remains until today as one of the more profitable contributors to the IE Business Division, often running extended hours due to high demand for its products.
The R&D team is currently looking for ways to process another low value stream from a different refinery. If successful, the intention will be to pilot and build a demonstration plant to process this stream at the Evander Branch.
With the LNG demonstration unit commissioned in 2020/21, FFS was the first company in South Africa to successfully import LNG via Isotainers and safely handle, store, vaporise and consume LNG. Before being decommissioned, the LNG Pilot plant successfully processed over 30 tons of LNG for Power Generation, Thermal Heating and Vehicular Fuel applications.
As part of the FFS bad actor program, an inhouse designed automatic pigging unit was installed at our Pietermaritzburg Facility to resolve a fouling issue on a specific heat exchanger on the Heat Soak unit. After installing and up until when the site was finally decommissioned the pigging system remained in operation and this specific heat exchanger was never again the reason for shutting the unit down.
The R&D team looked at ways of processing a low value waste stream from one of the refineries. After successful lab trials in early 2022, the R&D team together with Process Engineering used the data and designed a new plant for the Chloorkop Branch. This plant was then constructed and commissioned by the FFS Projects Team and has been in beneficial operation since June 2023 and remains until today as one of the more profitable contributors to the IE Business Division, often running extended hours due to high demand for its products.
The R&D team is currently looking for ways to process another low value stream from a different refinery. If successful, the intention will be to pilot and build a demonstration plant to process this stream at the Evander Branch.
In the R&D Lab we have capability to perform many inhouse analysis and good relationships with external certified labs to outsource testing when needed. Our production labs are ISO9001 accredited, and we have started the process to get our R&D Lab to SANAS 17025 certified. Equipment that we have and regularly use includes:
- ICP-OES for elemental analysis
- GC for identification and quantification of organic samples
- XRF for elemental analysis
- Analytical balance for accurate mass determination
- Seta sediment tester
- Bomb calorimeter
- Vacuum pumps
- Distillation units
- Temperature controlled heater-stirrers
- Steam Generators
- Petrotest Flashpoint tester
- Viscosity water baths
- Muffle furnace
- Chillers
In the R&D Lab we have capability to perform many inhouse analysis and good relationships with external certified labs to outsource testing when needed. Our production labs are ISO9001 accredited, and we have started the process to get our R&D Lab to SANAS 17025 certified. Equipment that we have and regularly use includes:
- ICP-OES for elemental analysis
- GC for identification and quantification of organic samples
- XRF for elemental analysis
- Analytical balance for accurate mass determination
- Seta sediment tester
- Bomb calorimeter
- Vacuum pumps
- Distillation units
- Temperature controlled heater-stirrers
- Steam Generators
- Petrotest Flashpoint tester
- Viscosity water baths
- Muffle furnace
- Chillers
Contact
Call: 031 459 5300
Email: ffs@ffs.co.za
