The thermal degradation of free fatty acids and animal fat in a moving bed of sodium carbonate and 5 wt% of water were carried out at 430 +/- 20 degrees C at a pilot scale plant. During start-up the loading rates for a 60: 40 mixture of oleic and stearic acids were 10 kg/h resulting in a 69 +/- 5% of bio-crude. The acidity index was remarkably low within a range of 0.64-0.80 mg KOH/g during 3 weeks of operation. The loading rates for animal fat were increased from 10 to 40 kg/h corresponding to a weight hourly space velocity of 0.03-0.1 h(-1) over a period of 6 months. Heat transfer into the reactor was the limiting criterion. The main product with a yield of 65 +/- 5% was bio-crude showing an acidity index of 0.5-1.8 mg KOH/g. The mean value for kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C was 1.78 mm(2)/s. The net calorific value of bio-crude was 41.6 MJ/kg. Coke deposits on sodium carbonate were determined to be 5 +/- 1%. The gaseous products ranged from 25 wt% to 30 wt%. The presence of CO2, H-2, CH4, C2H6, C2H4 and C-3 to C-5 hydrocarbons as major components was established by gas chromatography. The gases were directly fed into an on-site gas line and used for heating purposes. The distillation curve of bio-crude from animal fat showed hydrocarbon based bio-fuels in the boiling ranges of gasoline and diesel. Upon rectification 66% of bio-diesel and 21% of bio-gasoline were obtained. This corresponds to a total yield of 43% bio-diesel and 14% bio-gasoline from animal fat. The bio-diesel had favorable low-temperature properties (cold filter plugging point = -18 degrees C) with oxidation stability between that of mineral oil based diesel and fatty acid methyl ester fuels. The gasoline fraction lacked low-boiling hydrocarbons as indicated by a vapor pressure of 26 kPa instead of 60-90 kPa (DIN EN 228). Thus, water-cooled condensers need to be improved for a full-scale plant. The results are discussed in terms of German specifications for standard fuels. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.