NOVELTY - Producing a fuel or a fuel component comprises passing a converted reaction product and by-product to a consolidator such that the converted reaction product is consolidated in a first region or in a first flow path within the consolidator and the by-product is consolidated in a second region or into a second flow path within the consolidator; and passing the converted reaction product and by-product through separator(s) to at least partially separate the converted product from the by-product to form an upgraded product and separately discharging the upgraded product and the by-product.    USE - For producing a bio-diesel fuel or fuel component for use in engines, e.g. motor vehicle engines including compression engines, internal combustion engines.    ADVANTAGE - By incorporating a consolidator between the processor or reactor and the separator, more efficient separation of the desired product from the by-product can be attained since the consolidator consolidates the two groups of products in a form, e.g. longer droplet size materials, that allows subsequent easier separation in the separator since the larger size droplets are easier to separate than small size droplets. Bio-diesel can be made more economically with more uniform properties and constant purity, allowing the bio-diesel to be used commercially in vehicles.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing a fuel or a fuel component comprises    (A) reacting a raw material in transesterification reaction in a processor vessel to form an at least partially converted reaction product and a by-product, where the converted reaction product is the fuel or fuel component of the bio-diesel or its precursor and the by-product is one of the contaminants;    (B) passing the product and by-product to a consolidator such that the converted reaction product is consolidated in a first region or in a first flow path within the consolidator and the by-product is consolidated in a second region or into a second flow path within the consolidator to assist in subsequent separation of the by-product from the converted raw material to assist in subsequent decontamination of the converted reaction product; and    (C) passing the converted reaction product and by-product through separator(s) to at least partially separate the converted product from the by-product to form an upgraded product and separately discharging the upgraded product from the separator and the by-product.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (1) separating a first material from a second material to upgrade a raw material and improve its economic value when used as a fuel or fuel component comprising transesterifying the raw material to form a converted reaction product and a by-product; consolidating the converted reaction product in a first part or within a first flow part within the consolidator and consolidating the by-product within a second part of the consolidator or into a second flow path within the consolidator respectively to enhance the chance of separating the by-product from the converted reaction product in a subsequent separation step; and separating the consolidated converted reaction product from the consolidated by-product in a separator to form an upgraded product and separately discharging the upgraded product from the separator at a first location within the separator and discharging the by-product from the separator at a second location within the separator, providing an upgraded product having a reduced amount of contamination by the by-product; and    (2) a fuel production apparatus.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic of a flow chart of the bio-diesel production process.