High yield bio diesel fuel preparation process

Abstract

An improved biodiesel fuel preparation process using the step of simultaneous separation of biodiesel reaction product and glycerin, by specific gravity separation taking advantage of the pressure created by the heavier glycerin by using density loops, drawing of by-product glycerin from the bottom of the container while drawing off the lighter biodiesel reaction product from the top of the container as it is forced out by the density loop pressure. All of this is without the use of any pumps thereby reducing energy consumption and cost. Process efficiency is achieved by separating the methanolysis into two steps.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to biodiesel fuel formed from vegetable oils and animal fats, either as first use or recycled. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Diesel fuels are traditionally hydrocarbon liquids obtained by fractionating and refining of petroleum. The cost of petroleum crude has risen rapidly and these rather rapid price increases in crude oil costs have placed a severe burden upon many commercial and industrial operations using substantial amounts of diesel fuel. [0003] Diesel fuel is typically produced through a refining and distillation process from crude petroleum oils. Crude petroleum oils contain the entire range of fuel components from methane and propane to gasoline to diesel fuel to asphalt and other heavier mixture components. The refining process separates the crude oil into mixtures of its constituents, based primarily on their volatility. Diesel fuels are on the heavy end of a barrel of crude oil. This gives rise to diesel fuel's h...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Another advantage of the present invention is that it is a fairly low cost unit operation to build and it can be run continuously or as a batch process at the discretion of the operator. The average hold time within the system being about 14 hours from introduction to finished B-100 biodiesel.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a high quality biodiesel from soybean oil which can be effectively blended with diesel from petroleum sources in order to provide desirable quality fuel blends that decrease the risk of gelling in cold weather and which provide enhanced lubricity for the petroleum diesel fuel.

[0013] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide high quality B-100 soy biodiesel which meets all ASTM standards by a process which is close to achieving stoichiometric efficiency.

[0014] The method and manner of accomplishing each of the above advantages and objectives, as well as others, will become apparent from the

Problems solved by technology

The cost of petroleum crude has risen rapidly and these rather rapid price increases in crude oil costs have placed a severe burden upon many commercial and industrial operations using substantial amounts of diesel fuel.

Low lubricity fuel may cause high wear and scarring and high lubricity fuel may provide reduced wear and longer component life.

Recent changes (1993 and beyond) in the composition of diesel fuel, primarily the need to reduce fuel sulfur and aromatic levels, and the common chemical process used to accomplish these changes (called hydro-treating) have inadvertently caused the removal of some of the compounds that provide lubricity to the fuel.

At very low temperatures of operability, diesel fuel is subject to cold flow impacts.

Energy consumption, of course, occurs during the reaction operation in the form of electrical costs, heating costs, pumping costs, etc.

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