Biofuel conversion process

Abstract

A process, method, apparatus and materials for efficient conversion of waste vegetable oils into biofuel that does not use methanol as a reactant or catalyst. The resulting biofuel is mixed with kerosene or heavy oil to form a stable diesel fuel grade fuel that is mixable with diesel fuel. In addition, the process and apparatus are also applicable to the conversion of virgin vegetable oils and other waste or virgin oils, such as used motor oil, into fuels or fuel additives.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Biofuel is a type of fuel made using non-petroleum based oils converted to allow combustion within power plants and engines as a replacement for heavy oils and diesel fuel. Biofuels have desirable burning characteristics and are derived from renewable resources. For example, biofuels may be derived from vegetable oils processed from crops. [0002] Vegetable oils are used extensively in food preparation in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other large institutions. The use of vegetable oils in food preparation generates substantial waste product that must be appropriately disposed of. Processing of these waste vegetable oils into biofuel thus serves two beneficial purposes, creation of a clean and environmentally friendly fuel source and the elimination of waste disposal requirements. [0003] To understand the scope of the potential use of the present invention it is beneficial to appreciate the extent of the generation of waste vegetable oils in our...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention is directed to a process, method, apparatus and materials for efficient conversion of waste vegetable oils into biofuel that does not use methanol as a reactant or catalyst. The resulting biofuel is mixed with kerosene or heavy oil to form a stable diesel fuel grade fuel that is mixable with diesel fuel. In addition, the process and apparatus are also applicable to the conversion of virgin vegetable oils and other waste or virgin oils, such as used motor oil, into fuels or fuel additives. In the process, the waste oils are mixed with a blend of catalyst and absorption powders in a tank and heated to about 80 degrees centigrade for 40 to 60 minutes. The composition is then passed through a filter to remove the added powders, any sediments and certain contaminates in the oil including most carbon solids, as well as certain fatty acids and constituents of the waste oil. The mixing and filtering process clarifies the resulting biofuel and enhances the energy content from 4,000 to 5,000 calories / gram to 9,000 to 10,000 calories / gram.

[0011] The clarified biofuel resulting from vegetable oils may then be blended with kerosene and filtered through the filter bed containing the removed sediments from the first filtering process or a powder mixture of absorption powders is added to the blended biofuel and kerosene, mixed for 40 to 60 minutes and then filtered. A similar process can be used to recover and generate fuel grade oil from used or waste motor oil, with a resulting product that can be mixed with the biofuel derived from vegetable oils as a replacement for the kerosene additive to produce a light grade or heavy grade fuel oil.

Problems solved by technology

This process is inefficient as it requires extensive storage periods and there is still a significant amount of sediment contaminated waste oil that is sent for disposal.

However, the methanol based processes result in a biofuel that does not mix well with other fuels, such as diesel fuel, so a small quantity of methanol derived biofuels must be mixed with other fuels, such as diesel fuel for automobiles.

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