4103 results about "Biodiesel" patented technology

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to photobioreactor apparatus designed to contain a liquid medium comprising at least one species of photosynthetic organisms therein, and to methods of using the photobioreactor apparatus as part of a production process for forming an organic molecule-containing product, such as a polymeric material and/or fuel-grade oil (e.g. biodiesel), from biomass produced in the photobioreactor apparatus. In certain embodiments, the disclosed organic molecule/polymer production systems and methods, photobioreactor apparatus, methods of using such apparatus, and/or gas treatment systems and methods provided herein can be utilized as part of an integrated combustion and polymer and/or fuel-grade oil (e.g. biodiesel) production method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms utilized within the photobioreactor are used to at least partially remove certain pollutant compounds contained within combustion gases, e.g. CO₂ and/or NO_x, and are subsequently harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and utilized as a source for generating polymers and/or organic molecule-containing products (e.g. fuel-grade oil (e.g. biodiesel)) and/or as a fuel source for a combustion device (e.g. an electric power plant generator and/or incinerator).

In embodiments of the present invention, systems for producing a biodiesel product from multiple feedstocks may include a biodiesel reactor, a decanter, a flash evaporator and a distillation column. In other embodiments of the present invention, a process for producing a biodiesel comprises distilling a biodiesel reaction product to remove tocopherols and sterol glucosides and, optionally, adding biodiesel stabilizers to the resultant biodiesel to enhance thermal stability. The components of the system are interrelated so that parameters may be regulated to allow production of a custom biodiesel product.

Production of biological diesel oil by integrated hydrogenation is carried out by mixing straight-run diesel oil with soya-bean, hydrogenation refinery reacting at 3.0-8.0MPa and 250-400degree and under existence of catalyst and converting vegetable oil into biological diesel oil. It's simple and cheap.

The present invention relates to biodiesel fuel compositions that have improved oxidation stability. More specifically, the biodiesel fuel compositions include at least one antioxidant that increases the oxidative stability of the fuel. The biodiesel fuel compositions may also include an antioxidant mixture, or an antioxidant mixture in combination with a polar and/or nonpolar solvent, that increases the oxidative stability of the fuel.

Production of ester-based fuels such as biodiesel or jet fuel from renewable starting materials such as lignocellulosic material or algae is disclosed. Pulping and saccharification of the renewable starting materials produces carboxylic acids such as fatty acids or rosin acids, which are esterified via a gas sparged, slurry form of heterogeneous reactive distillation to yield ester-based fuels.

The present invention describes a process for the production of ethanol by harvesting starch-accumulating filament-forming or colony-forming algae to form a biomass, initiating cellular decay of the biomass in a dark and anaerobic environment, fermenting the biomass in the presence of a yeast, and the isolating the ethanol produced. The present invention further relates to processing of the biomass remaining after ethanol production to recovering biodiesel starting materials and/or generation of heat and carbon dioxide via combustion.

A process for producing alkyl esters useful in biofuels and lubricants by transesterifying glyceride- or esterifying free fatty acid-containing substances in a single critical phase medium is disclosed. The critical phase medium provides increased reaction rates, decreases the loss of catalyst or catalyst activity and improves the overall yield of desired product. The process involves the steps of dissolving an input glyceride- or free fatty acid-containing substance with an alcohol or water into a critical fluid medium; reacting the glyceride- or free fatty acid-containing substance with the alcohol or water input over either a solid or liquid acidic or basic catalyst and sequentially separating the products from each other and from the critical fluid medium, which critical fluid medium can then be recycled back in the process. The process significantly reduces the cost of producing additives or alternatives to automotive fuels and lubricants utilizing inexpensive glyceride- or free fatty acid-containing substances, such as animal fats, vegetable oils, rendered fats, and restaurant grease.

The present invention provides a method for producing a fatty acid ester inexpensively and efficiently by reacting a lipase or an intact mircroorganism containing a lipase, an oil and fat, and a linear lower alcohol in a system containing little or no solvent in the presence of water. The intact microorganism has not been treated with a solvent or the like, and is used as such, so that a fatty acid ester can be prepared in a simple manner. An oil and fat, a natural oil and fat such as a vegetable oil and fat, an animal oil and fat, as well as a waste oil thereof can be used. According to the method of the present invention, a reaction proceeds even in the presence of water, so that waste oils containing a large amount of water can be used as a raw material. Therefore, the waste oil to be dumped into the environment can be recycled, and a biodiesel fuel, which hardly pollutes the environment, can be provided at the same time.

A photobioreactor includes a cultivation zone configured to contain a liquid culture medium and facilitate growth of a microalgae biomass, a plurality of parallel edge-lit light transmitting devices mounted within the cultivation zone, and a collection zone oriented in relation to the cultivation zone such that at least a portion of the liquid culture medium and microalgae from the cultivation zone may be periodically harvested. Methods for illuminating algae, for dissolving materials into an algae medium, for extracting oil from algae, and for producing biodiesel from algal oil are also provided.

Simultaneous synthesis and purification of a fatty acid monoester biodiesel fuel from a triacylglycerol feedstock is described. In an exemplary method, the triacylglycerol feedstock is continuously contacted with a catalytic chromatographic bed comprising a first (solid phase) basic catalyst through a first port of a simulated moving bed chromatographic apparatus. A monohydric alcohol and optional second (mobile phase) basic catalyst is continuously contacted with the catalytic chromatographic bed through a second port and pumped in a first direction toward the triacylglycerol feedstock to contact the triacylglycerol in a reaction zone of the catalytic chromatographic bed where the fatty acid monoester and glycerol coproduct are formed. The fatty acid monoester is removed from the reaction zone through a product port of the simulated moving bed apparatus. Segments of the catalytic chromatographic bed are incrementally moved in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and the glycerol is removed from a raffinate port located opposite the product port of the apparatus.

An improved biodiesel production process includes the steps of processing a feedstock to produce biodiesel, cooling the biodiesel so as to form sediment, and filtering the biodiesel to remove the sediment. The resulting biodiesel from the cold filtration process avoids problems of sediment formation during storage and transportation.

The invention relates a kind of preparation method of bio-diesel oil under the condition of solid ac and alk catalyzing. The character is that under the condition of solid ac and alk catalyzing, gain the bio-diesel oil using the craft of exchange reaction of soja oil with carbinol. Afer the reaction, apart catalyser from reaction liquor by centrifugal machine till delimination in quiet placing, the above is rough output, the below is admixture of glycerol and carbinol. Distil the of above to gain bio-diesel oil and to gain the pure glycerin in the same way. The distilled carbinol can be used again and again. The invention has many advantages, for example, its raw material can be rebirth, its craft is easy and only need normal equipment. Even treat the used oil, the whole process is easier compared with the method in solid ac and alk catalyzing, besides, the process will not produce foul water so it is environmental. Every plant of the bio-diesel accords with standards compared with foreign similar competitive grade and the main plants are close to its of 0# (GB252-1994, superior product)diesel of China.

A fuel cell system with fuel processor for integration with a marine vessel propulsion system. The system includes an auto thermal reactor that is the fuel processor for producing hydrogen from a fuel source. The fuel source is preferably ethanol or biodiesel or a mixture thereof, but can also be a sulfur containing fuel like petrodiesel of JP-8. The system further includes a gas-water shift reactor for further production and concentration of the hydrogen from the auto thermal reactor output. The system also includes a hydrogen permeable membrane separator for generating suitable quantities of essentially pure hydrogen to the fuel cell. The system also includes an oxygen permeable membrane separator for concentrating oxygen and reducing nitrogen to improve the partial pressure of hydrogen in subsequent fuel processing steps. The system contemplates the use of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The system minimizes preheating of catalysts or other components to the extent just needed to initiate the fuel processor. To that end, heat sources and sinks of the system and associated usage systems are matched so as to minimize heat collection, storage and distribution systems. Water is recycled within the system to the extent necessary to maintain a water balance in the fuel processor and the fuel cell stack(s). The system includes cooling of the fuel cell stack(s) and integrated heat recovery with exothermic and endothermic catalysts. The fuel processor/fuel cell system components are configured to conform to and take advantage of the available space and limitations, such as the space constraints and opportunities associated with a marine vessel.

Disclosed is a method and corresponding fuel injector for injecting gaseous and liquid fuel into an engine. The method comprises delivering a liquid fuel to a fuel injector, delivering a pressurized gaseous fuel to the fuel injector, entraining the liquid fuel within the gaseous fuel within a chamber of the fuel injector and injecting the gaseous fuel and atomized liquid fuel into the combustion chamber. The liquid fuel can be passed through and dispensed from a needle into a chamber in the injector nozzle where it is entrained in the gaseous fuel during an injection event. The liquid/gas mass ratio is controlled by the needle movement, hydraulic resistances or electronic valves so that the majority of the liquid is injected during the first part of the gas injection. The injector can be used for late cycle direct injection of natural gas, or any number of gaseous fuel blends combined with many liquid fuels such as diesel, biodiesel and DME.

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for processing agricultural waste to make alcohol and/or biodiesel. The agricultural wastes are subjected to anaerobic digestion which produces a biogas stream containing methane, which is subsequently reformed to a syngas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The syngas is converted to an alcohol which may be stored, sold, used, or fed directly to a reactor for production of biodiesel. The solids effluent from the anaerobic digester can be further utilized as slow release, organic certified fertilizer. Additionally, the wastewater from the process is acceptable for immediate reuse in agricultural operations.

This invention shows how to make and use a biodiesel-based fuel in diesel engines without incurring the NO_x penalty. Embodiments primarily relate to an optimum range of bulk modulus of compressibility for biodiesel blends, which results in generating “NO_x neutral” biodiesel blends or to formulate biodiesel blends with lower NOx emissions than conventional petroleum diesel fuel. These biodiesel blends preferably comprise synthetic paraffinic middle distillate derived from a hydrocarbon synthesis to generate synthetic environmentally-friendly diesel fuels.