Biofuel Feed Pre-treatment via High-Pressure Hydrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pre-treatment processes for secondary raw materials in biofuel production, such as frying oils and animal fats, are inadequate in removing impurities like phosphate-containing compounds, chlorides, calcium, magnesium ions, and heavy metals, which are detrimental to hydrotreating catalysts, and result in excessive production of by-products like propane during hydrotreating and isomerization processes.
Innovation Solution
A pre-treatment process involving high-temperature and high-pressure hydrolysis of the feed with a recycling stream of purified mono-, di-, and triglycerides, converting triglycerides into fatty acids and removing impurities, followed by separation and recycling of glycerol for further processing, effectively reducing impurities and minimizing by-product formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional pre-treatment processes (acid washing, ion exchange resins, percolation) are used to remove impurities, then some impurity removal is achieved, but the impurity levels are not reduced to optimal levels required for hydrotreating, and catalyst poising occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the pre-treatment process by using high-temperature (100-200°C) and high-pressure (10-50 bar) hydrolysis conditions instead of conventional ambient temperature acid washing or ion exchange methods. This parameter change enables complete hydrolysis of phospholipids and removal of all detrimental impurities (phosphorus, chlorides, calcium, magnesium, heavy metals) to levels below 10 ppm, ensuring catalyst protection and optimal hydrotreating performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes all detrimental impurities from the feedstock through high-temperature high-pressure hydrolysis. The process selectively extracts phospholipids, proteins, and other impurity compounds that would otherwise poison the catalyst, separating them from the triglyceride feedstock before hydrotreating. This complete extraction ensures that only pure triglycerides enter the hydrotreating reactor, protecting catalyst activity
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional pre-treatment processes are used, then some purification is achieved, but excessive by-products (propane) are produced during hydrotreating and isomerization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary hydrolysis action before hydrotreating to completely convert phospholipids and other impurities into water-soluble compounds that are removed in the aqueous phase. This preliminary action ensures that only pure triglycerides enter the hydrotreating reactor, preventing the formation of excessive by-products like propane during subsequent hydrotreating and isomerization reactions
3Manufacturing precision
If high-temperature high-pressure hydrolysis is used, then complete impurity removal is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements continuous hydrolysis and separation operation where the high-temperature high-pressure hydrolysis is continuously applied to the feedstock, and the aqueous phase containing impurities is continuously removed. This continuous operation ensures complete impurity removal while maintaining optimal energy efficiency by avoiding repeated heating cycles and maintaining steady-state reaction conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the energy consumption by carefully controlling the hydrolysis parameters (temperature 100-200°C, pressure 10-50 bar) to achieve complete impurity removal with minimal energy input. The parameter changes are designed to be just sufficient for complete hydrolysis, avoiding excessive energy consumption while ensuring 100% removal of phospholipids and other impurities
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process achieves significant reduction of impurities below the limits tolerated by hydrotreated vegetable oil processes, minimizing propane production and optimizing the yield of valuable biofuels by ensuring a cleaner feed stream for subsequent hydrotreating and isomerization steps.
Implementation Method 1
an hydrolysis process is carried out to an incoming feed consisting of the raw material added to a recycling stream... partially or totally producing fatty acids
Implementation Method 2
The hydrolysis is carried out at a temperature between 150 to 260°C and at a pressure between 10 to 60 barg
Data Source
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AI summary
A hydrotreating and isomerization pre- treatment process in a biofuel production plant, which is characterized in that it occurs from a raw supply consisting of an organic feed comprising secondary materials such as frying oils, category 1 animal fats, residual oils or by-products consisting of monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides and free fatty acids, which is added to a recycling stream consisting of a mixture of mono-, di - and triglycerides free of impurities and exiting an esterification unit, said process occurring by means of hydrolysis with excess water, under controlled pressure and temperature conditions, thus obtaining the partial or total conversion of the supply into glycerol and fatty acids, the excess water introduced into the hydrolysis process acting as a solvent for impurities of various nature present in ionic form, thus removing most of the heavy metals, as well as of the chlorides present in said supply.