Bio-Based Material Hydrogenation Reactor Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for processing biofuel, such as vegetable oil, face challenges including the need for significant engine modifications, increased maintenance costs, and the production of unwanted products during thermal or catalytic cracking, leading to low purity and yield of desired products like green diesel.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the reaction of a bio-based material with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst on a support in a reactor, followed by distillation and adsorption steps, to produce high-purity green diesel and phase change materials without the need for petrochemical sources, utilizing a cooling function to control reactor temperature and achieve high yields in a one-step process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If thermal or catalytic cracking is used to process vegetable oils, then the processing can be performed, but it leads to a wide spectrum of unwanted products and low purity of desired products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental reaction parameters from cracking (breaking down) to hydrogenation (adding hydrogen). This parameter change transforms the reaction pathway to produce saturated hydrocarbons directly from triglycerides, avoiding the formation of unwanted cracking by-products and achieving high purity green diesel and paraffin products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hydrogen as an intermediary substance that mediates the transformation of vegetable oil into green diesel and paraffin. This intermediary enables a clean chemical pathway that produces only desired saturated hydrocarbon products without generating unwanted by-products associated with cracking methods.
2Productivity
If conventional processing methods are used, then the process can be completed, but multiple steps including pretreatment and by-product removal are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple conventional processing steps into a single hydrogenation reaction step. Instead of separate pretreatment, reaction, and by-product removal steps, the hydrogenation process accomplishes all transformations in one operation, producing both green diesel and paraffin directly without requiring subsequent separation of unwanted by-products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for pretreatment steps and by-product removal steps from the conventional processing sequence. The hydrogenation method directly produces clean products without generating impurities that would require additional extraction or removal operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If transesterification is used to produce biodiesel, then biodiesel can be formed, but pretreatment of feedstock and removal of by-products are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical reaction parameter from transesterification to hydrogenation. This fundamental parameter change eliminates the need for pretreatment of feedstock and removal of by-products, as hydrogenation directly converts triglycerides into saturated hydrocarbons without generating glycerol or other by-products that require separation.
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 method enables the production of high-purity green diesel and phase change materials with improved engine compatibility and reduced environmental impact, while minimizing engine modifications and maintenance costs, and achieving higher yields compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
reacting the bio-based material with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst on a support in a reactor to form a treated oil
Implementation Method 2
reacting the bio-based material with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst on a support
Implementation Method 3
the reactor comprises a cooling function for controlling the temperature of the reactor
Implementation Method 4
passing the treated oil through a distillation unit and an adsorption unit to form green diesel
Implementation Method 5
passing the treated oil through a distillation unit and an adsorption unit to form green diesel
Data Source
AI summary
A system for processing a renewable bio-based material comprising: a reactor, a feedstock substantially renewable and comprising triglycerides and free fatty acids, with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to form a treated oil; a heat exchanger for receiving the treated oil from the reactor and reducing its temperature to a predetermined temperature; a high-pressure separator followed by a low-pressure separator; and (i) a distillation unit for passing the treated oil through to form green diesel and an adsorption unit for passing the green diesel through; or (ii) at least one distillation column to separate the treated oil into at least one component and an adsorption column for passing the at least one component through; wherein the reactor comprises a cooling function for controlling the temperature of the reactor; wherein the cooling function is an internal cooling function comprising adding a cooling substance into the reactor.