Fatty Acid Ester Separation for Metathesis Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current refining processes for natural oil feedstocks face inefficiencies in separating polyunsaturated fatty acid esters from monounsaturated fatty acid esters, leading to decreased market value and increased processing costs, as well as issues with cyclohexadiene formation and benzene production, which affect downstream separation processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the separation of polyunsaturated fatty acid esters and monounsaturated fatty acid esters using techniques such as simulated moving bed chromatography, crystallization, or other separation processes to achieve a high ratio of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated esters, followed by metathesis reactions to produce tailored metathesized products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polyunsaturated fatty acid esters are not separated from monounsaturated fatty acid esters, then processing costs are reduced, but market value decreases and additional processing is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing separation of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acid esters before the metathesis reaction. This pre-separation prevents the formation of cyclohexadiene and benzene that would otherwise require additional downstream processing, thereby reducing overall processing costs while ensuring high product purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fatty acid ester mixture into distinct polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fractions through separation processes such as distillation or chromatography. This segmentation allows each fraction to undergo metathesis independently, preventing unwanted side reactions and improving both ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
2Quantity of substance
If polyunsaturated fatty acid esters are present in the metathesis feedstock, then feedstock utilization is maximized, but cyclohexadiene and benzene formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts polyunsaturated fatty acid esters from the feedstock before metathesis through separation processes. This extraction removes the source of cyclohexadiene and benzene formation while still allowing the remaining monounsaturated esters to be fully utilized in the metathesis reaction, thus eliminating harmful factors without sacrificing feedstock utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful presence of polyunsaturated esters into a benefit by separating and utilizing them for other purposes. The separated polyunsaturated fraction can be used in alternative applications where its unsaturation is advantageous, while the monounsaturated fraction proceeds to metathesis without forming harmful byproducts.
3Manufacturing precision
If separation processes are implemented to remove polyunsaturated esters, then product quality improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in physical properties such as boiling point differences between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acid esters. By exploiting these parameter differences through distillation or other separation processes, high product quality is achieved through relatively simple equipment without requiring complex multi-step procedures.
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 approach improves the yield and purity of downstream products, reduces the need for additional processing steps, and enhances the economic efficiency of the refining system by optimizing the separation and metathesis of fatty acid esters.
Implementation Method 1
separating the polyunsaturated fatty acid esters from the monounsaturated fatty acid esters using techniques such as simulated moving bed chromatography
Implementation Method 2
separating the polyunsaturated fatty acid esters from the monounsaturated fatty acid esters using techniques such as simulated moving bed chromatography, crystallization
Implementation Method 3
metathesizing the separated monounsaturated fatty acid ester composition in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to provide a metathesized product comprising metathesized monounsaturated fatty acid esters and at least one olefin
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for refining natural oil feedstocks. In some embodiments, the methods comprise transesterifying glycerides in a natural oil feedstock to provide a transesterified product comprising monounsaturated fatty acid esters and polyunsaturated fatty acid esters. In some embodiments, the methods comprise separating the polyunsaturated fatty acid esters from the monounsaturated fatty acid esters (or vice versa), to provide a separated monounsaturated fatty acid ester composition having a ratio of at least 10 parts by weight of monounsaturated fatty acid esters for every 1 part by weight of polyunsaturated fatty acid esters.