Humins Modification for Liquid Biofuel Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Humins, a by-product of levulinic acid production, are typically solid and contain inorganic salts from acid catalysts, limiting their application as a biofuel due to handling difficulties and salt presence, which hampers their economic and value-added use.
Innovation Solution
A process involving contacting humins with reactive compounds like carboxylic acids, anhydrides, or olefins in an organic aprotic solvent at elevated temperatures, followed by washing, to remove water-soluble components and reduce hydrophilicity, thereby converting humins into a more soluble and less viscous form suitable for use as a liquid fuel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If humins are used as biofuel, then energy value is improved, but handling difficulty and salt presence worsen the application feasibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical and chemical properties of humins through reaction with organic compounds. This transforms humins from a solid, salt-containing material into a liquid form with reduced viscosity and hydrophilicity, making it suitable for fuel applications while removing harmful inorganic salts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase transitions by converting humins from solid phase to liquid phase through chemical modification. The reaction with organic compounds changes the physical state and solubility characteristics, enabling the humins to be processed and handled as a liquid fuel rather than a solid waste material.
2Ease of operation
If humins are modified with reactive compounds, then viscosity is reduced and hydrophobicity increases, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing organic compounds as mediators that react with humins to modify their properties. These organic compounds act as intermediaries that facilitate the transformation of humins into a more usable form, reducing viscosity and hydrophilicity while enabling subsequent purification steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies extraction by removing water-soluble components and inorganic salts from the modified humins through washing with aqueous solutions. This separation step extracts harmful impurities while retaining the modified humins product, simplifying the overall process by eliminating complex purification requirements.
3Reliability
If inorganic salts are removed from humins, then fuel quality is improved, but processing time and steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing chemical modification of humins before purification. The reaction with organic compounds is conducted first to reduce hydrophilicity and viscosity, which then facilitates easier and faster removal of inorganic salts through washing, reducing overall processing time compared to direct purification of unmodified humins.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful hydrophilic nature of humins into a benefit by reacting with organic compounds to reduce water solubility. This transformation turns the originally problematic water-affinity into an advantage, enabling efficient separation of inorganic salts through simple washing while improving fuel quality.
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
The modified humins exhibit reduced viscosity and increased hydrophobicity, making them easier to purify and use as liquid fuels, while removing inorganic salts that are detrimental to combustion, thus enhancing their value as a more versatile and environmentally friendly fuel option.
Implementation Method 1
contacting humins with a reactive compound selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic halide, a carboxylic anhydride, an olefin, an epoxy-group containing compound and combinations thereof in the presence of an organic aprotic solvent to obtain a humins-containing admixture; maintaining the humins-containing admixture at elevated temperature to achieve a reaction between the humins and the reactive compound
Implementation Method 2
washing the modified humins with an aqueous washing liquid; and recovering the modified humins
Implementation Method 3
remove water-soluble components and reduce hydrophilicity
Data Source
AI summary
Modified humins are prepared in a process comprising: contacting humins with a reactive compound selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an acyl halide, a carboxylic anhydride, an olefin, an epoxy-group containing compound and combinations thereof in the presence of an organic aprotic solvent to obtain a humins-containing admixture; maintaining the humins-containing admixture at elevated temperature to achieve a reaction between the humins and the reactive compound, thereby obtaining modified humins; and recovering the modified humins.