Hydrodynamic Cavitation for Oil Refining and Catalyst Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for producing bio-products like bio-LPG, bio-naphtha, and bio-diesel from natural fats and oils face challenges due to the presence of free fatty acids, which react with basic catalysts, and the need for efficient degumming to remove phosphatides and metals from complex mixtures of oils and fats, leading to energy consumption and waste generation.
Innovation Solution
The application of hydrodynamic cavitation to refine natural occurring oils, removing impurities such as phosphatides, metals, and peroxides, followed by hydrodeoxygenation or decarboxylation to produce linear paraffins, which are then hydrocracked or hydroisomerized to improve cold-flow properties and reduce oxygen content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional refining processes are used to remove phosphatides and metals from complex oil mixtures, then impurity removal is achieved, but energy consumption increases and waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional thermal refining processes with hydrodynamic cavitation, a mechanical field-based approach. The cavitation process uses intense shear forces and micro-jets generated by collapsing bubbles to remove impurities, eliminating the need for high-temperature heating and reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective impurity removal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs hydrodynamic cavitation, which is a hydraulic phenomenon where rapid pressure changes create collapsing vapor bubbles in the liquid phase. This hydraulic mechanism generates intense local shear forces that effectively separate impurities from the oil without requiring additional chemical agents or high energy input
2Productivity
If free fatty acids are not removed before catalytic deoxygenation, then feedstock utilization is maximized, but catalyst deactivation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydrodynamic cavitation as a preliminary treatment step before catalytic deoxygenation. This pre-treatment removes phosphatides and metals that would otherwise deactivate the catalyst, ensuring catalyst activity is maintained throughout the process while allowing free fatty acids to remain in the feedstock for maximum utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrodynamic cavitation process acts as an intermediary step between feedstock preparation and catalytic deoxygenation. It selectively removes harmful impurities (phosphatides and metals) while leaving free fatty acids intact, thereby protecting the catalyst without requiring FFA removal
3Reliability
If extensive degumming is performed to remove all phosphatides, then catalyst protection is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydrodynamic cavitation to selectively extract and remove harmful impurities (phosphatides and metals) from the oil feedstock. This single-step extraction process achieves sufficient catalyst protection without requiring multiple sequential degumming operations, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining catalyst reliability
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 effectively removes impurities, enhances the quality of bio-products by improving cold-flow properties and reducing oxygen content, thereby addressing the limitations of existing methods while minimizing energy consumption and waste.
Implementation Method 1
The application of hydrodynamic cavitation to refine natural occurring oils, removing impurities such as phosphatides, metals, and peroxides
Implementation Method 2
followed by hydrodeoxygenation or decarboxylation to produce linear paraffins, which are then hydrocracked or hydroisomerized to improve cold-flow properties and reduce oxygen content
Implementation Method 3
which are then hydrocracked or hydroisomerized to improve cold-flow properties and reduce oxygen content
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to the production of high value bio- chemicals, in particular bio-paraffins, bio-LPG, bio-naphtha, bio-jet and bio-distillates in an integrated bio-refinery from complex mixtures of natural occurring fats & oils. The present invention discloses a process for the production of such bio- chemicals, from natural occurring oil (s) containing acyl-containing compounds having 10 to 24 carbons including fatty acid esters and free fatty acids, and other components including impurities. Natural occurring oil(s) is{are) refined before treatment in a hydroprocessing step. The refining used in the present invention includes a hydrodynamic cavitation to remove impurities which might deteriorate the subsequent hydroprocessing step.