Renewable Base Oil Production via Feedstock Segmentation and Hydrolysis Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing renewable base oils and fuel components from biological feedstocks, such as free fatty acids and glycerides, face inefficiencies in processing low-value materials into high-value products, particularly in achieving API Group III base oil specifications and maximizing yield.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the separation of feedstocks into free fatty acid and glyceride streams, followed by hydrolysis to recycle free fatty acids, and subsequent ketonization, hydrodeoxygenation, and isomerization reactions to produce renewable base oils and fuel components, optimizing conditions for temperature, pressure, and catalyst use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If feedstock is processed directly without separation and hydrolysis, then process complexity is reduced, but yield of renewable base oil and fuel components is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The feedstock is separated into distinct free fatty acid stream and glyceride stream, allowing independent processing of each component. This segmentation enables optimized processing conditions for each fraction and prevents interference between different feedstock components, thereby increasing overall yield while maintaining manageable process complexity through modular unit operations
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrolysis of glycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol is performed as a preliminary step before the main ketonisation and hydrodeoxygenation processes. This preliminary action converts glyceride-bound fatty acids into free form, making them available for subsequent high-value product synthesis and significantly boosting the overall yield of renewable base oil and fuel components
2Productivity
If free fatty acids from hydrolysis are not recycled, then process simplicity is maintained, but utilization of low-value feedstock is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
Free fatty acids generated during hydrolysis of glycerides are recovered and recycled back to the separation and processing units. This recovery operation ensures complete utilization of low-value feedstock by capturing otherwise wasted fatty acid content and reintroducing it into the high-value product synthesis pathway, maximizing feedstock conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The recycling of free fatty acids creates a feedback loop where processing byproducts are fed back into the system for further conversion. This feedback mechanism ensures that all valuable components of the low-value feedstock are fully utilized, transforming what would be waste products into valuable intermediates for high-value renewable base oil and fuel component production
3Productivity
If ketonisation is performed without optimized temperature and pressure conditions, then process simplicity is maintained, but production of high-value products is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Ketonisation is performed under optimized temperature (300-400°C) and pressure (0.5-3 MPa) conditions with specific catalyst selection. These parameter changes enable efficient conversion of free fatty acids into ketones and subsequent high-value products while maintaining acceptable process complexity through standardized reaction conditions that can be implemented in conventional industrial equipment
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 increases the yield of renewable base oils and fuel components, meeting API Group III specifications with enhanced lubricating performance and cold flow properties, while maximizing the use of low-value biological feedstocks.
Implementation Method 1
hydrolyzing the glycerides of the second effluent stream into free fatty acids and glycerol
Implementation Method 2
subjecting at least part or all of the (iii) fatty acid fraction of the first effluent stream to ketonisation reaction at a temperature in the range from 100 to 500 °C, preferably from 300 to 400 °C, and at a pressure in the range from atmospheric pressure to 10 MPa, preferably from 0.5 to 3 MPa, in the presence of a ketonisation catalyst to produce a ketone containing stream
Implementation Method 3
subjecting at least part of the ketone containing stream of step e) to hydrodeoxygenation reaction and to hydroisomerisation reaction, simultaneously or in sequence, to yield a renewable base oil containing stream
Implementation Method 4
subjecting at least part of the ketone containing stream of step e) to hydrodeoxygenation reaction and to hydroisomerisation reaction, simultaneously or in sequence, to yield a renewable base oil containing stream
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to methods for producing renewable base oil and other valuable renewable fuel components from a feedstock of biological origin comprising free fatty acids and glycerides. The feedstock is first separated to two or more effluent streams comprising a fatty acid fraction and glyceride fraction. The glycerides are hydrolyzed to free fatty acids and glycerol, and the fatty acids thus obtained are recycled to the separating. The fatty acids are then converted to the base oil by ketonisation, hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation. The glycerol is converted to propanols by selective hydrogenolysis.