Renewable oil refining processes
AssigneeAdvanced Energy Development
InventorsTrevor G. Morgan, Tom Vytlacil, Colby Neeley, Charles Devlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes are described for refining a renewable oil. The processes may include the steps of adding one or more compounds to the renewable oil to produce a soap stock in the renewable oil, and separating at least a portion of the soap stock from the renewable oil. The processes may further include adding a polymer to the separated renewable oil to produce a refined renewable oil.
Claims21
A process of refining a renewable oil, the process comprising:
- providing a renewable oil;
- adding one or more compounds to the renewable oil to produce a soap stock in the renewable oil comprising:
- adding an acid to the renewable oil, and
- increasing the pH of the acidified renewable oil by adding a base to the acidified renewable oil;
- separating at least a portion of the soap stock from the renewable oil to produce a partially purified renewable oil;
- adding a polymer to the partially purified renewable oil;
- and
- separating at least a portion of the polymer from the partially purified renewable oil to produce a refined renewable oil, wherein:
- the renewable oil has a temperature ranging from 60° F. to 80° F. when the acid is added to the renewable oil,
- the polymer comprises polyvinyl polypyrrolidone,
- the soap stock is formed by the addition of the base,
- the partially purified renewable oil is non-polar,
- the process of refining the renewable oil occurs prior to reacting the refined renewable oil with alcohol to form a biodiesel compound, and
- free fatty acids comprise less than 1 wt. % of the refined renewable oil.
A process for refining a renewable oil, the process comprising:
- providing a renewable oil comprising an amount of free fatty acids;
- removing a first portion of free fatty acids from the renewable oil to produce a partially refined oil;
- and
- removing a second portion of free fatty acids from the partially refined oil to produce a refined renewable oil, wherein:
- the partially refined oil is non-polar,
- the removal of the second portion of free fatty acids comprises adding a polymer to the partially refined oil, maintaining the temperature of the partially refined oil from 60° F. to 80° F., and, then, separating at least a portion of the polymer from the partially refined oil,
- the polymer is insoluble in the partially refined oil,
- the process of refining the renewable oil occurs prior to reacting the refined renewable oil with alcohol to form a biodiesel compound, and
- the sum of the first portion of free fatty acids and the second portion of free fatty acids comprises greater than 86% of the amount of free fatty acids.
A process of refining a renewable oil with an edible polymer, the process comprising:
- providing a renewable oil, wherein the renewable oil is non-polar;
- adding an edible polymer to the renewable oil, wherein:
- the edible polymer comprises a powder phase and the renewable oil is at a temperature from 60° F. to 80° F. when the edible polymer is added, and
- the edible polymer is insoluble in the renewable oil;
- binding at least a portion of free fatty acids in the renewable oil to the edible polymer;
- and
- separating at least a portion of the edible polymer from the renewable oil, wherein:
- the process of refining the renewable oil with the edible polymer occurs prior to reacting the renewable oil with alcohol to form a biodiesel compound, and
- free fatty acids comprise less than 1 wt. % of the renewable oil prior to reacting the renewable oil with alcohol to form the biodiesel compound.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.