Methods and devices for producing biodiesel, diesel-range hydrocarbons, and products obtained therefrom

A process for producing a purified biodiesel from a feedstock containing unsaponifiable material, said method comprising:

• a. introducing the feedstock to a pre-treatment process to produce a pretreated feedstock;
• b. introducing the pretreated feedstock to an FFA refining process to produce a refined feedstock;
• c. reacting the refined feedstock in a transesterification reactor with an alcohol to produce a crude biodiesel;
• d. purifying the crude biodiesel to produce a purified biodiesel and a biodiesel residue;
• e. treating the biodiesel residue to recover a biodiesel residue remainder, waxes, terpenes, sterols, and sterol esters by:
• i. treating the biodiesel residue with a first solvent to remove waxes and terpenes by sedimentation and recovering a first liquid phase therefrom;
• ii. treating the first liquid phase with a second solvent to recover a biodiesel blendstock and a second liquid phase;
• wherein the first solvent has a lower polarity and a lower molecular weight than the second solvent;
• and
• iii. evaporating the first solvent and any remaining second solvent from the second liquid phase to recover the biodiesel residue remainder and a sediment solid or gel comprising the sterols and sterol esters;
• and
• f. one of the following steps:
• i. introducing the biodiesel residue remainder to a biodiesel feedstock or a biodiesel blendstock;
• or
• ii. blending the biodiesel residue remainder with the purified biodiesel.