Membrane-based treatment of biodiesel compositions to remove impurities
AssigneeNEXT-ChemX Corporation
InventorNikolai M Kocherginsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Treatment of a biodiesel composition to remove impurities such as glycerol from the biodiesel composition using a membrane support. The biodiesel composition flows on one side of the membrane support and an acidic washing solution flows on the opposite side of the membrane support. Glycerol and other low molecular weight impurities having an affinity towards water are transported from the biodiesel composition to the acidic washing solution through the membrane support. The membrane support may include a plurality of hydrophilic polymer hollow fibers disposed in a support module.
Claims27
A method for the treatment of a biodiesel composition to remove impurities from the biodiesel composition, comprising the steps of:
- contacting a first surface of a membrane support with a biodiesel composition comprising at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of glycerol, methanol and alkali metal compounds;
- and
- contacting a second surface of the membrane support, opposite the first surface, with an acidic washing solution,
- wherein the at least one impurity is transported from the biodiesel composition to the acidic washing solution to form a refined biodiesel product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.