Methods and systems for alkyl ester production
AssigneeUniversity of Connecticut
InventorsRichard Parnas, Clifford Weed, Nicholas Leadbeater, Matthew Boucher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, the method comprises: combining liquid biomass with an alcohol to form a combined liquid stream, introducing the combined liquid stream to a first transesterification reactor between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet, reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form liquid glycerol and liquid alkyl ester, and removing a liquid alkyl ester stream from an upper portion of the first transesterification reactor. The combined liquid stream flows upward through the reactor at a rate that is less than a settling velocity of the liquid glycerol.
Claims22
A method for the production of alkyl esters, comprising:
- combining liquid biomass with an alcohol to form a combined liquid stream;
- introducing the combined liquid stream to a first transesterification reactor between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet;
- reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form liquid glycerol and liquid alkyl ester, wherein the combined liquid stream flows upward through the reactor at a rate that is less than a settling velocity of the liquid glycerol;
- and
- removing a liquid alkyl ester stream from an upper portion of the first transesterification reactor.
A method for the production of alkyl esters, comprising:
- combining liquid biomass with an alcohol to form a combined liquid stream;
- introducing the combined liquid stream to a first transesterification reactor at a point in a lower 25% of the reactor, between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet, wherein the combined liquid stream has a laminar flow;
- reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form liquid glycerol and liquid alkyl ester, wherein greater than or equal to about 75 mass % of the liquid glycerol settles towards a bottom of the first transesterification reactor;
- and
- removing the liquid alkyl ester stream from the first transesterification reactor;
- removing the liquid glycerol from the first transesterification reactor;
- and
- purifying the liquid alkyl ester stream.
An alkyl ester production system, comprising:
- a first transesterification reactor comprising a liquid biomass inlet located between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet, wherein the liquid biomass inlet is in fluid communication with a liquid biomass source and a liquid alcohol source, wherein the first transesterification reactor is configured for laminar flow and for liquid reactants and products;
- a water wash vessel comprising an alkyl ester inlet, a water inlet located near a top of the water wash vessel, and a washed alkyl ester outlet located near the top of the water wash vessel, wherein the alkyl ester inlet is located near a bottom of the water wash vessel;
- and
- a drier comprising a washed alkyl ester inlet located near a top of the drier, a gas inlet located near a bottom of the drier, and a dried alkyl ester outlet located near the bottom of the drier, wherein the alkyl ester inlet is in fluid communication with the washed alkyl ester outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.