Methods for removing contaminants from algal oil
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorFrancis Stephen Lupton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods for removing contaminants from algal oil are provided. In an embodiment, a method comprises the steps of combining a sulfuric acid-aqueous solution that has a pH of about 1 or less with a contaminant-containing algal oil at treatment conditions effective to form an effluent. The effluent comprises a treated algal oil phase and contaminants in an acidic aqueous phase. The contaminants comprise metals, phosphorus, or combinations thereof The acidic aqueous phase is removed from the effluent to form a contaminant-depleted algal oil.
Claims20
A method for removing contaminants from algal oil, the method comprising the steps of:
- combining a sulfuric acid-aqueous solution that has a pH of about 1 or less with a contaminant-containing algal oil at treatment conditions effective to form an effluent that comprises a treated algal oil phase and contaminants in an acidic aqueous phase, wherein the contaminants comprise metals, phosphorus, or combinations thereof;
- and
- removing the acidic aqueous phase from the effluent to form a contaminant-depleted algal oil.
A method for removing contaminants from algal oil, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a contaminant-containing algal oil and a sulfuric acid-aqueous solution that has a pH of about 1 or less to a reactor that is operating at treatment conditions effective to form an effluent that comprises a treated algal oil phase and contaminants in an acidic aqueous phase, wherein the contaminants comprise metals, phosphorus, or combinations thereof;
- and
- introducing the effluent to an oil-water separation zone to remove the acidic aqueous phase from the effluent and form a contaminant-depleted algal oil.
A method for removing contaminants from algal oil, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a contaminant-containing algal oil and a sulfuric acid-aqueous solution at a predetermined acid to oil ratio of from about 1:4 to about 4:1 to a reactor that is operating at treatment conditions effective to form an effluent that comprises a treated algal oil phase and contaminants in an acidic aqueous phase, wherein the contaminants comprise metals, phosphorus, or combinations thereof and the sulfuric acid-aqueous solution comprises sulfuric acid that is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 50 wt. % of the sulfuric acid-aqueous solution, and wherein the predetermined acid to oil ratio is defined by a first weight of the sulfuric acid-aqueous solution to a second weight of the contaminant-containing algal oil;
- and
- introducing the effluent to an oil-water separation zone to remove the acidic aqueous phase from the effluent and form a contaminant-depleted algal oil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.