System and method for the production of alkyl esters
AssigneeViesel Skunk Works, LLC
InventorsGraham Towerton, Stuart Lamb
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Abstract
A method of producing alkyl esters including processing a high free fatty acid feedstock including a mixture of triglycerides and free fatty acids to remove water and solids to create a processed feedstock. The processed feedstock is introduced and mixed into a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel includes water, at least one enzyme, and alcohol. The reacted contents are separated into a glycerin phase and an alkyl ester phase. The alkyl ester phase is treated with a primary alcohol and a flocculant.
Claims20
A method of producing alkyl esters, the method comprising:
- processing a high free fatty acid feedstock including a mixture of triglycerides and free fatty acids to remove water and solids to create a processed feedstock;
- introducing and mixing the processed feedstock into a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel including water, at least one enzyme, and alcohol;
- separating the reacted contents into a glycerin phase and an alkyl ester phase;
- and
- treating the alkyl ester phase with a primary alcohol and a flocculant.
A method of producing alkyl esters, the method comprising:
- processing a high free fatty acid feedstock including a mixture of triglycerides and free fatty acids to remove water and solids to create a processed feedstock;
- introducing and mixing the processed feedstock into a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel including water, at least one enzyme, and alcohol;
- separating the reacted contents into a glycerin phase and an alkyl ester phase;
- and
- washing the alkyl ester phase with an aqueous base;
- and
- treating the alkyl ester phase with a methanol and a polyacrylamide cationic polymer.
A method of producing alkyl esters, the method comprising:
- processing a high free fatty acid feedstock including a mixture of triglycerides and free fatty acids to remove water and solids to create a processed feedstock;
- introducing and mixing the processed feedstock into a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel including water, at least one enzyme, and alcohol;
- separating the reacted contents into a glycerin phase and an alkyl ester phase;
- and
- recycling a portion of the at least one enzyme from the glycerin phase;
- removing water and the least one alcohol from the alkyl ester phase;
- converting free fatty acids in the alkyl ester phase into alkyl esters;
- washing the alkyl ester phase with an aqueous base;
- and
- treating the alkyl ester phase with a methanol and a polyacrylamide cationic polymer, wherein the alkyl ester phase has a weight, and the percentage of methanol used to treat the alky ester phase is approximately 2 percent of the weight of the alkyl ester phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.