Heterogeneous catalyst for transesterification and method of preparing same
AssigneeCrystaphase Products, Inc.
InventorsUmakant Pravinchandra Joshi, Peter Gregory Ham
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Abstract
A transesterification catalyst that is heterogeneous and a method for preparing said transesterification catalyst are provided. The catalyst can be used in a variety of transesterification reactor configurations including CSTR (continuous stirred tank reactors), ebullated (or ebullating) beds or any other fluidized bed reactors, and PFR (plug flow, fixed bed reactors). The catalyst can be used for manufacturing commercial grade biodiesel, biolubricants and glycerin.
Claims20
A compound having the formula:
- ZxQyPOnMH20, wherein:
- Z is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium and lithium,
- Q is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium and barium,
- x is a rational number in the range from 0.5 to 4,
- y is a rational integer in the range from 2 to 8,
- n is a rational integer in the range from 4 to 8, and
- M is a ceramic substrate;
- and wherein the compound is a transesterification catalyst.
A method of preparing a transesterification catalyst comprising:
- mixing a metal hydroxide with the metal selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium and lithium with a metal hydroxide with the metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, barium and lithium in a ratio of about 1:10 by weight to form a component mixture;
- dissolving the component mixture in phosphoric acid;
- heating the component mixture to a temperature in the range from 60-90 degrees C.;
- precipitating a solid compound;
- mixing the precipitate with ceramic substrate in a ratio of about 2:10 by weight and washing with water to form a precipitate/ceramic substrate mixture;
- and
- calcining the precipitate/ceramic substrate mixture at a temperature in the range from 400-500 degrees C.
A method of preparing alkyl ester using a transesterification catalyst, the method comprising:
- providing a transesterification catalyst comprising a compound having the formula ZxQyPOnMH20, wherein:
- Z is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium and lithium,
- Q is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium and barium,
- x is a rational number in the range from 0.5 to 4,
- y is a rational integer in the range from 2 to 8,
- n is a rational integer in the range from 4 to 8, and
- M is a ceramic substrate;
- and
- reacting one or more triglycerides and an alcohol in the presence of the catalyst and converting the triglycerides and alcohol to alkyl ester and glycerin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.