Method and system for production of biofuels using a fiber conduit reactor
AssigneeChemtor, LP
InventorJohn Lee Massingill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber reaction process whereby reactive components contained in immiscible streams are brought into contact to effect chemical reactions and separations. The conduit reactor utilized contains wettable fibers onto which one stream is substantially constrained and a second stream is flowed over to continuously create a new interface there between to efficiently bring about contact of the reactive species and thus promote reactions thereof or extractions thereby. Co-solvents and phase transfer catalysts may be employed to facilitate the process.
Claims41
A method for forming biofuel, comprising:
- introducing a first stream comprising an alcohol proximate an upstream end of a plurality of fibers positioned longitudinally within a conduit reactor, wherein the end of the fibers opposite the upstream end constitutes a downstream end thereof and is disposed proximate a collection vessel;
- introducing a reactive species within the conduit reactor;
- introducing a second stream containing lipids comprising trigylcerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, other esters, phospholipids, fatty acids, and/or other carboxylic acids into the conduit reactor proximate the upstream end of the plurality of fibers in the same direction of flow as the first stream, wherein the second stream is in contact with and is substantially immiscible with the first stream, and wherein the first stream and the second stream are introduced into the conduit reactor such that the alcohol and reactive species interact with the lipids of the second stream to form carboxylic esters useful as biofuels comprising one or more of biogasoline, fuel additives, and biodiesel;
- receiving the biofuel, byproducts of the biofuel formation, and residual components of the first and second streams in the collection vessel;
- and
- withdrawing separately the biofuel from the collection vessel.
A process for treating lipids, such as vegetable oils or animal fats or waste cooking oils or fatty acids or any combination thereof, in a biodiesel formation system to extract an extractable species, comprising phospholipids or free fatty acids or both, in an elongated conduit extractor having an upstream end and a downstream end and a plurality of fibers positioned longitudinally within said conduit extractor, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) introducing a first stream proximate said upstream end wherein:
- (i) the first stream constitutes a phase substantially constrained to the surface of the fibers;
- and
- (ii) the first stream comprises an organic solvent;
- (b) introducing a reactive species to the conduit extractor in such a manner that at least some of the reactive species is bound to said fibers;
- (c) introducing a second stream comprising lipids into the conduit extractor, wherein the second stream constitutes a substantially continuous phase that is in contact with and is substantially immiscible with the first stream, at a flow rate, temperature, and pressure whereby the reactive species and the organic solvent effect extraction of at least one extractable species from the continuous phase into the constrained phase and the organic solvent dissolves the extracted species in the constrained phase to form an extract;
- (d) receiving the constrained phase and the continuous phase in a collection vessel from said conduit extractor, wherein:
- (i) the constrained phase comprises a layer in a first portion of the collection vessel;
- and
- (ii) the continuous phase comprises a layer in a second portion in the collection vessel:
- and
- (e) withdrawing separately from the collection vessel the continuous phase layer and the constrained phase layer.
A method for forming biofuel, comprising:
- introducing a first stream comprising an alcohol proximate an upstream end of a plurality of fibers positioned longitudinally within a conduit reactor, wherein the end of the fibers opposite the upstream end constitutes a downstream end thereof and is disposed proximate a collection vessel;
- introducing a reactive species within the conduit reactor;
- introducing a second stream containing lipids comprising trigylcerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, other esters, phospholipids, fatty acids, and/or other carboxylic acids into the conduit reactor proximate the downstream end of the plurality of fibers in the opposite direction of flow as the first stream, wherein the second stream is in contact with and is substantially immiscible with the first stream, and wherein the first stream and the second stream are introduced into the conduit reactor such that the alcohol and reactive species interact with the lipids of the second stream to form carboxylic esters useful as biofuels comprising one or more of biogasoline, fuel additives, and biodiesel;
- receiving the biofuel, byproducts of the biofuel formation, and residual components of the first and second streams in the collection vessel;
- and
- withdrawing separately the biofuel from the collection vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.