# US 9,752,097 B2 · Methods and compositions for improving oil recovery in corn processing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,097 B2 - Document ID: US9752097B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/029,813 - Filed: 2013-10-15 - Published: 2016-11-24 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-15 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Umit Turunc; Michael James Aucutt; Charles Sinko - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752097B2 ## CPC - C11B 13/00: Recovery of fats, fatty oils or fatty acids from waste materials - C11B 1/10: by extracting - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - Y02W 30/74: Recovery of fats, fatty oils, fatty acids or other fatty substances, e.g. lanolin or waxes - C11B: PRODUCING, e.g. BY PRESSING RAW MATERIALS OR BY EXTRACTION FROM WASTE MATERIALS, REFINING OR PRESERVING FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES, e.g. LANOLIN, FATTY OILS OR WAXES; ESSENTIAL OILS; PERFUMES (drying-oils C09F) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract Methods and composition are provided for recovering oil from an oil containing mixture or emulsion. The invention is particularly applicable for recovery of oil from corn in a corn to oil process. The process and compositions comprise a combination of two non-ionic surfactants i) and ii). The non-ionic surfactant i) is a non-ionic surfactant comprising a polyol derived from a sorbitol, a sorbitan, or isosorbide. The non-ionic surfactant ii) is an ester of a) polyethylene glycol and b) a fatty acid. In accordance with the methods, the combination of surfactants i) and ii) is brought into contact with a process stream mixture existing in a corn to ethanol process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for recovering oil in a corn to ethanol process wherein oil and solids are present in a process stream mixture, said method comprising adding to said process stream mixture an oil separation aid, said oil separation aid comprising i) a non-ionic surfactant comprising a polyol derived from a sorbitol, a sorbitan, or isosorbide and ii) a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) dioleate, PEG dilaurate, PEG dipalmitate, PEG distearate, PEG monooleate, PEG monolaurate, PEG monopalmitate, and PEG monostearate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said process stream mixture is present in a whole stillage process stream, a thin stillage process stream, in an evaporator, in a syrup stream, or in feed or make up water to a corn to ethanol fermentation process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said separation aid has a HLB of about 10 to about 14. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1 wherein i) is an alkoxylated sorbitan alkylate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method as recited in claim 4 wherein i) is an ethoxylated sorbitan and the chain length of said alkylate is about 6 to 24 carbon atoms. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method as recited in claim 5 wherein i) is polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method as recited in claim 6 wherein i) has about 5-100 units of ethoxylation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method as recited in claim 7 wherein i) has about 10-30 units of ethoxylation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1 wherein ii) is PEG dioleate wherein the molecular weight of the PEG is from about 200-1500 dalton units. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the molecular weight of the PEG is about 400 dalton units. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method as recited in claim 10 wherein i) is polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate having about 20 moles of ethoxylation. ### Claim 12 Corn oil separation enhancement composition comprising components i) and ii) wherein i) is an alkoxylated sorbitan alkylate and ii) is a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneglycol (PEG) dioleate, PEG dilaurate, PEG dipalmitate, PEG distearate, PEG monooleate, PEG monolaurate, PEG monopalmitate, and PEG monostearate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Corn oil separation enhancement composition as recited in claim 12 wherein i) is a polyethoxylated sorbitan alkylate and the chain length of said alkylate is about 6 to 24 carbon atoms and wherein i) has 5-100 units of ethoxylation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) Corn oil separation enhancement composition as recited in claim 12, wherein ii) is PEG dioleate wherein the molecular weight of the PEG is from 200 to 1500 dalton units. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Corn oil separation enhancement composition as recited in claim 14, further comprising a carrier liquid wherein i) is a polyethoxylated sorbitan monooleate having from about 10-30 moles of ethoxylation present.