SYSTEMS FOR SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF CONTAMINANTS FROM A COMPOSITION AND METHODS OF REGENERATING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A method for removing organic acids from a crude product mixture comprising:
- contacting the crude product mixture with a metal oxide substrate, wherein free organic acids in the crude product mixture bind to the metal oxide substrate, thereby removing free organic acids and forming a refined product mixture;
separating the refined product mixture from the metal oxide substrate;
removing the organic acids bound to the metal oxide substrate by contacting the metal oxide substrate with an alkyl ester composition at a temperature of greater than about 100 degrees Celsius.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to devices and methods for selectively removing contaminants from a crude product mixture. In an embodiment the invention includes a method for removing organic acids from a crude product mixture including contacting the crude product mixture with a metal oxide substrate, wherein free organic acids in the crude product mixture bind to the metal oxide substrate, thereby removing free organic acids and forming a refined product mixture; separating the refined product mixture from the metal oxide substrate; and removing the organic acids bound to the metal oxide substrate by contacting the metal oxide substrate with an alkyl ester composition at a temperature of greater than about 100 degrees Celsius. Other embodiments are also described herein.
108 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for removing organic acids from a crude product mixture comprising:
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contacting the crude product mixture with a metal oxide substrate, wherein free organic acids in the crude product mixture bind to the metal oxide substrate, thereby removing free organic acids and forming a refined product mixture; separating the refined product mixture from the metal oxide substrate; removing the organic acids bound to the metal oxide substrate by contacting the metal oxide substrate with an alkyl ester composition at a temperature of greater than about 100 degrees Celsius. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of regenerating a free fatty acid removal apparatus comprising
contacting saturated metal oxides disposed within the free fatty acid removal apparatus with a fatty acid alkyl ester composition at a temperature of greater than about 100 degrees Celsius, thereby releasing bound fatty acids from saturated metal oxides into the fatty acid alkyl ester composition.
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17. A system for producing a refined oil product comprising:
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a production reactor for producing a crude oil product mixture, the reactor comprising a lipid reservoir, and an alcohol reservoir; and an organic acid removal reactor in fluid communication with the production reactor, the organic acid removal reactor comprising a housing defining an interior volume, the housing configured to receive the crude oil product mixture from the production reactor, metal oxide media disposed within the interior volume of the removal reactor housing, the metal oxide media comprising a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, alumina, hafnia, and titania; the system configured to periodically regenerate the metal oxide media of the organic acid removal reactor by contacting the metal oxide media with a fatty acid alkyl ester composition at a temperature of greater than about 100 degrees Celsius. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification