Method for purifying alcohol esters
First Claim
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1. A method for purification of an alcohol ester of a triglyceride produced by a transesterification reaction between an alcohol and the triglyceride, the transesterification reaction occurring in the presence of a catalyst, the method comprising the steps:
- separating a first phase including the alcohol ester, unreacted alcohol, and catalyst from a second phase including a by-product alcohol, unreacted alcohol and catalyst;
treating the second phase to separate the by-product alcohol from the unreacted alcohol and catalyst;
treating the first phase with the separated by-product alcohol to separate the catalyst from the alcohol ester.
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Abstract
Triglycerides, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, are esterified with alcohols to produce alcohol esters which can be used as alternative fuel sources. By-products of the transesterification reaction are stripped from the effluent of the transesterification reactor using a recovery alcohol that can be an isolated by-product of the transesterification reaction.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for purification of an alcohol ester of a triglyceride produced by a transesterification reaction between an alcohol and the triglyceride, the transesterification reaction occurring in the presence of a catalyst, the method comprising the steps:
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separating a first phase including the alcohol ester, unreacted alcohol, and catalyst from a second phase including a by-product alcohol, unreacted alcohol and catalyst; treating the second phase to separate the by-product alcohol from the unreacted alcohol and catalyst; treating the first phase with the separated by-product alcohol to separate the catalyst from the alcohol ester. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 24)
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14. A method for the recovery of by-products from a transesterification reaction between an alcohol and a triglyceride in the presence of a catalyst, the method comprising the steps:
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separating a first phase including an alcohol ester of the triglyceride, first phase unreacted alcohol, and first phase catalyst from a second phase including a by-product alcohol, second phase unreacted alcohol and second phase catalyst; separating the second phase unreacted alcohol from the by-product alcohol and the second phase catalyst; separating the by-product alcohol from the second phase catalyst; treating the first phase with the by-product alcohol separated from the second phase catalyst to separate the first phase unreacted alcohol and the first phase catalyst from the alcohol ester and provide a mixture of the by-product alcohol, first phase unreacted alcohol, and the first phase catalyst; combining the mixture of the by-product alcohol, first phase unreacted alcohol and first phase catalyst with the second phase after it is separated from the first phase; and separating the combined mixture into streams of by-product alcohol, first and second phase unreacted alcohol, and first and second phase catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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15. A method for purification of an alcohol ester of a triglyceride produced by a transesterification reaction between an alcohol and the triglyceride, the transesterification reaction occurring in the presence of a catalyst, the method comprising the steps:
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separating a first phase including the alcohol ester, unreacted alcohol, and catalyst from a second phase including a by-product alcohol, unreacted alcohol, and catalyst; treating the first phase with a recovery alcohol to separate the catalyst from the alcohol ester. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for the recovery of by-products from a transesterification reaction between an alcohol and a triglyceride in the presence of a catalyst, the method comprising the steps:
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separating a first phase including an alcohol ester of the triglyceride, first phase unreacted alcohol, and first phase catalyst from a second phase including a by-product alcohol, second phase unreacted alcohol and second phase catalyst; treating the first phase with a recovery alcohol to separate the first phase unreacted alcohol and the first phase catalyst from the alcohol ester and provide a mixture of the recovery alcohol, first phase unreacted alcohol, and the first phase catalyst; and separating at least one component from the mixture of the recovery alcohol, first phase unreacted alcohol, and the first phase catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (18, 26)
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22. A method for the recovery of by-products from a transesterification reaction between an alcohol and a triglyceride in the presence of a catalyst, the method comprising the steps:
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separating a first phase including an alcohol ester of the triglyceride, first phase unreacted alcohol, and first phase catalyst from a second phase including a by-product alcohol, second phase unreacted alcohol and second phase catalyst. treating the first phase with a recovery alcohol to separate the first phase unreacted alcohol and the first phase catalyst from the alcohol ester and provide a mixture of the recovery alcohol, first phase unreacted alcohol, and the first phase catalyst; and separating at least one component from the by-product alcohol, second phase unreacted alcohol and second phase catalyst that form the second phase. - View Dependent Claims (23, 27)
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28. A method for purification of an alcohol ester comprising the step:
treating the alcohol ester with a recovery alcohol to extract impurities from the alcohol ester into the recovery alcohol. - View Dependent Claims (29)
Specification