Continuous transesterification process

• US 7,145,026 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University), Orbitek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biodiesel Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Fleisher, Christian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carr, Deborah D.
• Application Number:
  US10/411,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 554/184, 554/169
• US Class Current: 554/184
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C11C 3/10 Ester interchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A process for converting at least one triglyceride feedstock to at least one fatty-acid methyl ester product is disclosed. The process includes a continuous, plug-flow environment with a single-pass residence time as low as about 10 seconds, and a conversion of at least 70 percent.

Claims

1. A process for producing fatty-acid methyl esters comprising:

reacting at least one triglyceride feedstock with alcohol, wherein the reaction is carried out in a continuous, plug-flow environment, wherein the plug-flow environment includes temperature range from about 80°

C. to about 180°

C. and residence time of less than about 3 minutes.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a static mixing effect.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a static mixing element selected from the group consisting of at least one baffle, packing material, fluidized packing material, and combinations thereof.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a caustic catalyst.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction achieves a conversion of the at least one triglyceride feedstock at greater than or equal to about 70 percent.

6. The process according to claim 1 further including:

separating the produced fatty-acid methyl esters under conditions to achieve a diesel fuel grade methyl esters.

7. The process according to claim 1 further including:

temperature manipulating the produced fatty-acid methyl esters; and

flash separating the fatty-acid methyl esters under conditions to achieve diesel fuel grade methyl esters, wherein flash separating is carried out at a temperature that achieves a flash separation of an alcohol between a light key and a heavy key, of more than about 97 percent in the light key.

8. A process for producing fatty-acid methyl esters comprising:

reacting at least one triglyceride feedstock with alcohol, wherein the reaction is carried out in a continuous, plug-flow environment, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a pressure between about 1 atmosphere and about 20 atmospheres, and wherein the process achieves a conversion of the trigylceride feedstock of greater than about 99 percent.

9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the pressure is above about 10 atmospheres, wherein the temperature is above about 100°

C., and wherein the alcohol is suppressed from vaporizing.

10. The process according to claim 8, wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, an insoluble metal, and combinations thereof.

11. The process according to claim 8, wherein the pressure is above about 10 atmospheres, wherein the temperature is above about 100°

C., wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the alcohol is suppressed from vaporizing, and wherein the catalyst is a liquid-phase caustic selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, and LiOH, and combinations thereof.

12. A process for producing fatty-acid methyl esters comprising:

reacting at least one triglyceride feedstock with alcohol, wherein the reaction is carried out in a continuous, plug-flow environment, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a residence time of less than about 2 minutes, and wherein the process achieves a conversion of the triglyceride feedstock of greater than about 99 percent.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the residence time is less than or equal to about 0.75 minutes, and wherein the process achieves the conversion in a single-pass.

14. The process according to claim 12, wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, an insoluble metal, and combinations thereof.

15. The process according to claim 12, wherein the residence time is less than or equal to about 0.75 minute, wherein the process achieves the conversion in a single-pass, and wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, LiOH, an insoluble metal, and combinations thereof.

19. The process according to claim 14, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a static mixing element.

20. The process according to claim 19, wherein the catalyst can be premixed with the alcohol, embedded in the plug-flow environment, and imbedded in the static mixing element.

16. A process for producing fatty-acid methyl ester comprising:

reacting at least one triglyceride feedstock with alcohol, wherein the reaction is carried out in a continuous, plug-flow environment, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a pressure between about 1 atmosphere and about 20 atmospheres, wherein the plug-flow environment includes a temperature range from about 80°

C. to about 180°

C., and wherein the process achieves a conversion of the triglyceride feedstock of greater than about 99 percent.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the temperature is about 167°

C.

18. The process according to claim 16, wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is selected from NaOH, KOH, LiOH, an insoluble metal, and combinations thereof.