System for creating a biofuel

• US 7,452,515 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biofuels Allied, Inc., Powertech International Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Biofuels Allied, Inc., Powertech International Holding AG
• Inventors: Bouknight, Harry Jr., Lafleur, Christof, Bouknight, Harry Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung; Jennifer A
• Application Number:
  US11/935,514
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/618
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/24 Stationary reactors without moving elements inside B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence; with stationary particles B01J8/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/2445 placed in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00256 in a heat exchanger for the heat exchange medium separate from the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0004 Processes in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/00 Feed or outlet devices; Feed or outlet control devices feed or outlet devices for pressure vessels B01J3/02 ; feeding of particles into and evacuation of particles out of the reactor B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: C11C 3/003 by esterification of fatty acids with alcohols C11C3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A system for making a biodiesel fuel using a biofuel reactor with at least one chamber and at least a two atomizers in each chamber, at least one atomizer with biofuel feedstock nozzles, and a second atomizer with alcohol with catalyst nozzles to simultaneously atomize and quickly react the biofuel feedstock with the alcohol with catalyst. A polyol separator separates the microparticles into a crude polyol stream and a crude biodiesel stream, and a conduit with an inlet introduces water to the crude biodiesel stream. A separator is used to separate a first portion of water from the crude biodiesel stream forming a washed crude biodiesel with a second portion of washing water, and a heat exchanger is used to form dried biodiesel and wash water vapor. A cooler cools the dried biodiesel, and a filter is used to remove particles from the cooled biodiesel forming the biodiesel.

Claims

1. A system for creating a biodiesel fuel using main biodiesel production equipment comprising:

(a) a biofuel reactor comprising;

at least one chamber;

at least two atomizers in the at least one chamber comprising;

a first atomizer in the at least one chamber comprising at least one light phase biofuel feedstock nozzle for receiving and atomizing a light phase biofuel feedstock, and

a second atomizer in the at least one chamber comprising at least one short chain alcohol with catalyst nozzle for receiving and atomizing a short chain alcohol with catalyst, wherein a stream of reacted microparticles is quickly formed when the atomized light phase biofuel feedstock contacts the atomized short chain alcohol with catalyst;

(b) a polyol separator in fluid communication with the biofuel reactor, wherein the polyol separator is adapted to receive and separate the stream of reacted microparticles into a crude polyol stream and a crude biodiesel stream;

(c) a conduit comprising;

a wash water inlet for introducing fresh wash water to the crude biodiesel stream, and flowing the crude biodiesel stream mixed with fresh wash water to a wash water separator, wherein the wash water separator is adapted to separate a first portion of wash water from the crude biodiesel stream to form a washed crude biodiesel with a second portion of washing water;

(d) a heat exchanger for heating the washed crude biodiesel with the second portion of washing water to form dried biodiesel and wash water vapor;

(e) a cooler for receiving the dried biodiesel and forming a cooled biodiesel;

(f) a filter for receiving the cooled biodiesel and removing particles from the cooled biodiesel to form a final biodiesel; and

(g) a secondary process treatment equipment comprising;

a neutralization vessel adapted to receive the crude polyol stream, the first portion of the wash water, and a recycle acid stream, wherein the neutralization vessel is adapted to neutralize the crude polyol stream, wash water, and recycle acid streams to a pH of about 3.5 to 4.0 forming a neutralized mixture;

a phase separator for receiving the neutralized mixture and forming an oil stream and a second crude polyol stream;

an esterification conduit for dosing a short chain alcohol into the oil stream and for dosing an esterification acid into the oil stream;

an acid esterification reactor for esterifying the oil stream to form a mixture of a fatty acid ester and an acid/alcohol mixture;

an acid esterification phase separator for receiving the mixture of the fatty acid ester and the acid/alcohol mixture and forming the recycle acid stream and a crude fatty acid ester stream, wherein the crude fatty acid ester stream flows back to the biofuel reactor, wherein the recycle acid stream flows back to the neutralization vessel;

a polyol dryer for forming at least two components from the second crude polyol stream, including a water alcohol stream adapted to receive wash water vapor, and a final polyol product; and

an alcohol rectification unit for separating water and alcohol from the water alcohol stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the biofuel reactor is a continuous flow reactor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a third atomizer in the chamber of the biofuel reactor comprising at least one a recycle nozzle wherein the at least one recycle nozzle is adapted to receive at least one recycle stream for simultaneously atomizing and blending the at least one recycle stream with the light phase biofuel feed stock and the short chain alcohol with catalyst.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein an acidic water is introduced to the washed crude biodiesel, and the system further comprises an acid wash water separator for extracting acid wash water from the washed crude biodiesel with the second portion of washing water prior to flowing into the heat exchanger.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising pretreatment equipment for modifying a biofuel feedstock comprising:

a pretreatment filter for filtering particulates from a biofuel feedstock to form a filtered product having a phosphatide content;

a degumming apparatus for;

treating the filtered product using a degumming acid when the phosphatide content of the filtered product is below 20 ppm to form a degummed product, and

allowing saponification of the filtered product using the short chain alcohol with catalyst when the free fatty acid content of the filtered product is greater than 1 percent;

a pretreatment conduit for transferring the degummed product and dosing a portion of short chain alcohol with catalyst into the degummed product; and

a soap separator for dividing the degummed product into the light phase biofuel feedstock and a heavy phase fluid flow.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the neutralization vessel further receives heavy phase fluid flow from a pretreatment process for biofuel feedstock.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the neutralization vessel further receives acid wash water.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the short chain alcohol is a member of the group consisting of:

a methyl alcohol, an ethyl alcohol, a propyl alcohol, a butyl alcohol, a pentyl alcohol, and combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ratio of short chain alcohol to catalyst in the short chain alcohol with catalyst is between 3:

1 and 25;

1 alcohol;

catalyst.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the catalyst is a member of the group consisting of:

potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the biofuel feedstock is a triglyceride containing feedstock.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the triglyceride containing feedstock comprises rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, jatropha oil, cottonseed oil, white oil, another vegetable oil, animal fat, used cooking oil, palm oil, and combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising between 2 atomizers and 24 atomizers in each chamber.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two chambers are connected together in parallel.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the atomizers comprises an adjustable nozzle, a fixed nozzle or combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein an additional fluid is inserted into the at least one chamber using at least one nozzle.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the additional fluid is an inert gas.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mixers associated with the main biodiesel production equipment.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recycle stream for use when the light phase biofuel feedstock comprises an animal fat, cooking oil and combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the phase separator further separates a salt from the neutralized mixture, and a salt conduit conveys the salt with a short chain alcohol that is added to the salt to a salt dryer, wherein the salt dryer forms a dried salt and a short chain alcohol water mixture.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the acid esterification reactor is further adapted to provide at least one dosing of esterification acid with an esterification short chain alcohol.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary process treatment equipment further comprises a polyol neutralizer for adding a short chain alcohol with hydroxide to the second crude polyol stream to form a neutralized crude polyol.