Methods of refining natural oil feedstocks
First Claim
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1. A method of refining a natural oil, comprising:
- providing (a) a feedstock comprising natural oil glycerides and (b) low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins;
cross-metathesizing the natural oil glycerides with the low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins in a metathesis reactor in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to provide a metathesized product comprising alpha-olefins and metathesized glycerides;
separating at least a portion of the alpha-olefins of the metathesized product and at least a portion of the metathesized glycerides of the metathesized product, to provide a first stream comprising separated alpha-olefins and second stream comprising separated metathesized glycerides;
transesterifying the separated metathesized glycerides of the second stream in the presence of an alcohol to provide a transesterified product comprising glycerin and fatty acid esters having no glycerin backbone; and
recycling at least a portion of the separated alpha-olefins of the first stream to the metathesis reactor.
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Abstract
Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of refining a natural oil, comprising:
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providing (a) a feedstock comprising natural oil glycerides and (b) low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins; cross-metathesizing the natural oil glycerides with the low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins in a metathesis reactor in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to provide a metathesized product comprising alpha-olefins and metathesized glycerides; separating at least a portion of the alpha-olefins of the metathesized product and at least a portion of the metathesized glycerides of the metathesized product, to provide a first stream comprising separated alpha-olefins and second stream comprising separated metathesized glycerides; transesterifying the separated metathesized glycerides of the second stream in the presence of an alcohol to provide a transesterified product comprising glycerin and fatty acid esters having no glycerin backbone; and recycling at least a portion of the separated alpha-olefins of the first stream to the metathesis reactor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of refining a natural oil comprising:
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providing (a) a feedstock comprising natural oil glycerides and (b) low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins having 4 to 10 carbon atoms; cross-metathesizing the natural oil glycerides with the low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins in a metathesis reactor in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to provide a metathesized product comprising alpha-olefins and metathesized glycerides; separating at least a portion of the alpha-olefins of the metathesized product and at least a portion of the metathesized glycerides of the metathesized product, to provide a first stream comprising separated alpha-olefins and a second stream comprising separated metathesized glycerides; transesterifying the separated metathesized glycerides of the second stream in the presence of an alcohol to provide a transesterified product comprising glycerin and fatty acid esters having no glycerin backbone; and recycling at least a portion of the separated alpha-olefins of the first stream to the metathesis reactor, wherein the portion of the separated alpha-olefins of the first stream recycled to the metathesis reactor comprises C2-C6 recycle alpha-olefins.
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27. A method of refining a natural oil comprising:
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providing (a) a feedstock comprising natural oil glycerides and (b) low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins comprising ethylene; cross-metathesizing the natural oil glycerides with the low-molecular-weight alpha-olefins in a metathesis reactor in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to provide a metathesized product comprising alpha-olefins and metathesized glycerides; separating at least a portion of the alpha-olefins of the metathesized product and at least a portion of the metathesized glycerides of the metathesized product, to provide a first stream comprising separated alpha-olefins and a second stream comprising separated metathesized glycerides; transesterifying the separated metathesized glycerides of the second stream in the presence of an alcohol to provide a transesterified product comprising glycerin and fatty acid esters having no glycerin backbone; and recycling at least a portion of the separated alpha-olefins of the first stream to the metathesis reactor, wherein the portion of the separated alpha-olefins of the first stream recycled to the metathesis reactor comprises C2-C6 recycle alpha-olefins.
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Specification