METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ALKYL ESTERS FROM LIPID FEED STOCKS AND SYSTEMS INCLUDING SAME

• Main Authors: GYBERG, ARLIN, E, MCNEFF, LARRY, C, YAN, BINGWEN, MCNEFF, CLAYTON, V, NOWLAN, DANIEL, THOMAS, KROHN, BRIAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.06.2009
• Subjects: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES AND WAXES; CANDLES; CHEMISTRY; DETERGENTS; FATS, OILS OR FATTY ACIDS BY CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF FATS,OILS, OR FATTY ACIDS OBTAINED THEREFROM; FATTY ACIDS FROM FATS, OILS OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; NATURAL GAS; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEAT; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for producing alkyl esters from lipid feed stocks, such as plant oils and/or animal fats, and systems including the same. In an embodiment, the invention includes a process for producing alkyl esters including mixing a lipid feed stock with an alcohol to form a reaction mixture; and contacting the reaction mixture with a catalyst under supercritical conditions for the alcohol, the catalyst comprising an unmodified metal oxide selected from the group consisting of alumina, titania, zirconia, and hafnia, and removing residual free fatty acids from the reaction mixture. Other embodiments are included herein.