PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM OILS AND FATS VIA SUPERCRITICAL WATER

• Main Authors: FLYNN JAMES D, LOOP THOMAS E, ALLAN GRAHAM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.05.2015
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CHEMISTRY; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; NATURAL GAS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method for transforming selected renewable oils and fats, and optionally polyester waste plastic materials, into a plurality of reaction products via supercritical water is disclosed. The method comprises: conveying the selected oils and fats material through an extruder, wherein the extruder is configured to continuously convey the selected oils and fats material to a supercritical fluid reaction zone; injecting hot compressed water into the supercritical fluid reaction zone, while the extruder is conveying the selected oil and fats material into the supercritical fluid reaction zone so as to yield a mixture; retaining the mixture within the reaction zone for a period of time sufficient to yield the plurality of reaction products. The reaction zone may be characterized by a tubular reactor having an adjustably positionable inner tubular spear, wherein the tubular reactor and the inner tubular spear further define an annular space within the reaction zone, and wherein the mixture flows through the annular space and into a reaction products chamber.