U.S. patent application number 12/009887 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-23 for biodiesel fuel for cold, temperate and hot weather climates and for aviation jet fuel.
Invention is credited to Arnold J. Cobb.
Application Number | 20090183420 12/009887 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40875310 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090183420 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cobb; Arnold J. |
July 23, 2009 |
Biodiesel fuel for cold, temperate and hot weather climates and for
aviation jet fuel
Abstract
This invention permits biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl
Esters--FAMES) fuel and/or fuel blends to be used in cold weather
climates without crystallization/precipitation of solids which plug
fuel lines. The high melting point components are removed by
physical separation from the biodiesel. Crystallization or
distillation are used to separate the high melting temperature
components. The low melting temperature components are used for
blending with petroleum diesel with reduced or no winterization;
low melting temperature components are used as a biodiesel with
reduced or no winterization; low melting temperature components are
blended into aviation jet fuel; or low melting temperature
components are used as aviation jet fuel. The high melting
temperature components are blended with petroleum diesel for
temperate and/or hot weather climates.
Inventors: |
Cobb; Arnold J.;
(Williamsburg, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARNOLD J. COBB
100 SHAINDEL DRIVE
WILLIAMSBURG
VA
23185
US
|
Family ID: |
40875310 |
Appl. No.: |
12/009887 |
Filed: |
January 23, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
44/308 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C10G 2300/1011 20130101;
C11C 1/08 20130101; C11C 3/003 20130101; C11C 1/005 20130101; Y02E
50/13 20130101; C10L 1/19 20130101; Y02T 50/678 20130101; Y02E
50/10 20130101; C10L 10/14 20130101; C10G 2300/304 20130101; C10L
1/026 20130101; Y02P 30/20 20151101 |
Class at
Publication: |
44/308 |
International
Class: |
C10L 1/18 20060101
C10L001/18 |
Claims
1. A separation process for biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl
Esters--FAMEs) components which will control the cloud point
temperature of the biodiesel product.
2. The use of crystallization to separate FAMEs.
3. The use of distillation to separate FAMEs.
4. The production of a cold weather biodiesel for blending with
petroleum diesel requiring reduced or no winterization.
5. The production of a cold weather biodiesel requiring reduced or
no winterization.
6. The production of a cold weather biodiesel for blending with
aviation jet fuel.
7. The production of a cold weather biodiesel for use as an
aviation jet fuel.
8. The production of a temperate and/or hot weather biodiesel for
blending with petroleum diesel.
9. Processing of different biodiesel feedstocks simultaneously or
by campaigning.
10. Processing inexpensive biodiesel feedstocks to maximize the
value added by this process.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM
LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0004] Biodiesel is composed of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs)
which are produced from the transesterificaiton of glycerides (tri,
di and/or mono) using methanol or the esterification of free fatty
acids using methanol. Glycerides and free fatty acids come from
plant and animal oils/fats. The fatty acids attached to the
glycerides and the free fatty acids typically range from four (4)
to twenty-two (22) carbon atoms. Each fatty acid has from zero (0)
to three (3) double bonds between carbon atoms. Therefore, the
FAMEs produced from a specific plant or animal oil/fat is a mixture
of different carbon lengths. The physical properties of a biodiesel
from a specific plant or animal oil/fat is due to the mixture of
FAMEs.
[0005] Biodiesel is typically blended into petroleum diesel at
rates of 2-20% by volume. The amount of biodiesel blended is
limited, because the biodiesel increases the blended fuel cloud
point temperature. This cloud point temperature is the temperature
at which solids crystallize and precipitate resulting in pluggage
of fuel lines. So, the higher biodiesel fuel blends result in
higher cloud point temperatures.
[0006] Individual FAMEs range from a melting temperature of 54
degrees centrigrade with a corresponding boiling point of 394
degrees centrigrade to a melting point of minus 57 degrees
centrigrade with a corresponding boiling point of 366 degrees
centrigrade.
[0007] FAME components in biodiesel have large enough differences
in melting and boiling points to separate them using
crystallization or distillation. This would permit the production
of customized biodiesel products to satisfy cold, temperate, and
hot weather climates.
[0008] Physical separation of FAMEs by melting and/or boiling
temperature would allow the production of a biodiesel that meets
cold weather climate requirement of typically minus 20 degrees
centrigrade. In addition, FAMEs with a melting temperature of minus
20 to minus 57 degrees centrigrade can be produced which are
suitable for blending into aviation jet fuel.
[0009] Based on melting temperature, FAMEs can be cooled until the
undesirable FAME components crystallize forming solids. Then the
solids can be batch/continuous separated by centrifugation or
vacuum filtration.
[0010] Based on boiling temperature, FAMEs can be distilled to
separate low boiling from high boiling components. The low boiling
components are also the low melting temperature components.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] I have discovered a method to produce a biodiesel (FAMEs)
with lower melting temperatures than the biodiesel currently
produced. This is achievable through separation of component FAMEs
based on melting and/or boiling points.
[0012] The low melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs)
produced by this invention can be used to blend into petroleum
diesel with reduced or no need for winterizing additives, used as
cold climate biodiesel with reduced or no winterization, or blended
with aviation jet fuel. A limited production of biodiesel could be
used to replace aviation jet fuel when the FAME melting point is
low enough.
[0013] The high melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs)
by-products produced by this invention can be used to blend into
petroleum diesel for temperate or hot climates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0014] Not Applicable
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The process described herein is not feedstock limited and is
capable of processing different biodiesel feedstocks simultaneously
or by campaigning. Inexpensive biodiesel feedstocks can be
processed to maximize the value added by this process. So, an
expensive oil that naturally has a mix of fatty acids which produce
a lower cloud point temperature does not have to be used to produce
a biodiesel for cold weather climates.
[0016] Biodiesel is typically blended into petroleum diesel at
rates of 2-20% by volume. The amount of biodiesel blended is
limited, because the biodiesel reduces the blended cloud point
temperature. This cloud point temperature is the temperature at
which solids crystallize and precipitate resulting in pluggage of
fuel lines.
[0017] Melting and boiling temperature physical properties of
various oils/fats can be found in the following;
[0018] Technical Committee of the Institute of Shortening and
Edible Oils. Food Fats and Oils Ninth Edition. Institute of
Shortening and Edible Oils Inc. 2006
[0019] Biodiesel Production Technology. National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, July, 2004
[0020] Biomass Oil Analysis: Research Needs and Recommendations.
June, 2004
[0021] Yuan W, Hansen A C, Zhang Q. Vapor pressure and normal
boiling point predictions of pure methyl esters and biodiesel
fuels. Elsevier. January, 2005
[0022] Biodiesel is a mixture of different length fatty acid methyl
esters (FAMEs). These FAMEs have a range of melting temperatures
which correspond to the carbon chain length and number of double
bonds between carbon atoms. FAMEs range from a melting temperature
of 54 degrees centrigrade with a corresponding boiling point of 394
degrees centrigrade to a melting point of minus 57 degrees
centrigrade with a corresponding boiling point of 366 degrees
centrigrade.
[0023] Physical separation of FAMEs by melting and/or boiling
temperature allows the production of a biodiesel that meets the
cold weather climate requirement of typically minus 20 degrees
centrigrade. In addition, FAMEs with a melting temperature of minus
20 to minus 57 degrees centrigrade can be produced which are
suitable for blending into aviation jet fuel.
[0024] The high melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs)
produced by this invention can be used to blend into petroleum
diesel for temperate or hot climates.
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