Patents Assigned to Renewable Energy Group, Inc.
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Publication number: 20240124785Abstract: An improved method for removal of contaminants from low-value and waste fats and oils for the purpose of hydrodeoxygenation into diesel boiling range hydrocarbons. The method includes removing organically bound contaminants from fats, oils, and greases (FOG) by adding water to a contaminated FOG stream, subjecting the mixture to heat, and mixing to promote reaction between the water and the FOG. Then, separating a reacted FOG from the contaminants. The reacted FOG will result in reduced organically bound chlorine contaminants.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: Martin Haverly, Ramin Abhari, David A. Slade, Jared Brown
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Publication number: 20240124784Abstract: The present technology relates to biofuels, and more particularly, to biomass-based diesel from olefin oligomers. Diesel fuels with cetane number of 49 or greater are prepared by blending hydrocarbons produced by olefin oligomerization with renewable diesel, resulting in a blended fuel that has a lower cloud point than the cloud point of the renewable diesel. A different aspect relates to an integrated process for lipid HDO and olefin oligomerization wherein the propane coproduct of lipid HDO is subjected to dehydrogenation to produce a vapor stream having propylene and hydrogen. The propylene is subsequently oligomerized to iso-olefins and the iso-olefins are combined with the lipid feed for hydrogenation in the HDO reactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: Ramin Abhari, Martin Haverly
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Publication number: 20240124791Abstract: The invention relates to renewable hydrocarbons, and more particularly to biomass-based diesel fuel produced in a process including hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of phenolic lipids. The process may generally include combining a phenolic lipid and a hydrocarbon diluent to provide a hydrocarbon-diluted phenolic lipid then subjecting the hydrocarbon-diluted phenolic lipid to hydrodeoxygenation in a reactor to provide a reactor effluent including a hydrodeoxygenated phenolic lipid. The hydrodeoxygenated phenolic lipid is separated from the reactor effluent.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: Jared Brown, Ramin Abhari, Martin Haverly, David A. Slade, Dhananjay Ghonasgi
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Publication number: 20240076575Abstract: Methods and apparatus for economically producing a biodiesel product from feedstocks. Some embodiments comprise using at least one of a crude feedstock pretreatment process and a free fatty acid refining process prior to transesterification and the formation of crude biodiesel and glycerin. The free fatty acid refining process may include introducing the feedstock to glycerolysis to obtain a glycerolysis product then stripping the glycerolysis product to produce a fatty acid distillate and a stripped feedstock. The fatty acid distillate is recycled to the glycerolysis process to create more higher-molecular weight glycerides and the stripped feedstock (mostly di- and tri-glycerides) proceeds to transesterification to make biodiesel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: Martin Haverly, David A. Slade, Jared Downey
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Publication number: 20230399572Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for treating lipid feedstocks such as spent vegetable oils and low-value animal fats for biofuel production. In particular, the invention relates to methods for providing an advantageous feedstock for production of hydrocarbon biofuels via hydrodeoxygenation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2023Publication date: December 14, 2023Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: Martin Haverly, Ramin Abhari, David A. Slade
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Publication number: 20230357648Abstract: A method for converting a bio-oil derived from lignocellulosic biomass to a fuel or fuel blendstock. The method may include contacting the bio-oil with a lipid or lipid derivative to form an organic phase comprising phenolic compounds and an aqueous phase. The organic phase is separated from the aqueous phase and subjected to hydrogenation and deoxygenation in a hydroprocessing reactor to produce a hydrocarbon product, a gas product, and water. The hydroprocessing reactor hydrocarbon product is fractionated into fuel products comprising gasoline and kerosene/diesel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2023Publication date: November 9, 2023Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, IncInventors: David Slade, Ramin Abhari, Martin Haverly
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Patent number: 11326115Abstract: An improved biodiesel production process includes the steps of processing a feedstock to produce biodiesel, cooling the biodiesel so as to form sediment, and filtering the biodiesel to remove the sediment. The resulting biodiesel from the cold filtration process avoids problems of sediment formation during storage and transportation.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2015Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: Myron Francis Danzer, Timothy L Ely, Scott Alan Kingery, John Mostek, Matthew Leonard Schultes, Wayne William McCalley, William Michael McDonald
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Publication number: 20210363431Abstract: A process for producing crude biodiesel from renewable feedstocks (such as fats, oils, and greases) containing unsaponifiable materials; purifying the crude biodiesel through a purification process; recovering a purified biodiesel distillate stream and a less volatile biodiesel residue stream; and further recovering valuable chemicals from the biodiesel residue. Specifically, the present technology relates to the concentration of valuable chemicals in the biodiesel residue product of biodiesel production and the subsequent recovery of these valuable chemicals. The process may further include the conversion of the biodiesel residue into diesel range hydrocarbons using hydrodeoxygenation and the subsequent purification of the hydrocarbon fraction produced thereby.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: James Matthew White, David A. Slade, Martin R. Haverly, Cody J. Ellens
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Patent number: 11078427Abstract: A process for producing crude biodiesel from renewable feedstocks (such as fats, oils, and greases) containing unsaponifiable materials; purifying the crude biodiesel through a purification process; recovering a purified biodiesel distillate stream and a less volatile biodiesel residue stream; and further recovering valuable chemicals from the biodiesel residue. Specifically, the present technology relates to the concentration of valuable chemicals in the biodiesel residue product of biodiesel production and the subsequent recovery of these valuable chemicals. The process may further include the conversion of the biodiesel residue into diesel range hydrocarbons using hydrodeoxygenation and the subsequent purification of the hydrocarbon fraction produced thereby.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2019Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: James Matthew White, David A. Slade, Martin R. Haverly, Ramin Abhari, Cody J. Ellens
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Publication number: 20190338219Abstract: A process for producing crude biodiesel from renewable feedstocks (such as fats, oils, and greases) containing unsaponifiable materials; purifying the crude biodiesel through a purification process; recovering a purified biodiesel distillate stream and a less volatile biodiesel residue stream; and further recovering valuable chemicals from the biodiesel residue. Specifically, the present technology relates to the concentration of valuable chemicals in the biodiesel residue product of biodiesel production and the subsequent recovery of these valuable chemicals. The process may further include the conversion of the biodiesel residue into diesel range hydrocarbons using hydrodeoxygenation and the subsequent purification of the hydrocarbon fraction produced thereby.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: James Matthew White, David A. Slade, Martin R. Haverly, Ramin Abhari, Cody J. Ellens
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Patent number: 10450533Abstract: Methods and devices for economically producing a purified biodiesel product from feedstocks. Some embodiments of the methods comprise using at least one of a crude feedstock pretreatment process and a free fatty acid refining process prior to transesterification and the formation of crude biodiesel and glycerin. The crude biodiesel is then subjected to at least one biodiesel refining process which, in conjunction with feedstock pretreatment and free fatty acid refining produces a purified biodiesel product that meets multiple commercial specifications. A wide variety of feedstocks may be used to make biodiesel that otherwise would not meet the same commercial specifications, including corn oil, used cooking oil, poultry fats, fatty acid distillates, pennycress oil, and algal oils.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2018Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A Slade, Cody J Ellens, Bradley N Albin, Derek J Winkel, Jared A Downey
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Publication number: 20190093048Abstract: Methods and devices for economically producing a purified biodiesel product from feedstocks. Some embodiments of the methods comprise using at least one of a crude feedstock pretreatment process and a free fatty acid refining process prior to transesterification and the formation of crude biodiesel and glycerin. The crude biodiesel is then subjected to at least one biodiesel refining process which, in conjunction with feedstock pretreatment and free fatty acid refining produces a purified biodiesel product that meets multiple commercial specifications. A wide variety of feedstocks may be used to make biodiesel that otherwise would not meet the same commercial specifications, including corn oil, used cooking oil, poultry fats, fatty acid distillates, pennycress oil, and algal oils.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A. Slade, Cody J. Ellens, Bradley N. Albin, Derek J. Winkel, Jared A. Downey
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Patent number: 9957464Abstract: Methods and devices for economically producing a purified biodiesel product from feedstocks. Some embodiments of the methods comprise using at least one of a crude feedstock pretreatment process and a free fatty acid refining process prior to transesterification and the formation of crude biodiesel and glycerin. The crude biodiesel is then subjected to at least one biodiesel refining process which, in conjunction with feedstock pretreatment and free fatty acid refining produces a purified biodiesel product that meets multiple commercial specifications. A wide variety of feedstocks may be used to make biodiesel that otherwise would not meet the same commercial specifications, including corn oil, used cooking oil, poultry fats, fatty acid distillates, pennycress oil, and algal oils.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A Slade, Cody J Ellens, Bradley N Albin, Derek J Winkel, Jared A Downey
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Publication number: 20160145536Abstract: Methods and devices for economically producing a purified biodiesel product from feedstocks. Some embodiments of the methods comprise using at least one of a crude feedstock pretreatment process and a free fatty acid refining process prior to transesterification and the formation of crude biodiesel and glycerin. The crude biodiesel is then subjected to at least one biodiesel refining process which, in conjunction with feedstock pretreatment and free fatty acid refining produces a purified biodiesel product that meets multiple commercial specifications. A wide variety of feedstocks may be used to make biodiesel that otherwise would not meet the same commercial specifications, including corn oil, used cooking oil, poultry fats, fatty acid distillates, pennycress oil, and algal oils.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2014Publication date: May 26, 2016Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A. Slade, Cody J. Ellens, Bradley N Albin, Derek J Winkel, Jared A Downey
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Publication number: 20150158806Abstract: Methods, processes, apparatus, equipment and systems are disclosed for converting carboxylic acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst. The method combines a homogenous and heterogeneous catalyst in one or more reactors to increase the conversion of carboxylic acids compared to using a homogenous and/or heterogeneous catalyst independently. The invention converts free fatty acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst such that the reaction mixture contains sufficiently low free fatty acids and the amount of free fatty acids in the product stream leaving the process remains stable over time.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A. Slade, Cody J. Ellens, Jared N. Brown, Anthony J.S. Pollard, Bradley Neil Albin
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Patent number: 8957242Abstract: Methods, processes, apparatus, equipment and systems are disclosed for converting carboxylic acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst. The method combines a homogenous and heterogeneous catalyst in one or more reactors to increase the conversion of carboxylic acids compared to using a homogenous and/or heterogeneous catalyst independently. The invention converts free fatty acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst such that the reaction mixture contains sufficiently low free fatty acids and the amount of free fatty acids in the product stream leaving the process remains stable over time.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2014Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A. Slade, Cody J. Ellens, Jared N. Brown, Anthony J. S. Pollard, Bradley Neil Albin
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Patent number: 8865080Abstract: Embodiments of a process for production of biodiesel from a transesterification reaction of alcohol and triglycerides in a multi-zone tubular reactor is disclosed. Alkyl esters and glycerin are formed from reactants in a reaction mixture as the reaction mixture flows through the zones. The zones include an entrance zone, an exit zone, and an intermediate zone between the entrance and exit zones. The zones are characterized by physical properties such as viscosity, density, composition, and flow regime. The entrance and intermediate zones include static mixers that perform structured mixing that increases the conversion and yield. The degree of mixing provided by the mixers is different in the zones to account for differences in physical properties.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventor: Tom Michael Ashley
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Publication number: 20140275612Abstract: Methods, processes, apparatus, equipment and systems are disclosed for converting carboxylic acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst. The method combines a homogenous and heterogeneous catalyst in one or more reactors to increase the conversion of carboxylic acids compared to using a homogenous and/or heterogeneous catalyst independently. The invention converts free fatty acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst such that the reaction mixture contains sufficiently low free fatty acids and the amount of free fatty acids in the product stream leaving the process remains stable over time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: Renewable Energy Group, Inc.Inventors: David A. Slade, Cody J. Ellens, Jared N. Brown, Anthony J.S. Pollard, Bradley Neil Albin