Abstract: The present invention describes a process for continuous fractionation of CTO (crude tall oil) to RTD (refined tall diesel), said process comprising:—when removing a stream of TOP (tall oil pitch) the CTO is fed through at least two evaporation zones arranged in series so that one stream of CTO is fed from a first evaporation zone to a second evaporation zone, wherein a TOP stream is produced and fed from the second evaporation zone, wherein a first vapor stream is produced within the first evaporation zone and a second vapor stream is produced within the second evaporation zone and wherein there is a temperature difference of at least 10° C.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for the treatment of tall oil pitch (TOP), said method comprising heating the TOP and optionally additives including water and steam to a temperature of at least 300° C.; maintaining the temperature in the reactor at 300° C. or higher for a period of time to enable thermal treatment of the TOP to act on components thereof to produce fatty acids and/or rosin acids, and/or derivatives thereof, and/or unsaponifiables and/or derivatives having lower molecular weight compared to the high molecular weight components with molecular weights of at least 350 g/mole present in the original TOP, to yield a modified TOP material with lower viscosity.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for refining of crude tall oil (CTO). The process comprises fractionation under vacuum of a refined CTO into at least one stream of refined tall diesel (RTD) or tall oil fatty acids (TOFA), the RTD or TOFA comprises from 2-30% by volume of resin acids and from 20-90% by volume of fatty acids, and at least one stream of resin acid(s) (RA) comprising less than 5% by volume of fatty acids. The stream of RTD or TOFA is deoxygenated forming hydrocarbon compounds in a subsequent step. This invention also relates to a refined tall diesel. Furthermore, a process for the production of a refined tall diesel (RTD) composition, wherein crude sulphate turpentine(s) (CST) is added to the refined tall diesel (RTD) composition, is described.

Abstract: A process for pre-treatment of a crude tall oil (CTO) for removal of impurities is disclosed. The process comprises a first pre-treatment step involving a CTO wash and a separation of a first oil phase comprising refined CTO and an aqueous phase holding impurities, and a second step involving a separation of a second oil phase from the aqueous phase. A process for refining of crude tall oil (CTO) is also disclosed. The process comprises fractionation under vacuum of a refined CTO into at least one stream of refined tall diesel (RTD) or tall oil fatty acids (TOFA) and at least one stream of resin acid(s) (RA). The stream of RTD or TOFA is deoxygenated forming hydrocarbon compounds in a subsequent step. This invention also relates to a refined tall diesel. Furthermore, a process for the production of a refined tall diesel (RTD) composition, wherein crude sulphate turpentine(s) (CST) is added to the refined tall diesel (RTD) composition, is described.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for isolation and purification of phytosterols from tall oil pitch comprising the steps of: a) contacting the tall oil pitch with a solvent to form a tall oil solvent mixture; b) separating the tall oil pitch solvent mixture in at least two separate streams wherein one process stream is enriched in acidic pitch components and a second stream enriched in free- and bound sterols in the form of steryl esters; c) subjecting the stream enriched in free- and steryl esters to treatment with an alcohol under transesterification conditions wherein a reaction mixture is formed and sterols comprising the steryl esters are liberated as free sterols; and d) separating the free sterols from the reaction mixture of step c) by crystallization and extraction with one or more solvents. There are disclosed free fatty acids and resin acids separated from the tall oil pitch. Moreover, there is disclosed a manufacture and separation of fatty acid alkyl esters by the method.

Abstract: A method for converting crude tall oil into high quality diesel fuels include the steps of (a) removal of non-oil contaminants present in the crude tall oil and recovery of valuable organic, (b) heating and removing the volatile fractions of the refined tall oil stream from step (a) and forming a volatiles free oil stream comprising organic components with boiling points of 170° C. and higher, (c) vacuum distilling the volatiles free oil stream of from step (b) to produce a first and second stream the first stream including components with boiling points between 170-400° C. and the second stream comprising components having boiling points greater than 400° C. and (d) passing the first stream into a catalytic reactor wherein hydrogenation and deoxygenation take place to produce a diesel range fuel depleted in oxygen.