Patents by Inventor Helmut Saft

Helmut Saft has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8871961
    Abstract: A process for continuous production of biodiesel from vegetable oils or animal fats by transesterification with methanol or ethanol to give crude fatty acid alkyl esters, subsequent washing with water in a wash column to remove water-soluble impurities, subsequent drying by vaporization of the water content and subsequent removal of steryl glycosides by adsorption onto calcium bentonite, wherein the adsorption column(s) used is/are regenerated in a first step, for desorption of the steryl glycosides, by rinsing with a mixture consisting of fatty acid alkyl esters and methanol or ethanol, and in a subsequent second step, for removal of methanol residues, by rinsing with fatty acid alkyl esters or with gaseous nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Eckhard Seidel, Rudolf Boensch, Norbert Palauschek, Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 8647396
    Abstract: When producing biodiesel from fats, oils or split fatty acids rich in steryl glycosides, the light phase rich in fatty acid alkyl esters, which is obtained from the transesterification or esterification, is washed with water in a washing column, wherein the suspension layer formed is treated by stirring. In this way, the steryl glycosides are transferred into the light phase of the wash. In a subsequent treatment of the light washer phase with water in an intensive mixer, compact steryl glycoside/fatty acid alkyl ester/water agglomerates are obtained, which can easily be separated by means of centrifugation. From the light phase of centrifugation, on-spec biodiesel is obtained upon further processing by drying and/or filtration. This process is suitable for processing fats, oils or split fatty acids with a high content of steryl glycosides and avoids the use of auxiliary substances foreign to the process. It is characterized by simplicity of equipment and a low demand for energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Lurgi GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Boensch, Eckhard Seidel, Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 8604228
    Abstract: A method for the continuous extraction of impurities, in particular saponification products, from a fatty acid alkyl ester phase produced by transesterification of vegetable or animal oils or fats with a great tendency to form saponification products, by means of an aqueous, acid glycerol phase containing a complexing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Lurgi GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Bönsch, Eckhard Seidel, Helmut Saft
  • Publication number: 20130160355
    Abstract: A method for processing solid, organic wastes obtained in the production of vegetable oil, for example the production of palm oil, chiefly consisting of pressing residues of the oil plants and/or oil seeds and oil-containing waste water by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), wherein the oil present in the waste water in emulsified form is sorbed by the solids rich in carbon, which are obtained from the solid wastes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Rudolf Bönsch, Eckhard Seidel, Wolfgang Schmidt, Ingo Bauer, Helmut Saft, Manfred Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20130053591
    Abstract: A process for continuous production of biodiesel from vegetable oils or animal fats by transesterification with methanol or ethanol to give crude fatty acid alkyl esters, subsequent washing with water in a wash column to remove water-soluble impurities, subsequent drying by vaporization of the water content and subsequent removal of steryl glycosides by adsorption onto calcium bentonite, wherein the adsorption column(s) used is/are regenerated in a first step, for desorption of the steryl glycosides, by rinsing with a mixture consisting of fatty acid alkyl esters and methanol or ethanol, and in a subsequent second step, for removal of methanol residues, by rinsing with fatty acid alkyl esters or with gaseous nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Eckhard Seidel, Rudolf Boensch, Norbert Palauschek, Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 8288574
    Abstract: Method for producing C3H5(OH)3 and at least one of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) includes mixing vegetable oils and animal fats, at least one of CH3OH and C2H5OH and at least one first catalyst to transesterify a portion of triglycerides and provide a first mixture. The first mixture is separated, with a first light phase being withdrawn and fed into a second mixer where it is mixed with at least one second catalyst to transesterify a further portion of the triglycerides to provide a second mixture. The second mixture is separated, with a second light phase being withdrawn and mixed with soapless C3H5(OH)3 to provide a dispersion which is separated by density difference. A phase containing at least one of raw FAME and raw FAEE is mixed with an aqueous acid, washed with water, with the water being expelled to provide FAME and FAEE product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Lurgi GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Boensch, Helmut Saft, Peter Mitschke, Henning Buchold
  • Publication number: 20120203017
    Abstract: A method for the continuous extraction of impurities, in particular saponification products, from a fatty acid alkyl ester phase produced by transesterification of vegetable or animal oils or fats with a great tendency to form saponification products, by means of an aqueous, acid glycerol phase containing a complexing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Rudolf Bönsch, Eckhard Seidel, Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 8193383
    Abstract: In a process for producing fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from fats or oils by transesterification with methanol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst in at least two reaction stages traversed in succession, each consisting of a stirred-tank reactor and a downstream separator, a phase containing FAME and a phase containing glycerol are generated, which are separated in the separator, wherein the phase containing FAME is recirculated into the stirred-tank reactor of the next succeeding reaction stage and the phase containing glycerol is recirculated into the stirred-tank reactor of the first reaction stage, and the crude FAME withdrawn from the separator of the last reaction stage is transferred into a separator and the FAME withdrawn is dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Lurgi GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Saft, Klaus Hohmann, Rudolph Bönsch
  • Publication number: 20110252697
    Abstract: A process for producing biodiesel from fats, oils or split fatty acids containing steryl glycosides, wherein the fats, oils or split fatty acids are reacted with short-chain alkanols in the presence of a catalyst by transesterification or esterification to a fatty acid alkyl ester to obtain a first product stream, includes washing the first product stream with water in a washing device, so as to form a suspension layer on a phase boundary layer between a heavy phase rich in water and the first light phase rich in the fatty acid alkyl ester. The suspension layer is treated by introducing kinetic energy. A second product stream is withdrawn from the first light phase and intensively mixed with water to obtain a third product stream. A mechanical separation is performed on the third product stream to provide a fourth product stream and a fifth product stream. The fifth product stream is withdrawn as a heavy phase that is enriched in the steryl glycosides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Rudolf Boensch, Eckhard Seidel, Helmut Saft
  • Publication number: 20100311997
    Abstract: Method for producing C3H5(OH)3 and at least one of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) includes mixing vegetable oils and animal fats, at least one of CH3OH and C2H5OH and at least one first catalyst to transesterify a portion of triglycerides and provide a first mixture. The first mixture is separated, with a first light phase being withdrawn and fed into a second mixer where it is mixed with at least one second catalyst to transesterify a further portion of the triglycerides to provide a second mixture. The second mixture is separated, with a second light phase being withdrawn and mixed with soapless C2H5(OH)3 to provide a dispersion which is separated by density difference. A phase containing at least one of raw FAME and raw FAEE is mixed with an aqueous acid, washed with water, with the water being expelled to provide FAME and FAEE product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Rudolf Boensch, Helmut Saft, Peter Mitschke, Henning Buchold
  • Publication number: 20100105935
    Abstract: In a process for producing fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from fats or oils by transesterification with methanol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst in at least two reaction stages traversed in succession, each consisting of a stirred-tank reactor and a downstream separator, a phase containing FAME and a phase containing glycerol are generated, which are separated in the separator, wherein the phase containing FAME is recirculated into the stirred-tank reactor of the next succeeding reaction stage and the phase containing glycerol is recirculated into the stirred-tank reactor of the first reaction stage, and the crude FAME withdrawn from the separator of the last reaction stage is transferred into a separator and the FAME withdrawn is dried.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Helmut Saft, Klaus Hohmann, Rudolph Bönsch
  • Publication number: 20060096159
    Abstract: A method for improvement of the long term stability of biodiesel is described, in which the crude ester produced by transesterification of a vegetable or animal fat or oil with methanol, with a strong acid or with a mixture of a strong acid and a complex former is subsequently treated intensively and the ester layer separated from the emulsion formed thereby is subjected to a thorough water washing and subsequently dried.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Rudolf Bonsch, Wolfgang Kastl, Pete Mitschke, Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 4929311
    Abstract: The deodorizing apparatus is used to treat organic liquids, such as edible oils or edible fats, in that they are stripped with water vapor under subatmospheric pressure and at temperatures from about 130.degree. to 260.degree. C. Free fatty acids and disturbing taste- and odor-imparting substances are thus removed. The liquid to be treated is passed through one or more treating stories and is agitated therein by rising water vapor. At least one of the treating stories comprises at least two concentric, open-topped annular passages having a common cylindrical wall, a vertical partition extending across the wall and an aperature in the wall adjacent the partition for allowing liquid flow between the passages. A plurality of circulating cylinders, which are adapted to be flown through in an upward direction, are arranged in each annular passage. Water vapor in the form of fine bubbles is passed through the circulating cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 4929310
    Abstract: The deodorizing apparatus is used to treat organic liquids, such as edible oils or edible fats, in that they are stripped with water vapor under subatmospheric pressure and at temperature from about 130.degree. to 260.degree. C. The liquid to be treated is passed through one or more treating levels and is agitated therein by rising water vapor. At least one of the treating levels contains numerous conical circulating ducts, which can be flown through in an upward direction and are provided with a water vapor inlet in their lower portion, which is narrower in cross-section. The cone angle of the circulating duct measured against the vertical may vary from 5.degree. to 20.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft AG
    Inventor: Helmut Saft
  • Patent number: 4154642
    Abstract: A falling-film evaporator is provided with improved means for uniformly supplying liquid to the heating tubes thereof. The means includes an arrangement whereby a substantially constant-level head of liquid is formed upon the upper tube sheet above which the heating tubes project so that the vapor can pass directly into the open ends of these tubes, the liquid being introduced into lateral openings of constant cross section for each of the tubes below the level of liquid standing on the upper tube sheet. An annular gap surrounding the array of tubes projecting upwardly from the upper tube sheet serves to feed the liquid phase to the standing liquid upon the tube sheet and the substance to be evaporated is introduced into a chamber above the upper tube sheet and is expanded therein to the pressure of the vaporator. The vapor phase passes through the open upper ends of the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Konrad Mattern, Helmut Saft