Abstract: Network traffic is monitored, and activities concerning posting images to sharing sites are detected. Detected activities can be attempts to login to sharing sites, or attempts to post images. Privacy concerns associated with sharing images on target sites are identified. In the case of detecting a successful attempt to login to a known sharing site, the site is scanned for the privacy settings in effect for the user, and it is determined whether the settings are below a given threshold. Another example of a privacy concern is detecting an attempt to post an image to an unknown site. When a privacy concern is detected, the user is warned, and prompted to indicate whether images are to be posted to the target site anyway. Attempts to post images to sites that are subject to privacy concerns are processed according to received user directives (e.g., blocked or allowed).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for the production of alkyl esters comprises: introducing liquid biomass and an alcohol to a first transesterification reactor at a point in a lower 25% of the reactor; reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form a liquid glycerol and a liquid alkyl ester, wherein greater than or equal to about 75 mass % of the liquid glycerol moves towards a bottom of the first transesterification reactor; removing a liquid alkyl ester stream from the first transesterification reactor; and removing the liquid glycerol from the first transesterification reactor. The liquid biomass and the alcohol form a combined liquid stream that flows through the first transesterification reactor in a laminar flow.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for the production of alkyl esters comprises: introducing liquid biomass and an alcohol to a first transesterification reactor at a point in a lower 25% of the reactor; reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form a liquid glycerol and a liquid alkyl ester, wherein greater than or equal to about 75 mass % of the liquid glycerol moves towards a bottom of the first transesterification reactor; removing a liquid alkyl ester stream from the first transesterification reactor; and removing the liquid glycerol from the first transesterification reactor. The liquid biomass and the alcohol form a combined liquid stream that flows through the first transesterification reactor in a laminar flow.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an alkyl ester production system can comprise: a first transesterification reactor comprising a liquid biomass inlet located between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet, a water wash vessel comprising an alkyl ester inlet, a water inlet located near a top of the water wash vessel, and a washed alkyl ester outlet located near the top of the water wash vessel, wherein the alkyl ester inlet is located near a bottom of the water wash vessel, and a drier comprising a washed alkyl ester inlet located near a top of the drier, and a gas inlet and a dried alkyl ester outlet located near the bottom of the drier. The first transesterification reactor can be configured for laminar flow and for liquid reactants and products. The alkyl ester inlet can be in fluid communication with the washed alkyl ester outlet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the method comprises: combining liquid biomass with an alcohol to form a combined liquid stream, introducing the combined liquid stream to a first transesterification reactor between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet, reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form liquid glycerol and liquid alkyl ester, and removing a liquid alkyl ester stream from an upper portion of the first transesterification reactor. The combined liquid stream flows upward through the reactor at a rate that is less than a settling velocity of the liquid glycerol.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the method comprises: combining liquid biomass with an alcohol to form a combined liquid stream, introducing the combined liquid stream to a first transesterification reactor between a liquid glycerol outlet and a liquid alkyl ester outlet, reacting the liquid biomass and the alcohol to form liquid glycerol and liquid alkyl ester, and removing a liquid alkyl ester stream from an upper portion of the first transesterification reactor. The combined liquid stream flows upward through the reactor at a rate that is less than a settling velocity of the liquid glycerol.