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.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Not Applicable

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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.

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.

Melting and boiling temperature physical properties of various oils/fats can be found in the following;

Technical Committee of the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils. Food Fats and Oils Ninth Edition. Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils Inc. 2006

Biodiesel Production Technology. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, July, 2004

Biomass Oil Analysis: Research Needs and Recommendations. June, 2004

Yuan W, Hansen A C, Zhang Q. Vapor pressure and normal boiling point predictions of pure methyl esters and biodiesel fuels. Elsevier. January, 2005

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.

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.

The high melting/boiling temperature biodiesel (FAMEs) produced by this invention can be used to blend into petroleum diesel for temperate or hot climates.

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.