Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2002-08-27
Carr, Deborah D. (Department: 1621)
Reexamination Certificate
active
06440057
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and equipment for producing fatty acid methyl ester, more particularly diesel fuel for vehicles, whereby saturated and unsaturated higher fatty substances of vegetable and/or animal origin are compounded with a potent alkaline solution, particularly a potassium solution, and dissolved in alcohol, particularly methanol, and the two components reach a chemical balance state through emulsification of the mixture in a reaction section with a phase separation section, whereby the fats are transesterified into fatty acid methyl ester, and on reaching the chemical balance state the residues such as triglycerides, glycerine, soap, non-transesterified fats, etc. are separated from the fatty acid methyl ester.
2. Discussion of Background
Such methods are known, whereby the alkaline solution compounded in alcohol is mixed in a mixing tank with the fat or oil for about 20 minutes up to 1 hour. After mixing, the mixture is left to stand. This sedimentation process takes approx. 5-8 hours. After sedimentation, the glycerine phase is removed. Then the liquid phase is again compounded with methanol potassium alkaline solution, if necessary, and the process of mixing and removal is repeated. The transesterified liquid is then neutralized with phosphoric acid, citric acid or other acids, whereby soap and the potassium salts of the acids are sedimented. In some cases, it is rinsed with water, whereby the water absorbs the soap, potassium solution, etc. This phase is also removed. Subsequently, all kinds of cleaning steps are possible. The process of stripping is also possible, whereby air flows in a counterflow to the ester in a scrubbing tower. The disadvantage of this process, which is based on a low-pressure transesterification process, is the long production time. Apart from the mixing process, long standing times are also required in the sedimentation phases. Moreover, the containers require a lot of space. The high static cost of heavy construction and foundations is a further disadvantage.
Another disadvantage of the known method is the fact that there is always more or less contamination of the fuel.
From Falbe and Regitz, RÖMPP Chemie Lexikon, 9th Edition, Vol. 2, Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart-New York 1990, page 1343, a method for the production of fatty acid methyl ester is known, wherein distillation is carried out after sedimentation of the glycerine solution in a separator, in order to purify and fractionate the methyl ester if required. Moreover, the reaction rate of the transesterification can be accelerated by increasing the temperature and with the help of alkaline or acid catalysts. The disadvantage of this method is the fact that the precipitation phase of the glycerine solution in the separator and even the possibility to accelerate the reaction time does not shorten the production time notably compared with the above state of the art.
Moreover, AT-PS 398 777 contains a method for the cleaning of raw vegetable oil esters, whereby the vegetable oil ester is obtained by alkaline transesterification. The transesterification takes place with methanol in excess, with the addition of potassium hydroxide as a catalyst. The raw vegetable oil ester is treated with water vapor, whereby a glycerine phase is produced, which is removed. In this process, intensive mixing is required for transesterification, and the distilled alcohol can be recycled after recovery in a distillation column.
However, other methods based on a high-pressure transesterification process are also known. Thereby, transesterification takes place in an autoclave with a relatively short reaction time. The disadvantage of such methods or equipment lies in the fact that an economic production of fatty acid methyl ester, for example for diesel fuel for vehicles, is absolutely impossible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Moreover, the transesterification process in two steps is also known. Thereby, the yield in terms of quantity and quality is certainly higher than with transesterification in one step, but again economic efficiency is not possible due to the high plant and production costs.
The task of the invention is to create a method and equipment for the pro duction of fatty acid methyl ester, in particular for diesel fuel for vehicles, which on the one hand avoids the disadvantages of the known methods, and on the other hand enables a rational production in an economically acceptable plant, preferably an industrial-sized plant, but is also economic in small plants.
The method according to the invention is characterized by boundary surfaces of a mixture which are enlarged by high or dynamic turbulence.
This invention enables for the first time the production diesel fuel such as eco-diesel or bio-diesel in ecologically optimal conditions of production while maintaining all the advantages thereof. With this invention, positive economic and ecological arguments are provided, which will stimulate a more intensive discourse on the role of renewable energy and resources.
Another surprising advantage results from the invention, namely in the field of waste management or hazardous waste disposal. With this invention, it is also possible to recycle and reuse used table oil ecologically. The use of used table oil in the method according to the invention is possible without reservations due to the high purity of the end products.
This invention makes it possible to accelerate the reaction by enlarging the boundary surfaces with dynamic processes during the transesterification. Due to high or powerful dynamic turbulence, the size of the drops in the liquid phases is effectively reduced, so that much smaller drops are produced, resulting in a much larger surface, which means that the chemical balance state is reached faster. Reaching the chemical balance state may take less than a minute. This means an enormous shortening of the production time. However, the method according to this invention is not suited for the so-called sedimentation method, since the sedimentation times would be too long due to the fine distribution of the drops.
According to a special feature of the invention, the high or powerful dynamic turbulence is produced by physical forces, for example mechanical shear forces. The advantage thereby is that the shear forces, which can certainly be created mechanically, produce much more powerful turbulence, thus increasing the number of drops and reducing the drop size.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the high or powerful turbulence is created by crack emulsification. The crack creates a high flow of the penetrating liquid, which turns into high turbulence or whirlpools at the end of the crack. This turbulence or whirlpools result in an enlargement of the boundary surfaces.
According to a special feature of the invention, the high or powerful dy namic turbulence is produced by dynamic emulsification, for example in a turbulator. In this case, the turbulence or whirlpools again result in enlargement of the boundary surfaces in the mixture.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the high or powerful turbulence is created by cavitation emulsification. With this process step, the reaction time can be shortened even further, since it takes only about 20 seconds with this optimization.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the large boundary surfaces are created by ultrasound. Using an ultrasound device, large boundary surfaces can also be created in the reaction section by additional division of the drops.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, transesterification takes place under high pressure. The high pressure creates a high flow rate in the narrow sections of the reaction section, which in turn creates a high turbulence at the end of the narrow section.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, transesterification starts under high pressure, and the pressure is reduced during the transesterification. It is proven that the shorter the length of the reaction
Ergün Nurhan
Panning Peter
Carr Deborah D.
ENERGEA Umwelttechnologie GmbH
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
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