Production of products from feedstocks containing free fatty acids
The present invention provides a method for producing a refined fatty acid alkyl ester (FAAE) product from feed-stocks containing free fatty acids. The method comprises glycerolysis and transesterification processes combined with end-product refining. Products produced from a transesterification reaction are separated into a crude FAAE stream and a crude glycerin stream. The crude glycerin stream is further processed to produce a glyceride stream from which additional FAAEs may be produced.
1. A method for producing products from a feedstock containing free fatty acids comprising:
a. reacting said feedstock with glycerin in a reactor to produce a first glyceride stream;
b. reacting said first glyceride stream with alcohol to produce a reaction mixture;
c. separating said reaction mixture to produce a crude fatty acid alkyl ester stream and a crude glycerin stream;
d. wherein said crude fatty acid alkyl ester stream is a first light phase;
e. separating the crude glycerin stream into a secondary light phase and a second crude glycerin stream, wherein the secondary light phase includes free fatty acids and alkyl esters;
f. converting free fatty acids and alkyl esters in the secondary light phase into glycerides, water, and alcohol and removing water and alcohol to produce a second glyceride stream; and
g. introducing the second glyceride stream into step (a).
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said secondary light phase comprises free fatty acids, glycerides, alkyl esters, and glycerin.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (e) further comprises separating the secondary light phase into a first secondary light phase and a second secondary light phase.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said first secondary light phase comprises alkyl esters, free fatty acids, and glycerides.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said second secondary light phase comprises glycerin.
6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of combining said second secondary light phase with said second crude glycerin stream.
7. A method for producing products from a feedstock containing free fatty acids comprising:
a. reacting said feedstock with glycerin in a first glycerolysis process to produce a first glyceride stream;
b. reacting said first glyceride stream with alcohol in a transesterification process to produce a reaction mixture;
c. separating said reaction mixture to produce a crude fatty acid alkyl ester stream and a crude glycerin stream, wherein said crude fatty acid alkyl ester stream is a first light phase;
d. separating said crude glycerin stream into a secondary light phase and a second crude glycerin stream;
e. separating said secondary light phase into a first secondary light phase and a second secondary light phase; and
f. introducing said first secondary light phase to glycerin to produce a second glyceride stream.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of combining said second secondary light phase with said second crude glycerin stream.
9. A method for producing glycerides from alkyl esters and free fatty acids separated from a crude glycerin stream which has been produced by a first transesterification process and separated from a first light phase, said method comprising:
a. separating said crude glycerin stream into a heavy phase and a secondary light phase, wherein the secondary light phase includes alkyl esters and free fatty acids;
b. reacting said alkyl esters and free fatty acids in the secondary light phase with glycerin to produce a reaction mixture containing glycerides, water, and alcohol;
c. removing water and alcohol from said reaction mixture to produce a glyceride stream.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of introducing said glyceride stream into at least one of the first transesterification process and a second transesterification process.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of introducing said glyceride stream into a glycerolysis process.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of separating said secondary light phase into a first secondary light phase and a second secondary light phase prior to the reacting step of claim 9 (b), wherein the reacting step of claim 9 (b) uses reactants from said first secondary light phase to produce said glyceride stream.
13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of introducing the second glyceride stream into one of step (a) and step (b) to produce additional fatty acid alkyl esters.
14. The method of claim 7 , wherein said first secondary light phase comprises alkyl esters, free fatty acids, and glycerides.
15. The method of claim 7 , wherein said second secondary light phase comprises glycerin.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first secondary light phase comprises alkyl esters, free fatty acids, and glycerides.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second secondary light phase comprises glycerin.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising treating the crude glycerin stream with acid to produce a neutralized crude glycerin stream.
19. The method of claim 7 , further comprising treating the crude glycerin stream with acid to produce a neutralized crude glycerin stream.