IP Library Granted Patent US 12,454,497
Granted Patent B2
US 12,454,497 · App. 18/255,681 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Fuels and methods of making the same

Inventors: Derek Richard Vardon (Lakewood, CO); Nabila Asem Huq (Boulder, CO); Randy D. Cortright (Boulder, CO); Zia Abdullah (Littleton, CO); Glenn Richard Hafenstine (Wheat Ridge, CO); Xiangchen Huo (Golden, CO); Huong Thi Thanh Nguyen (Arvada, CO)
Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
C07C1/22C07C9/15C07C9/16C07C45/41C07C45/68C10L1/04C10L2200/0469C10L2270/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,454,497
App. No.
18/255,681
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method that includes processing, in a hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactor, at least one of a VFA-derived ketone and/or a co-processing stream to produce a composition that is at least partially bioderived, as determined by ASTM-D6866.

Claims (24)

1 . A method comprising:

processing, in a hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactor, a volatile fatty acid (VFA)-derived ketone stream and a co-processing stream comprising at least one of a lipid, a fat, an oil, a grease, a petroleum feedstock, a plastic decomposition product, or a combination thereof to produce a composition that is at least partially bioderived, wherein:

the VFA-derived ketone stream and the co-processing stream are separate streams prior to processing.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the co-processing stream comprises at least one of a bioderived fat, a bioderived oil, a bioderived grease, or a combination thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the co-processing stream comprises at least one of a plant oil, an animal fat, an extracted microbial lipid, or a combination thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the HDO reactor comprises a retrofitted HDO reactor previously dedicated to process petroleum-based compounds.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a VFA-derived ketone of the VFA-derived ketone stream has between 9 and 18 carbon atoms.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a paraffin having between 9 and 18 carbon atoms.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises n-undecane.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the VFA-derived ketone stream and the co-processing stream are mixed before processing in the HDO reactor.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the VFA-derived ketone stream and the co-processing stream are directed in separate streams to the HDO reactor.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the processing, blending at least a portion of the composition with at least one of a fuel, a fuel blendstock, or a combination thereof.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the fuel, the fuel blendstock, or the combination thereof comprises at least one of a diesel fuel, a jet fuel, a gasoline fuel, a marine fuel, or a heavy fuel oil.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the HDO reactor is operated at a temperature between about 200° C. and about 450° C.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the HDO reactor is operated at a pressure between about 500 psig and about 1800 psig.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the HDO reactor is a packed-bed reactor.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the VFA-derived ketone stream, the co-processing stream, or a combination thereof is directed to the HDO reactor resulting in a weight hourly space velocity between about 0.1 h −1 and about 2 h −1 in the reactor.

16 . A composition comprising:

n-undecane, 5-ethyl-4-propyl-nonane, trimethylcyclohexane, and n-nonane; and

a flash point between about 36° C. and about 85° C.

17 . The composition of claim 16 , further comprising a boiling point between about 180° C. and about 300° C.

18 . The composition of claim 17 , further comprising a melting point between about −100° C. and about 0° C.

19 . The composition of claim 18 , further comprising a kinematic viscosity between about 1.00 mm 2 /s @20° C. and about 2.00 mm 2 /s @20° C.

20 . The composition of claim 19 , further comprising a cetane value between about 40 and about 100.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: ALLIANCE FOR ENERGY INNOVATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 073993/0276 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Aug 14, 2023
From: NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 064577/0962 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: VARDON, DEREK RICHARD; HUQ, NABILA ASEM; CORTRIGHT, RANDY D.; ABDULLAH, ZIA; HAFENSTINE, GLENN RICHARD; HUO, XIANGCHEN; NGUYEN, HUONG THI THANH
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 064093/0811 →