US 11,718,795 B2
Method of manufacturing renewable diesel from biological feedstock
Thomas Bass, Mandeville, LA (US); James Rolston, Friendswood, TX (US); and Terry Sparkman, Beaumont, TX (US)
Assigned to Green Carbon Development, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Green Carbon Development, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/557,329.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/282,804, filed on Nov. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/128,526, filed on Dec. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0195313 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C10G 3/00 (2006.01); C11C 1/04 (2006.01); C11C 1/10 (2006.01); C10G 45/60 (2006.01); C10G 45/08 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 3/50 (2013.01) [C10G 3/46 (2013.01); C10G 45/08 (2013.01); C10G 45/60 (2013.01); C11C 1/04 (2013.01); C11C 1/10 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1014 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1018 (2013.01); C10G 2300/202 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4006 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4012 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4081 (2013.01); C10G 2400/04 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing renewable diesel comprising:
introducing a primary feedstock and up to 50% water into a first reaction chamber under counter-current flow conditions, wherein the primary feedstock comprises biologically-derived triglycerides and catalyst poisons,
hydrolyzing the primary feedstock within the first reaction chamber for at least an hour to form a hydrolysis effluent comprising (i) an aqueous solution comprising glycerol and catalyst poisons and (ii) an intermediate feedstock comprising free fatty acids and catalyst poisons, wherein the first reaction chamber is maintained at a temperature between 250° C. and 270° C. and a pressure between 700 psig and 900 psig;
decanting the hydrolysis effluent to obtain the intermediate feedstock and conveying said intermediate feedstock to a distillation column;
distilling the intermediate feedstock at an absolute pressure under 700 mm Hg to obtain a purified intermediate feedstock containing free fatty acids and a bottom stream containing unreacted triglycerides, diglyceride, monoglyceride, free fatty acids, and catalyst poisons;
hydrotreating the purified intermediate feedstock in a second reaction chamber comprising a metallic catalyst bed and hydrogen,
to produce a renewable diesel product comprising C10-C18 alkanes, wherein the hydrotreating is carried out at a temperature between 200° C. and 350° C. and a pressure between 300 and 1000 psig;
removing the catalyst poisons from the bottom stream to form a recycle stream containing unreacted triglycerides, diglyceride, monoglyceride, and free fatty acids; and
returning the recycle stream to the first reaction chamber.