US 12,146,110 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 Aug. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/237,691.
Application 18/237,691 is a continuation of application No. 17/856,707, filed on Jul. 1, 2022, granted, now 11,773,332.
Application 17/856,707 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/557,329, filed on Dec. 21, 2021, granted, now 11,718,795, issued on Aug. 8, 2023.
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 2023/0407185 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C10G 3/00 (2006.01); C11B 3/00 (2006.01); C11C 1/04 (2006.01); C11C 1/10 (2006.01); C11C 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 3/46 (2013.01) [C10G 3/50 (2013.01); C11B 3/006 (2013.01); C11C 1/04 (2013.01); C11C 1/10 (2013.01); C11C 3/12 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1011 (2013.01); C10G 2300/202 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4006 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4081 (2013.01); C10G 2300/708 (2013.01); C10G 2400/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for producing a renewable fuel comprising C10-C18 alkanes, the system comprising:
a first reaction chamber configured to:
receive a primary feedstock and up to 50% water under counter-current flow conditions, the primary feedstock comprising biologically-derived triglycerides and catalyst poisons;
hydrolyze the primary feedstock for at least an hour to form a hydrolysis effluent comprising (i) an aqueous solution comprising glycerol and a first portion of the catalyst poisons and (ii) an intermediate feedstock comprising free fatty acids and a second portion of the 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; and
separate the intermediate feedstock and the aqueous solution;
a distillation column configured to:
receive the intermediate feedstock; and
distill the intermediate feedstock at an absolute pressure under 700 mm Hg to obtain a purified intermediate feedstock comprising free fatty acids and a bottom stream containing unreacted triglycerides, diglyceride, monoglyceride, free fatty acids, and at least a portion of the second portion of the catalyst poisons;
a second reaction chamber comprising a metallic catalyst and configured to hydrotreat the purified intermediate feedstock by contacting the purified intermediate feedstock with hydrogen to produce the renewable fuel 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;
a purification unit configured to:
remove the at least the portion of the second portion of the catalyst poisons from the bottom stream to form a recycle stream containing unreacted triglycerides, diglyceride, monoglyceride, and free fatty acids; and
direct the recycle stream to the first reaction chamber.