Patent ID: 7645807
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: C07C,C11C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A process for producing biodiesel and a crude glycerol by-product which is converted to methanol, which method comprises: i) providing a mixture of at least one C ii) conducting said mixture, along with a triglyceride feedstream, to a transesterification reaction zone operated at transesterification conditions thereby resulting in a transesterification reaction product stream comprised of alkyl esters, crude glycerol, unreacted alcohol, and transesterification catalyst; iii) treating said product stream with a neutralizing agent thus neutralizing the reaction product stream; iv) conducting said neutralized product stream to a first separation zone wherein at least a fraction of the crude glycerol is separated from said product stream, thus resulting in a crude glycerol stream and a crude glycerol lean product stream; v) separating the unreacted alcohol from the crude glycerol product stream; vi) collecting the alkyl ester biodiesel product; vii) introducing crude glycerol, an effective amount of superheated steam, and an effective amount of oxygen into a reaction zone where the resulting mixture is heated to a temperature of about 1500° F. to about 1900° F. and at pressures from about 200 psig to about 600 psig, thereby resulting in a synthesis gas product stream comprised predominantly of H viii) cooling said synthesis gas product stream to a temperature of about 360° F. to about 80° F.; ix) pressurizing the cooled synthesis gas product stream to a pressure of about 500 psig to about 1500 psig; x) introducing said pressurized cooled synthesis gas into a methanol synthesis reaction zone along with at effective amount of methanol synthesis catalyst, which methanol synthesis reaction zone is maintained at a temperature from about 350° F. to about 450° F. and pressures from about 500 psig to about 1500 psig, thereby resulting in a product stream comprised of methanol, water and heavier products; xi) conducting the methanol synthesis product stream to a second separation zone wherein a tail gas stream is separated from a liquid product stream, which liquid product stream is comprised of methanol and water; xii) conducting said mixture of methanol and water to a third separation zone wherein substantially all of the methanol is separated from the water; xiii) conducting said liquid product from said separation zone to a distillation zone wherein methanol is separated from said water component; xiv) separately collecting the methanol and water.