Patent ID: 7772414
Filing Date: 2010-08-10
Classification: C10G,C10L,C11B,C11C,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for preparing a fatty acid alkyl ester product from a fat- and oil-containing biological material feedstock comprising: contacting the biological material feedstock with a flowing solvent mixture wherein the solvent mixture is maintained at supercritical or near-critical pressure and temperature conditions; extracting fats and oils from the biological material feedstock with the flowing solvent mixture; flowing the extracted fat and oil-containing solution, under pressure, into a separate reaction region maintained at a desired temperature; effecting a transesterification reaction between the extracted fat and oil-containing solution and the flowing solvent mixture and an alcohol within the reaction region at supercritical conditions yielding reaction products comprising glycerol and fatty acid alkyl esters, and the flowing solvent mixture; flowing under pressure reaction products and into a separation region; collecting glycerol product; collecting fatty acid alkyl ester product; collecting wastes; collecting the flowing solvent mixture and any unused reactants.