Patent ID: 8022236
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: C10G,C11C,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters from at least two sources of triglycerides, said method comprising: a) providing a triglyceride feed material of at least 10 weight percent whole oleaginous seeds and at least one of an unrefined vegetable oil and reclaimed oil containing glycerides of fatty acids with at least two weight percent of free fatty acids; b) adding an acid catalyst and at least one C1 to C8 alkyl alcohol to said triglyceride feed material to form a first reaction mixture, wherein said alcohol is added in a molar excess relative to said free fatty acids in said triglyceride feed material; c) extracting triglycerides and fatty acids present within said whole oleaginous seeds contained in said first reaction mixture by heating said first reaction mixture to between about 60 and 150 degrees Celsius; e) forming, concurrent with said extracting, an ester of said alkyl alcohol and said free fatty acids in said first reaction mixture by removing by-product water of reaction with a portion of said alkyl alcohol; f) adding to esterified said first reaction mixture at least one C1 to C4 alkyl alcohol and a base catalyst to form a second reaction mixture, wherein said C1 to C4 alkyl alcohol is in a molar excess relative to fatty acids bound as triglycerides; g) forming fatty acid alky esters of said bound triglyceride fatty acids and said at least one C1 to C4 alcohol, and a glycerol byproduct, by maintaining said second reaction mixture at a temperature of 50 to 80 degrees Celsius, h) filtering substantially all solids from product of said second reaction mixture; i) separating substantially all said byproduct glycerol from said fatty acid alkyl esters; j) washing said fatty acid alkyl esters by contacting with an aqueous solution followed by phase separation of an aqueous layer; and k) purifying said fatty acid alkyl esters by preselected means to meet standard biodiesel specifications.