| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080229654 | Fuel Composition - Compositions and methods for forming hydrocarbon products from triglycerides are disclosed. In one aspect, the methods involve the thermal decomposition of fatty acids, which can be derived from the hydrolysis of triglycerides. The thermal decomposition products can be combined with low molecular weight olefins, such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis products, and subjected to molecular averaging reactions. Alternatively, the products can be subjected to hydrocracking reactions, isomerization reactions, and the like. The products can be isolated in the gasoline, jet and/or diesel fuel ranges. Thus, vegetable oils and/or animal fats can be converted using water, catalysts, and heat, into conventional products in the gasoline, jet and/or diesel fuel ranges. These products are virtually indistinguishable from those derived from their petroleum-based analogs, except that they can have virtually no aromatic, sulfur or nitrogen content, they are derived, in whole or in part, from renewable resources, and can also be derived from domestically available coal and/or natural gas. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20090013591 | Alternative fuel and fuel additive compositions - Alternative gasoline, diesel fuel, marine diesel fuel, jet fuel, and flexible fuel compositions are disclosed. The compositions include an alcohol and/or a glycerol ether or mixture of glycerol ethers, which can be derived from renewable resources. When combined with gasoline/ethanol blends, the glycerol ethers can reduce the vapor pressure of the ethanol and increasing the fuel economy. When added to diesel fuel/alcohol blends, glycerol ethers improve the cetane value of the blends. All or part of the diesel fuel in the compositions described herein can be biodiesel fuel and/or synthetic fuel derived from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis can also use feedstocks derived from sources other than crude oil, such as methane, methanol, ethanol, lignin and glycerol, which can further reduce reliance on foreign sources of crude oil. When used in jet fuel, glycerol ethers can replace all or part of conventional deicing additives, thus lowering skin toxicity, and glycerol ethers ability to reduce particulate emissions can lower the appearance of contrails. When used in marine diesel, the reduction in particulate emissions can be environmentally significant. In another embodiment, the alternative compositions comprise gasoline, ethanol, and n-butanol, and in one aspect, the ethanol and/or n-butanol can be derived from renewable resources. Fuel additive compositions, including glycerol ethers and hydrocarbons and/or alcohols, are also disclosed. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20100137647 | PRODUCTION OF GASOLINE FROM FERMENTABLE FEEDSTOCKS - Methods are disclosed for forming heptan-4-one, and, optionally, heptan-4-ol, from fermentable sugars. The sugars are fermented using a bacteria or yeast that predominantly forms butyric acid. The butyric acid is subjected to catalytic ketonization conditions to form heptan-4-one, with concomitant loss of water and carbon dioxide. The heptan-4-one can be subjected to catalytic hydrogenation to form heptan-4-ol, an either of these can be included in gasoline compositions. In one aspect, the fermentable sugars are derived from lignocellulosic materials such as wood products, switchgrass, or agricultural wastes, which are delignified to form lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. The cellulose and hemicellulose can be depolymerized to form glycose and xylose, either or both of which can be fermented by the bacteria. Thus, the methods described herein can convert biomass to a fuel composition or fuel additive, which can be used in a conventional gasoline engine, unlike traditional fuels such as ethanol or biodiesel. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100159553 | Production of Gasoline From Fermentable Feedstocks - Compositions and methods for forming hexane, and, optionally, gasoline and/or components of a gasoline composition, from fermentable sugars are disclosed. The sugars are fermented using a bacteria or yeast that predominantly forms butyric acid. The butyric acid is subjected to Kolbe or photo-Kolbe electrolysis to form hexane. The hexane can be subjected to catalytic, reforming and/or isomerization steps to form higher octane products, which are or can be included in gasoline compositions. In one aspect, the fermentable sugars are derived from lignocellulosic materials such as wood products, switchgrass, or agricultural wastes. These materials are delignified to form lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. The cellulose and hemicellulose are depolymerized to form glycose and xylose, either or both of which can be fermented by the bacteria. The lignin can be used to generate heat energy and/or electric energy for use in one or more process steps, such as the fermentation, product isolation, Kolbe electrolysis, catalytic reforming and/or isomerization steps. Alternatively, the lignin can be converted to synthesis gas, which can then be subjected to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, or converted to methanol and/or ethanol. Thus, the methods described herein can convert biomass to a fuel composition or fuel additive, which can be used in a conventional gasoline engine, unlike traditional fuels such as ethanol or biodiesel. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100186289 | BIODIESEL PROCESS - Processes for producing biodiesel compositions are disclosed. FFAs present in the triglycerides can be removed by reaction with isobutylene, or by Kolbe electrolysis. The Kolbe electrolysis can be performed on the starting material, or on the crude glycerol. The triglycerides are transesterified to form alkyl esters of the fatty acids and glycerol. The transesterification reaction can be catalyzed by an alkoxide, rather than a hydroxide, to help keep the glycerol by-product dry. The alkoxide salt can be neutralized by reaction with a dry acid, such as gaseous hydrogen chloride or sulfuric acid, and the resulting alcohol removed by distillation, and at least a portion of the neutralized salt can be removed by filtration or decantation. The process can provide improved biodiesel yields, and glycerol pure enough for use directly in glycerol ether manufacture. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20110196179 | FUEL COMPOSITION - Compositions and methods for forming hydrocarbon products from triglycerides are disclosed. In one aspect, the methods involve the thermal decomposition of fatty acids, which can be derived from the hydrolysis of triglycerides. The thermal decomposition products can be combined with low molecular weight olefins, such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis products, and subjected to molecular averaging reactions. Alternatively, the products can be subjected to hydrocracking reactions, isomerization reactions, and the like. The products can be isolated in the gasoline, jet and/or diesel fuel ranges. Thus, vegetable oils and/or animal fats can be converted using water, catalysts, and heat, into conventional products in the gasoline, jet and/or diesel fuel ranges. These products are virtually indistinguishable from those derived from their petroleum-based analogs, except that they can have virtually no aromatic, sulfur or nitrogen content, they are derived, in whole or in part, from renewable resources, and can also be derived from domestically available coal and/or natural gas. | 08-11-2011 |
