Biodiesel cold soak filtering system

Abstract

A system and process of producing a biodiesel product which meets the specifications of the Cold Soak Filtration Test method (ASTM D6751-08).

1 . A method of treating a biodiesel stream containing impurities comprising:
 (a) cooling the biodiesel stream to a temperature ranging from about 40 to about 80° F. to produce a cooled biodiesel stream;   (b) storing the cooled biodiesel stream from between about 2.5 and about 5 hours to produce a retained biodiesel stream; and   (c) passing the retained biodiesel stream through an ion exchange resin to produce a treated biodiesel stream,   
       wherein the treated biodiesel stream meets the specification of the Cold Soak Filtration Test method (ASTM D6751-08). 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the biodiesel stream containing impurities comprises less than about 0.24% weight total glycerin as determined by ASTM D6584. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the biodiesel stream containing impurities comprises sterol glucosides, monoglycerides, water, soap, and metals. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the biodiesel stream containing impurities is produced from one or more of tallows, palm and palm oil blends, soy, canola, rapeseed, camelina, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, algae oils, yellow grease and poultry fats. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ion exchange resin is a solid acid catalyst capable of binding hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising filtering the retained biodiesel stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein filtering the retained biodiesel stream comprises removing about 95% of particles having a particle size greater than about 1 micron. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising filtering the treated biodiesel stream. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein filtering the treated biodiesel stream comprises heating the treated biodiesel stream to a temperature between about 70 and about 120° F. and filtering to remove particles having a particle size greater than about 1 micron. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the treated biodiesel stream comprises less than bout 0.4 wt % monoglycerides. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the treated biodiesel stream comprises less than bout 0.1 wt % monoglycerides.