Methods for producing fuels and solvents

Abstract

Described herein are methods for producing fuels and solvents from fatty acid resources. Also disclosed herein are fuels and solvents produced by the methods described herein.

1 . A method for producing a fuel or solvent from a fatty acid resource, comprising:
 a. separating one or more fatty acids from the fatty acid resource; and   b. converting the fatty acid to one or more alkanes or alkenes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid resource comprises vegetable oil, animal fats, spent cooking oil, lipids, phospholipids, or triglycerides. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the vegetable oil comprises corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, ground nut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, algae oil, almond oil, apricot oil, argan oil, avocado oil, ben oil, cashew oil, castor oil, grape seed oil, hazelnut oil, hemp seed oil, linseed oil, mustard oil neem oil, palm kernel oil, pumpkin seed oil, rice bran oil, or walnut oil, a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the animal fat comprises blubber, cod liver oil, ghee, lard, tallow, a derivative thereof, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises (i) separating one or more triglycerides from the vegetable oil or animal fat, and (ii) hydrolyzing the triglyceride to produce the free fatty acid, and (iii) isolating the free fatty acid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid comprises a saturated fatty acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid comprises butyric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, oleic acid, erucic acid, a naturally derived fatty acid from a plant or animal source, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein prior to step (a), the fatty acid resource is further purified by by extraction or distillation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises heating the fatty acid to convert all or substantially all of the fatty acid to an alkane, an alkene, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the heating step is conducted at a temperature from 220° C. to 650° C., at a pressure from ambient to 2,000 psi, for a duration of two seconds up to 12 hours. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the heating step is conducted at a temperature from 250° C. to 500° C. for two seconds up to 8 hours. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the heating step is conducted in the presence of a decarboxylation catalyst. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the decarboxylation catalyst comprises activated alumina. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the heating step (b) is conducted under an inert atmosphere. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the inert atmosphere comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps (a) and/or (b) are continuous. 
     
     
         17 . A fuel or solvent produced by the method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel or solvent is substantially free of aromatic compounds.