High performance biohydraulic fluid

Abstract

A biohydraulic fluid which has high performance attributes and which is environmentally acceptable includes trimethylolpropane (TMP) esterified to monounsaturated fatty acids of unsaturated vegetable oils or vegetable oil blends. The process for making the TMP esters can be accomplished in a manner similar to biodiesel production wherein methyl oleates obtained from reacting methanol with the vegetable oils or vegetable oil blends are reacted with TMP. Production of the TMP esters can be achieved without the use of catalysts.

1 . A biohydraulic fluid, comprising:
 60% or more by weight of a synthetic trimethylol propane (TMP) esterified with monounsaturated fatty acid moieties of a first vegetable oil or mixture of vegetable oils, wherein said first vegetable oil or mixture of vegetable oils contains at least 70% monounsaturated fatty acids; and   at least 20% or more by weight of a second vegetable oil or mixture of vegetable oils, wherein said first and second vegetable oil or mixture of vegetable oils may be the same or different.   
     
     
         2 . The biohydraulic fluid of  claim 1  wherein said monounsaturated fatty acid moieties include oleic acid. 
     
     
         3 . The biohydraulic fluid of  claim 1  further comprising one or more additives selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, antiwear agents, corrosion inhibitors, pour point depressants, and antifoam agents. 
     
     
         4 . The biohydraulic fluid of  claim 1  wherein said synthetic TMP esterified with monounsaturated fatty acid moieties of said first vegetable oil or mixture of vegetable oils is approximately 72% by weight of said biohydraulic fluid, and wherein said second unsaturated vegetable oil or mixture of unsaturated vegetable oils is approximately 24% by weight of said biohydraulic fluid, and wherein said first and second unsaturated vegetable oils or mixtures of unsaturated vegetable oils are the same, and wherein said biohydraulic fluid includes approximately 3% by weight of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, antiwear agents, corrosion inhibitors, pour point depressants, and antifoam agents. 
     
     
         5 . The biohydraulic fluid of  claim 1  wherein either or both said first and second unsaturated vegetable oil or mixture of unsaturated vegetable oils includes both sunflower and safflower oils. 
     
     
         6 . A method for preparing a trimethylolpropane (TMP) base fluid for a lubricant, comprising the steps of:
 reacting an unsaturated vegetable oil with methanol to prepare a biodiesel containing methyloleates and other waste organics;   separating glycerol from said biodiesel; and   reacting said methyloleates in said biodiesel with TMP to produce a mixture containing TMP esters.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the steps of
 washing said mixture containing TMP esters; and 
 separating water and methyl oleate from said mixture containing TMP esters. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein either or both reacting steps are performed without a catalyst. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said reacting said methyloleates step produces methanol, and further comprising the step of recycling the methanol produced in said reacting methyloleates step for use in said reacting an unsaturated vegetable oil step. 
     
     
         10 . A method for preparing a biohydraulic fluid, comprising the steps of:
 preparing a trimethylolpropane (TMP) base fluid by
 reacting a first unsaturated vegetable oil or mixture of unsaturated vegetable oils with methanol to prepare a biodiesel containing methyloleates and other waste organics; 
 separating glycerol from said biodiesel; 
 reacting said methyloleates in said biodiesel with TMP to produce a mixture containing TMP esters; 
 washing said mixture containing TMP esters; and 
 separating water and biodiesel from said mixture containing TMP esters to produce a TMP base fluid; 
   combining said TMP base fluid with a second unsaturated vegetable oil or mixture of unsaturated vegetable oils which may be the same or different from said first unsaturated vegetable oil or mixture of unsaturated vegetable oils; and   adding one or more additives to a formulation of said TMB base fluid and said a second unsaturated vegetable oil or mixture of unsaturated vegetable oils.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of preparing a TMP base fluid is performed without using catalysts. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said first and second unsaturated vegetable oils or mixtures of unsaturated vegetable oils are the same. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said one or more additives are selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, antiwear agents, corrosion inhibitors, pour point depressants, and antifoam agents. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said reacting said methyloleates step produces methanol, and further comprising the step of recycling the methanol produced in said reacting methyloleates step for use in said reacting an unsaturated vegetable oil step. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of recycling biodiesel obtained in said separating step for use in said reacting said methyloleates in said biodiesel step.