Synergically integrated pre-processes for obtaining biofuels

Abstract

The present invention describes a combination of pretreatment processes aimed at maximizing yields for green diesel and biokerosene, valuing co-products and increasing the durability of catalysts, bringing greater competitiveness to plants that use the process integration presented herein. In synthesis, the fatty acids are generated from the non-catalytic hydrolysis of oils and/or fats that occurs in countercurrent continuous reactors, the oils are degummed by enzymatic degumming, and the glycerin is recovered in the aqueous phase, concentrated, and purified with ionic resins and activated carbon.

1 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES characterized by their steps: fatty acids are generated from the non-catalytic hydrolysis of oils and/or fats that occurs in countercurrent continuous reactors, in the temperature range between 250° C. and 300° C., pressure between 20 and 50 bar, in spatial time from 1 to 4 hours, with an oil/water feed mass ratio between 0.5 and 2, the oils are degummed by enzymatic degumming and the glycerin is recovered in the aqueous phase and concentrated and purified with ionic resins and activated carbon. 
     
     
         2 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fatty acids and/or biodiesel are hydrotreated by commercial HVO/SAF catalysts, at a temperature of 300 to 350° C., pressure between 20 and 80 bar and the cold properties are adjusted for the production of green diesel, SAF or another derivative in a second continuous hydroisomerization reactor. 
     
     
         3 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES characterized by producing fatty acids, high purity glycerin and renewable fuels, from oils and/or fats and comprising the following steps:
 a) non-catalytic hydrolysis of oils and/or fats, carried out in a countercurrent continuous reactor, operating in the temperature range between 250° C. and 300° C., pressure between 20 and 50 bar, in spatial time from 1 to 4 hours, with an oil/water feed mass ratio between 0.5 and 2;   b) enzymatic degumming of the crude oil, by means of phospholipases, to remove phospholipids, resulting in a purified oil;   c) the glycerin is recovered in the aqueous phase, being further concentrated and purified with ionic resins and activated carbon, to achieve a minimum purity of 98%;   d) the mixture of fatty acids with a yield greater than 90% is vacuum dried and is suitable for receiving adsorbents to remove traces of other impurities, being ready for the hydrotreatment and hydroisomerization process;   e) hydrotreatment of fatty acids and/or biodiesel to obtain renewable fuels, by means of catalysts, operating at a temperature of 300 to 350° C., pressure between 20 and 80 bar, with adjustment of cold properties in a second continuous hydroisomerization reactor, for the production of renewable diesel, biokerosene, SAF or other derived renewable fuels.   
     
     
         4 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 3 , characterized by the non-catalytic hydrolysis can preferably be carried out at a temperature between 270° C. and 290° C., pressure between 30 and 40 bar, and spatial time of 2 to 3 hours. 
     
     
         5 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 3 , characterized by the enzymatic degumming is preferably carried out by phospholipases A1, A2 and/or C. 
     
     
         6 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 3 , characterized by the adsorbents of item d are preferably clays and silicas. 
     
     
         7 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 3 , characterized by the catalysts are preferably HVO/SAF, such as Ni—Mo/Alumina catalyst. 
     
     
         8 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 3 , characterized by the steps can be performed in isolation, depending on the desired by-product, or integrated by maximizing the yields for the production of renewable diesel and biokerosene, enhancing co-products and increasing catalyst durability. 
     
     
         9 . INTEGRATED PRE-PROCESSES according to  claim 3 , characterized by the oils and/or fats may be acidic, such as bovine tallow of acidity 5% or a soybean biodiesel. 
     
     
         10 . PURIFIED FATTY ACIDS characterized by being generated in steps a and b of the integrated pre-process, as defined in  claim 3 , and can be used in subsequent biofuel production processes, such as hydrotreatment to generate renewable diesel and biokerosene (SAF) and as a raw material in the subsequent hydrotreatment process to obtain renewable fuels. 
     
     
         11 . PURIFIED GLYCERIN characterized by being a co-product generated in step c of the integrated pre-process, as defined in  claim 3 , being present in the oil phase and, after hydrolysis, is recovered in the aqueous phase, being subsequently concentrated and purified until reaching a minimum purity of 98%, suitable to be applied in the chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food industries, as additives and preservatives, in the production of resins, biodegradable plastics and, among others, industrial fluids, such as antifreeze and hydraulic fluids. 
     
     
         12 . INTEGRATED SYSTEM characterized by the production of fatty acids as defined in  claim 10 , high purity glycerin as defined in  claim 11  and renewable fuels, from oils and/or fats in an integrated pre-process as defined in  claim 3 , comprising:
 a) a countercurrent continuous reactor, configured to perform non-catalytic hydrolysis of oils and/or fats, operating in the temperature range between 250° C. and 300° C., with pressure from 20 to 50 bar, and spatial time from 1 to 4 hours, with an oil/water feed mass ratio between 0.5 and 2; 
 b) an enzymatic degumming system, configured to perform phospholipid removal by means of phospholipases A1, A2 and/or C, resulting in a purified oil suitable for the hydrolysis step; 
 c) a glycerin recovery system, coupled to the reactor, configured to separate the glycerin in the aqueous phase by concentrating and purifying it with ionic resins and activated carbon; 
 d) a vacuum drying system for the fatty acid mixture, configured to remove traces of impurities using adsorbents such as clays and silica; and 
 e) a continuous hydrotreating reactor, configured to process the fatty acids and/or biodiesel with HVO/SAF catalysts, operating at a temperature of 300° C. to 350° C. and pressure between 20 bar and 80 bar, followed by a hydroisomerization reactor for adjustment of the cold properties and production of renewable diesel, biokerosene (SAF) or other renewable fuels.