Old Dominion University Research Foundation

Zhanfei Liu

Patrick G Hatcher

Elodie Salmon

Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol-related products. One process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing glycerol and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment. Another process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing a glycerol and tetramethylammonium hydroxide to a substantially oxygen free environment.

Production and separation of glycerol-related products using various feed stocks

Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol related products. One process comprises introducing a biomass and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment, hydrolyzing at a temperature at or above 200&#xb0; C. one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass, methylating one or more fatty acids in the biomass with methyl groups from the alkylation reagent, wherein the hydrolyzing and methylating occur contemporaneously and separating resulting biodiesel and methylated glycerol-related products from a residue of the biomass by condensation.

Production of glycerol-related products from a high temperature reaction

Disclosed is the direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass comprises reacting a feed stock comprising a biomass and an alkylation reagent in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass and alkylated one or more fatty acids in the reaction. The process may comprise reacting a feed stock comprising an algal biomass and tetramethylammonium hydroxide in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature between 250&#xb0; C. and 500&#xb0; C. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel may further comprise reacting oil containing lipid glycerides with an alkylation reagent at a sufficient temperature to esterify the oil. The fatty acid alkyl esters produced from the reacted feed stock are recovered. The recovered fatty acid alkyl esters, as an essential component of biodiesel, may be formulated into biodiesel.

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Norfolk, VA, United States of America

Zhanfei Liu