Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, comprising obtaining a lecithin-containing material, in some aspects derived from a crude refining stream, comprising 20-80 wt % acetone insoluble matter, 1-30 wt % free fatty acid, and less than 10 wt % water, adding a fatty acid or carboxylic source to the lecithin-containing material to obtain a lecithin fatty acid blend or lecithin carboxylic acid blend and incorporating the blend into asphalt or oil field applications.

Provided are methods, processes and systems for treating a soapstock. In alternative embodiments, provided are systems and methods for treating a soapstock to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, e.g. fatty acid alkyl esters. In alternative embodiments, provided are systems and methods for realizing the full fatty acid yield of a soapstock by first converting substantially all of the saponifiable material in a soapstock to salts of fatty acids (soaps) and acidulating the soaps to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, e.g. fatty acid alkyl esters, wherein the soapstock comprises soaps and saponifiable lipids, e.g. glycerides and/or phospholipids, and the generating of free fatty acids and/or fatty acid is achieved.

A process for production fatty acids comprising: adjusting pH of a saponifiable material to a value above pH 7 by adding alkaline material; saponifying all saponifiable material by passing alternate electrical current through the material, wherein the said step of saponification occurs in a saponification reactor; acidulating the saponified material by adding acid to pH value below 4; isolating obtained free fatty acids from aqueous layer.

Methods for producing oil from distillers corn oil having high free fatty acid content are provided. In the method, distiller's corn oil is treated with a mixture including an alcohol to result in a low-free fatty acid oily phase and an alcohol phase. The mixture may also include an alkali. The alcohol may be a monohydric alcohol and an aqueous alcohol, such as an aqueous alcohol having a concentration of at least about 15% alcohol-by-weight. The low-free fatty acid phase may include oil and at least one impurity. The low-free fatty acid phase may be cooled, and the oil may be separated from the at least one impurity using membrane filtration.

Methods for producing oil from distillers corn oil having high free fatty acid content are provided. In the method, distiller's corn oil is treated with a mixture including an alcohol to result in a low-free fatty acid oily phase and an alcohol phase. The mixture may also include an alkali. The alcohol may be a monohydric alcohol and an aqueous alcohol, such as an aqueous alcohol having a concentration of at least about 15% alcohol-by-weight. The low-free fatty acid phase may include oil and at least one impurity. The low-free fatty acid phase may be cooled, and the oil may be separated from the at least one impurity using membrane filtration.

Provided are methods and systems for treating a soapstock. Provided are systems and methods for treating a soapstock to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, and for realizing the full fatty acid yield of a soapstock by first converting substantially all of the saponifiable material in a soapstock to fatty acids and acidulating the soaps to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, wherein the soapstock comprises soaps and saponifiable lipids, and the generating of free fatty acids is achieved. Provided are systems and methods for realizing the full fatty acid yield of a soapstock by first converting substantially all of the saponifiable material in a soapstock to salts of fatty acids and acidulating the soaps to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, wherein the soapstock comprises soaps and saponifiable lipids, and the generating of free fatty acids is achieved.

Provided are methods and systems for treating a soapstock. Provided are systems and methods for treating a soapstock to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, and for realizing the full fatty acid yield of a soapstock by first converting substantially all of the saponifiable material in a soapstock to fatty acids and acidulating the soaps to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, wherein the soapstock comprises soaps and saponifiable lipids, and the generating of free fatty acids is achieved. Provided are systems and methods for realizing the full fatty acid yield of a soapstock by first converting substantially all of the saponifiable material in a soapstock to salts of fatty acids and acidulating the soaps to generate free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives, wherein the soapstock comprises soaps and saponifiable lipids, and the generating of free fatty acids is achieved.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, comprising obtaining a lecithin-containing material, in some aspects derived from a crude refining stream, comprising 20-80 wt % acetone insoluble matter, 1-30 wt % free fatty acid, and less than 10 wt % water, adding a fatty acid or carboxylic source to the lecithin-containing material to obtain a lecithin fatty acid blend or lecithin carboxylic acid blend and incorporating the blend into asphalt or oil field applications.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, comprising obtaining a lecithin-containing material, in some aspects derived from a crude refining stream, comprising 20-80 wt % acetone insoluble matter, 1-30 wt % free fatty acid, and less than 10 wt % water, adding a fatty acid or carboxylic source to the lecithin-containing material to obtain a lecithin fatty acid blend or lecithin carboxylic acid blend and incorporating the blend into asphalt or oil field applications.

The present invention relates to a process for purifying renewable feedstock comprising fatty acids, said process comprising the steps, where the renewable feedstock comprising fatty acids comprises at least one acid oil and at least another renewable feedstock, and it is treated with an aqueous medium, to obtain a mixture, and a first stream comprising water is separated from said mixture and a second stream comprising fatty acids is obtained as purified renewable feedstock.