Embodiments herein relate to the production of alkyl esters from acidified soap stock. In an embodiment, a process for producing alkyl esters is provided. The process can include mixing acidified soap stock with an alcohol, water, carbon dioxide, and/or carbon monoxide, to form a reaction mixture, and contacting the reaction mixture with a catalyst under supercritical conditions for the alcohol, the catalyst including a metal oxide. Other embodiments are also included herein.

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.

A method of separation and recovery of neutral and lipid components contained in saponifiable mixtures such as lipids and residues of plant and animal origin or saponified such as Tall Oil Soap (TOS), or in their saponified derivatives, which is based on differences in their solubility in a solvent or in a mixture of solvents from the group consisting of water and alcohols.

A method of separation and recovery of neutral and lipid components contained in saponifiable mixtures such as lipids and residues of plant and animal origin or saponified such as Tall Oil Soap (TOS), or in their saponified derivatives, which is based on differences in their solubility in a solvent or in a mixture of solvents from the group consisting of water and alcohols.

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, 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.

Embodiments herein relate to the production of alkyl esters from acidified soap stock. In an embodiment, a process for producing alkyl esters is provided. The process can include mixing acidified soap stock with an alcohol, water, carbon dioxide, and/or carbon monoxide, to form a reaction mixture, and contacting the reaction mixture with a catalyst under supercritical conditions for the alcohol, the catalyst including a metal oxide. Other embodiments are also included herein.

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.