Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.

Methods for preparing and purifying 2-monoacylglyceride compounds are disclosed. In one method, an unsaturated triglyceride is reacted with water, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alcohol, or a mixture thereof in the presence of a lipase to produce a mixture comprising a 1,3-dihydroxy-2-monoacylglyceride and fatty esters or acids. Reaction of the 1,3-dihydroxy-2-monoacylglyceride with an aldehyde or ketone gives a mixture comprising a 2-monoacylglyceride acetal or ketal. Fatty esters or acids are removed from the mixture as an overhead product by distillation or wiped-film evaporation to isolate a purified 2-monoacylglyceride acetal or ketal. The inventive methods provide a 2-monoacylglyceride protected at the 1- and 3-positions such that the acyl unit remains at the 2-position. The products are enriched in unsaturated fatty acid content when compared with the unsaturated fatty acid content of the original unsaturated triglyceride. Each method utilizes a practical purification scheme that avoids the scale-up or toxicity issues of commonly employed purification strategies.

Methods for preparing and purifying 2-monoacylglyceride compounds are disclosed. In one method, an unsaturated triglyceride is reacted with water, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alcohol, or a mixture thereof in the presence of a lipase to produce a mixture comprising a 1,3-dihydroxy-2-monoacylglyceride and fatty esters or acids. Reaction of the 1,3-dihydroxy-2-monoacylglyceride with an aldehyde or ketone gives a mixture comprising a 2-monoacylglyceride acetal or ketal. Fatty esters or acids are removed from the mixture as an overhead product by distillation or wiped-film evaporation to isolate a purified 2-monoacylglyceride acetal or ketal. The inventive methods provide a 2-monoacylglyceride protected at the 1- and 3-positions such that the acyl unit remains at the 2-position. The products are enriched in unsaturated fatty acid content when compared with the unsaturated fatty acid content of the original unsaturated triglyceride. Each method utilizes a practical purification scheme that avoids the scale-up or toxicity issues of commonly employed purification strategies.

The present invention relates to a method for processing a renewable bio-based material comprising the step of reacting the bio-based material with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst on a support in a reactor to form a treated oil; (i) passing the treated oil through a distillation unit and an adsorption unit to form green diesel; and/or (ii) passing the treated oil through at least one distillation column to separate the treated oil into at least one component and passing the at least one component through an adsorption column; and wherein the reactor comprises a cooling function for controlling the temperature of the reactor, wherein the cooling function is at least one of an internal cooling function and an external cooling function.

The present invention relates to a process for the conversion of a feedstock comprising at least 50 wt % related to the total weight of the feedstock of triglycerides, fatty acid esters and/or fatty acids having at least 10 carbon atoms into hydrogen, olefins, dienes, aromatics, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas comprising: a) introducing of said feedstock in a first reactor to produce linear paraffins in presence of a hydrodesulfurization catalyst and hydrogen, b) separating the effluent of said first reactor in at least three parts to produce at least a first stream comprising part of said linear paraffins and at least a second stream comprising part of said linear paraffins, and at least a third stream comprising part of said linear paraffins c) sending said first stream to a steam cracker to produce hydrogen, olefins, dienes, aromatics and gasoline, diesel fuel being further fractionated; d) introducing said second stream into a second reactor in presence of a hydrocracking or hydroisomerization catalyst to produce a mixture comprising diesel fuel, jet fuel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas being further fractionated e) blending said third stream with the diesel fuel obtained at said step d)
wherein said feedstock of said first reactor is diluted in order to limit the temperature increase within said first reactor; and wherein before entering the first reactor said dilution is performed with a weight ratio diluent:feedstock being 1:1, and wherein said diluent comprises at least part of said paraffins obtained at step b).

The present invention relates to a process for the conversion of a feedstock comprising at least 50 wt % related to the total weight of the feedstock of triglycerides, fatty acid esters and/or fatty acids having at least 10 carbon atoms into hydrogen, olefins, dienes, aromatics, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas comprising: a) introducing of said feedstock in a first reactor to produce linear paraffins in presence of a hydrodesulfurization catalyst and hydrogen, b) separating the effluent of said first reactor in at least three parts to produce at least a first stream comprising part of said linear paraffins and at least a second stream comprising part of said linear paraffins, and at least a third stream comprising part of said linear paraffins c) sending said first stream to a steam cracker to produce hydrogen, olefins, dienes, aromatics and gasoline, diesel fuel being further fractionated; d) introducing said second stream into a second reactor in presence of a hydrocracking or hydroisomerization catalyst to produce a mixture comprising diesel fuel, jet fuel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas being further fractionated e) blending said third stream with the diesel fuel obtained at said step d)
wherein said feedstock of said first reactor is diluted in order to limit the temperature increase within said first reactor; and wherein before entering the first reactor said dilution is performed with a weight ratio diluent:feedstock being 1:1, and wherein said diluent comprises at least part of said paraffins obtained at step b).

The invention relates to a lubricity additive for fuel, particularly for diesel fuel, directly obtained from the acidification of a soapstock produced by a method for refining at least one vegetable and/or animal oil. The lubricity additive according to the invention is more specifically used for fuels that have a low sulfur content, for example, lower than 500 ppm (by weight).

The invention relates to a lubricity additive for fuel, particularly for diesel fuel, directly obtained from the acidification of a soapstock produced by a method for refining at least one vegetable and/or animal oil. The lubricity additive according to the invention is more specifically used for fuels that have a low sulfur content, for example, lower than 500 ppm (by weight).

A process for reducing or removing at least 90% of sulfur in a tall oil composition, e.g., to a level of 15 ppm or less is disclosed. The process employs at least a first desulfurization and a second desulfurization treatment in parallel or in series. The first treatment comprises adsorptive desulfurization, wherein the adsorbent material comprises silica adsorbent having an average pore size between 50-200 , BET surface area of at least 300 mm.sup.2/, pore volume of 1.20 to 3.00 cc/g, and a silanol [SiOH] level of 0.5 to 5 unit/nm.sup.2. The second desulfurization treatment is selected from adsorptive treatment, heat treatment, distillation, extraction, oxidation, reduction, hydrogenation, and sulfur scavenging for a reduced sulfur content.

A filtration device for filtering cooking oil is provided. The filtration device may include a hub and one or more filtration units having a central aperture to coupleably receive the hub. Each of the one or more filtration units may include a first upper filter sheet including a water insoluble or partially water insoluble material or combination of materials that convert or at least partially convert free fatty acid in the cooking oil to soap and a second upper filter sheet arranged adjacent to the first upper filter sheet and coupled thereto. The second upper filter sheet can include a material or combination of materials that remove or at least partially remove the soap from the cooking oil to produce filtered cooking oil. The one or more filtration units can be in fluid communication with the hub through which filtered cooking oil may be removed from the filtration device.