A process for production of biofuels from algae can include cultivating an oil-producing algae by promoting sequential photoautotrophic and heterotrophic growth. The method can further include producing oil by heterotrophic growth of algae wherein the heterotrophic algae growth is achieved by introducing a sugar feed to the oil-producing algae. An algal oil can be extracted from the oil-producing algae, and can be converted to form biodiesel.

A process for production of biofuels from algae can include cultivating an oil-producing algae by promoting sequential photoautotrophic and heterotrophic growth. The method can further include producing oil by heterotrophic growth of algae wherein the heterotrophic algae growth is achieved by introducing a sugar feed to the oil-producing algae. An algal oil can be extracted from the oil-producing algae, and can be converted to form biodiesel.

This invention discloses a reaction system for producing fatty-acid alkyl esters using liquid film reactors, with countercurrent flow scheme based on the alcoholysis of fats and oils. Reaction system comprises a descending film reactor using semi-structured packing for generating interfacial area. It is fed through the bottom with oil or fat, and with a mixture containing alcohol, glycerol and catalyst through an intermediate stage. Products are a mixture of fatty-acid alkyl esters, alcohol and catalyst and alcohol, glycerol and catalyst, exit via the top and the bottom of the reactor, respectively. Volumetric packing fraction is between 2% and 50%, reaction temperature from 25 to 180° C., molar ratio alcohol to oil between 3:1 and 10:1, and CH3OH, NaOH, KOH, or their mixtures (0.5% to 3% based on the oil mass flow rate). Conversion and yield in a single reaction step are greater than 99.7% and 99.9%, respectively.

This invention discloses a reaction system for producing fatty-acid alkyl esters using liquid film reactors, with countercurrent flow scheme based on the alcoholysis of fats and oils. Reaction system comprises a descending film reactor using semi-structured packing for generating interfacial area. It is fed through the bottom with oil or fat, and with a mixture containing alcohol, glycerol and catalyst through an intermediate stage. Products are a mixture of fatty-acid alkyl esters, alcohol and catalyst and alcohol, glycerol and catalyst, exit via the top and the bottom of the reactor, respectively. Volumetric packing fraction is between 2% and 50%, reaction temperature from 25 to 180° C., molar ratio alcohol to oil between 3:1 and 10:1, and CH3OH, NaOH, KOH, or their mixtures (0.5% to 3% based on the oil mass flow rate). Conversion and yield in a single reaction step are greater than 99.7% and 99.9%, respectively.

A process for a reactive extraction and subsequent purification of organic molecules from biomass comprises extracting one or more products from the biomass using an extraction solvent to solvate the products, contacting the biomass with a reactant during the extracting, recovering the one or more products, performing ultrafiltration to remove impurities from the one or more products to produce a filtered extract, extracting oils in the filtered extract using adsorption to produce a de-oiled extract, performing transesterification or hydrolysis on the de-oiled extract, and performing adsorptive purification on the ferulic acid, coumaric acid, ferulate, coumarate, or a combination thereof. The one or more products comprise extracted organic molecules comprising a ferulate or a coumarate, and the one or more products are separated from the biomass as a liquid extract.

A continuous process for the synthesis of biodiesel from microalgae oil by transesterification with supercritical methanol, where the synthesis of biodiesel is carried out in a single transesterification step in a reactor that operates continuously, said process being ideal to be carried out at industrial scale since it can provide a continuous flow of biodiesel.

The present invention relates to methods of producing industrial products from plant lipids, particularly from vegetative parts of plants. In particular, the present invention provides oil products such as biodiesel and synthetic diesel and processes for producing these, as well as plants having an increased level of one or more non-polar lipids such as triacylglycerols and an increased total non-polar lipid content. In one particular embodiment, the present invention relates to combinations of modifications in two or more of lipid handling enzymes, oil body proteins, decreased lipid catabolic enzymes and/or transcription factors regulating lipid biosynthesis to increase the level of one or more non-polar lipids and/or the total non-polar lipid content and/or mono-unsaturated fatty acid content in plants or any part thereof. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for extracting lipids. In another embodiment, the lipid is converted to one or more hydrocarbon products in harvested plant vegetative parts to produce alkyl esters of the fatty acids which are suitable for use as a renewable biodiesel fuel.

The present invention relates to methods of producing industrial products from plant lipids, particularly from vegetative parts of plants. In particular, the present invention provides oil products such as biodiesel and synthetic diesel and processes for producing these, as well as plants having an increased level of one or more non-polar lipids such as triacylglycerols and an increased total non-polar lipid content. In one particular embodiment, the present invention relates to combinations of modifications in two or more of lipid handling enzymes, oil body proteins, decreased lipid catabolic enzymes and/or transcription factors regulating lipid biosynthesis to increase the level of one or more non-polar lipids and/or the total non-polar lipid content and/or mono-unsaturated fatty acid content in plants or any part thereof. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for extracting lipids. In another embodiment, the lipid is converted to one or more hydrocarbon products in harvested plant vegetative parts to produce alkyl esters of the fatty acids which are suitable for use as a renewable biodiesel fuel.

According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for producing an emulsifier suitable for use in an emulsion drilling fluid may comprise esterifying a processed vegetable oil to produce a first mixture comprising fatty acid alkyl esters. The processed vegetable oil may comprise less than 1 wt. % of compounds having an atmospheric boiling point less than or equal to 150° C. The method may further comprise removing at least 99 wt. % of each of glycerol, water, and short-chain alcohols having a main chain of less than or equal to 12 carbon atoms from the first mixture to produce a modified mixture, and hydrolyzing the fatty acid alkyl esters of the modified mixture with a base to produce the emulsifier comprising at least one salt of a fatty acid. Emulsion drilling fluids comprising the emulsifier and methods of producing emulsion drilling fluids are also disclosed.

According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for producing an emulsifier suitable for use in an emulsion drilling fluid may comprise esterifying a processed vegetable oil to produce a first mixture comprising fatty acid alkyl esters. The processed vegetable oil may comprise less than 1 wt. % of compounds having an atmospheric boiling point less than or equal to 150° C. The method may further comprise removing at least 99 wt. % of each of glycerol, water, and short-chain alcohols having a main chain of less than or equal to 12 carbon atoms from the first mixture to produce a modified mixture, and hydrolyzing the fatty acid alkyl esters of the modified mixture with a base to produce the emulsifier comprising at least one salt of a fatty acid. Emulsion drilling fluids comprising the emulsifier and methods of producing emulsion drilling fluids are also disclosed.