A method of producing a low sulfur tall oil fatty acid by first esterifying the tall oil fatty acid, followed by distillation of the tall oil fatty acid ester, followed by saponification and acidulation to provide a low sulfur tall oil fatty acid. A fuel additive comprising tall oil fatty acid and a sulfur compound, wherein the sulfur compound comprises from about 0.1 to about 20 ppm of the additive. A fuel comprises a hydrocarbon fuel component and the fuel additive.

A continuous process for the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, to obtain saturated carboxylic acids, comprising feeding to a first continuous reactor a vegetable oil, an oxidizing compound and catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the olefinic double bond to obtain an intermediate compound containing vicinal diols: feeding to a second continuous reactor said intermediate compound, a compound containing oxygen and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of the vicinal diols to carboxylic groups, to obtain saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) and triglycerides containing saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function (ii); separating the saturated monocarboxylic acids (i) from the triglycerides (ii); hydrolyzing in a third reactor the triglycerides (ii) to obtain glycerol and saturated carboxylic acids with more than one acid function; and purifying said saturated carboxylic acids by fractioned crystallization by means of wash column (melt crystallization).

A method for preparing high-content conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) through Purification of vegetable oil includes alcoholysis, purification and isomerization of vegetable oil. Alcoholysis is for preparing corresponding methyl ester or ethyl ester with glyceride; purification of methyl ester or ethyl ester is for obtaining methyl linoleate or ethyl linoleate of content over 85% through silver-based silica gel column chromatography; high-content CLA is obtained after alkali-catalyzed conjugation of methyl linoleate or ethyl linoleate, and CLA products are prepared as needed. This invention changes the status quo of preparing high-content CLA with safflower oil alone, expands sources of CLA, and develops an efficient technology for separation and purification of linoleic acid. The CLA obtained is of high purity and meets applications in pharmaceutical, health care products and other industries.

A process for producing a composition having a ratio by weight of C.sub.10-C.sub.26 monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof to C.sub.10-C.sub.26 polybranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof of greater than 6 using a zeolite, preferably ferrierite, isomerization catalyst. The zeolite catalyst is preferably the only isomerization catalyst used. The zeolite catalyst can be reused many times after simple separation from the reaction products without having to be regenerated.

A process for producing a composition having a ratio by weight of C.sub.10-C.sub.26 monobranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof to C.sub.10-C.sub.26 polybranched fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof of greater than 6 using a zeolite, preferably ferrierite, isomerization catalyst. The zeolite catalyst is preferably the only isomerization catalyst used. The zeolite catalyst can be reused many times after simple separation from the reaction products without having to be regenerated.

One or more techniques are disclosed for a process of preparing stearic acid from animal and/or plant sources may comprise: 1) deodorizing and distilling a fat; 2) concentrating fatty acids of the fat; and 3) hydrogenating the fatty acid to provide stearic acid. The process may include the use of co-products from plant and/or animal sources. The process may also include distilling the stearic acid to provide palmitic acid and/or fully hydrogenated fatty acid. Tallow fatty acid, vegetable fatty acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid prepared from the process described are also disclosed.

One or more techniques are disclosed for a process of preparing stearic acid from animal and/or plant sources may comprise: 1) deodorizing and distilling a fat; 2) concentrating fatty acids of the fat; and 3) hydrogenating the fatty acid to provide stearic acid. The process may include the use of co-products from plant and/or animal sources. The process may also include distilling the stearic acid to provide palmitic acid and/or fully hydrogenated fatty acid. Tallow fatty acid, vegetable fatty acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid prepared from the process described are also disclosed.

The present invention pertains to a method of producing monoglyceride compositions having a low glycidol content. The invention furthermore pertains to such monoglyceride compositions which can be obtained by the method.

A system and method for renewable diesel synthesis utilizes a triglyceride feedstock derived from biological sources. The first step involves hydrolysis of the triglycerides into an intermediate feedstock comprising a mixture of free fatty acids and glycerol (separated from the FFA by decantation and then distilled). The FFA is then further processed in a distillation step to produce a stream free of catalyst poisons and utilized as feedstock for hydrotreatment in a renewable diesel production process. By converting the initial triglyceride feedstock to an FFA feedstock, the need to hydrotreat at typical high temperature that promote the decarboxylation reaction is obviated, thereby reducing the production of CO2, generating a significantly higher proportion of saturated, long chain C14, C16 or C18 hydrocarbons (as opposed to short-chain carbons such as propane), and the more valuable glycerol product is secured.

A system and method for renewable diesel synthesis utilizes a triglyceride feedstock derived from biological sources. The first step involves hydrolysis of the triglycerides into an intermediate feedstock comprising a mixture of free fatty acids and glycerol (separated from the FFA by decantation and then distilled). The FFA is then further processed in a distillation step to produce a stream free of catalyst poisons and utilized as feedstock for hydrotreatment in a renewable diesel production process. By converting the initial triglyceride feedstock to an FFA feedstock, the need to hydrotreat at typical high temperature that promote the decarboxylation reaction is obviated, thereby reducing the production of CO2, generating a significantly higher proportion of saturated, long chain C14, C16 or C18 hydrocarbons (as opposed to short-chain carbons such as propane), and the more valuable glycerol product is secured.