METHOD OF REMOVING A CONTAMINANT FROM A CONTAMINANT-CONTAINING BIOLOGICAL COMPOSITION USEFUL AS A BIOFUEL FEEDSTOCK

摘要

Biological compositions containing animal fats and plant oils desirably are free of contaminants prior to processing into a biofuel. Disclosed herein is a method of removing such contaminants from these compositions to make that processing more efficient. The method employs a unique arrangement of mixers and centrifuges along with acidic solutions and recycle streams to re move these contaminants from the compositions.

主权项

1. A method of removing a contaminant from a contaminant-containing biological composition comprising animal fats and plant oils, the method comprising:
(a) mixing the contaminant-containing biological composition with a first mixture of a first aqueous solution having a pH less than about 7 and an acidic solution to produce an acid-rich biological composition; (b) centrifuging the acid-rich biological composition to produce a contaminant-deficient, acid-rich biological composition, an aqueous waste product containing a portion of the contaminant removed from the contaminant-containing biological composition, and a first rag component, and subsequently combining at least about 90% (by volume) of the first rag component with the contaminant-deficient, acid-rich biological composition and combining the remaining balance (by volume) of the first rag component with the aqueous waste product; (c) mixing the contaminant-deficient, acid-rich biological composition with a second aqueous solution to produce a second mixture, wherein the second aqueous solution has a pH less than about 7 but greater than the pH of the first aqueous solution; (d) centrifuging the second mixture to produce a contaminant-deficient biological composition and the first aqueous solution; (e) mixing the contaminant-deficient biological composition with a pH-neutral aqueous solution to produce a third mixture; and (f) centrifuging the third mixture to produce the second aqueous solution and a contaminant-depleted biological composition comprising the animal fats and plant oils.