Method for Preparation, Use and Separation of Fatty Acid Esters

摘要

A method for treating a fatty acid methyl ester. The method can include mixing the fatty acid methyl ester with an amount of urea and an amount of alcohol to make (i) a urea/fatty acid methyl ester ratio of from about 0.1:1 to 1:1 wt/wt and (ii) an alcohol/fatty acid methyl ester ratio of from about 3:1 to 10:1 wt/wt; heating the fatty acid methyl ester/urea/alcohol mixture to a temperature at which a homogenous mixture is obtained, cooling the fatty acid methyl ester/urea/alcohol mixture to a temperature where a solid phase comprising a clathrate of urea and saturated fatty acid ester and a liquid phase comprising unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester are formed, and separating the solid phase from the liquid phase. The unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester is useful as a fuel resistant to gel formation at low temperature.