Biofuel production methods

Abstract

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods for producing biofuel from a biological material that includes protein and a biofuel feedstock, such as triglycerides. In a specific example, the biological material is hydrolyzed to obtain the biofuel feedstock, such as by treatment with a base. Free fatty acids or triglycerides are then extracted using an organic solvent. The free fatty acids or triglycerides are converted to fatty acid esters, useable as biofuel, by esterification or transesterification, respectively. In a more specific example, the biological material is converted to a biofuel in a one step process by treating the biological material with base and an appropriate alcohol. In some implementations, a disclosed method uses chicken feathers obtained from a chicken processing operation as the biological material.

1 . A method of producing biofuel comprising:
 obtaining a biological material, the biological material comprising protein and triglycerides;   hydrolyzing the biological material to obtain free amino acids and a biofuel feedstock; and   converting the biofuel feedstock to fatty acid esters.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological material comprises feathers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological material comprises poultry feathers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological material comprises chicken feathers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological material comprises feathers obtained from a poultry processing operation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein hydrolyzing the biological material comprises treating the biological material with a base. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising extracting the biofuel feedstock from the hydrolyzed material using an organic solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the organic solvent comprises at least one of diethyl ether, dichloromethane, and methanol. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the biofuel feedstock comprises triglycerides and converting the biofuel feedstock to fatty acid esters comprises a base catalyzed transesterification. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the biofuel feedstock comprises triglycerides and converting the biofuel feedstock to fatty acid esters comprises an acid catalyzed transesterification. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the biofuel feedstock comprises triglycerides and converting the biofuel feedstock to fatty acid esters comprises treating the triglycerides with a methoxide. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biofuel feedstock comprises at least one of free fatty acids and triglycerides. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biofuel feedstock comprises free fatty acids and converting the biofuel to fatty acid esters comprises an acid catalyzed esterification. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biofuel feedstock comprises free fatty acids, further comprising converting the free fatty acids to glycerides and wherein converting the biofuel feedstock to fatty acid esters comprises transesterifying the glycerides. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding the fatty acid esters to a biofuel derived from another source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding a stabilizer to the fatty acid esters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizer comprises an antioxidant. 
     
     
         18 . A biofuel produced from the fatty acid esters of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A method of producing biofuel comprising:
 obtaining chicken feathers produced from a chicken processing operation;   comminuting the chicken feathers;   hydrolyzing the chicken feathers to obtain triglycerides;   transesterifying the triglycerides to obtain a biofuel; and   extracting the triglycerides or the biofuel with an organic solvent.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising blending the biofuel with another fuel.