Production of biodiesel, cellulosic sugars, and peptides from the simultaneous esterification and alcoholysis/hydrolysis of materials with oil-containing substituents including phospholipids and cellulosic and peptidic content

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters as well as cellulosic simplified sugars, shortened protein polymers, amino acids, or combination thereof resulting from the simultaneous esterification and hydrolysis, alcoholysis, or both of algae and other oil containing materials containing phospholipids, free fatty acids (FFA), glycerides, or combination thereof as well as polysaccharides, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignocellulose, protein polymers, or combination thereof in the presence of an alcohol and an optional acid catalyst.

1 . A method for making fatty acid alkyl esters, the method comprising:
 (a) combining a feedstock with an alcohol and an acid catalyst, wherein the feedstock comprises
 (i) free fatty acids (FFAs), glycerides, or both and 
 (ii) cellulosic material, proteins, or both; and 
   (b) reacting the feedstock and the alcohol at a pH in the range of 0 to 5, at a temperature in the range of 140.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., and at a pressure that is sufficient to prevent boiling of the alcohol during the reaction to
 (i) generate fatty acid alkyl esters, 
 (ii) cleave the cellulosic material, if present, and 
 (iii) shorten the proteins, form amino acids, or both, if proteins are present. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock contains at least 10 wt % cellulosic material based on the dry weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock contains at least 10 wt % proteins based on the dry weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water content of the combination before reaction is at least 3 wt % of the dry weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding a fatty acid alkyl ester to the combination before reacting. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising drying the feedstock prior to combining the feedstock with the alcohol and acid catalyst. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the water content of the feedstock after drying is in the range of about 3 wt % to about 5 wt % of the dry weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said feedstock is algae, dried distillers grain (DDG), or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is methanol or ethanol. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is in an amount from 50% to 320% molar excess of the contained oil in the feedstock. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the acid catalyst is sulfuric acid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acid catalyst is in an amount from 4 wt % to 8 wt % of the dry weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pH is in the range of 2 to 3. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature is in the range of 175.degree. C. to 275.degree. C. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure is at least 20 psig above the vapor pressure of the alcohol at the temperature of the reaction. 
     
     
         16 . A method for making fatty acid alkyl esters, the method comprising:
 (a) combining a feedstock with an alcohol and an acid catalyst, wherein the feedstock comprises free fatty acids, glycerides, at least 10 wt % cellulosic material based on the dry weight of the feedstock, and at least 10 wt % proteins based on the dry weight of the feedstock; and   (b) reacting the feedstock and the alcohol at a pH in the range of 0 to 5, at a temperature in the range of 140.degree. C. to 260.degree. C., and at a pressure that is sufficient to prevent boiling of the alcohol during the reaction to generate fatty acid alkyl esters, cleave the cellulosic material, shorten the proteins, and form amino acids.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the water content of the combination before reaction is at least 3 wt % of the dry weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising adding a fatty acid alkyl ester to the combination before reacting. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising separating the resulting fatty acid alkyl esters from the resulting cleaved cellulosic material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising fermenting the cleaved cellulosic material to produce ethanol. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising: mixing the concentrated algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent to result in a mixture; heating the mixture to result in a dehydrated, defatted algal biomass; separating the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids; evaporating the amphiphilic solvent from the water and the lipids; and separating the water from the lipids. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the amphiphilic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanone, dimethyl ether, and propionaldehyde. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mixture is heated in a pressurized reactor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the pressurized reactor is a batch or a continuous pressurized reactor. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the mixture is heated with microwaves, ultrasound, steam, or hot oil. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the amphiphilic solvent is separated from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass via filtration or settling to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic solvent is separated from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the separating includes decanting the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the separating of the water from the lipids includes adding a nonpolar solvent. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nonpolar solvent is propane, butane, pentane, hexane, butene, propene, naphtha or gasoline.