Fuel manufacturing method

Abstract

The objective is to obtain fuel having high combustion calorie and superior handleability from a crude glycerin or a fatty acid mixture that have been discarded as industrial waste products. Disclosed is a fuel comprising a water-insolublized fatty acid substance obtained by water-insolubilizing a fatty acid that is contained in a crude glycerin or fatty acid mixtures that are produced as by-products in the process of producing a biofuel from an animal/plant-derived fat/oil. The water-insolublized fatty acid substance is preferably a water-insoluble fatty acid salt, particularly preferably a salt of a fatty acid with a divalent or trivalent metal ion.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a fuel, comprising:
 preparing a crude glycerin or a fatty acid mixture produced as a by-product in a process of producing a biofuel from an animal/plant-derived fat/oil; and   producing a water-insolublized fatty acid substance by water-insolubilizing a fatty acid included in the crude glycerin or the fatty acid mixture.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the water-insolublized fatty acid substance comprises a water-insoluble fatty acid salt produced by coupling a fatty acid included in the crude glycerin or the fatty acid mixture to a cation. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the cation comprises a bivalent or trivalent metal ion. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 washing the water-insolublized fatty acid substance with water.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the process of washing the water-insolublized fatty acid substance with water includes:
 preparing a suspension in which the water-insolublized fatty acid substance is dispersed; and   agitating the suspension.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein agitating the suspension includes micronizing and/or highly dispersing the water-insolublized fatty acid substance in the suspension with using a high pressure dispersion apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising separating part or all of water and a water-soluble component from the suspension. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising coating a particle of the water-insolublized fatty acid substance with a film substance. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the film substance comprises an ether derivative of cellulose or an organic acid ester derivative of cellulose. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising solidifying a fuel comprising the water-insolublized fatty acid substance into a defined size and shape through application of a pressure to the fuel alone or a mixture of the fuel with another material.