Photochemical Method For Producing Hydrocarbons

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of using radiation and (in one embodiment) solar energy and UV radiation to convert natural products, for example derivatives of vegetable oils, to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons. The invention further relates to a process whereby these hydrocarbons can be converted to vinyl monomers and used in the formation of plastics, solvents, fuels and the like.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a natural source of fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives; and   irradiating the fatty acid or fatty acid derivatives directly with UV-C light to decompose them into one or more hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid derivative is a fatty acid ester, fatty acid amide, or a fatty alkanone. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the natural source is vegetable oil or animal fat. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of peanut, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, tung, canola, linseed, hemp, coconut, cotton, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising hydrogenating the fatty acid when the fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 providing a natural source of fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives;   adding an unreactive, light absorbing specie to the natural source of fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives; and   irradiating the natural source and unreactive, light absorbing specie directly with at least one of UV-A light and UV-B light; wherein the unreactive, light absorbing specie transfers energy absorbed thereby immediately after light absorption to the fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives to decompose the fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives into one or more hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fatty acid or fatty acid derivative is a fatty acid ester, fatty acid amide, or fatty alkanone. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the natural source is a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of peanut, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, tung, canola, linseed, hemp, coconut, cotton, and mixtures thereof, or is animal fat. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising hydrogenating the fatty acid when the fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 providing a source of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or combinations thereof, or derivatives thereof; and   irradiating the source directly with UV-C light; wherein the UV-C light decomposes the palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or combinations thereof, or derivatives thereof into one or more hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising hydrogenating any of the fatty acids in the source that are unsaturated fatty acids. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the source is a natural oil or animal fat. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the natural oil is a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of peanut, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, tung, canola, linseed, hemp, coconut, cotton, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the derivative is an ester of the palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 adding to the source an unreactive, light absorbing specie that absorbs radiation of at least one of UV-A and UV-B wavelengths; and 
 irradiating with at least one of UV-A light and UV-B light instead of UV-C light. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising hydrogenating any of the fatty acids in the source that are unsaturated fatty acids. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the source is a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of peanut, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, tung, canola, linseed, hemp, coconut, cotton, and mixtures thereof, or is animal fat. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the derivative is an ester of the palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or combinations thereof.