Process for removing water and water soluble contaminants from biofuels

Abstract

Water may be removed from a biofuel or biofuel intermediate by using a demulsifier. The demulsifier includes the product of oxyalkylating a resin prepared from a formulation including a phenol and a compound selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a diamine a polyamine and mixtures thereof. The demulsifier may also be used with admixtures of biofuels, biofuel intermediates, or biofuel feedstocks with conventional hydrocarbons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for removing water from a biofuel selected from the group consisting of a biofuel, biofuel intermediate, a biofuel feedstock, and combinations thereof; wherein the process comprises:
 admixing the biofuel with a demulsifier; wherein the demulsifier comprises a product formed from oxyalkylating a resin prepared from a formulation comprising a phenol and a compound selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a diamine, a polyamine, and mixtures thereof; wherein the biofuel has less than about 50 vol % of straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed oil, soybean oil, cotton seed oil, corn oil, jotropha oil, beef tallow oil, pig tallow oil, chicken fat oil, fry grease oil, restaurant trap grease oil, fish oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the biofuel has a minimum ester content of 96.5 wt % based on the total amount of the biofuel. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating the biofuel into a feed stream within an oil refinery after the demulsifier has been admixed into the biofuel. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein an effective amount of the demulsifier in the biofuel for removing water therefrom ranges from about 3 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the biofuel is admixed with a conventional hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the biofuel is a biodiesel. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the phenol has the general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbons and x has a value of from 0 to 2. 
       
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the aldehyde has a general formula of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbons. 
       
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the diamine or polyamine has the general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
         a and b are integers having a value of from 1 to about 4 and may be the same or different, and 
         y is an integer having a value of from 0 to about 10. 
       
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the resin has a molecular weight (M n ) of from about 2,000 to about 10,000. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the oxyalkylation of the resin is performed using an alkylene oxide having from 2 to 8 carbons. 
     
     
         13 . A process for removing water from a biofuel selected from the group consisting of a biofuel, biofuel intermediate, a biofuel feedstock, and combinations thereof; wherein the process comprises:
 admixing the biofuel with a demulsifier, wherein the demulsifier comprises a product formed from oxyalkylating a resin prepared from a formulation comprising a phenol and a compound selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a diamine, a polyamine, and mixtures thereof; wherein the biofuel has a minimum ester content of 96.5 wt % based on the total amount of the biofuel; and wherein the biofuel has less than about 50 vol % of straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil where the straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed oil, soybean oil, cotton seed oil, corn oil, jotropha oil, beef tallow oil, pig tallow oil, chicken fat oil, fry grease oil, restaurant trap grease oil, fish oil, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         14 . A biofuel composition comprising:
 at least one biofuel selected from the group consisting of a biofuel, a biofuel intermediate, and combinations thereof; wherein the at least one biofuel has less than about 50 vol % of straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil; and   a demulsifier comprising a product formed from oxyalkylating a resin prepared from a formulation comprising a phenol and a compound selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a diamine, a polyamine, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The biofuel composition of  claim 14 , wherein the straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed oil, soybean oil, cotton seed oil, corn oil, jotropha oil, beef tallow oil, pig tallow oil, chicken fat oil, fry grease oil, restaurant trap grease oil, fish oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The biofuel composition of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one biofuel has a minimum ester content of 96.5 wt %. 
     
     
         17 . The biofuel composition of  claim 14  further comprising a conventional hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         18 . The biofuel composition of  claim 14 , wherein an effective amount of the demulsifier ranges from about 3 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, based on the biofuel composition. 
     
     
         19 . A biofuel composition comprising:
 at least one biofuel selected from the group consisting of a biofuel, a biofuel intermediate, and combinations thereof; wherein the at least one biofuel has less than about 50 vol % of straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil; wherein the straight vegetable oil or straight waste vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed oil, soybean oil, cotton seed oil, corn oil, jotropha oil, beef tallow oil, pig tallow oil, chicken fat oil, fry grease oil, restaurant trap grease oil, fish oil, and combinations thereof; and wherein the at least one biofuel has a minimum ester content of 96.5 wt %; and   a demulsifier comprising a product formed from oxyalkylating a resin prepared from a formulation comprising a phenol and a compound selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a diamine, a polyamine, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The biofuel composition of  claim 19  further comprising a conventional hydrocarbon.