Lee, Fossil fuel cracking, generally combined with fractional distillation, is most often conducted under high temp and pressure, under rigid conditions that can be manipulated to derive the desired ratio of any given products. One of the tricks is to balance the energy/economic inputs with the product outputs so as the process is the most efficient, either from the perspective of inputs or outputs depending upon the need. If a person were less worried about economic efficiency and wanted or needed to focus strictly on maximizing one product or another, the inputs can be altered towards that side of an equation.
Still, there would be co-products. Either markets already exist for whatever these co-products are or would have to be created in order to keep them from becoming part of the waste stream. (Much like coal tar used to be a part of the waste stream. Now it is the primary constituent of the asphalt industy. "Inert," they proclaim it to be. So "inert" that the aromatic hydrocarbons slowly evaporate and run off and it has to be resurfaced or "recycled" on a regular basis. But that's another story. ) And yupper. The waste products probably could be used for process heat,depending upon their emissions which may or may not be regulated. As for actually conducting the process? or plans for a reactor? You or anyone would be almost entirely dependant upon the expertise of a chemical engineer who can scratch out the parameters and mechanics for creating the end product you wish. That's why I suggested and we're experimenting with simple processes such as hydrogenation and HTP esterification - single end-product reactions. These can be conducted in a small system with relative ease and safety without requiring too much technical input, using the same vessel for either process. Mind you that this is not to suggest that a hydrogenation reaction should be conducted in a zero lot line subdivision in one's garage, as sooner or later some yeah hoo would attempt to use direct flame heat in a system and blow the garage apart with a hydrogen explosion. !!!!!! _______B-O-O-M____________ !!!!!!! In any event, these processes only improve total ester yields and increase the energy content (hydrogenation breaks double bonds). You would still be left with a fuel that has a higher gel point than D-1 or D-2, running about 13.77 carbons. Rapeseed methyl ester has an average carbon chain length of ~19.96 while soybean methyl ester averages ~16.16. It would be interesting to get viscosity stats of these and other methyl esters, including those derived strictly from isolated fatty acids, for comparison of cloud points. The following are the chemical formulas of the primary fatty acids that are constituents of parent oils. Butyric - C4H8O2 Caproic - C6H12O2 Capric - C10H20O2 Lauric - C12H24O2 Myristic - C14H28O2 Palmitic - C16H32O2 Linoleic -C18H32O2 Linolenic - C18H_O_ Oleic - C18H34O2 Stearic - C18H36O2 Ricinoleic - C18H34O3 Eruicic - C22H42O2 Todd Swearingen ----- Original Message ----- From: Lee Sheppard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuels-biz@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 11:03 AM Subject: Re: [biofuels-biz] Cracking > Well not being a chemical engineer. What would change or could change > the Gel point of bio-diesel? > So is an cracking unit a heat process where layers of different of > product are produced? If you can build a small reactor that would use > waist products for heat to drive the process? Would you know where I > could find plans of a reactor that could produce the right end product? > The main reason for my question is to come up with bio-diesel that wont > gel in winter or match the petro diesel gel point. > > Appal Energy wrote: > > >Lee, > > > >One would think that a chemical engineer with specific training > >in the petro-chemical field could clue you in. > > > >The first "low tech" improvement would be to hydrogenate the > >ester, cracking any double bonds using moderate pressure, > >elevated temp and sufficient time. Hydrogenation would be easier > >to conduct after the esterification/transesterification rather > >than on the parent feedstock It would also slightly lower the > >viscosity by an imperceptible amount. > > > >And as for catalytic cracking, I would wonder exactly what > >controls would have to be in place to secure a maximum carbon > >chain length and what would be the ratios of co-products of > >shorter lengths. > > > >That degree of intensity would probably give cause for moving > >towards centralized production and away from micro-regional, as > >the process surely would warrant larger volumes in order to be > >economically and energy efficient. > > > >Something to be said for the simplicity of an acid/base reaction, > >with perhaps the improvement of but hydrogenation. Both a high > >pressure esterification and the hydrogenation could feasibly be > >conducted in a universal reactor. > > > >Todd Swearingen > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Lee Sheppard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <biofuels-biz@yahoogroups.com> > >Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 4:00 PM > >Subject: [biofuels-biz] Cracking > > > > > > > > > >>On the subject of carbon changes and temperature. Couldn't the > >> > >> > >oil be > > > > > >>run though a cracking unit to get the right carbon chain > >> > >> > >length. So that > > > > > >>the diesel would gel at a lower temperature. What would be > >> > >> > >involved in > > > > > >>building a unit that would handle 50 to 100 gallons at a time? > >> > >> > >>------------------------ Yahoo! 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