Improvement in Low-Temperature Properties of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters

Abstract

The European Union requirements related to the quality parameters for fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) are gathered in the standard EN 14214:2012 + A2:2019 that also includes reference to low-temperature properties. This paper presents studies on the obtaining of modified FAMEs, featuring improved low-temperature properties. Investigated fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were subjected to a solvent dewaxing process with a methyl ethyl ketone and the mixture of methyl ethyl ketone—Toluene. It was found that the application of a process carried out under conditions similar to solvent dewaxing, used as a standard procedure for oils dewaxing and slack waxes of petroleum origin deoiling usually used in refinery industrial installations, allows us to achieve the intended goal. The modification of three different types of FAME by the dewaxing process with MEK-TOL and MEK solvents allows for the improvement of low-temperature properties of the obtained modified FAME, consistent in obtaining reduced cloud points, flow points and CFPP. The tests of fatty acid profiles show a clear increase in the content of glycerides of saturated acids in the separated sludge, as compared to the charges from the dewaxing process, which confirms that the selectivity of the dewaxing process is maintained for the atypical raw material, which are fatty acid methyl esters.

Keywords

• biofuels
• FAME
• solvent dewaxing
• low-temperature properties