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Innovative Refining Process for Valorization of Vegetable Oil Deodorizer Distillates

Project description

Creating biobased products from residual fatty acids present in industrial side streams

The EU-funded IRODDI project aims to set up new green processes to obtain bio-based products derived from the free fatty acids contained in the deodoriser distillates residual streams of the deodorisation process, the final step of the refining process of oils and fats. These new products will find multiple uses: as bio-compatible and eco-friendly surfactants, as biodegradable base oils that can be directly used in the formulation of bio-lubricants and as sustainable polyols for polyurethanes production. What is more, the project will work on innovative technologies based on supercritical CO2 and ionic liquids extraction to isolate minor compounds. The outcomes of the project will be used in food-grade detergents (surfactants), bio-lubricants (base oils), adhesives (polyols) and cosmetics (minor compounds such as squalene).

Objective

IRODDI is an ambitious initiative that proposes the development of new greener processes for obtaining new bio-based products with specific properties/functionalities derived from the Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) contained in the deodorizer distillates residual streams of the deodorization process, the last step of the refining process of oils and fats. These newly obtained products will suppose an high added value for FFAs valorization in comparison to their conventional biodiesel application, as they will be used as (1) bio-compatible and eco-friendly surfactants with increased solubility in cold water (by chemical neutralization of FFAs with eco-friendly ILs), (2) biodegradable base-oils that can be directly used in the formulation of bio-lubricants (by enzymatic esterification of FFAs with glycerol) and (3) sustainable polyols for polyurethanes production (by chemical co-valorization of the base-oils obtained in the enzymatic processes of FFAs esterification). Moreover, in order to achieve the maximally possible added value of the deodorization distillates side streams, innovative technologies based on supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and ionic liquids extraction will be developed to isolate minor compounds with a high added-value under softer operational conditions, that will their high quality. One advantage of the IRODDI project is that the technologies developed could be applied individually or in an integrated process to maximize profits of deodorization distillates valorization.
The outcomes of the project will be focused on the demonstration of the applicability of these components in different industrial sectors: food-grade detergents (surfactants), bio-lubricants (base-oils), adhesives (polyols), and cosmetics (minor compounds such as squalene).

Coordinator

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Net EU contribution
€ 613 025,00
Address
PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECNOLOGICO DE GIPUZKOA, PASEO MIKELETEGI 2
20009 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN (GIPUZKOA)
Spain

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Region
Noreste País Vasco Gipuzkoa
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 676 107,50

Participants (10)