Claims
- 1. A method of using a fluorocarbon or chlorocarbon to extract oil from an oil bearing material, said method comprising:(a) contacting the oil bearing material with an amount of a fluorocarbon or chlorocarbon solvent at a temperature ranging from 35° C. to 55° C. to form a miscella-, wherein said fluorocarbon or said chlorocarbon solvent is comprised of a hydrocarbon and said fluorocarbon or said chlorocarbon, with said fluorocarbon or said chlorocarbon added in an amount sufficient to cause said solvent to have a polarity equal to or less than 0; (b) separating said miscella from the oil bearing material; (c) cooling said miscella to a temperature sufficient to form distinct oil and solvent layers; and, (d) treating said layers so as to separate said oil from said solvent; wherein said chlorocarbon is selected from compounds having the formula CnH(2n+2)−x Clx, where n equals between 1-4, and x equals between 1-9.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorocarbon is selected from e group consisting of CnH(2n+2)−x Fx, where n equals between 4-8 and x equals between 1-17; CnF(2n+2), where n equals between 5-8; CnCl(2n+2)−xFx, where n equal between 1-6 and x equals between 1-13; and CnH(2n+2)−(x+f) ClxFf, where n equals between 1-4, x equals between 1-9, and f equals between 1-9; and, wherein said chlorocarbon is selected from the group consisting of CH2Cl2, C2H3Cl3, and C2HCl3.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorocarbon is a hydrofluorocarbon.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrocarbon is a hexane.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said miscella is cooled to a temperature ranging between about 15° C. and about 25° C.
- 6. A method for extracting oil from an oil bearing material so as to form oil product comprised of greater than 95% triglycerides and other non-polar constituents, said method comprising:(a) forming a solvent comprised of an amount of a low molecular weight hydrocarbon having a viscosity of less than 2.6 centipoise and a non-polar fluorocarbon or chlorocarbon, with said solvent having a polarity no greater than about 0 and a viscosity ranging between about 0.3 and about 2.6 centipoise; (b) contacting said solvent with the oil bearing material at a temperature ranging from 35° C. to 55° C. for a time sufficient to extract an amount of oil found in the oil bearing material, thereby forming a miscella; (c) separating said miscella from the oil bearing material; (d) cooling said solvent and oil composition to a temperature sufficient to form distinct oil and solvent layers; and, (e) separating said oil from said solvent; wherein said chlorocarbon is selected from compounds having the formula CnH(2n+2)−x Clx, where n equals between 1-4, and x equals between 1-9.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said fluorocarbon is selected from e group consisting of CnH(2n+2)−x Fx, where n equals between 4-8 and x equals between 1-17; CnF(2n+2), where n equals between 5-8; CnCl(2n+2)−xFx, where n equals between 1-6 and x equals between 1-13; and CnH(2n+2)−(x+f) ClxFf, where n equals between 1-4, x equals between 1-9, and f equals between 1-9; and, wherein said chlorocarbon is selected from the group consisting of CH2Cl2, C2H3Cl3, and C2HCl3.
- 8. The method of claim 6 wherein said hydrocarbon is a hexane.
- 9. The method of claim 6 wherein the oil bearing materials are flaked soybeans.
- 10. The method of claim 6 wherein greater than 15% of the oil bearing material is extracted.
- 11. The method of claim 6 wherein said miscella is cooled to a temperature ranging between about 15° C. and about 25° C.
- 12. The method of claim 6 wherein said fluorocarbon is selected from the group consisting of hydrofluorocarbon, perfluorocarbon, and hydrochlorofluorocarbon.
- 13. A composition comprising (a) a solvent and (b) a triglyceride mixture;wherein said triglyceride mixture is extracted from an oil bearing material by said solvent, and said triglyceride mixture comprising greater than 95% by weight triglycerides and other non-polar constituents; wherein said solvent comprises i) an amount of a low molecular weight hydrocarbon having a viscosity of less than 2.6 centipoise; and ii) a fluorocarbon solvent or a chlorocarbon solvent, said solvent having a polarity no greater than about 0 and a viscosity ranging between about 0.3 centipoise and about 2.6 centipoise, and wherein said chlorocarbon is selected from compounds having the formula CnH(2n+2)−x Clx, where n equals between 1-4, and x equals between 1-9; wherein said triglyceride mixture is present as miscella in said solvent at a temperature ranging between 35° C. to 55° C., and said triglyceride mixture and said solvent phase separate at a temperature ranging between about 15° C. and about 25° C. forming distinct solvent and oil layers that can be separated.
- 14. The composition of claim 13 wherein said fluorocarbon is selected from the group consisting of CnH(2n+2)−x Fx, where n equals between 4-8 and x equals between 1-17; CnF(2n+2), where n equals between 5-8; CnCl(2n+2)−xFx, where n equals between 1-6 and x equals between 1-13; and CnH(2n+2)−(x+f) ClxFf, where n equals between 1-4, x equals between 1-9, and f equals between 1-9; and, wherein said chlorocarbon is selected from the group consisting of CH2Cl2, C2H3Cl3, and C2HCl3.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional application which claims the priority of prior application Ser. No. 09/491,185 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,987), entitled “Solvent and Method for Extraction of Triglyceride Rich Oil”, filed Jan. 25, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (22)