PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FATTY ACID ALKYL ESTERS

摘要

Suggested is an improved or the production of fatty acid lower alkyl este rs according to formula (I), R1CO-OR2 in which R1CO represents a linear or b ranched acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and 0 or 1 to 6 double bond s and R2 for a linear or branched alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, by transesterification of triglycerides or fatty acid esters with C1 -C6 ali phatic alcohols, which is characterised in that (a) in a first reactor a sou rce of carbohydrates is subjected to fermentation to provide a broth mainly consisting of aqueous aliphatic C1 -C6 alcohol, (b) in a second reactor a tr iglyceride and/or an ester of a fatty acid with an higher alcohol is placed together with a biocatalyst capable to effect a transesterification reaction , and (c) said aqueous aliphatic C1-C6 alcohol obtained from the first react or is transferred into the second reactor in order to effect the transesteri fication reaction in a two-phase systern. The products thus obtained a re pa rticular useful as so-called bio-diesel.