Process For The Production Of A Fatty Alcohol From A Fatty Acid

摘要

In a process for producing fatty alcohol, fatty acid is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol to form a stream of lower alkyl fatty acid ester(s). The stream is vaporized and then subjected to hydrogenation. The stream is then subjected to transesterification in a wax ester reactor to convert at least a portion of the lower alkyl fatty acid ester(s) to lower alkanol and wax ester(s). The resulting stream is then separated to yield a fatty alcohol(s) steam, a wax ester(s) stream, and an overhead stream comprising fatty alkanol(s) and alkane. The overhead stream is reacted in a wax ester reactor to convert at least a portion of the lower alkyl fatty acid ester to lower alkanol and wax ester(s). The wax ester(s) formed from the alkane is separated, along with any water and/or lower alkanol present.

主权项

1. A process for the production of fatty alcohol or alcohols comprising;
(a) subjecting a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture to esterification with a lower alkanol in an esterification reactor maintained under esterification conditions to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl fatty acid ester or esters; (b) vaporising the stream from step (a); (c) subjecting the vaporised stream of step (b) to hydrogenation in a first hydrogenation zone operated under hydrogenation conditions to form a stream comprising fatty alcohol or alcohols and an amount of unconverted lower alkyl fatty acid ester or esters; (d) subjecting the stream from step (c) to transesterification in a wax ester reactor maintained under transesterification conditions in the presence of a transesterification catalyst thereby to convert at least a portion of the lower alkyl fatty acid ester or esters by ester interchange with a corresponding amount of fatty alcohol or alcohols to lower alkanol and to a wax ester or esters; (e) separating the stream from step (d) by distillation to yield a fatty alcohol or alcohols product steam; a wax ester or esters stream; and an overhead stream comprising fatty alkanol or alkanols and alkane, and optionally one or both of water and lower alkanol; (f) reacting said overhead stream from step (e) in a wax ester reactor maintained under transesterification conditions in the presence of a transesterification catalyst with a lower alkyl fatty acid ester or esters thereby to convert at least a portion of the tower alkyl fatty acid ester by ester interchange with a corresponding amount of fatty alcohol or alcohols to lower alkanol and to a wax ester or esters; and (g) separating the wax ester or esters formed from the alkane, and any water and/or lower alkanol present.