PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL

摘要

A process for continuous production of biodiesel from vegetable oils or animal fats by transesterification with methanol or ethanol to give crude fatty acid alkyl esters, subsequent washing with water in a wash column to remove water-soluble impurities, subsequent drying by vaporization of the water content and subsequent removal of steryl glycosides by adsorption onto calcium bentonite, wherein the adsorption column(s) used is/are regenerated in a first step, for desorption of the steryl glycosides, by rinsing with a mixture consisting of fatty acid alkyl esters and methanol or ethanol, and in a subsequent second step, for removal of methanol residues, by rinsing with fatty acid alkyl esters or with gaseous nitrogen or carbon dioxide.