PRODUCTION OF FATTY ACID ESTERS BY CONTINUOUS ALCOHOLYSIS OF VEGETABLE OILS

摘要

Invention herewith described refers to a reaction of alcoholysis of vegetable oils catalyzed by potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide or methoxyde is carried out continuously in a plant, which consists of two concurrent reciprocating plate reactors (RPR) and two gravitational separators, at moderately set temperature (30 oC). The fatty acid esters yield achieved in the first RPR is approximately 80%. After glycerol separation, the ester phase containing unreacted oil is transported to the second RPR, where the final ester yield of almost 100% is achieved. Fatty acid esters are separated from the glycerol-alcohol phase in the second gravitational separator.