PROCESS FOR PRODUCING LOWER ALKYL ESTER OF FATTY ACID, LOWER ALKYL ESTER OF FATTY ACID, AND SUBSTITUTE FUEL FOR GAS OIL

摘要

A production process comprising: a degumming step (A) in which a gum substance is removed from crude palm oil to obtain a degummed oil; an esterification step (B) in which a cation-exchange resin is used to esterify free fatty acids contained in the degummed oil with a lower alkyl alcohol to thereby obtain an ester mixture; a transesterification step (C) in which fats contained in the ester mixture are subjected to transesterification with a lower alkyl alcohol; and a distillation step (D) in which the oil phase obtained in the transesterification step (C) is subjected at least to vacuum distillation.