Fatty acid biofuel production by transesterification and esterification is effected using in situ catalyst formation to decrease amounts of added alcohol, alkyl aromatics and/or sulfuric acid required

摘要

Production of fatty acid ester biofuels by (trans)esterification such that the procedure can be repeated with decreased amounts of added alcohol, alkyl aromatics and/or sulfuric acid is effected by pressureless reaction of a mixture of free fatty acids or a fatty acid- and triglyceride-containing material, followed by phase separation. Production of fatty acid ester biofuels by transesterification and esterification such that the procedure can be repeated with decreased amounts of added alcohol, alkyl aromatics and/or sulfuric acid comprises: (1) pressureless reaction in a tubular vessel of a mixture of free fatty acids or a fatty acid- and triglyceride-containing material, an alcohol of 3-5C chain-length and a mono- or bi-nuclear aromatic with >=1 CH3 group in presence of 30-85 % sulfuric acid at 50-80 [deg] C at a ratio of 1 : 2-2 : 1 in relation to the stoichiometry of the sulfonic acid production; and (2) separation in a sedimentation tank into a heavy aqueous phase and an organic upper phase.