METHOD FOR ESTERIFYING FATTY ACIDS IN CONTINUOUS WITH NO USE OF SUPPLEMENTARY GAS

• Main Authors: VONSCALA CLAUDIA, BAILER OLIVER, MORITZ PETER, FAESSLER PETER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Korean
• Published: 05.06.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; APPARATUS THEREFOR; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; GENERAL METHODS OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEPARATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

PURPOSE: Provided is a method for esterifying fatty acids in a continuous manner with no use of supplementary gas such as hydrogen or nitrogen. CONSTITUTION: The method for esterifying fatty acids(F) is performed in a column(1) that has the function of a stripping section in addition to the function of a reactor and is equipped with at least one packing part(3) formed as a reaction zone, wherein esterification is implemented at least at the top of the packing part(3) where a catalyst is fixed. The method comprises the steps of: performing heterogeneous catalysis of the fatty acids(F) by using an alcohol(A) at least in the same mole ratio as that of the fatty acids; forming a counterflow(50) concentrated with vaporous alcohol through the evaporation at a sump; removing water by the reaction zone by using the counterflow functioning as a stripping gas(50'); liquefying at least a part of the loaded stripping gas(60) at the head of the column; separating the product obtained from the head into a water-concentrated fraction(63) and an alcohol-concentrated fraction(62); and recycling the alcohol-concentrated fraction(62) to the catalysis step as a staring material for esterification so as to generate the stripping gas.