Patent ID: 8350069
Filing Date: 2013-01-08
Classification: B01J,B63B,B63J,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method of reacting a natural oil with a short chain alcohol in the presence of alkaline catalyst, the method comprising feeding reactants comprising a mixture of natural oil, short chain alcohol and alkaline catalyst in one direction along a pipe reactor under transitional or turbulent conditions, wherein the pipe reactor has a diameter in the range of 2-200 mm and a length in the range of 30 to 100 meters, the pipe reactor including static mixing elements that are present for at least a first 20% of the length of the pipe reactor and for at least a last 30% of the length of the pipe reactor, and wherein a portion of the pipe reactor that comprises at least 20% of the length of the pipe reactor and is displaced from the ends thereof has no mixer elements, so that the reactants are mixed in a direction normal to the flow direction to a greater degree than in a direction parallel to the flow direction.