Patent ID: 7091367
Filing Date: 2006-08-15
Classification: B01D,B01J,C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for the esterification of a fatty acid in a column with at least one multi-part packing having a catalyst in at least an upper part to define a catalytic reaction zone, a head at an upper end and a sump at an opposite end, said method comprising the steps of feeding a fatty acid and an alcohol mixture into the catalytic reaction zone; effecting an esterification of the fatty acid and alcohol mixture in the catalytic reaction zone by a heterogeneous catalysis; producing an alcohol-rich stripping gas in the sump by vaporisation, passing the alcohol-rich stripping gas in counter-flow through the catalytic reaction zone to strip water from the reaction zone; at least partially liquefying the water-loaded gas at the head of the column to form a liquefied head product; separating the liquefied head product into a water-rich fraction and an alcohol-rich fraction; and returning the alcohol-rich fraction from the head of the column to the catalytic reaction zone as a starting material for the esterification step and to the sump for the production of the stripping gas.