Patent ID: 7321052

Claim:
A continuous process for the preparation of a composition useful as a fuel oil which comprises: (a) reacting in a first closed vessel containing a first solid acid catalyst, a triglyceride and a lower alkanol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms at a first elevated temperature to produce a first mixture comprising glycerol, monoglycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides, lower alkanol, and transesterified fatty acid ester as a partial transesterification mixture; and (b) reacting in a second closed vessel above a second acid catalyst the partial transesterification mixture and additional of the alkanol, with an aldehyde, ketone containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a diether containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms below the second acid catalyst at a second elevated temperature with removal of excess alkanol, and aldehyde, ketone or diether from an upper portion of the second vessel, to form a mixture of the transesterified fatty acid ester and a glycerol acetal which is removed from a lower portion of the second closed vessel to thereby provide the composition.