Patent ID: 8436202

Claim:
A process to operate a biodiesel production facility, comprising the steps of: a. reacting biodiesel feedstock in a reactor selected from the group consisting of a transesterification reactor and a esterification reactor to produce a product stream comprising fatty acid esters, water and alcohol; b. separating alcohol and water from the product stream to produce a first mixed stream containing water and alcohol; c. condensing the first mixed stream; d. feeding the first mixed stream into a pressure swing adsorption system to produce a first alcohol stream and a second mixed stream containing water and alcohol; e. distilling the second mixed stream in a distillation column to produce a relatively purified water stream and a third mixed stream containing alcohol and water; f. combining the third mixed stream with the first mixed stream; and g. feeding the first mixed stream and the third mixed stream into the pressure swing adsorption system.