Patent ID: 7857944

Claim:
An apparatus for producing an ester, comprising: a reactive distillation column having a bottom section with a first feed port for feeding an acid thereinto and a second feed port for feeding an alcohol thereinto, and having a top section with a first discharge port and a third feed port, wherein said acid and said alcohol react with each other in said bottom section and thereby a vapor mixture is obtained; a solid catalyst filled in said bottom section and one of a middle section of said reactive distillation column and a middle-to-top section of said reactive distillation column; a separation device having a fourth feed port coupled to said first discharge port, a fifth feed port, a second discharge port and a third discharge port; a stripper having a top, a bottom, a fourth discharge port, a fifth discharge port and a sixth feed port, wherein said fourth discharge port is located at said top of said stripper and is coupled to said fifth feed port, and said fifth discharge port is located at said bottom of said stripper; and a T-typed bypass having a first end coupled to said third feed port, a second end coupled to said second discharge port and a third end coupled to said sixth feed port; wherein said vapor mixture is cooled and therefrom an aqueous mixture is formed, said aqueous mixture is directed into said separation device so as to isolate an organic-rich aqueous mixture therefrom, said organic-rich aqueous mixture has a first portion directed back into said top section through said third feed port and a second portion directed into said stripper through said T-typed bypass and said sixth feed port so as to be purified therein, and thereby an ester product is obtained at said fifth discharge port of said stripper.