Patent ID: 8404086

Claim:
A method of separating at least one component from a composition that comprises at least two seed oil derivatives selected from hydroformylated fatty acid alkyl esters or hydroformylated and hydrogenated fatty acid alkyl esters, the method comprising steps: a. subjecting the composition to a first separation operation, the first operation comprising a short contact time or low residence time evaporation, a low pressure (high vacuum) operation, a stripping operation, or a polarity driven separation operation, the first separation selectively partitioning the composition into a first portion and a first remainder, the first portion comprising monols and diols, or a mixture of diols and heavies, or saturated compounds; b. subjecting the first remainder to at least one additional separation operation, the additional operation comprising a short contact time or low residence time evaporation, a low pressure operation, a stripping operation, or a polarity driven separation operation, each additional separation being the same as, or different from, each other and the first separation, the additional separation operation selectively partitioning the first remainder into at least one additional portion and at least one additional remainder, the additional portion being the same as, or different from, the first portion; and c. recycling at least a portion of the additional remainder to the first separation as a co-feed with the composition, wherein the short contact time or low residence time evaporation operation occurs via use of an apparatus selected from a group consisting of a falling film evaporator, a wiped film evaporator, a rolled film evaporator, a horizontal evaporator, or a short path evaporator; the low pressure operation occurs via use of an apparatus selected from a group consisting of a packed tower distillation device, and a dividing wall column; the stripping operation occurs via an apparatus selected from a group consisting of a steam stripping device, an inert gas stripping device and a condensable vapor stripping device; and the polarity driven separation operation occurs via use of a chromatographic separation device.