Method and apparatus to produce fatty acids from methyl esters throughout non-catalytic process
AssigneeNextchem S.P.A.
InventorsAntonio Zarli, Paolo De Filippis, Marco Scarsella
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Abstract
An autocatalytic process for producing fatty acids from fatty acids methyl esters with an overall conversion higher than 90% which includes multiple hydrolysis reactions in series, in purely thermal conditions, with intermediate separation of phases after each hydrolysis reaction and before the subsequent, operating in excess of water, in order to separate the methanol/water phases from the equilibrium phase and favor the formation of fatty acids product.
Claims26
An autocatalytic process for producing fatty acids from fatty acids methyl esters in a number of reactor units and a number of Vapor/Liquid/Liquid separators, wherein the process has an overall conversion higher than 90%, the process comprising:
- multiple hydrolysis reactions in series, in purely thermal conditions;
- intermediate separation of phases after each hydrolysis reaction and before the subsequent, operating in excess of water;
- formation of fatty acids product with achievement of an equilibrium phase;
- and
- separation of the methanol/water phases from the equilibrium phase in order to favor the formation of fatty acids product,
- wherein a ratio by weight water/methyl ester in each hydrolysis reaction is keeping in the range of 0.4-1.5 and wherein the number of reactors and the number of Vapor/Liquid/Liquid separators are at least three.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.