Neutralization/water separation tank for esterified product and neutralization/water separation method for esterified product

A neutralization/water separation tank for an esterified product, comprising:

• a neutralization part in which a crude product mixture containing alcohol and an ester compound, a neutralizing agent, and water are put to produce a neutralized mixture;
• a water separation part which divides the neutralized mixture into a floating layer and an aqueous layer;
• a first partition wall which extends upward from a bottom surface of the neutralization/water separation tank to provide an upper passage and by which the neutralization part and the water separation part are partitioned;
• and
• a second partition wall which extends downward from a ceiling of the neutralization/water separation tank to provide a lower passage,
• wherein the water separation part comprises:
• a first water separation part into which the neutralized mixture is introduced from the neutralization part through the upper passage;
• and
• a second water separation part into which the neutralized mixture is introduced from the first water separation part through the lower passage,
• wherein the first water separation part and the second water separation part are partitioned by the second partition wall,
• wherein the neutralization/water separation tank for an esterified product further comprises:
• a first discharge pump that discharges a resultant product contained in the floating layer from a sidewall of the second water separation part to the outside;
• a second discharge pump that discharges a precipitated salt contained in the aqueous layer from a bottom surface of the water separation part to the outside;
• and
• a circulation pump that discharges the neutralized mixture from the neutralization part and put the neutralized mixture again into the neutralization part,
• wherein a bottom surface of the water separation part is gradually inclined downward toward a center thereof,
• wherein the second discharge pump is connected to the center of the bottom surface of the water separation part, and
• wherein the upper passage has a height of 10% to 50% of a height of the first partition wall.