The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 05, 2016
Filed:
May. 23, 2013
Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Limited, London, GB;
Robert Wild, Thornaby, GB;
Rickard Umberto Andersson, London, GB;
Davy Process Technology Limited, London, GB;
Abstract
In a process for producing fatty acid esters, a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol in an esterification reactor maintained under esterification conditions to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl ester(s). An overhead stream comprising unreacted lower alkanol, water and a heavy organic content of one or more of lower alkyl ester and/or acids is recovered from the reactor. The overhead stream is subjected to distillation in a first distillation column to separate a portion of the lower alkanol from a stream comprising the water, the remaining lower alkanol and the heavy organic content. This stream is recovered and subjected to distillation in a second distillation column to provide an overhead stream comprising lower alkanol and at least a major portion of the heavy organic content and a water stream having a reduced heavy organic and alkanol content.