GB369066A - Process for the separation of solid and liquid fatty acids - Google Patents

Abstract

Liquid fatty acids are separated from the solid ones in neutral fats or fatty acid mixtures by saponifying completely with a mixture of lime and soda or other alkalies forming an insoluble soap from the solid acids and a soluble one from the liquid acids, and filtering, centrifuging, or otherwise separating the soaps. Or the fat &c. may be first saponified completely to the soluble or the insoluble soap, and the soap partially transformed by treatment with the other alkali. Preferably the proportion of lime or baryta to soda or potash corresponds to the proportion of solid to liquid fatty acids. In an example, 200 kg. of bone fat containing 45 parts of olein to 55 parts of stearin, is partially saponified in presence of sufficient water by 15 kg. of calcium hydrate of 90 per cent purity; 29 litres of 40 per cent soda lye are then added and the saponification completed. The mass is left in cold water for a time, and then centrifuged or filter-pressed. The separated soaps are used as such or are decomposed by sulphuric or other acid to isolate the acids.