GB594141A - Improvements in or relating to methods of splitting fatty materials - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0594141/III/1> Fatty materials such as garbage grease, tallow, palm oil, coconut oil, and other animal and vegetable oils or mixtures of them are hydrolysed by contacting the fatty material with water counter-currently at temperatures below splitting temperatures and elevating the temperature of the fatty material and water to splitting temperature intermediate the zones of initial contact. If desired, the splitting may be catalysed through the presence of hydrolysis catalysts such as soaps. Fatty material and water may be contacted counter-currently in a tower by introducing the fatty material adjacent to the bottom of the tower, introducing the water adjacent to the top of the tower and applying heat to the tower intermediate its ends. It may be necessary to apply pressure to the tower in order to maintain the water in the liquid phase at splitting temperature. Both water and fatty material may be heated to a certain extent before their introduction into the tower in order to remove air from the water and to render the fatty material completely fluid. The amount of heat which is applied intermediate the ends of the tower may be reduced to a minimum by introducing the fatty material and water in a ratio substantially corresponding to the specific heats of the two bodies. The hydrolysis is catalysed by the presence of free fatty acid, which may be naturally present as in the case of garbage grease or may be introduced by recycling split or partially split fatty material. In Fig. 2 water enters tower 1 through line 3 and glycerine water is removed through line 24 while fatty material enters through line 8 and fatty acid is removed through line 9. Heat is applied to the tower through direct steam coils 14 and 15, although outside heating jackets may be employed either in place of or in addition to the steam coils. Additional heat may be applied by introducing superheated water at points in the heating. A series of trays or baffles 17 may be provided to aid heat exchange and provision may be made for recycling both fatty acid and glycerine water. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 refers to a method of hydrolysing a deteriorated fat containing free fatty acid which comprises heating the fat in the presence of water to a splitting temperature and contacting it countercurrently with the water to hydrolyse its remaining fatty glycerides. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.