JP2010538140A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (16)

A method for producing a fatty acid, a fatty acid ester or a mixture thereof from a starting material containing alcohol and soap , the method comprising the following steps (i) to (iii):
(I) adding a metal ion generator to the starting material to produce a mixture comprising an insoluble phase and a liquid phase;
(Ii) separating the insoluble phase from the liquid phase;
(Iii) a) adding an acid to the insoluble phase to form a fatty acid, or adding a monohydric alcohol and an acidic catalyst to the insoluble phase to form a fatty acid ester, thereby producing an aqueous phase and an organic phase Or b) first adding an acid to the insoluble phase and then adding a monohydric alcohol and an acidic catalyst to at least a portion of the resulting fatty acid to esterify the fatty acid.   In addition to soap, the starting material contains an alcohol, preferably a monohydric alcohol (most suitably methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol) or a polyhydric alcohol (most suitably glycerol) or a mixture of several alcohols. Item 2. The method according to Item 1.   The process according to claim 1, wherein the starting material is a fraction produced as a result of a transesterification reaction of lipids.   2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the metal ion generator is calcium chloride or magnesium chloride, preferably calcium chloride.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal ion generating agent is added as a solid or liquid (preferably as a solid).   An amount of metal ion generator that precipitates at least 40 mole percent of the soap in the starting material, preferably an amount that produces a stoichiometric amount of metal ions relative to the amount of soap, most preferably stoichiometric. The process according to claim 1, wherein a 10 mol% excess of metal ion generator is added.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the insoluble phase contains soap.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the liquid phase contains a polyhydric alcohol or a monohydric alcohol or a mixture of several kinds of alcohols.   9. A process according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein an acid, preferably hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, is added into the insoluble phase to produce a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a fatty acid ester is produced by adding a monohydric alcohol and an acidic catalyst (preferably hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) to the insoluble phase.   10. The fatty acid is produced by first adding an acid to the insoluble phase, and then esterifying the fatty acid by adding a monohydric alcohol and an acidic catalyst to at least a part of the produced fatty acid. Method.   The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the molar amount of the monohydric alcohol relative to the molar amount of the organic substance is at least 40% (preferably equivalent).   13. A process according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the organic phase contains a fatty acid ester or a mixture of fatty acid esters and the aqueous phase contains water and an inorganic salt.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic phase and the aqueous phase are separated from each other and then collected.   Use of a fatty acid, a fatty acid ester or a mixture of a fatty acid and a fatty acid ester produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14 as a feedstock in (i) fatty acid esterification or (ii) lipid hydrotreatment.   Use of an alcohol mixture produced in the production of biodiesel fuel, the production of fatty acids, fatty acid esters or mixtures thereof by the process according to any of claims 1-14.