Method of producing fatty acid lower alkylester from fat and oil

• US 6,090,959 A
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Greentech Solution Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lonford Development Limited
• Inventors: Tsuto, Keiichi, Hirano, Takenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Carr, Deborah D.
• Application Number:
  US09/146,166
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 554/169
• US Class Current: 554/169
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/066 Zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/04 Alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/78 with alkali- or alkaline earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: C11C 3/04 by esterification of fats or fatty oils
• CPC Class Codes: C11C 3/10 Ester interchange

Abstract

In a method of producing a fatty acid lower alkylester according to the invention, a fat & oil and a lower alcohol are caused to react with each other in the presence of a catalyst, in which triglyceride contained in the fat & oil undergoes a transesterification. The catalyst to be used in the reaction is a solid basic catalyst consisting essentially of a potassium compound and iron oxide, of a calcium compound and iron oxide, or of a potassium compound and zirconium oxide. It is possible to produce the fatty acid lower alkylester at a high reaction efficiency by this method as well as to simplify or eliminate the need of catalyst separation and recovery processes.

Claims

1. A method of producing a fatty acid lower alkylester by causing a fat &

oil and a lower alcohol to react with each other in the presence of a catalyst, in which triglyceride contained in the fat &

oil undergoes a transesterification, said catalyst being a solid basic catalyst consisting essentially of a potassium compound and iron oxide, or of a potassium compound and zirconium oxide.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the content of the potassium compound in said solid basic catalyst is 4 to 35 weight % in terms of a weight of potassium.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transesterification is performed in a fixed bed flow reactor filled with said solid basic catalyst in a stationary manner.

4. A method of producing a fatty acid lower alkylester by causing a fat &

oil and a lower alcohol to react with each other in the presence of a catalyst, in which triglyceride contained in the fat &

oil undergoes a transesterification, said catalyst being a solid basic catalyst consisting essentially of a calcium compound and iron oxide.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the content of the calcium compound in said solid basic catalyst is 4 to 80 weight % in terms of a weight of calcium.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transesterification is performed in a fixed bed flow reactor filled with said solid basic catalyst in a stationary manner.