Process for the production and treatment of biodiesel with improved cold soak test results

摘要

A process for the production of fatty acid monovalent C1-05 alkyl esters comprising the steps of:a) a multi-stage, alkali-catalyzed transesterification of fatty acid glycerides with monovalent C1-C5 alkyl alcohols providing a fatty acid ester stream and a plurality of alcohol streams comprising glycerol;b) removing more than 80% of said alkyl alcohol from said fatty acid ester stream by evaporation providing an alkyl alcohol evaporate and a residue;c) washing said residue with water to deactivate said alkali catalyst and remove some residual C1-C5 alkyl alcohol from said fatty acid ester stream; andd) subjecting said fatty acid ester stream to a thermal treatment thereby providing fatty acid monovalent C1-C5 alkyl esters with a cold soak filtration test time according to ASTM D 6217 of less than 200 s.