Apparatus for the continuous decomposition of vegetable and animal fats into pure fatty acid and concentrated glycerine without addition of chemical catalysts in three successive pressure stages

摘要

PICT:0477197/III/1 In a continuous process for splitting fats by water alone, the apparatus is divided into a high pressure zone where the splitting is effected, a medium pressure zone where the glycerine water and most of the fatty acid are evaporated, and a low pressure zone where the residual acid is evaporated. Preferably the temperature is highest in the first zone, lowest in the last. Suitably, a mixture of water and fat in an emulsifier 1 is forced by a pump 2 through tubes 3 at 30--100 kg./cm.2 and 200--280 DEG C., then through a reducing valve 4 and through tubes 5 at 2--20 kg./cm.2 and 120--210 DEG C., and finally through a pressure reducing valve 6 to a low-pressure evaporator 7 and into low pressure condensers 9, 11, 13, 15; uncondensed gases are withdrawn by an exhaust 17. Oil not split is returned to the emulsifier from a collector 8, sweet water from a collector 16. The tubes 3 are heated directly by a furnace fire, while the tubes 5 are arranged in the flue.